“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” – Angela Schwindt by Martha Sears, RN This quote came to me in an email from a close friend and colleague in the parenting world, Janet Jendron, President of Attachment Parenting, International. I have known Janet […]
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) in Children: How to Prevent, How to Treat When you need to learn about a hot topic in medicine, you consult an expert. That’s what I did. After researching “who’s who” in TBIs, I found Dr. Michael Lewis, the military’s leading researcher in TBIs and author of a new book, When […]
What is Hypoallergenic Formula If you see the term “hypoallergenic” on the label, this means that it contains a partially hydrolyzed formula, which has been proven to cause fewer allergies in babies than standard formulas. Since, by definition, the term “allergy” implies a sensitivity to a protein, the term “hypoallergenic” means that the protein in […]
When Common Foods Produce Higher Acrylamide An article in one of my favorite journals, Nutrition Action Health Letter, October 2017, revealed the shocking fact that acrylamide, a likely carcinogen, is present in some of our favorite foods. Acrylamide is a compound that typically forms in starchy foods when they are baked, fried, or roasted. When […]
How We Manage Screen Time for Our Kids Do you blurt-out the phrase, “Put your phone down!” about a hundred times a day? Does it seem like you’re constantly having to tell your kids to “get off the phone, and _____________”? You can fill-in the blank with a variety of phrases like “eat your dinner”, […]
Top Preventive Tips to Protect Your Family During Flu Season A healthy immune system is the key to preventing sickness. No matter how hard you work to keep little germs out of little bodies, some bacteria and viruses find their way in. So, your next line of defense is to build your child’s immune-fighting army […]
What is ADD and What Does ADD Stand for? The abbreviation “ADD” stands for Attention Deficit Disorder, which is a collection of traits that reflect the child’s inborn, neurologically based temperament. The four main qualities that define ADD are selective attention, distractibility, impulsivity, and in many children, hyperactivity (ADHD). ADD vs ADHD: What’s the difference […]
Understanding why do babies cry so much? Your baby’s cries all have a purpose. This is their only way at this time to communicate with you that they need you. Dr. Sears deciphers why babies cry and what they mean. Reasons Babies Cry The basic answer to why do babies cry is that it is […]
Focus on the Bright Side of A.D.D. The Good Qualities Many children with A.D.D. have enormous energy and drive. They can be funny, entertaining, and creative. For most children with A.D.D., the future is bright if their needs are recognized. It helps if parents accentuate the positive. Some of the brightest and most capable students […]
A Hug’s Impact on the Brain This October, I attended the Huggies Parents Council in Chicago. As a guest speaker, I had the honor of connecting with parenting influencers to teach them what I have seen and experienced in terms of a hug’s impact on the brain. In addition, I, too, learned more about the […]
As the mouth is the entry point for food, the nose is the entry point for air. A stuffy nose is one of the top nuisances at all ages. Besides missing out on the comfort of taking a deep breath through a clear nose, an overstuffed nose can compromise breathing and lead to a sinus […]
As a pediatrician, I know one of the most exciting times of a parent’s life is the birth of their child. Yet, this experience can be a challenging time for families whose children are born prematurely. I learned this more than ever when I was the Associate Chief of the NICU at the Hospital for […]
