Kid's Health

Get organised The same principle used in aircraft emergencies really helps here: put your own oxygen mask on before attempting to help others. In other words, before you talk to your children about your illness, do you really understand it – a...

Get organised The same principle used in aircraft...

Keep Vaccinations Up-to-Date Prior to school starting make sure your children are up-to-date on their vaccinations and health physicals. Check to see if your child needs a health physical this year for school. Checkups are valuable because they allo...

Keep Vaccinations Up-to-Date Prior to school star...

Why is it hard for parents to identify mental illness in children? It's typically up to the adults in a child's life to identify whether the child has a mental health concern. Unfortunately, many parents don't know the signs and symptoms of mental i...

Why is it hard for parents to identify mental illn...

The exact cause of most mental illnesses is not known, but research suggests that a combination of factors, including heredity, biology, psychological trauma and environmental stress, may be involved. Heredity (genetics): Mental illness tends to run...

The exact cause of most mental illnesses is not kn...

Children's symptoms vary depending on the type of mental illness, but some of the general symptoms include: Changes in school performance, such as poor grades despite good efforts Abuse of drugs and/or alcohol Inability to cope with daily problems a...

Children's symptoms vary depending on the type of ...

Children can suffer from the following mental illnesses: Anxiety disorders: Children with anxiety disorders respond to certain things or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety (nervousness), such as a rapid heartbe...

Children can suffer from the following mental illn...

If you've ever been sick to your stomach while riding in a car, train, airplane, or boat, you know exactly what motion sickness feels like. It's no fun. To understand motion sickness, it helps to understand a few parts of your body and how they affe...

If you've ever been sick to your stomach while rid...

As all parents of toddlers quickly learn, teaching them healthy eating habits is an ongoing lesson. Between the challenges of tackling fussy eating and their discovery of independent thought (and the word 'no'!), making sure that they eat well can be...

As all parents of toddlers quickly learn, teaching...

When to contact your doctor You need to see a doctor if your child has a fever and: Your child is very young (six months or younger). Your child seems very sick. You also need to see a doctor if your child: Has an earache. Has difficulty swallowi...

When to contact your doctor You need to see a doc...

Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services say that children and adolescents age 6 and older need at least an hour a day of physical activity. Most of the hour should be either moderate or vigorous aerobic activity. In addition, chil...

Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human...

This week I'd like to share some tips for teachers of students with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association offers the following advice. Remember that every child with diabetes is different. Each child with diabetes may have different symptoms o...

This week I'd like to share some tips for teachers...

According to the National Diabetes Education program, diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in school-aged children and affects about 200,000 young people in the United States alone. The American Diabetes Association states that one in ...

According to the National Diabetes Education progr...

Let's start with the good news. Kids are consuming less added sugar than they were in 2000. The bad news is that kids are still getting more sugar — 16 percent of total calories — than the 5 to 15 percent recommended by the Dietary Guidel...

Let's start with the good news. Kids are consuming...

I'm a relatively new grandma of two granddaughters — one is 18 months old and one is 3 months old. Their mom and dad are juggling careers, keeping up the home front, and creating a wonderful family. We're fortunate to live close to one another ...

I'm a relatively new grandma of two granddaughters...

At a recent picnic with my extended family, my 8-year-old child and a 12-year-old nephew were discussing the calorie content of a certain food. My mother commented to me that she didn't even know what a calorie was when she was their age let alone be...

At a recent picnic with my extended family, my 8-y...

While whole fruit is the best choice, certain types of fruit juice can be a healthy part of your child's diet. Recent studies have confirmed that drinking moderate amounts of 100 percent fruit juice doesn't affect a child's weight. However, fruit ju...

While whole fruit is the best choice, certain type...

Why is iron important for children? Iron is a nutrient that's essential to your child's growth and development. Iron helps move oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and helps muscles store and use oxygen. If your child's diet lacks iron, he...

Why is iron important for children? Iron is a nut...

Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are the best way to help a child who has a cold feel better — right? Think again. Cough and cold medicines aren't recommended for children younger than age 2, and the jury is still out on whether cough ...

Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are the ...

Mental illnesses are like many medical disorders that require ongoing treatment. Although much progress has been made in the treatment of adults with mental disorders, the treatment of children is not as well understood. Experts are still exploring w...

Mental illnesses are like many medical disorders t...