The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is a vaccine to protect against disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, commonly known as pneumococcus. It is a bacterial infection... Read more
Polio is one of the most dreaded childhood diseases. As late as the 1950’s, parents were terrified that polio would make their children unable to walk, or worse, unable to breathe and... Read more
The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine, immunizing against more than one disease in the same injection (therefore reducing the number if injections needed), though we don’t tend to t... Read more
The varicella vaccine is a vaccine to protect against the common childhood disease of chickenpox, which is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). VZV also causes herpes zoster (shingle... Read more
Summer is time for fun in the sun, but children’s skin also needs to be protected from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays. Scientists currently believe that many skin cancers are caused... Read more
Summer is here, and now is the perfect time to schedule those annual physicals and checkups. Kids are out of school, and pediatric offices are not swamped with sick children. Many people don... Read more
The meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccine (MCV) is a vaccine to protect against disease caused by four strains of the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, or simply meningococcus. The disease Me... Read more
Do you ever watch young children running around and playing and wish that you could bottle up some of that energy? I know that I do sometimes. Children seem to have an almost unlimited suppl... Read more
There is a lot of talk now about getting kids more active and fit, and about treating and preventing overweight and obesity in children. How much activity should children be getting every da... Read more
The HIB vaccine is a vaccine against the Haemophilus influenzae type B bacterium. This germ used to infect thousands of infants and toddlers every year, causing sepsis (blood infection), men... Read more
Despite the fact that they can be confusing and difficult to use correctly, car seats save hundreds of childrens lives every year. Everyone knows that infants and toddlers need to be in car... Read more
Description Strep throat is an infection caused by a bacteria called streptococcus pyogenes, also known as Group A strep or Group A beta-hemolytic strep (GABHS). (Strep throat is occasionall... Read more
Thrush is a yeast infection in the mouth that is very common in babies. It is not usually harmful and does not even bother most babies. However, some do seem to have some mouth irritation or... Read more
These are very common birthmarks; I suppose the name “stork bite” comes from the concept of the stork carrying the baby by the back of the neck. Description Salmon patches are fa... Read more
This is a common birthmark in newborns, occasionally confused with bruises and even child abuse. Description Mongolian spots are dark, bluish-gray, flat birthmarks which can be rather large.... Read more
Though the name sounds scary, this is a benign condition which is common in newborns. Description Erythema toxicum is a red, blotchy rash which seems to be related to the skin adjusting to i... Read more
The newborn screening test, often called the PKU test, is a program for newborn babies that tests for a variety of serious disorders and diseases. These diseases are generally treatable if d... Read more
What it is Diphenhydramine is an anti-histamine medication, which means it is an anti-allergy medication. As part of an allergic reaction (including seasonal allergies like pollen), cells ca... Read more
Ibuprofen is a fever reducer and pain reliever; it is also used to treat inflammation. It is commonly used to treat fever and to relieve pain from a variety of causes including immunizations... Read more
Acetaminophen is a fever reducer and pain reliever. It is commonly used to treat fever and to relieve pain from a variety of causes including immunizations, teething, earache, wounds and inj... Read more
Parents often want to know the whole sequence of well child visits. Well, here it is! Don’t worry; you don’t need to memorize it, because we tell you at each visit when the next... Read more
Well child visits, also called physicals or check-ups, are an integral part of keeping your child healthy. At these visits we do a complete physical exam; in addition, we assess growth and d... Read more