Fostering Social Development
Humans are social creatures. We are born with the need to interact with others. Studies looking at infants raised in orphanages showed distinct improvements in social/emotional development when efforts were made to increase positive one-on-one caregiver interactions – meaning, the…
Baby Teeth – Tiny Eruptions
Almost like clockwork, infants start drooling at about 4 months of age. Many times, parents assume this means new teeth will be popping through those delicate gums at any moment. This may or may not be true, depending on the…
Back to School Tips
It’s that time of year again! School supplies fill the store shelves and children are counting down the days before school starts again (if it hasn’t already). The back to school time period can be exciting and anxiety-producing at the…
Suicide – It’s Not Just An “Adult” Problem
Every year during Well-Child-Checkups starting at age 11, preteens and teenagers are given a screening form for depression and anxiety. Many practices (including my own) use a screen called PHQ-9. This short form asks patients to rate how often they…
Migraines in Children
Headaches are a common phenomenon in children (one we will discuss in detail at a later time), and have several different causes. A migraine, however, is different from a simple headache. What is a migraine? Migraine headaches are intense, often…
Teaching Responsibility: Age-Based Expectations
As children grow through various stages of development, they gain the ability to become responsible for a larger variety of tasks. Even young toddlers can be taught to put toys away in a bucket. The skill of gaining responsibility will…
Play Therapy – Counseling for Young Children
Unfortunately, traumatic and socially disruptive events affect children – even young children – just like they affect adults. The medical term for this is Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, and there is growing evidence that ACEs can lead to harmful…
Encourage Your Child To Be Active This Summer
Summertime = fun! School is out, and children tend to have more flexibility in how they spend the day. The weather is usually more conducive to spending time outside, and for children this can translate into hours of active free…
