Handling a Clingy Baby
Dr. Greene’s tips on how to handle a clingy baby: Many children go through a stage when they strongly prefer one parent to every other person in the world. One common pattern is for them to noti…
Tips for Surviving Temper Tantrums
Temper tantrums are very common, especially in children 2 to 3 years of age. When viewed in context, temper tantrums can be an extremely constructive part of the development of a healthy child. That s…
The Olympic Flame
When I was first asked to carry the Olympic Torch, my eyes misted. Not until the moment actually came did I understand why. The Olympic Flame reaches back to a time when the human race was younger, an…
Tips for Managing Back-To-Back Kids
As parents, it is only natural to want to continue to give your first child all the attention you have been giving him, plus give your new baby the special attention you gave to your first child. That…
A Parent’s Guide To Diaper Rashes
There are a surprising number of different types of diaper rashes (that respond best to different types of treatments). Skin wetness is the common denominator underlying these various causes of diaper…
Fast Facts about Precocious Puberty
Precocious puberty is defined as the onset of true puberty before 8 years of age in girls or 9 years of age in boys. (Boepple, et al. Endocrinology, Surgery, and Technology, Vol 1, 1996) (more……
Fast Facts about Thumb Sucking
Children who suck their thumbs are able to begin at an early age to meet their own need for sucking. These children fall asleep more easily, are able to put themselves back to sleep at night more easi…
Revolutionary Test for Early Detection of Autism
Autism rates continue to rise, as 1/54 children receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), up from 1/68 in 2010 and 1/150 in 2000. Part of this may be due to the fact that methods of autis…
When Time Away From Baby Can’t Be Avoided – Follow Up
Several of our readers have expressed concern for Nancy Cefalu and her family. We received a letter from her and are reprinting it with her permission . . . (more…)…
Tips for Helping Young Children Deal with Temporary Separations
Dr. Greene’s tips on helping children handle temporary separations: From the time that we begin to let ourselves believe that a positive pregnancy test could actually mean that we are going to b…
Unusual Breath Odors & What They Mean
In children with good oral hygiene, smelly breath that persists throughout the day is most often the result of mouth-breathing, which dries out the mouth and allows the bacteria to grow. Saliva cleans…
Fast Facts about Ear Infections
Since ear infections are the most common diagnosis in pediatrics, it is worthwhile for a parent to learn to become a Sherlock Holmes — able to notice the clues and suspect an ear infection befor…
Does This Child Have An Ear Infection? – Case 1
A ten-month-old girl, who had been sleeping through the night, has now been waking up each night for one week. She pulls herself to standing in the crib, and rubs her right ear. She calms quickly when…
Does This Child Have An Ear Infection? – Case 2
A seven-month-old boy has had a cold for three days. Last night he woke up screaming, and remained irritable for several minutes even when he was picked up. He felt hot to the touch. This morning, he …
The Relationship between Sugar and Behavior in Children
The effect of sugar intake on children’s behavior is a hotly debated topic in pediatrics. Parents and educators often contend that sugar and other carbohydrate ingestion can dramatically impact …
Tips for Treating and Preventing Eczema Outbreaks
The first step in treating eczema is to identify the precipitating event or trigger and avoid it if possible! You may not see an immediate improvement, but if you are going to successfully treat eczem…
Tips for Weaning your Child from a Bedtime Bottle
When a toddler or preschooler is still using a bottle to go to sleep, there are two patterns that must be overcome. First, she has chosen the bottle as her special comfort object to help her with the …
Fast Facts about Lead
Deaths from lead poisoning are now rare, but it is not unusual for a child’s blood to contain enough lead to cause intellectual and developmental delay, neurologic problems, kidney disease, and …
Lead Screening
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions a blood test to check for lead should be considered. (more…)…
When to Call the Doctor after your Child Hits Their Head
When we hear the awful thud of a child’s head, our breath catches. A prompt cry after the injury is reassuring but can be scary too. Kids may cry very intensely and even find it hard to catch thei…