2021
March
31,
2021
|
12:51 PM
America/Chicago
Many families are excited about decorating eggs, having Easter egg hunts and participating in other holiday traditions this week. Although this is the second Easter holiday during the COVID-19 global pandemic, now is not the time to let your guard do...
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2020
September
15,
2020
|
12:32 PM
America/Chicago
Being a new parent is hard.
Being a new parent today is even harder.
With the limitation of visitors, changes to doctor’s offices, and lack of ability to get out of the house (among many other challenges), being a parent in COVID-times is causi...
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July
15,
2020
|
15:07 PM
America/Chicago
Recently, I wrote a post titled, “Is Going Back to School or Online Learning Best for Your Child?” A Pediatrician Shares what Parents Should Consider?”
Following that initial article, we received a lot of questions from you all. I wanted to take t...
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July
06,
2020
|
15:25 PM
America/Chicago
Wow, what a difference a few months make.
Just around four months ago I wrote about an emerging virus which was spreading across a province in China. I urged awareness but not panic as we were seeing a few cases spread outside the local area.
W...
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May
22,
2020
|
12:16 PM
America/Chicago
As of Monday May 18, Gov Greg Abbott announced that daycare centers in Texas can immediately open.
But many parents are still asking the question, 'Should I take my child to daycare?'
Of course, there's no one clear answer for all families. The...
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May
07,
2020
|
10:11 AM
America/Chicago
By Justin Smith, M.D., Medical Director of Digital Health, Cook Children's Pediatrician
We miss you and your sweet kids!
What a crazy time the last few months have been. Our entire lives have been changed-work, school, family and free time-they...
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February
05,
2020
|
08:46 AM
America/Chicago
That snowflake on the forecast came out of nowhere...but it brought some freezing rain and snow. Because we're not used to cold, winter weather in our area and we particularly get out of practice with weeks of mild temperatures...here are 5 winter we...
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February
05,
2020
|
08:37 AM
America/Chicago
“Make sure your hair is dry.
“Wear shoes outside.”
“Put on your hat.”
Does any of this really matter? Is any of it true?
Between well-meaning friends and family members and the wealth of websites devoted to health, parents are bombarded w...
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January
16,
2020
|
11:38 AM
America/Chicago
"What happens if my child eats all of my adult vitamins?"
We received this question recently. Let's discuss.
Just like any adult medication, vitamins should be locked away so that kids can't get to them. Vitamins are particularly risky because,...
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2019
October
16,
2019
|
14:40 PM
America/Chicago
“His cough is sooo croupy!”
When parents report a croupy cough, it means different things. Some parents call bad/deep/dry/wet/rattly coughs croupy.
When I think of “croupy cough,” I mean “barky” like a dog or a seal. We are seeing quite a bit o...
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July
23,
2019
|
09:31 AM
America/Chicago
I read the report on essential oils from the Tennesee poison center with great interest. The report said that reports of toxic exposure to essential oils doubled from 2011 to 2015.
I've been interested in essential oils for a while now, beginning ...
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May
28,
2019
|
10:16 AM
America/Chicago
Warts are the worst.
They can be very ugly. They can cause pain if they’re in a tough spot. They can last forever.
Because of this, I’ve seen families try just about anything and everything to treat them.
But what actually works?
Many war...
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May
14,
2019
|
15:55 PM
America/Chicago
So, your baby is 1 year old and everything is changing …They are starting to take a few steps and babbling a ton (maybe even saying a word or two). Just when you thought you had this all figured out, everything changes.
They were doing great, brea...
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May
10,
2019
|
13:46 PM
America/Chicago
Out of 25 counties in the U.S. with the highest risk for a measles outbreak, Tarrant County ranks number 12 according to research published in the latest edition of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
To identify the hot spots, researchers from the Un...
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April
12,
2019
|
10:41 AM
America/Chicago
My 8 year old asks about once a week, “Dad, when can I start my YouTube channel?”
And, I’m pretty sure my freshly minted 10 year old will soon be asking about his own Twitter, Instagram or YouTube account soon. I realize this is a tricky situation...
