It is important to bring your child to their scheduled well-child visits. Well-child visits should happen regularly throughout childhood, and those first visits can be critical for your child's long-term health. A visit with a pediatrician can go a long way to build your confidence and alleviate stress, which is healthy for you AND your baby! Here is what your health care provider is looking for when you bring your child for their visit.

One in four parents have a child with myopia. Research has shown that working up close such as reading or using a tablet increased the odds of developing myopia. A study found that 48% of children are spending more than 6 hours per day online. This is nearly 500% increase from time spent before the pandemic. Schools, teachers and parents must work together to incorporate eye health strategies to help protect children as they learn online. If a parent has any concerns about their child’s vision they should discuss this with their health care provider.

Get your children the flu shot! Influenza (Flu), like COVID, is a respiratory virus. During the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing respiratory illnesses' overall burden is essential to protect vulnerably and at-risk family members. Dr. Manuela Murray shares an important message for you.

El virus respiratorio sincitial (VRS) es la causa más común de infección del tracto respiratorio inferior en niños menores de un año. Este virus es más común de octubre a marzo y se transmite por contacto con las gotitas respiratorias al toser y estornudar. El VRS es muy contagioso, pero se puede prevenir tomando precauciones. Como siempre, comuníquese con su pediatra si tiene alguna pregunta sobre la salud de su hijo.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infection in children under one years old. This virus is most common from October to March, and is spread by contact with respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. Almost every child will be infected with RSV by the time they reach 2 years old. RSV is highly contagious but it can be prevented by taking precautions. Always consult with your Pediatrician for questions and concerns regarding your child. #rsvawareness

Many people have watched with interest the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and other states. Advocates point to a potential to increase state revenue. But what about our children? Many women assume that cannabis is safe during pregnancy. Prenatal exposure to marijuana is associated with academic underachievement, especially in reading and spelling. A decision to avoid marijuana, and a host of other toxins such as tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs before risking pregnancy is a wise choice in planning for the future of your child.

UTMB Health SCI Café will host a virtual discussion on September 9, 2020 for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month from 12 PM - 1 PM. Please join us. You can also receive a free Social Work CEU! Find out more! #childhoodcancerawereness #CCAM

Parece absurdo pensar que las decisiones tomadas por padres bien intencionados puedan considerarse negligencia o abuso. Sin embargo, qué, cuándo y cómo se alimenta a un niño puede tener un impacto tremendo en su salud física y mental. Recuerde que lo que es fácil o eficiente no siempre es lo mejor para su hijo.

—feeling proud. Working Together to Work Wonders. "How a team of women—in the middle of a pandemic managed UTMB's first-ever gene therapy!"(TMC News) Congratulations to Dr. Erin Cooney, Dr. Pamela Lupo, Jordan Burdine, Pharm.D., Allison Britt (genetic counselor), and countless others for giving Blaise another chance at life.

When songwriters, Joe Goodwin, Larry Shay, and Mark Fisher, wrote the above lyrics, they doubt they had studied the works of Charles Darwin and Paul Ekman on human expressions. However, they did express a universal human truth about smiling. It is the most positive reinforcement. Helping a child grow up with a smile, laughter, and satisfaction is a big part of development. Read full article.

En el pasado, aproximadamente un 90% de los papás dijeron que habían usado las nalgadas como una forma de disciplina, en el presente un 50% de los papás todavía dan nalgadas a sus hijos. ¿Por qué ha ido cambiando la ideología relacionada con dar nalgadas, y deberíamos, como sociedad, dejar a un lado los castigos corporales?

Enseñarle a un niño pequeño a dejar el pañal toma tiempo y paciencia. Es importante entender lo que se puede esperar del desarrollo de un niño de esa edad y fijar las metas conforme a esto. Lee mas.

UTMB is phasing in the re-opening of our Pediatric Clinics with new procedures to keep all of us safer. We will call you to get you back on schedule, but if we don't, please call us. We miss seeing you, stay safe and we hope to see you soon.

Why has there been a movement against spanking, and should we as a society do away with physical punishment? The practice of spanking appears to be widespread across many cultures, and yet in recent years, 30 countries have outlawed spanking. Research has shown that physical punishment is not more effective than other forms of discipline. Read full Op-Ed.

Children are famous for runny noses, sneezing, and coughing. Small children can have 8-12 colds a year. Studies are helping us understand how some diseases are spread. This knowledge would help public health experts guide the public on how fast and how far the outbreak will grow.

Toilet training is one of the biggest challenges of parenting a young child! Here are some tips on how to set realistic expectations and make this an important, pleasant milestone for your child. These suggestions are to make the process less stressful.

Dr. Sally Robinson reminds us to practice safety around young children and hand sanitizer. When buying hand sanitizers, parents should make sure the label lists the ingredients, warnings, and precautions. Call 911 right away if you think your child has swallowed hand sanitizer and needs immediate medical attention.

Headaches are a common problem. During this time of increased stress, stress and tension headaches could be even more. Children also have headaches. By middle school about 80% of children have experienced a headache of some kind. How can you tell if a child has a migraine headache? What should you do?

Sometimes it can be difficult to communicate with teenagers. It is important to figure out some key ways to talk about these things with the teens in your life. The following are some suggestions on how to encourage open communication between parents and teenagers. The most important thing to remember is that the teenage years are just a phase.