Vaccines and immunizations Archive

Once you have taught a child the mechanics of riding a bicycle, the real challenge is teaching them how to ride safely on the streets. Our tips will help instill important safety and awareness practices in your young rider.

Use of mobile devices by children up to age 8 has exploded in recent years. This isn’t necessarily bad, but parents should be aware of how much time their children are spending on devices daily, and make the effort to ensure they are being used responsibly and appropriately.

Spending time every day asking children questions in an open-ended way that encourages them to talk fosters an openness that can help parents know what’s going on in a child’s life outside the home, including any potential bullying issues.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that parents approach feeding their babies based on signs of hunger and fullness, with the intent of preventing obesity.

Parents grappling with whether to allow an adolescent child to get a tattoo may find answers to some of their questions in a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How much do you know about car seats, and the guidelines for their safe use in your car? Our quiz has the answers.

Research we're watching

Not only is obesity a risk factor for flu complications, but it might actually make the flu vaccine less effective, says a study published online June 6, 2017, by the International Journal of Obesity. Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that the flu shot provides less protection in people who are obese.

The study compared flu rates in 1,022 people during two recent flu seasons. All participants were vaccinated against the flu. The researchers looked at immune response to the vaccine and also tracked who went on to get the virus. They found that nearly 10% of obese participants got the flu, compared with 5% of their healthy-weight counterparts. This is bad news, because individuals with a body mass index of 40 or higher are also more prone to flu complications.

Many treatments fall under the term “complementary and alternative medicine,” and many of those treatments are helpful. Yoga, meditation, and acupuncture are a few examples, but parents should be careful and consult their child’s doctor when using these approaches.