Ask the Harvard Experts: Practical Steps to Boost Your Child’s Immune System
Q: What steps can I take to help my child’s immune system strong? A: There are no magic wands or magic supplements to maintain a strong immune system. It’s the same formula to help children stay healthy. Give them a healthy diet. By “healthy,” I mean a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables (five […]
Helping Sick Kids Get Their Magic Back
There’s magic in the air in Chicago. Open Heart Magic, a local nonprofit organization, brings interactive bedside magic to children at 11 local hospitals. “Wherever there are kids who are struggling to turn the corner, our goal is to give them hope and some laughter and make them feel better,” says Mike Walton, founder and […]
Creating Friendship and Combating Isolation
Friendship is essential for all of us. But during the pandemic, children with intellectual disabilities have needed friends more than ever. The Friendship Circle of Illinois, based in Northbrook, pairs children with special needs with teen volunteers to create lasting bonds. The volunteers enjoy being mentors and the children, mainly ages 4 to 12, are […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: ADHD
High energy, lack of focus don’t necessarily mean child has ADHD DEAR MAYO CLINIC: As the mom of an elementary schoolboy, I hear a lot of talk about ADHD. But what is it exactly? How do you tell the difference between a kid who just has a ton of energy and one who has a […]
Healing the Hurt
Chicago programs help young victims of trauma find their way forward “What happened to you?” Asking troubled children that question instead of, “What’s wrong with you?” is the basic premise of trauma-informed care. Childhood trauma occurs when a youth experiences an event that is emotionally painful or distressful, such as gun violence, sexual abuse, domestic […]
Managing the Highs and Lows
Families ride the roller-coaster of type 1 diabetes Managing type 1 diabetes is not easy — especially for kids. With the daily highs and lows of blood sugar and insulin dosing, kids and their parents can feel like they’re riding a roller-coaster. Throw teen diets, growing bodies, hormones, sports and school into the mix and […]
Going Higher
Blood pressure problems among kids are rising High blood pressure is common in adults, and it’s also an increasing concern in children, in part due to rising obesity rates. An estimated 3.5 percent of kids and teens in the U.S. have chronic high blood pressure, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). High blood pressure, […]
When to worry about your child’s fever
Fevers worry parents; they scare them sometimes. I understand why. After all, a fever can be a sign of something serious — and at the beginning of one, it’s hard to know whether it’s going to turn out to be something serious. Most of the time, it isn’t serious. Fevers are very common. They are […]
Pneumonia a leading cause of hospitalization for children
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pneumonia puts thousands of young children in the hospital each year at a cost in the U.S. of about $1 billion, not to mention the suffering of these young patients and the hardship for their families, according to a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease […]
Methods for taking a child’s temperature vary with age
Throughout the year, especially during flu season, the questions surrounding how to take a child’s temperature and how to treat a fever seem never ending. So let’s jump right in with a discussion on taking temperatures in children of all ages. There are many different thermometers out there, and many different methods for taking a […]
The Kid’s Doctor: Not all earaches require antibiotics
By Sue Hubbard, M.D. Parents are so SICK of their children being SICK and I must agree … it is time for everyone to stop coughing and sniffling and get well. And that means fewer ear infections, as well. Ear infections are one of the most common reasons that a parent brings a child to […]
The Kid’s Doctor: Have your child’s blood pressure checked regularly
By Sue Hubbard, M.D., www.kidsdr.com When you take your child in for a check-up, does your pediatrician check the youngster’s blood pressure? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children, beginning at the age of 3, should routinely have their blood pressure checked. In certain circumstances, even younger children should have their blood pressure […]
Peanut Consumption in Infancy Could Prevent Peanut Allergies, Study Finds
By Heidi Kiec When it comes to preventing a peanut allergy, it might be best to fight fire with fire. Most young children at high risk of developing a peanut allergy may be able to ward off the allergy by consuming peanut protein starting in infancy, according to the results of a recent study. Peanut […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Childhood vaccination schedule effective at preventing many serious diseases
By Robert M. Jacobson, M.D., Tribune Content Agency DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Why do children need so many vaccines in their first two years of life? Isn’t it OK and even safer to wait until they’re a bit older to give them the recommended vaccinations? ANSWER: The current childhood vaccination schedule has been studied extensively. It […]
National Infant Immunization Week Special Report
Photo courtesy of Chicago Department of Public Health [spacer style=”3″] The Measles Outbreak: Why It’s Back and What to Do By Carroll Cole When we think of measles, we think of our grandparents and horrific stories of a past before modern medicine. The scary truth is that it’s still around and it’s highly contagious. It’s […]
Combating Childhood Obesity Through Food
