10/10/04 - This Year's Flu Season Snafu
Review the reason for this year's flu shot shortage and what you can do about it to make sure you get a flu vaccine if you or your child is in a high risk or priority group.

10/05/04 - Flu Season Update
Unfortunately, it looks like we may encounter the shortages that we had last year, and there are some other factors that may make it difficult for you to get your kids a flu shot. The announcement that Chiron Corporation, one of the big manufacturers of flu vaccine, would not be able to distribute any of its flu vaccine, has cut in half the amount of flu vaccine available in the United States. Learn more about the new flu vaccine recommendations.

10/03/04 - Symptoms of Growing Pains
Question of the Week Review the symptoms of growing pains and other causes of leg pain in young children.

9/26/04 - Breakfast at School
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but how much time should kids be given to eat their breakfast?

9/23/04 - Pica
Learn more about pica, an eating disorder in which children eat non-food substances, like rocks, paper, and cardboard.

9/20/04 - Breastfeeding and Constipation
Question of the Week Review a 'problem' of a breastfed infant who is only having bowel movements every five or six days.

9/10/04 - Ragweed and Fall Allergies
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Ragweed Season started on August 15th. That means that your child who suffers from fall allergies has likely already started having symptoms, like a runny nose, sneezing, congestion, and itchy, watery eyes.

8/31/04 - Diabetes Screening Quiz
Does your child have any symptoms of diabetes? Try our symptoms of diabetes screening quiz.

8/29/04 - Pictures of Infections
We are at the end of National Immunization Awareness Month. It is a good time to remember just how serious some of these illnesses are that vaccines prevent by viewing pictures of common vaccine preventable infections, like diphtheria, hib, mumps, measles, and chickenpox.

8/25/04 - Medical Symptom Checker
A medical symptom checker to help you figure out what is wrong with your child. Common symptoms that you can review include ear pain, fever, diarrhea, cough, wheezing, etc.

8/24/04 - First Aid Techniques
Learn more about common first aid techniques so that you are prepared for an emergency.

8/12/04 - Back Talk
Get a behavior makeover for your child's back talk and stop the sass and fresh lip.

8/10/04 - Referrals to Specialists
Learn about the types of specialists that are available to treat your child when he needs extra care.

8/8/04 - Lead Paint
In lead poisoning questionnaires, they always list as risk factors for a child having lead poisoning as living or spending a lot of time in a home built before 1950 or if it was built before 1978 and is being remodeled. Why the differences? If I live in a home built before 1978 and it isn't being remodeled, are my kids at risk for lead poisoning?

8/4/04 - Contact Lenses
Question of the Week My nine year old doesn't want to wear her glasses and is already asking to have contact lenses like her older sister. At what age can kids start wearing contact lenses?

7/31/04 - Toddler Parenting Issues
Learn more aobut common toddler parenting issues, including picky eaters, safety, temper tantrums, speech delays, and potty training.

7/24/04 - Car Seat Inspector
Our Car Seat Inspector can help you choose a car seat and make sure that your child is riding safely in the car. Are you using the right car seat? Is it in the right position? It will also help you choose a new seat before you go shopping.

7/21/04 - Obesity Risk Factors
Learn about some of the risk factors that can lead to your child becoming overweight, so that you can look for, identify and change the behaviors that can lead to obesity in kids.

7/13/04 - Summer Safety Quiz
Are you having a good summer? Make sure your kids are safe and take this quiz to test your knowledge of summer safety, including using sunscreen, insect repellents, water and fireworks safety.

7/5/04 - Supplemental Newborn Screening
Review the issue of whether or not you should order a supplemental newborn screening test for your baby.

6/27/04 - Staph Infections and MRSA
Learn to identify and treat common skin infections caused by the staph bacteria, including impetigo, boils, and abscesses.

6/26/04 - Thrush
Thrush is a common infection that causes white patches inside a child's mouth. Learn about treating and preventing this common yeast infection.

6/24/04 - Are Baby Walkers Safe?
Mobile baby walkers, although fun for babies, can put your child at big risk of getting injured. Do you use one? Should they be banned? Review this important issue.

6/19/04 - Cord Blood Banking
Expecting parents are faced with a lot of important decisions before their baby is born. These include the basics, such as what to name the baby, which Pediatrician to go to, breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, etc. And more and more, they are having to consider the issue of whether or not to bank their baby's umbilical cord blood. Review the issue of whether or not you should bank your baby's umbilical cord blood in a private bank, such as Viacord or Cord Blood Registry.

6/17/04 - Ages and Stages
Our Ages and Stages series of articles will help you keep up with medical and parenting advice as your child gets older. Enter your child's date of birth and the page will be updated every time you come back!

6/12/04 - Tylenol Dosage Calculator
Do you have a hard time figuring out the right dose of Tylenol for your child? Our Tylenol Dosage Calculator can help you to give your child an accurate dose to prevent underdosing and overdosing your child on Tylenol.

6/6/04 - Allowance Magic
Read our review of Allowance Magic, a great book if you want to help your kids learn the true value of money and the importance of having savings, following a budget, and not throwing away money on things that they don't really need.

