My mother-in-law, who babysits my one year-old, smokes. Although she only has her cigarettes outside when my son is there, she smokes in the house the rest of the time. Should I be concerned?
Second hand smoke is increasingly cited as a causative agent for a variety of issues. Children in a household with a smoker are at greater risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), asthma, and ear infections to name a few. Although the greatest risk is when there is active smoking going on while the child is in the house, the literature shows that there is still
Second Hand Smoke and Children
by Tom Seman MD FAAP June 27th, 2011 | Pediatrician on Call Read More
Calcium and Teen Girls
by Tom Seman MD FAAP May 24th, 2011 | Pediatrician on Call
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
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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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