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March
01,
2019
|
08:42 AM
America/Chicago
Have you heard about the Momo Challenge? Probably by now you have. But if you haven't, there's a good chance your kids have. It's the latest viral sensation freaking everyone out. But should you be concerned? And is it even real?
Here are a few of...
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2018
August
27,
2018
|
10:19 AM
America/Chicago
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Texas is among 18 states that allow families to opt out of vaccines for personal or moral beliefs. The Morning News reports that Plano, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston all ranked among the 15...
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July
26,
2018
|
14:27 PM
America/Chicago
Families asking questions about going gluten free are a more frequent occurrence in my office lately.
So, are gluten free foods better for your child?
The answer is…
Complicated. It depends on your child.
Gluten is a protein found in whea...
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March
07,
2018
|
10:11 AM
America/Chicago
The Texas Department of State Health Services has issued a letter warning parents and cheerleaders from 39 states and nine counties that they may have been exposed to mumps at a cheerleading competition last month in Dallas.
The Dallas Morning Ne...
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March
06,
2018
|
11:16 AM
America/Chicago
Over time, various concerns about vaccines have been brought up. Basically the way it happens is like this … someone comes up with a theory as to why vaccines might be a cause of autism. The scientific community starts to complete studies to determin...
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February
21,
2018
|
13:01 PM
America/Chicago
Did you hear early in the season how the flu vaccine was worthless and only going to have about 10 percent effectiveness?
You probably did, but hopefully that didn't prevent you from getting your child's flu vaccine.
New data from the CDC sugge...
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February
20,
2018
|
14:57 PM
America/Chicago
As if there weren’t enough choices for formula in the newborn period…now we have to decide if our toddler needs formula too?
Most pediatricians recommend breastfeeding as the primary source of fluid intake for up to one year of age (even longer is...
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February
08,
2018
|
11:10 AM
America/Chicago
Are you panicked about the flu? How do you know if your kid is getting worse? What about all these kids getting really sick, even dying?
Here's what I've been saying all day, every day in my office this week.
1. Healthy kids who get sick from t...
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February
06,
2018
|
09:47 AM
America/Chicago
If you aren’t crazy about Tamiflu, I get it. Except for in specific cases, I’m not either.
But I’ve been asked about some other treatment options. Do they work? Are they safe?
When it comes to “alternative” medications, I try to keep an open mi...
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January
26,
2018
|
15:47 PM
America/Chicago
Kanmushi is a described syndrome in traditional Japanese medicine that is said to be linked to an insatiable desire for sugar and “insomnia, crying, irritability, bad mood, night terrors, biting people, biting nails, abdominal bloating due to over-ea...
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January
26,
2018
|
15:41 PM
America/Chicago
Have you ever noticed a prominent blue vein across your child’s nose?
Maybe you thought it was no big deal. Maybe you heard something about it that made you worry.
Here are 4 facts about sugar bugs that you should know:
1.Prominent veins are...
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January
09,
2018
|
14:40 PM
America/Chicago
This year’s flu vaccine effectiveness has been questioned.
“Should I even bother getting the vaccine,” I get asked.
“Yes. You should definitely still get your child’s flu vaccine.”
Here’s why.
Is it going to be a bad flu season?
Widesp...
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January
03,
2018
|
14:38 PM
America/Chicago
The holidays are over, but the flu season has arrived … early.
Last week, 1,118 patients were tested for the flu at Cook Children’s and 429 tested positive (380 for Flu A and another 49 for Flu B).
Get your flu shot (go ahead, it’s not too late...
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2017
December
18,
2017
|
16:29 PM
America/Chicago
"Teething - aka the devil - is so hard."
I know Serena, babies are hard to read. As I read Serena Williams' tweets and the struggles she's going through with her baby my heart went out to her.
There were times in my own parenting journey where ...
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December
07,
2017
|
11:36 AM
America/Chicago
A news story out of Phoenix serves as a tragic reminder to protect yourself and your family from the flu.
Alani Murrieta, a 20-year-old mother, died only two days after she began feeling ill from the flu, according to the Washington Post. Her youn...
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