6/2/04 - Most Popular Names of 2003
The Social Security Administration recently updated their list of popular baby names to include the top 1000 names of 2003. Not surprisingly, Jacob is still ranked number 1, as it has since 1998. And Emily is still the most popular name for girls, for the 8th year in a row. See the top 10 baby names for girls and boys in 2003 or see how your own name or your kids' names rank.

5/26/04 - Summer Safety Primer
Learn to help you keep your kids safe and healthy this summer by reviewing our Summer Safety Primer and then take our Summer Safety Quiz to see if you're ready.

5/22/04 - Stranger Danger Quiz
Most parents warn their kids to 'not talk to strangers'. Unfortunately, that may not be enough, as many children have a hard time identifying who a stranger really is. Take our Stranger Danger Quiz to see if your child knows who the strangers are.

5/16/04 - Safe Traveling with your Infant and Toddler
We are taking a trip soon to visit family and don't want to take a lot of supplies, like a crib or high chair. Can we use a playpen and hook-on chair as an alternative for our 15 month old?

5/12/04 - Ten Tips for Safe Bike Riding
Avoid biking injuries by reviewing our ten tips that you should teach your children to encourage safe bike riding.

5/9/04 - Changing to Strattera
Information about changing to Strattera, either during the school year or summer time, and making Strattera work to control your child's ADHD symptoms and minimize side effects.

5/5/04 - Eczema Treatments
Learn about preventing and treating your child's eczema, to help get this itchy rash under better control.

4/28/04 - Kids Allowance Calculator
A regular allowance is a good way to teach your child about money. This calculator will help you figure out an appropriate allowance for your child. It uses Consumer Price Index historical data to help you compare your child's allowance to the amount that you got when you were a kid! How much allowance should your kids get?

4/17/04 - The Tooth Fairy and Losing a First Baby Tooth
My son is six years old and hasn't lost his first tooth yet. He is anxious for the tooth fairy to come and we are both wondering what the going rate now is for a first baby tooth. Will he lose a tooth soon?

4/11/04 - Spring Health Issues
Spring time is now here. For most children, this means more outdoor activities (swimming, camping, bike riding, etc.). For all parents, this means being extra vigilant to keep your child safe and healthy. Learn about spring allergies, water and sun safety and using insect repellents safely.

4/10/04 - Seasonal Allergy Screening Quiz
Do your kids have symptoms of seasonal allergies? Take our Seasonal Allergy Screening Quiz to see if your kids have symptoms of seasonal allergies, including a runny nose, water eyes, and sneezing.

3/22/04 - National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week
Help observe Inhalant Awareness Week by taking this inhalant abuse screening quiz to help see if your kids are abusing inhalants, like glue, correction fluid, spray paint, and other household items. Remember that this is a common problem among teens and younger school age children, so it is important to learn more about recognizing and preventing the abuse of inhalants.

3/16/04 - Fish and Mercury Warnings
The latest advisory includes the latest warnings about eating fish with high levels of mercury, including shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. However, they expand the warnings to include other types of fish, including tuna, which may be a popular part of your child's diet.

3/6/04 - Portion Sizes and the Obesity Epidemic
Can downsizing our meals lead to fewer supersized kids? Learn how to control your child's portion sizes so that they don't overeat and become overweight.

3/1/04 - Food Allergy Screening Quiz
According to the FDA, about 1.5 percent of adults and up to 6 percent of children younger than 3 years in the United States, about 4 million people, have a true food allergy. Do your kids have symptoms of food allergies? Take our Food Allergy Screening Quiz to find out.

2/15/04 - Are your kids using drugs?
Unfortunately, drug use by teenagers is common. Take our drug abuse screening quiz to see if your child has any of the warning signs that might indicate that he or she is using drugs.

2/14/04 - Teen Depression Research Study
See if your child qualifies to participate in a study of depression in adolescents who do not respond to common treatments for depression.

2/6/04 - Kids' TV Show Parenting Quiz
Had enough reading about the bird flu, childhood obesity, and depression? Have some fun and take our Kids' TV Show Parenting Quiz! Do you know the characters in your children's television shows? Test your knowledge of children's TV shows with our quiz.

2/4/04 - Antidepressants and Suicide Risk in Kids
Does taking antidepressants, such as Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Paxil CR, Effexor, Remeron, and Serzone, increase a child's risk of committing suicide? The FDA is investigating this important topic.

1/28/04 - Quick Weight Loss Tips for Overweight Kids
What would most help your kids lose weight? The South Beach Diet? The Atkins Diet? A miracle drug? More exercise at school?

1/26/04 - Newborns and Group B Strep Infections
Learn about group B strep infections, which are the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborns.

1/24/04 - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
I am sorry to say that I drank quite a bit of alcohol during my pregnancy. Although I don't drink anymore, I am worried about how it might have affected my son. What can I look for to see if he might have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

1/14/04 - Measles Outbreak and the Importance of Vaccines
View the 2004 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule.

1/7/04 - 2004 Immunization Schedule
View the 2004 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule.