Kids and Teens
Make sure your kids’ and teen has all the information he or she needs to make smart decisions about puberty, sexuality, food, fitness and emotional well-being.
Top Kids and Teens Articles
Healthy Eating for Kids
Puberty: What to Expect
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Healthy Eating for Kids
Why healthy eating for kids is important Many children and families today have busy schedules. These make it hard to sit down to homemade meals every day. Many kids’ diets involve a lot of convenie…
Effects of Sun Exposure
Everyone who goes outside is exposed to the sun. It is important to know the effects of sun exposure. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) advises talking to children, teens, and young …
Enuresis (Bedwetting)
What is enuresis (bedwetting)? Enuresis is the medical term for bedwetting while sleeping. Bedwetting is fairly common among children. It is often just a stage in their development. Bedwetting is m…
Vitamins and Minerals: How to Get What You Need
Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals found in food. They nourish your body and are essential to your overall health. Choosing foods each day that are rich in vitamins and minerals is the be…
Drowning
Drowning is one of the most common dangers when you’re in the water. It happens when you get water — even a small amount — in your lungs. It’s a serious problem and can lead to death. Drowning can …
Fireworks Safety
Fireworks are one of many Americans’ favorite parts of summer. While it’s safer to leave the show to the pros and attend a public display, many people also love to shoot off their own. But shooting…
Flu Symptoms vs. Cold Symptoms
As fall approaches each year, it signals the time for changes in the weather, holidays with family—and coughing, sneezing, sore throats, and headaches. When these symptoms hit, how do you know if y…
How to Give Your Child Medicine
There comes a time in every parent’s life when their child needs medicine. It can be a confusing, scary time. But communicating with your family doctor and pharmacist, asking the right questions, a…
Overeating in Children and Teens
Sometimes it may seem your child or teen eats all the time. It may seem they are eating lots of snacks between meals or overeating at meals. How do you know if this behavior is something to worry a…
Teenagers: How to Stay Healthy
A person’s overall health is about much more than the absence of disease. It’s the state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Ultimately, it’s the key to living a productive and satisfying l…
For Parents: Eating Disorders in Teens
An eating disorder is a focus on food and bodyweight that causes a person to go to extremes when it comes to eating. Three of the most common eating disorders are binge eating disorder, b…
Homosexuality: Facts for Teens
Understanding your identity is an important part of growing up. This page provides clear and supportive homosexuality facts for teens to help you make sense of your feelings, learn about sexual ori…
Overeating in Children and Teens
Sometimes it may seem your child or teen eats all the time. It may seem they are eating lots of snacks between meals or overeating at meals. How do you know if this behavior is something to worry a…
Girls and Puberty
Puberty is the period or age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction. For girls, it’s a period of change. Understanding what is happening to her body can make your daughter’s tran…
Self Harm — Cutting
It’s difficult to watch your child experience emotional pain. It’s even more difficult to see physical signs of their pain. Cutting is the act of purposely cutting yourself with a sharp object, suc…
Rape: What to do After Sexual Assault
Get to a Safe Place First Note: The National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-4673, is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Rape is any form of sexual activity that you don’t agree to. It can range …
The Importance of Vaccinations
Vaccines are an important part of family and public health. They prevent the spread of contagious, dangerous and deadly diseases. Vaccines are available for measles, polio, mumps, chicken pox, whoo…
Which Vaccinations Do I Really Need?
I like to talk through the benefits and potential risks of vaccines with my patients. These conversations help them feel more confident about getting recommended vaccinations. And this isn’t just t…
Complete Guide to Flu Vaccines
According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu viruses or influenza have accounted for 9.4 to 41 million illnesses in the U.S. every year since 2010. The National Institutes of Health reports th…
Doc, Do I Have the “Stomach Flu”?
Two days before he came in for an office visit, my patient Jake (not his real name) started having stomach cramps and a low-grade fever (under 102°F). He also had a total of 9 episodes of vomiting …
Anti-diarrheal Medicines: OTC Relief for Diarrhea
Diarrhea is when you have frequent, watery bowel movements – three or more loose stools in a day. Many things can cause it, including: This is a common condition that most of the time does not requ…
Antiemetic Medicines: OTC Relief for Nausea and Vomiting
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are medicines you can buy without a prescription from your doctor. Medicines that treat nausea and vomiting are called antiemetics. Several OTC medicines are used a…
Cough Medicine: Understanding Your OTC Options
There are few things more annoying than trying to get through the day with a nagging cough — unless it’s trying to get through the night with one. For either situation, there are a number of over-t…
Flu Myths
The flu, or influenza, is a viral infection. It occurs in your respiratory (breathing) area and affects your throat, lungs, and nose. There are a lot of myths surrounding the flu. A myth is somethi…
Flu Symptoms vs. Cold Symptoms
As fall approaches each year, it signals the time for changes in the weather, holidays with family—and coughing, sneezing, sore throats, and headaches. When these symptoms hit, how do you know if y…
Pain Relievers: Understanding Your OTC Options
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers are medicines you can buy at a store, without a prescription from your doctor. They can decrease or stop pain. They can also lower fevers. But not all pain rel…
Taking Care of Kids and Teens
Supporting kids and teens means guiding their growth, building healthy habits, and helping them develop confidence and resilience as they move toward adulthood.
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