Keeping kids safe is top on the minds of most parents, but sometimes hazards are just not that obvious. Introducing foods to infants and toddlers can be great fun, but it also brings opportunities for danger. A little knowledge about how to avoid choking can go a long way in avoiding serious emergencies. I wrote [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘Toddlers’
September 3, 2009
Ear Hygiene 101: Cleaning Your Kids Ears–Are Q-Tips Safe?
A friend once told me with great disdain, while watching me wiggle a cotton swab deep in my ear canal with great satisfaction, “I never use Q-tips to clean out my ears.” Apparently a doctor once told him never to put anything smaller than his elbow into his ear, and he took these words as [...]
August 15, 2009
Is Juice Kid-Friendly? Shocking Sugar Facts About Juice
When I was growing up, “juice” was standard fare for kids. Those were the Kool-Aid days…. But now we realize that even juice that comes from real fruits and not a packet of sugary powder is not necessarily healthful. What is so wrong about juice or other sugary beverages? Isn’t a glass of orange juice [...]
July 16, 2009
Is Milk Harmful During an Illness?
As the ad jingle goes, milk it does a body good. But many parents ask me if they should stop giving their sick child cow’s milk. Myth or truism? Here’s the lowdown. Snotfest: It is true that milk may increase the thickness of mucous during a cold or other respiratory infection. It will not, [...]
July 10, 2009
When Will My Child Walk? Tips on Childhood Motor Development
Rolling over, sitting, and walking are all important motor milestones in the life of an infant. And the exact timing of reaching these milestones vitally important… to the psyche of parents. The mother of my four-month-old patient was ecstatic when she rolled over (all by herself!), and then devastated when she seemed uninterested in trying [...]
March 30, 2009
Show Me Your Belly Button: On Toddler Speech Development
“My 2 year old doesn’t talk! What can I do doctor?” A recent day in my clinic revealed why speech and language are the source of much anxiety for the parents of toddlers. My first patient of the day was a very cute 17-month-old girl. As I walked in the room she demanded to “Color! [...]
February 27, 2009
Toddler Eating Habits: How Do They Grow?
Question from Melissa: So, my daughter (16 months) is not the best eater these days. I’ve read a million things on various websites about toodlers and eating, but I’d like to know what you think. This is the situation: she doesn’t eat ANY vegetables except some avocado on occasion; she regularly skips meals (so, has [...]
February 22, 2009
Tugging on the Ears: Is it an Ear Infection?
Between 9 and 12 months of age, many parents bring their little one in to see me because they are worried about an ear infection. Their child has started tugging on, batting at, scratching, or generally messing with their ears. The good news? These children almost never have an ear infection, unless there are other [...]
A Pediatrician's Insights on Child Health, Parenting and Doctoring Kids
