When you have six kids and a Daddy-o who is out of town, having a tummy bug go through the house is most uncivilized. Last week, I had five pukers in a 48-hour period, with a total of 19 pukes. Yes, I counted. Mostly I counted out of pride. Pride, you ask? Some people beam when their kids get a gold medal in a sport or win a spelling bee. My pride comes from knowing I had 19 rounds of vomit in our house, and every single kid hit a toilet or bucket every single time. No need to hold your ap...

Posted on December 06, 2012 at 6:00 AM by Julie Cole

When an eight-year-old says he’s stressed, there’s a problem.

As a yoga teacher, I’ve heard it all from my students. People often come to yoga for physical reasons, seeking relief from chronic back pain or shoulder and neck tension, but they keep coming back to the mat because it provides a retreat, a much-needed break from the stresses and tensions of everyday life.

One of my students brought her eight-year-old son to class recently, and when I asked if there was...

Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:00 AM by Kerry Maiorca

Those who have suffered from migraines know they are more than just intense headaches. While headache pains are part of a migraine, there are other symptoms, including nausea, dizziness and sensitivity to light. Treating migraines is not easy, but there are various natural techniques and alternative treatments that can ease the pain.

Most people try to get rid of pain with medications, but this may not be the best solution. Drugs usually have unwanted side effects and, long term, may c...

Posted on November 19, 2012 at 6:00 AM by Denise Gaskell

We all know how vital sleep is to our children (and to adults!) but we want to make sure that our children have a safe sleep. What is a safe sleep environment? It is an environment where the crib, bassinet or play yard meets CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards. It means that nothing else is in the crib other than a tightly fitted mattress sheet and a baby placed on his or her back. Check out all our tips for a ...

Posted on November 09, 2012 at 7:40 AM by Laura Nikolovska

Have you heard that the American Heart Association recently issued new CPR guidelines?  When was your last CPR class, and why is this important for parents?  Choking is the #1 cause of accidental death in infants and a leading cause of death in children under the age of 3. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all parents know what to do in a choking emergency.  Many parents don’t realize that ‘choking and CPR’ are two intertwined ski...

Posted on July 23, 2012 at 7:00 AM by Brooks Watson

Now that it’s Summertime, the kids are lounging around the house and playing with the neighborhood kids.. And if they’re anything like mine, they will pummel through a refrigerator full of food in one weekend!

At school or daycare the kids have scheduled times to eat. (What they’re eating is a different blog post!) They eat at the same times every single day and the food is portioned. At home, they are free to grab food and snacks all day long.

The key is to keep ...

Posted on June 27, 2012 at 7:00 AM by Johanna M. Cook

Give yourself a break this summer and hire a sitter to take over a day of pool duty, run the kids to the park or just spend an afternoon playing with them in your own backyard.  While summer gives kids a chance to let loose and have fun, it’s also when most accidents happen. Before you take off for your well-deserved time-away, make sure you communicate with your sitter the ins and outs of summer safety.  Don’t assume he or she knows what likely feels like second natu...

Posted on June 21, 2012 at 7:30 AM by Jenny Rowland

Food is supposed to help children grow up healthy and strong. But for a growing number of kids, something as innocuous as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, scrambled eggs, or a glass of milk can cause problems -- and this can be a major source of anxiety for parents.

While a growing number of children are diagnosed with food allergies, a 2010 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed the prevalence of food allergy might actually be overestimated. “While ...

Posted on May 10, 2012 at 5:44 AM by Dr Sarah Weber

Childhood is supposed to be a happy carefree time. But today’s world places more stress on children than ever before.  Combined factors such as living in a more challenging and hectic environment, meeting increased demands for extra activities, coping with problems at home, and internalizing pressure from parents and classmates can produce more stress on a child than he or she can handle.  Alarmingly, the incidence of anxiety, depression, and ADHD in children is on the rise...

Posted on April 18, 2012 at 7:30 AM by Dr Sarah Weber

For children, fever is a normal response to illness. But for parents, it’s a major cause of anxiety and visits to the pediatrician. 

Fever is a physiological mechanism that helps fight infection and is defined as a body temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C).   In and of itself, fever is not known to endanger a generally healthy child and actually may benefit kids during acute illness.

Are fevers dangerous?

High temperatures do not...

Posted on February 24, 2012 at 7:00 AM by Frank Belmonte