Healthy Living Pediatrics Content

• Handling Bad Play Dates: Rough Kids, Biting, Fighting, and More

  

  Posted 6:15 PM 2/16/2011

  There are good play dates, so-so play dates, and then there are meltdown, can't-get-out-of-there-soon-enough play dates.

  Preschoolers may do battle over a toy, engage in name-calling, refuse to acknowledge one another, or even push, bite, or hit their playmate. Older kids may tease, taunt, or torment each other and/or get into trouble -- or even into dangerous situations.

  Of course, your child's health, safety, and well-being -- physical and emotional (More)
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• Healthy, Low-Calorie Breakfast Ideas and Recipes

  

  Posted 6:59 PM 1/27/2011

  Breakfast has been called the most important meal of the day, and with good reason.

  The body and brain require a steady stream of energy and nutrients. Going without food for 10 to 14 hours or more forces your child's body to tap its reserves.

  "Kids literally fast overnight, and their 'tanks' are empty when they wake up," says Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant in Columbus, Ohio and creator of the Real Mom Nutrition web site. "They need (More)
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• DNA Test Predicts Scoliosis Progression

  

  Posted 3:31 PM 12/1/2010

  Dec. 1, 2010 -- A new DNA test is accurate at predicting which children are least likely to have their scoliosis -- an abnormal curvature of the spine -- progress to a severe curvature, according to new research.

  Doing so can save medical expenses as well as unneeded X-rays and time off work for parents, says researcher Kenneth Ward, MD, chief (More)
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• Acetaminophen Not Linked to Liver Damage in Kids

  

  Posted 6:47 PM 11/22/2010

  Nov. 22, 2010 -- A review of the medical literature indicates that despite a reported association between liver toxicity and acetaminophen use, the risk of children developing any kind of liver damage after taking the everyday painkiller at recommended (More)
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• Unsupervised Kids at Risk for Dog Bites

  

  Posted 9:30 PM 11/12/2010

  Nov. 11, 2010 -- Pet dogs pose a major health risk for children, especially kids who aren't being supervised as they touch or play with the dogs, a new study shows.

  Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine studied 537 children treated for facial bites by dogs and turned up some findings they considered surprising:

  • In almost 90% of dog-bite cases examined, the dog was known to the child. In 51% of cases the dog was a family (More)
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• Schools Still Keen on Sugary Sodas

  

  Posted 9:00 PM 11/1/2010

  Nov. 1, 2010 -- Students' access to sugary sodas and other high-calorie beverages in elementary schools is on the rise, despite national recommendations against them.

  A new survey shows that sugary sodas, sugar-sweetened fruit juice, higher-fat milk, and other high-calorie beverages are still widely available in most elementary schools, even though the Institute of Medicine recommends that elementary schools offer only water, 100% juice (4-oz serving), and (More)
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• Bedtime Texting, Emailing Affect Teens' Sleep

  

  Posted 6:34 PM 11/1/2010

  Nov. 1, 2010 -- Texting and emailing long after bedtime are common among children and teens, according to a new study, and could help explain why some are sleep-deprived the next day.

  The 40 students studied sent, on average, 33.5 texts or emails per school night after bedtime -- from 10 minutes to four hours after ''lights out," says researcher Peter G. Polos, MD, attending physician at the JFK Medical Center sleep laboratory in Edison, N.J.

  He is (More)
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• Low-Fructose Diet May Ease Kids' Abdominal Pain

  

  Posted 6:23 PM 10/18/2010

  Oct. 18, 2010 -- New research suggests that a low-fructose diet reduces recurrent abdominal pain in children with fructose malabsorption. The condition causes gas, bloating, and cramping because of an inability to properly digest fructose.

  Fructose is a sugar found naturally in fruits, honey, and some syrup. It is also used to sweeten many processed foods (More)
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• Kid Nutrition: Calcium, Fiber, Iron, Protein, and Vitamins

  

  Posted 1:27 PM 10/14/2010

  Nutrition isn't kids' stuff. Good nutrition can help your kids fend off common illnesses and develop strong, healthy bodies. Include foods with these key nutrients every day so your children learn to enjoy the taste of eating right. And don't forget to help them (More)
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• Kid Nutrition: Calcium, Fiber, Iron, Protein, and Vitamins

  

  Posted 1:27 PM 10/14/2010

  Nutrition isn't kids' stuff. Good nutrition can help your kids fend off common illnesses and develop strong, healthy bodies. Include foods with these key nutrients every day so your children learn to enjoy the taste of eating right. And don't forget to help them (More)
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