Preschoolers love to pretend. They play dress up or imagine they’re pirates or “cook” for you. They “fly” and “drive” and even are able to become “invisible. “Their powers are endless. Often they find it difficult to differentiate what is real from what is not, but by early grade school, most children have a pretty … Continue Reading →
Preschoolers often play favorites. They have a favorite pair of shoes or a favorite meal or a favorite stuffed friend they like to carry around with them. Sometimes it can be tough for parents, though, when a preschooler has a favorite parent. Feeling rejected by a 3 or 4 year old consistently can be rough … Continue Reading →
Food pouches with pureed veggies and fruits in them for toddlers to suck food out of. Really? Are we astronauts? Are real fruits and vegetables so scarce or hard to tote around that we have to resort to pureed mush to suck on? I guess you can see my basic opinion about the rise of … Continue Reading →
Increasingly parents are asking me about sensory issues in their preschool aged children. Sometimes children cover their ears or need to have tags removed from clothes. Other children seem to crave sensory input and bump into everything and yell. Some children don’t want anything messy on their hands and others avoid or refuse to eat … Continue Reading →
Parents of toddlers have been cooped up all winter, and heading to the neighborhood playground or even the backyard play structure will certainly be on the agenda. Most parents are concerned for their child’s safety on play equipment and even the most seasoned parent holds his breath the first time his toddler goes down the … Continue Reading →
I’m not sure when it happened. I’m not sure how it happened. I’m not even sure why it happened. But parents today find it really hard to see their child upset even when there is a greater good being served. Parents don’t want their children to fuss or cry at all it seems. Now I’m … Continue Reading →
Tomorrow, March 21st, is World Down Syndrome day. It’s a perfect choice of days, as it is the 21st day of the third month symbolizing the third copy of the 21st chromosome that defines Down Syndrome. I love my Down Syndrome patients. They are delightful, funny, kind, and never cease to amaze me. Down Syndrome is … Continue Reading →
Sometimes babies look like they have one eye turning in or out. When this asymmetric appearance appears consistently it can mean that the baby has a “lazy eye.” Muscle weakness or poor vision can result in an eye that doesn’t seem to be in sync with the other eye as it should when the baby … Continue Reading →
Recently a parent sought advice regarding her 21 month old. It seems that whenever they go out to a restaurant or a store, he lets out a high-pitched scream over and over. He’s not crying or visibly upset and it doesn’t seem to be triggered by anything scary, but it’s loud and draws unwanted attention. … Continue Reading →
Children start having dreams at a very young age and sometimes wake or become agitated during the night as a result. Not all waking or agitation is due to dreaming, though. Night terrors can also cause significant night-time distress but are managed differently. Here’s the scoop on some differences. Timing: Nightmares tend to occur long after … Continue Reading →