Waistlines are expanding in the United States at every age. For the younger generation, it’s particularly alarming, as recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that 17 percent of American children and adolescents are obese—and that’s triple the rate from one generation ago. More body fat in children equates to a […]
Being Cared For
Above photo: Daniel Johnson, MD, Comer Children’s Hospital at The University of Chicago Medicine Chicago boasts several nationally leading pediatric hospitals thanks to a holistic approach to healing By Rhonda Alexander Everyone needs healthcare, and for children—especially those with acute or chronic illnesses—reliable, quality holistic healthcare can mean the difference between simply managing […]
Navigating the airwaves of traveling with breast milk and prescriptions
By Megy Karydes “Breast milk doesn’t taste very pleasant!” exclaims Adam Sommer, a travel writer based in St. Louis, Mo. OK, but why was Sommer drinking breast milk in the first place? While traveling with his wife and baby, security personnel at an Italian airport insisted that he swallow—not just taste—some of his wife’s breast milk […]
Scaredy Kids
The trick to mastering a kid’s fear makes for a real treat By David Himmel One of my life’s crowning achievements came when I was 8 years old. It was Halloween, and I won my second-grade class’ Scariest Costume award. At the time, Teen Wolf was my favorite movie, so that’s what I chose as […]
Deciphering Speech/Language Therapy
By Emily O’Brien Many people seek the services of speech/language therapists—some during early childhood and others well into their senior years. In order to determine whether speech/language therapy is needed, one must first get a better understanding of what that form of therapy is and what the treatment entails. According to the Nemours Center for […]
Prenatal Dangers
There are a lot of things that can go wrong during pregnancy, but doctors help reduce the risk by doing a lot of things right By Nancy Maes When a woman learns that she is pregnant, happy visions of decorating the nursery and choosing pint-sized clothes can soon be overshadowed by fears of complications for […]
Biking Ahead for Safety
Tips for protecting your child’s head with the perfect-fitting bike helmetBy Nancy Maes Parents can’t just buy the bike helmet their children like best, plop it on their heads, buckle it up and assume the youngsters will be safe. The protective gear has to meet the standards of the Consumer Safety Commission and be fitted […]
The Theater of Teeth
Delta Dental’s Land of Smiles Bolsters Oral Health Through Children’s TheaterBy Alex Lubischer Nate Ross loves his job. The 24-year-old Chicago-based actor spent the last two springs performing in the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation’s (DDILF) traveling children’s theater production, Land of Smiles. The foundation—the charitable arm of Delta Dental of Illinois—unveiled Land of Smiles […]
Growing Up with Tragedies
Terribly violent storms, like the one witnessed in Oklahoma this week, can leave lasting damages much more permanent than a shredded earth. This is especially so for children. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in kids and adults. Mayo Clinic Children’s Center anxiety prevention expert and psychologist Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D., offers tips to help conquer weather-related fears. […]
Camping with Food Allergies
It’s no one’s favorite activity, but some kids have to face food allergies at summer camp By Nancy Maes Summertime is the season for carefree fun at camp, but parents of children with food allergies have to be extra vigilant to make sure that their youngsters will be safe during their time away from home. […]
The Equality Equation
A Perfect Match
LifeSource teams up with Blackhawks for blood/marrow drive By Alex Lubischer LifeSource, Chicagoland’s Blood Center, teamed up with the Chicago Blackhawks for a blood drive and marrow registry in honor of 14-year-old leukemia patient and Blackhawks fan Emma Gomez on Saturday, March 23. A total of 640 life-saving units of blood were collected at the […]
Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative announces major changes in Chicago
By Riley Andersen First lady Michelle Obama is kicking off the third year of her Let’s Move! initiative this week with a two-day national tour that includes a stop at McCormick place in Chicago on Thursday. The tour will promote the progress of the last two years and announce new ways to battle childhood obesity. […]
Living Too Large
A Look at the Chicago Childhood Obesity Epidemic By Morgan Lord When it comes to childhood obesity in Chicago, there’s good news, and there’s an overwhelming amount of bad news. Here’s the bad news first. “Childhood obesity is definitely becoming a bigger issue in Chicago,” says Dr. Mary Westerholm, a physician at Central DuPage Hospital […]
A Perfect Baby Body
New program helps women restore their bodies after childbirth By Morgan Lord Childbirth brings with it plenty of joys—unconditional love, a new, impenetrable bond and all of that cuddle time. But giving birth can also mean a slew of not-so-joyous bodily changes for a new mother including bladder, bowel and sexual health issues. NorthShore University […]
The Cost of Nutrition
School and community efforts help kids eat well on a budget For many families with school-aged children, the dreadful question during mealtime is chicken fingers or hot dogs? French fries or chips? What do you pack for lunch that will guarantee that your child will eat something so he or she isn’t starving by the […]
Parental Advisory
Helping your kids cope with trauma in real life On July 20, a masked gunman entered a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and wounding 58. A 6-year-old girl was among the massacred. Sixteen days later, six people were slain at a Sikh temple just outside of Milwaukee […]
It’s Not About STDs. It’s About Fighting Cancer.
