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Health
As useful as they are, antibiotics are not a cure-all for childhood illness. They are only effective against bacterial illnesses and have no effect on viral infections, such as the common cold or the flu. Unfortunately, widespread and inappropriate...
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Baby
You and your baby have settled into a breastfeeding routine when you feel the telltale aches, low-grade fever, and sore throat of a bad cold coming on. Your first instinct is to stop breastfeeding so you don’t give your baby the same cold. But do...
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Health
Laryngotracheitis, otherwise known as croup, is a common upper respiratory illness of childhood. The condition usually affects children 6 months to 3 years old. Symptoms of croup usually include: a hoarse, dry, barking cough (sometimes described as...
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Health
Will the antibiotic protect against future infections? No. Antibiotics are intended to treat whatever illness was diagnosed initially. They will not prevent a child from catching something else later. The average toddler gets ten illnesses each...
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Health
A serious viral infection has spread from the Midwest across the country, hospitalizing hundreds of kids and possibly infecting thousands of others. Speaking to CNN, Mark Pallansch, a virologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,...
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Blog
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if your child got the measles? As pediatricians, I know my husband and I never did. Despite receiving medical training in different parts of the world, neither one of us had actually ever even seen a...
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Blog
I am a mom and a doctor…a doctor-mom. With that comes a bit of good fortune. I can test for strep throat at home in my PJs! I can also use my otoscope to check ears. So lucky, right? You might wonder, what worries keep doctor-moms up at night? If...
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Health
No parent wants to have a sick child, but a child who has a seizure while ill is downright frightening for any parent. Seizures that are accompanied by a fever are called “febrile seizures,” and occur in 2 to 5% of the population. Thankfully, most...
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Health
Most infectious illnesses are caused by either viruses or bacteria. Both can be spread by coughing, sneezing, and contact with infected people or contaminated objects. Both bacterial and viral illnesses can cause mild or serious conditions,...
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Health
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is a highly contagious respiratory illness. The illness is caused by a virus and is most common during the fall and winter months. Every year, thousands of children are affected by influenza, especially...
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Health
A common cold in an infant can be worrisome enough, but when your baby starts wheezing, even the most experienced parent can have serious concerns. However, up to 50 percent of infants will have an episode of wheezing before their first birthday....
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Health
Reye’s syndrome is a rare but serious disorder that can result in the death of a child if it’s not recognized and treated early. Though the exact cause is unknown, Reye’s syndrome often occurs in children and teens who have taken aspirin to help...
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Parenting
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law passed in 1993 that guarantees time off of work without threat of job loss during periods of family stress. It is best known for providing women time off work after pregnancy, but the law is...
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Health
As anyone with a toddler in daycare will tell you, a simple runny nose can last weeks. A slight fever can persist even in a child who appears well. And stools can remain soft and loose long after the vomiting and food refusal of an episode of acute...
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Health
Croup is a common childhood condition that causes swelling and inflammation of the upper airways, particularly the trachea and larynx. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the illness typically affects children between the ages of...
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Blog
Updated: Oct. 2, 10:01 a.m. Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been trending on the nightly newscasts and has probably risen to the top of your social media timelines several times over the past few weeks. Parental fear their children will succumb to a...
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Health
How many times have you rushed your feverish infant to the doctor or clinic, only to be told there’s nothing they can do and you just have to wait and watch? If it’s happened even once, you’ve probably wondered, “When should I take my baby with a...
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Toddler
Do you remember when eating raw eggs was the popular way for bodybuilders to get their shot of protein? It’s a good thing this “fad” isn’t much of a thing anymore: from 1985–2002, eggs were responsible for an estimated 53 percent of all Salmonella...