Articles tagged with 'Thedocsmitty' | Checkup Newsroom

Generally, I’m not too concerned about the exact number of your child’s temperature. “Felt warm” is usually more than enough for me to know my kid has a fever. But, like many things in medicine, that has changed in the world of COVID-19. Ma...

I’ve never been a big proponent of giving a baby medication for normal fussiness or spitting up. But when the fussiness symptoms are severe and consistent with reflux or the baby is not gaining weight well, treatment with an acid reduction medicat...

Fortunately, chest pain in kids is rarely their heart but here are 5 signs that you should be worried about: The pain is "crushing" or pressing down. There are other symptoms like passing out, nausea or skipping/racing heartbeats. The pain is ...

With unseasonably warm weather hovering in the mid-90s, most Texans probably aren’t thinking about the cold and flu season right around the corner. And only time will tell for sure, but some indicators lean toward a potentially severe influenza se...

"He's having difficulty breathing" is a statement that can mean a million things, including something as simple as a stuffy nose...because it can be difficult to breathe through a stuffy nose. But when I call  a nurse to help me because this child is...

I decided to tackle the subject of essential oils. I know many people out there are firm believers in how effective they are. So before I approached this topic, I did some pretty significant research into what is out there on the use of oils in child...

Believe it or not, summer’s almost over and the new school year will begin before you know it. Are you ready? Or are you like a certain dad I know who usually waits until the last minute? Last year, this dad forgot: To book his child's ph...

Nosebleeds are very common in children 2-10 years of age. Studies suggest that 30-50% of children in this age group have had at least one nosebleed. We’ve gotten a lot of requests to write a post about nosebleeds so I thought I would cover some of...

I’ve written a lot about fevers in hopes of calming parents’ fears. But when it comes to newborns, forget everything I’ve always taught you about fever. If an infant has a fever, it is a sign something is wrong and a serious cause for concern I...

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...

Although she wouldn’t call herself “100% anti-vax” at the time, Amanda Carroll declined to give her first-born son his hepatitis B vaccine at birth. With the next group of shots scheduled at his 2-month checkup, Amanda and her husband weren’t so s...

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...

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...

Popular rocking sleepers have been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons.  Last week, Kids2 recalled all of its rocking sleeping models after reports that say five children have died in its sleeper since they were introduced in March 20...

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...

“It’s just a virus.” I hate that phrase and I know it never gives parents comfort when they hear it from doctors. Doctors (I’ll admit I’ve said it too) usually say “it’s just a virus” to let parents know we don’t see anything that suggests a ba...

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...

Bah-bah. Binky. Button. Nip-nip. Num. Paci. Sassy. Soothie. Wubbanub. Whatever you call it, parents have lots of questions about pacifier use. Let’s look at some of the most common: 1. When is it OK to start a pacifier? A pacifier can be ...

"Never put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow." And yes folks, that means Q-tips. Look at what our medical director of Emergency Services has to say: “Q-tips and cotton-tip swabs cause numerous ER injuries we see at Cook Children’s,” ...

Raise your hand if your kid has a runny nose right now. Ok, EVERYONE can put your hands down now. But, does your child have a cold or allergies? After all, the mountain cedar pollen count is the highest it's been all season in North Texas and i...

It should be the most wonderful time of the year, but you don’t want to spend it in the emergency room. New decorations and experiences can cause accidents and pose a danger for your child. Here are 12 day-ngers of Christmas: Fireplace - Ligh...

RSV has arrived at Cook Children's. Last week, 178 kids tested positive for RSV, compared to only two who tested positive for Influenza A. RSV is a virus. It’s short for respiratory syncytial virus. It causes a disease in young children (especi...

Texas Health and Human Services has sent out an urgent message warning parents about the risks of giving honey to children 12 months old and younger. "Infants (children less than 12 months of age) should not be given honey, or pacifiers containing...

Are you looking for the miracle cure for your baby’s congestion? Me too. Sorry, it just doesn’t exist. I tell families all the time that if I find it I will market it and retire. In the meantime, here are some things you can do to help. Suction...

Tragically, 7 children have died as a result of a rapidly spreading, severe infection in a New Jersey rehabilitation center. The infections have been caused by a virus called adenovirus which is a common childhood infection. Three children tested pos...

We live in a sharing society, but we don’t share all things equally. We’re likely to share a cute video of our children blowing out their birthday candles or a picture of our kids in their baseball uniforms. There are plenty of things that pare...

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...

"I swear he looked worse when I called." "She hasn't been this active in days." "She felt so hot when we left the house." I get it. I've always tried to understand when I hear parents say these kind of things and this week I was personally r...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 100 cases of salmonella in 33 states, including three in Texas, following a recall of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal. Thirty people have been hospitalized as of yesterday afternoon. The CDC rec...

Want an excuse not to go out in the brutal Texas heat? Chiggers. Earlier this week, NBC5 reported chiggers in North Texas is the worst in 30 years. So what does this mean for your kids? The truth is mainly annoyance. Let’s take a look at ...