My 13 year-old daughter refuses to drink milk. Does she need calcium supplements?
Calcium is a very important mineral for the body. It is used to allow muscle contractions in all muscles, including the heart. Calcium is the compound with which the bones are hardened. Calcium concentrations also help regulate Vitamin D concentrations, which we are discovering have more and more value. The bones in the body are major depositories for the calcium, and the circulating calcium concentrations are carefully controlled through a number of mechanisms; therefore, if a person does not eat sufficient amounts of calcium, the body will
End of School Stress
by MPK May 17th, 2011 | Children's Health, Mental Health
For many students, May and June are an exciting time of year. The number of days until school ends and summer begins are counted with great anticipation. Students daydream about days without homework assignments and the hectic pace of the school day. However, before summer begins, teens have responsibilities to handle: year end projects, final exams, summer job hunting. While parents can't (or at least shouldn't) take on these jobs, they can help their teens learn to manage the stress involved with them.
Lisa Greenberg, a psychologist in Madison, New Jersey, offers the following suggetions:
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Lisa Greenberg, a psychologist in Madison, New Jersey, offers the following suggetions:
- Empathize with the stress your teen
Hiding Vegetables
by Louise May 10th, 2011 | Children's Health, Diet, Nutrition, Vitamins
I love vegetables. Of course, I know that's not the case for everyone. For some reason, there are people who grow up hating vegetables. Personally, I think there was a rotten vegetable they had as a child that made them think all vegetables were bad. How can you not like carrots or bell peppers? Okay, I know that sounds crazy to some people. The reality is that most people would choose a slice of bread or a piece of fruit over a stalk of broccoli or head of cabbage. Yet, vegetables are an
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Treatment for a Child’s Fever
by Tom Seman MD FAAP April 1st, 2011 | Pediatrician on Call
Is it better to give my child Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen for a fever?
Late fall, winter and spring are key times for a large variety of viral illness that cause a whole range of symptoms, but most concerning to all parents is fever. Fever is the body's response to an infectious agent and the means to start to immobilize the agent and kill it. Therefore, a fever should be treated to control extreme levels of fever and/or for comfort. Most fevers under 102 do not need to be controlled aggressively since at this level it is generally safe and the
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Late fall, winter and spring are key times for a large variety of viral illness that cause a whole range of symptoms, but most concerning to all parents is fever. Fever is the body's response to an infectious agent and the means to start to immobilize the agent and kill it. Therefore, a fever should be treated to control extreme levels of fever and/or for comfort. Most fevers under 102 do not need to be controlled aggressively since at this level it is generally safe and the