Tag Archives: Meriter Pediatrics e-House Call
New Guidelines on Circumcision
New parents are faced with so many decisions to make for their newborn that it can sometimes seem overwhelming. Some decisions are clear cut: breastfeeding – yes, please! Sleeping on the stomach – definitely not! For parents of newborn baby … Continue reading
Unplugging the Pacifier
I will be the first to admit that both of my children used pacifiers. My daughter didn’t start regularly until she was a few months old, but my son came out of the womb wanting to suck, so we introduced … Continue reading
What Parents Need to Know About: Lice
Lice – just the word is enough to make any parent shudder and get the heebie-jeebies! When I received not one, but two e-mails with the subject “Lice” a few weeks ago, my heart sank. Two of my daughter’s good … Continue reading
Bedtime Routines for Babies
How do you set up a bedtime routine for a baby and at what age should you start? A bedtime routine can be an important step in helping any infant or child, or adult for that matter, fall asleep … Continue reading
Tylenol Changes and Dosing Recommendations
Tylenol (also known as acetaminophen and APAP) is a pain reliever and fever reducer very commonly used in children. As you know, however, the dosing can be very confusing. Up until now, there have been so many different formulas, strengths … Continue reading
Taste of Your Own Medicine
Much of my job as a pediatrician is helping educate families on different safety and general health recommendations, and while I know that at times the things that are discussed in the office may sound idealistic, I do try my … Continue reading
Setting Realistic School Lunch Expectations
Back to school is on the mind of almost every parent this time of year. For some, it’s a source of stress (“I’ve been to 3 stores and no one has a pencil box that’s smaller than 8×5 inches!”), for … Continue reading
Video Blog: Newborn Jaundice
Newborn jaundice is a common issue and typically nothing to worry about. In this video, I explain what newborn jaundice is and why it happens. Julia Mason, MS, MD Meriter Medical Group Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Sports Nutrition: Fueling Up for Competition
As you gear up for back-to-school, many of your children are beginning fall sports practice. It’s important to keep nutrition in mind. Your child should be eating properly for optimal sports performance and overall health. Below are some things to … Continue reading
Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Black Bean Brownies
I’ve been trying to get my family away from eating sugar for the past year. It hasn’t been too difficult with respect to meals. We avoid sugary sauces and we make sure we eat lots of dark green vegetables instead … Continue reading
Keeping your Newborn Safe in the Sun
What’s the best way to protect my baby from the harmful effects of the sun? Infants younger than six months should be kept out of direct sunlight if at all possible. Try finding places with shade like under a tree, … Continue reading
Should I Give my Baby a Vitamin D Supplement?
Vitamin D is an important vitamin for people of all ages. It aids the body in calcium absorption, bone growth and remodeling, reducing inflammation, and helping immune function. You get Vitamin D through certain foods and also through a process … Continue reading
Probiotoics: What Parents Should Know
I’ve been receiving some questions from parents regarding probiotics for their children, so I thought I’d give a quick primer on the facts about probiotics, as well as my thoughts on using them. What are Probiotics? Probiotics are essentially living … Continue reading
Bedtime Head Banging: Things to Consider
Many kids exhibit rhythmic behaviors at night such as head-banging or rocking back and forth or making rhythmic sounds. Although these behaviors can seem bizarre, they are a quite normal part of a child’s development. About 5 % of children … Continue reading
New Car Seat Recommendations: Keep them Rear Facing
On March 21st, the American Academy of Pediatrics released updated recommendations stating that all children should ride rear-facing until at least age 2 or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat for rear-positioning. Currently, … Continue reading
Sudden Death in Young Athletes
There have been several recent news stories about young, teenage athletes dying during sporting events, including the poignant story of a teenager who made a game-winning shot in his basketball game and collapsed seconds later. These stories are heartbreaking and … Continue reading
Antibiotics: When Are They Appropriate?
As the flu and cold season comes to its annual climax, I’d like to share a few thoughts on antibiotics and when their use is appropriate. First and foremost, it’s important to understand that viruses—the agents responsible for most of … Continue reading
Feeding Your Toddler
In contrast to infancy (0-1 year), the toddler years (1-3 years) are a much slower period of physical growth. As growth rates decrease, your child’s appetite decreases and food intake may seem erratic and unpredictable. Parental concern about the limited … Continue reading
Choosing a Pediatrician
If you are expecting a baby, have an insurance change, or have relocated to a new area, one of the first questions that may come to mind is ‘how do I choose a pediatrician for my child?’ Obviously we want … Continue reading
Potty Training Tips
When and how to potty-train are very common questions in a pediatric clinic. The cost of disposable diapers or the work of washing cloth diapers is something no longer very desirable to most parents. The most important thing to remember … Continue reading
Cause of ADHD Remains a Mystery
Recently a parent asked me about how to prevent Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and whether there was an link between TV watching as a child and the onset of the disorder later in life. Unfortunately, the truth is that … Continue reading
On the Road to Sharing
Long ago, my son received a blue toy mouse as a gift. It disappeared and was forgotten. Recently, my mom saw the same mouse on sale and thought it would make a nice gift for my daughter. She bought a … Continue reading
Safe Sleep for Newborns and Infants
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is defined as the “sudden death of an infant under one year of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene and review … Continue reading
Toy Safety During the Holidays
Greetings – The holiday season is now officially upon us and parents are busy shopping and buying gifts for their loved ones. But what’s on our kids’ minds? Toys, of course. This is the season for Santa to bring home the wish list, which can … Continue reading
New Vitamin D Recommendations for Infants, Children and Teens
Recent studies show that most children aren’t getting enough vitamin D just by drinking milk. We are seeing vitamin D deficiency in infants, children, adolescents and adults. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to several conditions such as rickets, a disease … Continue reading