Last week I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by Dr. Carol Berkowitz, former President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a smart, spunky pediatrician who specializes in child abuse and had much wisdom to share regarding shaken baby syndrome (now also known as abusive head trauma). Today I’d like to share a few points I took away from her talk on this important topic. Continue reading
Do you ever think about all of the stuff our kids come into contact with and wonder whether things are safe? Today I’m back over at Two Peds in a Pod with some practical advice on this topic. Check it out!
Limiting BPA and other potential toxins in your child’s environment.
“In today’s world we are surrounded by “stuff”. We touch it, we eat from it, we drive in it, and we wear it. Before becoming a parent, I have to admit I didn’t think all that much about whether this “stuff” was safe. I had passing thoughts about toxic chemicals in “stuff”. The environmental toxin I worried most about as a pediatrician was my little patients’ exposure to lead.
Suddenly, as a new mom, I started to think about toxins a lot.” Keep reading. . .
This post is dedicated to Nonna and Nina and all of the wise women who have gracefully helped guide those of us just starting out in this amazing journey of motherhood. Continue reading
In the last few months I’ve been involved in the care of three children with severe head injuries. Two were skateboarding and one was riding a bike at the time of the injury. All of their lives are forever changed. None was wearing a helmet. Continue reading
April 21-28 is National Infant Immunization Week in the US. This annual observance is set up as a time to promote the benefits of immunization and to celebrate the milestones reached in controlling vaccine-preventable illness in children. This year the campaign goes global, with the World Health Organization sponsoring the first ever World Immunization Week. Continue reading
Disclaimer: We did not build this sandcastle. 🙂
It is spring in California (although, truth be told, this mid-westerner never really notices much of a winter here). The Easter Bunny brought my son sand toys. Yesterday we spent the afternoon outside in the park. With a bucket, a shovel, and a few shapes, a new world opened up. Castles were built. Rivers were dug. Cakes were baked and then eaten. Don’t worry, “just pretending” he told me. Fish and turtles and stars appeared and then disappeared. All the while, we were serenaded by nearby birds. The sun shone down on us and there was a gentle breeze. For a while our dear little neighbor girl joined in, but for the most part it was just us. The best few hours I’ve had in a while. Continue reading
This morning I put on my mom “hat” and took my little guy to see his pediatrician for his two year old well child visit. Doctor visits can be difficult for the toddler age group. So, before today’s visit I spent some time thinking about how I could make this visit easier for my son. Here are a few tips that can help make young children’s check-ups a little less painful for all involved. Continue reading
I see a lot of toddlers and school age children in my practice. Lately, a number of parents have asked about growing pains. Are they real? What causes them? Are they a sign of something serious? What can I do to help my child? Here’s a quick review.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, sleep is the holy grail of parenting. Adequate, quality sleep is essential for children’s growth and development. Poor or insufficient sleep can contribute to a host of child health problems. And, we all know how the mood of a household can plummet when kids (and therefore parents) aren’t sleeping well. But, achieving adequate sleep for all family members is, at times, a daunting and difficult task. In honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, I thought it would be a good time to provide a sleep syllabus of sorts. So, here it is- a list of resources for tired parents facing sleep difficulties. I hope you will find it useful. Continue reading
Kindness begets kindness evermore -Sophocles
One need only catch a glimpse of a political ad for the current presidential campaign to get a taste of vitriol. Change the channel and you might hear a reality TV show contestant viciously gossiping about a cast mate. Have we always been this snarky and cruel to each other? Have we always been taken in by this type of entertainment? Watching, rubberneckers at the scene. Or, rather, has there been an insidious decline in our treatment of each other? Surrounded by meanness, we take it all in. We become part of it. Suddenly, a snide comment at work sounds normal. Aggressive driving is commonplace. An adult bullies a child at the playground and those overhearing barely flinch.
All the while, the kids are watching. And, I can’t help thinking, what are we teaching them? How will they treat each other? Continue reading
My Two Hats 