In two separate studies recently, more evidence mounts for the value of exercise in school. It’s something any grade school teacher can tell you: going outside and running around allows kids to come back in and focus better. Scientists have shown this now to be the case in older kids too. Physically active children of … Continue Reading →
I know it’s obvious and yet I feel I needed to do a blog about it with Spring Break and prom approaching. Every year I seen teenagers in the office who are unnaturally tan before for this time of year and the only way that can happen around here is if they are visiting a … Continue Reading →
Last week, a young college student was mourned after succumbing to a virulent form of bacterial meningitis. Emily Stillwell was 19, a sophomore at Kalamazoo college, and hailed from West Bloomfield. She developed a bad headache and fever and her roommates understood this was no ordinary illness. They helped her get to the hospital quickly … Continue Reading →
You’ve only got a week left so it’s time to start getting your children ready for the early morning wake-up times that school demands. It’s common to let things slide in the summer. It’s light so late, fireworks and outdoor fun last until even the adults are bleary-eyed, but kids have had the luxury of sleeping … Continue Reading →
Summer vacation is here and my tweens and teens are struggling to find something to do all day. We go to the swim club frequently and enjoy cooking together, but without the structure of school and extracurricular activities there are still hours and hours of wide-open time each day for my kids to fill. They … Continue Reading →
It’s checkup season in the office and I’m seeing a lot of children who are heading off to camp or who play sports or who are moving on to middle or high school and need forms completed. Every child gets their height and weight measured and for many of the middle- and high school-aged kids, … Continue Reading →
Just in time for Father’s Day here are a couple of good books hot off the press for the dads of the world. The AAP has published a book just for dads. It’s written by a pediatrician-father and mixes humor and advice to give dads confidence and guidance. This book, Dad to Dad: Parenting Like … Continue Reading →
I know what you’re thinking: tampons cause toxic shock syndrome. Well you’re on the right track. But when I saw a 16-year-old boy in the office recently with this rare but serious condition I, too, was reminded that toxic shock syndrome isn’t just a problem for some tampon users. Toxic shock syndrome is actually caused … Continue Reading →
It’s been quite a year for mono. We’ve all heard of it, of course and the conventional wisdom is that teenagers and young adults are most likely to get it and will be down and out for weeks if they are infected. I’ve got some facts and myths about mono to share that will shake … Continue Reading →
I saw a 9 year old child recently for a checkup who had sunkissed cheeks and nose. She’s a soccer player and I asked about sunscreen use. She said she uses sunscreen regularly but had a tournament over the weekend and hadn’t reapplied it. Even though everyone knows the risks of sunburn both in the … Continue Reading →