Vaccines and immunizations Archive

Parents can use Screen-Free Week as an opportunity to evaluate their children’s relationship to their electronic devices as well as their own, and try to be more thoughtful about using them.

The overuse of antibiotics and antacids can lead to problems regardless of age, but if given to babies it can contribute to allergies and asthma as children grow.

On call

Q. There has been a lot of talk about the severity of this flu season, and I recently heard that influenza also can trigger a heart attack. Should I worry?

A. Influenza is responsible for about 10,000 to 20,000 annual deaths, mostly from pneumonia or internal organ failure. In other situations, influenza infection strains a person's health, which can worsen underlying conditions, such as heart disease.

It’s common to repeat ourselves trying to get children to follow our instructions, but how much of what we are trying to convey does a child truly comprehend? Paying attention to context and using words that make clear what we want are likely to get better results.

The health risks of loneliness and isolation have been known for some time, but more recently research has shown the specific effects in the brain. Finding ways to make connections with other people is the best "medicine" to alleviate the mental and physical effects of loneliness.

With recent data showing that childhood obesity is getting worse, here is some advice for parents on what can be done to help children avoid obesity or get to a healthier weight.