My brother-in-law wants to have my 12 year-old nephew begin weight training in preparation for high school football. Isn't this too young, and won't his growing bones and muscles be injured?
This is a very common question, but the answer is not a clear yes or no. The very simplest answer is yes he can strength train, but he may not be able to lift weights. A significant complication in this question is that there are different expectations in the results of the weight training depending on where the child is in his pubertal development. Puberty should start between ages 8-16 years old.; therefore, a
Children and Multi-Vitamins
by Tom Seman MD FAAP March 1st, 2012 | Pediatrician on Call
Is it really necessary to give my children a multi-vitamin? I provide them with a well-balanced diet, but they also have their share of "junk" food.
For good nutriton it is said a person should eat a rainbow every day. What they mean by this is that one should eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts of various colors to provide the wide range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as part of a healthy lifestyle.
During winter days, parents are often concerned about whether or not they are providing enough nutrition to their families with foods being tranported on average
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For good nutriton it is said a person should eat a rainbow every day. What they mean by this is that one should eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts of various colors to provide the wide range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as part of a healthy lifestyle.
During winter days, parents are often concerned about whether or not they are providing enough nutrition to their families with foods being tranported on average
Amblyopia and Strabismus
by Tom Seman MD FAAP February 2nd, 2012 | Pediatrician on Call
My two month-old baby's eyes don't seem to work together. Since I had a "lazy eye," do you think my son will too?
There are several different medical conditions that may be referred to by the lay population as lazy eye. The two major types are Amblyopia and Strabismus.
For the nine months that the child was developing inside the uterus there was no need for the eyes to focus on a single point with both eyes. Once the child is delivered he/she needs to learn how to focus on a subject in front of him/her. Initially the eyes see independently. This of course could
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There are several different medical conditions that may be referred to by the lay population as lazy eye. The two major types are Amblyopia and Strabismus.
For the nine months that the child was developing inside the uterus there was no need for the eyes to focus on a single point with both eyes. Once the child is delivered he/she needs to learn how to focus on a subject in front of him/her. Initially the eyes see independently. This of course could
Cholesterol and Children
by Tom Seman MD FAAP January 5th, 2012 | Pediatrician on Call
There's been a lot of news stories on lately about having a child's cholesterol level checked. Should I ask my children's pediatrician to consider doing this for my kids?
We all know how high cholesterol levels affect the heart and the blood vessels in adults and the necessity of checking it regularly as well as treating those with levels higher than recommended. Before it was known that it takes a long time for cholesterol plaques to develop within the arteries and vessels, it was initially hard to correlate childhood behaviors and cholesterol levels with adult outcomes; however, in the 1960's and
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We all know how high cholesterol levels affect the heart and the blood vessels in adults and the necessity of checking it regularly as well as treating those with levels higher than recommended. Before it was known that it takes a long time for cholesterol plaques to develop within the arteries and vessels, it was initially hard to correlate childhood behaviors and cholesterol levels with adult outcomes; however, in the 1960's and
Earbuds and Hearing
by Tom Seman MD FAAP December 8th, 2011 | Pediatrician on Call
My teen daughter listens to music on her iPhone constantly. Do I need to worry that the volume of the earbuds will damage her hearing?
Ever since there has been portable music there has been arguing between parents and their children regarding how loud they are listening. Over the years, technology has allowed the speakers to become smaller, with greater clarity and more power. This led to the creation of earbuds.
In the 1980's, there was the Sony Walkman, which allowed a person to listen to their own music. Development of high quality headphones and then smaller earphones allowed someone to listen to their own music in
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Ever since there has been portable music there has been arguing between parents and their children regarding how loud they are listening. Over the years, technology has allowed the speakers to become smaller, with greater clarity and more power. This led to the creation of earbuds.
In the 1980's, there was the Sony Walkman, which allowed a person to listen to their own music. Development of high quality headphones and then smaller earphones allowed someone to listen to their own music in