Warts of the hands and feet are common in children. Over 25% of children will have at least one wart of the hands or feet during childhood. These childhood warts are caused by viruses and are benign (non- cancerous). About 50% of childhood warts will resolve without treatment within one year. While Read More
Sun Safety
I was just at a conference where a pediatric dermatologist spoke about sun safety and sunscreen. He shared several bits of information I found interesting. A recent hot topic has been the safety and effectiveness of traditional chemical sunscreens vs mineral based sunscreens (zinc oxide or titanium Read More
Insect Bites: Prevention and Management
Minnesota is currently experiencing an overabundance of gnats due to a very wet May and high river levels. Typically, the state introduces naturally-occurring soil bacteria into our rivers in mid-May to kill off the larval gnats while they are still in the water, but it was not possible this year. Read More
How Much Sleep Does My Child Need?
Sleep is one of the most commonly discussed topics in our well child visits. We all know how vital sleep is for our bodies to function well but, how much sleep do children really need? The following age-based recommendations are from the American Academy of Pediatrics: Infants 4 months to 12 Read More
Common Sense Eating
As the new year comes and goes, I hear so many people talking about resolutions, often related to “diet”. I also read about different fad diets- restricting this, avoiding that, eliminating entire food groups. As a pediatrician, these “diets” really frustrate me. Decades of research and thousands of Read More
Is Caffeine Safe for Children and Teenagers?
In recent years, soda consumption in the United States has been dropping. Unfortunately, many other sugary and caffeinated drinks have taken the place of soda. We have seen a proliferation of energy drinks, fancy coffees, “healthy” teas and even caffeine supplements over the past few years. Many Read More