If you want proof, read this diverse list of our most popular stories of 2016. We hope you enjoy our look back:

10. 7 Ear Infection Myths Every Parent Should Know. Parents flocked to this blog from Doc Smitty. Can your child go swimming with an ear infection? Do all ear infections need antibiotics? If your child gets ear tubes, will the infections stop?  All this and more was answered in this blog.

9. 7 Online Challenges This ER Doctor Warns Could Be Deadly Oh the Internet. Where kids do all kinds of things to get noticed and maybe go to hospital in the process. We asked our medical director of the Emergency Department to look at seven really silly, really dangerous dares that kids (or grownups for that matter) shouldn't try at home. 

8. Almond Milk: A Nutty Fad or Healthy Alternative. Almond milk sales have gone through the roof over the past decade. But is it the right drink for your child? Doc Smitty gave the answer in this informative piece. 

7. The Death of Ethan: A Life of Chronic Pain Ends in Tragedy. This is the most recent entrant in our list of top 10 stories. Only the fact that it was published in December kept this story out of the top five. We were so honored that Ethan's parents shared their son's story of a life filled with chronic pain. They want you to read it to learn about their son and hopefully help other children who may be suffering as well.

6. New Hope In Fight Against Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba. The Lewis family holds a special place in the hearts of everyone involed in the Checkup Newsroom. Following the tragic death of their son Kyle to a brain infection caused by a water-born amoeba, Jeremy and Julie Lewis created Kyle Cares. Read their inspiring story as they fought to bring a drug to Cook Children's and other hospitals around the nation that may save children's lives.

5. 11 Tips That Could Save Your Daughter's Life.  In Janaury 2016, Rylie Whitten made national headlines after suffering one of the worst cases of toxic shock syndrome (TSS)  that her doctors had ever seen. Rylie's story moved us to run this informative piece on TSS that we hope every parent of a daughter reads.

4. A Sign From Heaven: Family Travels Across U.S. For Care at Cook Children's. A family's desperate search for answers on Google led them to Cook Children's. Read the fascinating story of what led this family to travel from Detroit, Mich. to Fort Worth, Texas, to be treated for a rare condition called hyperinsulinism.

3. The Most Common Rash You Never Knew About. Ever heard of molluscum contagiosum? We hadn't when Dr. Diane Arnaout wrote this blog for the newsroom. Dr. Diane's informative blog "that will save you and your child pain, money, time and anxiety" went viral quickly and became our third most read story of the year.

2. RSV On The Rise: 6 Things Every Parent Should Know. Here we are at the beginning of 2017 and we have been lucky in that we haven't seen much flu yet at Cook Children's. But we have seen plenty of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which explains the popularity of this great blog from Dr. Lizy Varughese.

1. Let's Learn Something: Bouncers, Jumpers and Walkers. Dr. Diane Arnaout's "Let's Learn Something" series was a big hit this year and none were bigger than this tale of caution. Dr. Diane's blog on how baby bumpers, bouncers and activity centers could play a role in your baby's motor delays is our most read new story of 2017. You've probably read this blog. But if you aren't one of the more than 117,000 readers who took a look, now's the time. And if you have read it, feel free to click again.

Well, that's it for 2016. Thank you all for reading. We'll be back with plenty more stories to tell in 2017.

Some choose to stop breastfeeding. Some move on from spending all their extra money on formula. Everyone is wondering what milk to move to next.

The standard answer used to be ... whole cow’s milk. Now 2 percent seems reasonable; even soy in those who have had issues with cow’s milk before. Let’s start off by saying that there’s nothing magical about milk. I like to think of it as an easy way to get your child calories, protein and calcium. But, if they are getting those nutrients from other sources, I am not too concerned about how much milk they drink.

What about almond milk?

Almond milk sales have gone through the roof over the past decade. As more adults identify as lactose intolerant and are turning to plant-based alternatives, it’s no surprise that they are starting to consider it an alternative to cow’s milk for their children.

Let’s start by comparing the nutritional information:

Almond milk is made by crushing up some almonds and mixing them with some water. It’s not fancy. In commercially available products, 1 cup has the equivalent of about 4 almonds worth of nutrition in it.

Given that I consider the primary benefits of milk to be a source of calories (35 in almond compared vs 160 in whole cow’s milk), protein (1 vs 9 grams) and calcium (2% RDA vs 30%), almond milk doesn’t exactly measure up. This could be a problem with a picky eater whom the family is relying on almond milk, thinking it will help supplement when they do not eat well.

Could almond milk be harmful?

A case study published online for Pediatrics (February 2016) describes a case where a child fed predominately almond milk and almond flour from 2.5-10 months of age resulted in the child having scurvy. Scurvy is a disease that is the result of having too little vitamin C and can result in bone thinning and fractures. Of course, the improper use of cow’s milk over this time could also cause a number of health problems as well, including anemia.

Prolonged use of almond based milk has been linked to low chloride levels and failure to gain weight in other patients. I believe these are both also related to poor intake of other foods, as a child can grow just fine without nutritional deficiencies with a balanced diet and water.

What’s the bottom line?

Is almond milk the most terrible thing in the world? No.

Is it a good alternative to cow’s milk for your child? No.

It just doesn’t have the same nutritional value. Your child might as well just drink water. Focusing on a balanced diet is key no matter what.