Archive for primary care
Out of balance: How hormones can affect your child’s period
If your tween or teen is experiencing irregular periods, they aren’t alone. In the first two years after getting a period, you should expect fluctuation in cycle length and the number of days their period lasts. However, there are period symptoms that go beyond what makes a “normal” irregular period. If your child’s period hasn’t ... Read More about Out of balance: How hormones can affect your child’s period
Breaking down barriers: How interpreters can enhance patient care
Sharing medical concerns with clinicians can be hard for anyone — a challenge that’s amplified in patients when English isn’t their first language. The results are troubling: One recent study by Boston Children’s pediatric hospitalist and researcher Alisa Khan, MD, MPH, found that patients and families who have limited English proficiency are three to five ... Read More about Breaking down barriers: How interpreters can enhance patient care
Undescended testicles: Why prompt referral is key
An estimated 3 percent of boys have undescended testicles at birth, making it a common problem encountered by pediatricians and urologists alike. Also known as cryptorchidism, an undescended testicle is one that hasn’t moved into its proper position in the scrotum before birth. Typically, only one testicle is affected, but in some cases, both may ... Read More about Undescended testicles: Why prompt referral is key
Climate and children’s health: A conversation with Dr. Aaron Bernstein
When Boston Children’s Hospital pediatrician Dr. Aaron Bernstein was in medical school, he was told that climate change — an interest of his since 7th grade — belonged in the realm of politics, not medicine. One professor told him flat out, “You’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.” But another professor ... Read More about Climate and children’s health: A conversation with Dr. Aaron Bernstein
Nutrition equity: How to give nutrition advice to diverse families
If nutrition advice were easy to follow, the number of children with type 2 diabetes and obesity would be going down, not up. But as many pediatricians and nutritionists know, food cravings, picky eaters, and hectic schedules pose serious challenges. Add language barriers, a lack of accessible food choices, or food insecurity to the mix, ... Read More about Nutrition equity: How to give nutrition advice to diverse families
Helping your child understand puberty
We all remember the changes — and awkwardness — of puberty. But helping your child navigate puberty is a whole different matter. For answers, we turned to Boston Children’s Primary Care Alliance physician Caitlyn Hark, MD, at Framingham Pediatrics, and Frances Grimstad, MD, a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist in the Division of Gynecology at Boston ... Read More about Helping your child understand puberty
A new symptom of COVID-19 in young children: Croup
During the Omicron surge, pediatricians and emergency departments (EDs) began noticing something new: a surge in croup among infants and young children. Marked by a distinctive “barking” cough and sometimes noisy, high-pitched intakes of breath, croup can happen when colds and other viral infections cause the voice box, windpipe, and bronchial tubes to become inflamed ... Read More about A new symptom of COVID-19 in young children: Croup
Sound sleep, sound mind: The importance of sleep for preteens’ developing brains
When your preteen doesn’t get enough sound sleep, some of the signs, like crankiness, are obvious. But some of the effects are more subtle. A large, first-of-its-kind study from Boston Children’s Hospital now shows that too little or poor-quality sleep may prevent the brain from developing strong, efficient connections. “Early adolescence is a critical time ... Read More about Sound sleep, sound mind: The importance of sleep for preteens’ developing brains
Sweet dreams: A guide to infant sleep
While sleep should be peaceful, ensuring your baby is sleeping safely — and soundly — can be stressful. We spoke with Shana Zandman, MD, a pediatrician at Brookline Pediatrics in the Boston Children’s Primary Care Alliance, and Jennifer Gingrasfield, RN, MSN, a pediatric nurse practitioner in the Sleep Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, about creating ... Read More about Sweet dreams: A guide to infant sleep
Bullying at all ages: How to spot the signs and support your child
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, nearly a quarter of students ages 12 to 18 reported being bullied at school in 2019. But bullying can happen almost anywhere — through exclusive group-texts, the creation of hurtful memes, “Finstagrams” (fake Instagram accounts sometimes used for harassment), and more classic offline methods parents themselves may ... Read More about Bullying at all ages: How to spot the signs and support your child