How immunizing young girls—and boys—against the human papillomavirus can save lives. Odds are you’ve contracted, are carrying, or will be infected by the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection out there. “This is a very ancient virus,” explains Dr. Kenneth Alexander, professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric infectious diseases at University of Chicago’s […]
Caught In The Web
Video game and Internet addictions can damage lives It’s a sign of our wired times; it seems that we’re all being increasingly sucked into cyberspace. But when online play turns pathological, it can harm a person’s family, school, work and psychological functioning. Too much time playing video games or surfing the Internet may seem harmless […]
Allergic Food Groups
Caring for a child with food allergies requires knowledge and avoidance of parental diagnosis Chicago mother Lourdes Craelius isn’t sure whether her 8-year-old son is lactose intolerant because she’s never had him tested. Her suspicions stem from hearing her son complain of bad stomachaches occasionally after consuming dairy products. And quite often, he refuses them […]
A Crash Course in Celiac Disease and Children
In children, the symptoms are many and varied: chronic diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, abdominal bloating, fatigue, growth problems and failure to thrive. Undiagnosed adults might have a completely different set of symptoms including iron-deficiency anemia, infertility or osteoporosis. Or the disease might be asymptomatic, but still dangerously harmful. Those varying symptoms, seemingly disparate, can all […]
Health Mastery
HPV and Males: Moms and Dads, Let’s Talk Before my son left for his freshman year at college, I, the single mom, pushed myself to have the talk with him. Not that talk. This talk was about HPV (human papillomavirus), and its link to the increasing number of occurrences of head and neck cancer in […]
Warning signs of video game/Internet addiction
1. Preoccupation with video games/Internet 2. Use of video games/Internet in increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction 3. Repeated, unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop video game/Internet use 4. Feelings of restlessness, moodiness, depression or irritability when attempting to cut down use of video games/Internet 5. Jeopardizing or risking loss […]
Less Touch Football
Pop Warner Limits Practice Contact for Youth Football Players Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. – the largest and oldest youth football, cheer and dance organization in the United States, based in Philadelphia – announced rule changes on June 13 that will limit the amount, and type, of contact allowed in football practice. “We’re proud to […]
Uncovering Concussions
How They’re Changing Our Brains and the Game It’s nearly kickoff. Families and friends nationwide gather around the television and bundle up in stadiums and bleachers. They cheer on their sons and sports heroes as they battle over the holy pigskin. Bright lights illuminate sweat-drenched and grass-stained soldiers in their armored uniforms as they crouch, white-knuckled, ready […]
Defying the Odds
Meniscal transplant breathes life into athletic hopes of 16-year-old Lake Forest resident. On a warm afternoon this past July, Chet Baker was startled by the sound of his 16-year-old daughter Kristen bounding down the stairs. That day marked just five months since she’d undergone a meniscal, or cartilage, transplant—three months too early for her to […]
Drugging our Kids
Will drugs cure ADHD, or are we overdosing? Who isn’t familiar with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD)? Diagnoses increase each year. TV commercials pitch medications that can curb the symptoms. Celebrities such as Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps and Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel have gone public with their condition. ADD […]
Caring for Children with Food Allergies
Renee Frixen had experience with children and food-based allergies. As a teacher of a student with a peanut allergy, she was trained to use an epinephrine autoinjector (the common brand name is EpiPen), just in case of an emergency. But nothing prepared her for taking care of her nephew, who often curled up in pain […]
