Please remember that these are only guidelines. Any concerns should be discussed withyour pediatrician.

Too Sick For School? with Dr. Amy

Families have different criteria for deciding when a child needs to stay home from school.  However, there are a few circumstances where a child should always be kept out of school. 

Read on for a list of when you should definitely keep your little one home.

Antibiotic Facts with Dr. Amy

Cold and flu season is in full swing and most parents will need to decide at some point whether their child needs antibiotics. See how well you do in answering the following questions:

1. What is antibiotic resistance and how does it affect my child?
2. My child's cold always needs antibiotics to resolve; shouldn't I start antibiotics early to "nip it in the bud"?
3. How are doctors trying to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance bacteria?
4. How can I protect my child from antibiotic resistant bacteria?
5. How do I know if my child needs an antibiotic?

Read on for the answers to these questions.

It is the season for family and celebration! with Dr. Amy

Please be sure to review the following holiday safety tips to ensure a joyous and safe holiday.

Read on for your holiday safety check list.

Medical Fact or Fiction? with Dr. Amy

Test your knowledge on the following medical topics that affect you and your children…

1. The MMR vaccine has been proven to cause autism in some children. 
   Fact or fiction?
   
2. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) exists in our community. 
   True or false?
   
3. The more milk that my five year old drinks, the better nutrition he will have. 
   Fact or fiction?
   
4. My child wheezed once when she had a cold so she must be developing asthma. 
   True or false?
   
5. My child has had a cold for over a week, has a fever and green nasal congestion so he probably has an infection. 
   True or False? 

Read on for the answers...

Are you raising a confident child? with Dr. Amy

1. When your child wants to "help" in the kitchen what do you do?
2. If your child forgets their homework or doesn't do an assignment, how do you handle it?
3. Are you overpraising?
4. Do you hover and take control too much?

Read on for reminders on how to encourage confidence in our children...

Keeping Your Little Goblins Safe at Halloween and Dealing with the Attack of the Candy Bandits
with Dr. Amy

What are some important safety precautions for children at Halloween?

What are some ways to deal with the onslaught of candy in your household?

Read on for discussion of these timely issues…

How to Handle Common Sleep Issues with Dr. Amy

Are we all sleeping through the night? Probably not all of us. At some point most children will have some degree of difficulty with sleep. There is tremendous variability in children's natural sleep habits and these habits are strongly influenced by neurodevelopmental, environmental and temperamental factors. However it is important to remember that many sleep difficulties are developmentally typical and there are ways to help your children ease through these rough nights. It is also extremely important to remember that any change will take time. Try to find a week that is not too busy (impossible you say!) or that is not full of other transitions. Start on a Friday so that you have the weekend without school and work to get off to a good start. Whatever time you choose please keep in mind that things may get worse before they get better.

The most common difficulties that come up in the office are:

1. What should I do when my child visits me at night?
2. What can I do when my child makes repeated "curtain calls" at bedtime?
3. My 5 year old wakes up screaming from "nightmares"-what is the best way to calm him?
4. How can I help my 15 month old transition from two naps to one?
5. My 4 year old wants me to lie down with her to fall asleep. How can I break this habit?

Read on for Dr. Amy's tips on dealing with common sleep issues.

I Am Concerned That My Child is Overweight, What Should I Do? with Dr. Amy

If you are concerned that your child is overweight, talk to your pediatrician. Your doctor will measure your child's height and weight and should calculate a BMI (Body Mass Index) to compare your child to other children of the same age. Now take a step back and take a deep breath. This is a very sensitive issue for children and your approach can have lasting effects on your child's feelings about their body and their relationship with food. Read on for some tips and more information. Be sure to read the previous article for more tips on keeping a healthy lifestyle.

Read on for 10 actions you can do if your child seems to be overweight.

10 Tips to Help Your Family Stay Fit

Childhood obesity is becoming a global epidemic with the prevalence of overweight/obese children tripling since the 1960's. In the United States, more than 15% of children are overweight. The causes are multifactorial and include decreased physical activity, increased availability of fast food, fewer family meals and supersized portions. Some of the health implications of this epidemic include Type II diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, sleep problems, high cholesterol and depression. What can you do to prevent obesity in your family? What can you do if your child seems to be overweight?

Read on for the top 10 Tips to Help Your Family Stay Fit

Top Questions about Organic Food with Dr. Amy

Controlling our children's diets is a tremendous responsibility. Navigating the labels could become a full time job. Read on for some answers to basic questions regarding organic food that can make the oh so frequent trips to the grocery store just a bit less daunting.

Read on for the Top Question about Organic Food.

How to Protect Your Children From Common Summer Dangers with Dr. Amy

Many aspects of our children's health and safety are out of our control. However there are some risks that you can control, so take charge and help your child to have a safe summer!

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in children 14 and under. Unfortunately these devastating events occur more frequently in the summer. Visits to the ER for minor injuries also escalate in the summer.

Read on to protect your children from from serious summer ER visits...

Are you raising a confident child? with Dr. Amy

• When your child wants to "help" in the kitchen what do you do?
• If your child forgets their homework or doesn't do an assignment, how do you handle it?
• Are you overpraising?
• Do you hover and take control too much?

Read on for reminders on how to encourage confidence in our children...

The Well Stocked Medicine Cabinet from Dr. Amy

For most parents we will all face our children's middle of the night fever, cough or itchies. To save a midnight run to the 24 hour pharmacy and to be able to give your little one some relief, it is a good idea to have a few items in your medical chest.

Read the Top Ten Essential Items for the Well Stocked Medicine Cabinet

Sun Sense -

We wait for the summer so our little ones can spend more time outside but beware-the sun provides more than the back drop for a lifetime of memories. Sun exposure is a preventable risk factor for skin cancer. That is right-you can't decide which genes you give your children, if they get your husband's olive tones or your pasty whites but you can make good sun choices!

Read More to find out how.

Always remember if you are in doubt, check with your pediatrician, no question is a silly one and we are here for you to best care for your children!

Do you have a topic that you would like to hear more about? Email us at DrAmy@BrandywineBuzz.com

About Amy Anzilotti, M.D.