Asthma is a chronic breathing disorder and is the most common chronic health problem among children. Children with asthma have attacks of coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, which may be very serious. These symptoms are caused by spasms of the air passages in the lungs. The air passages swell, become inflamed, and fill with mucus, making breathing difficult. Many asthma attacks occur when children get respiratory infections, including infections caused by common cold viruses. Attacks can also be caused by: exposure to cigarette smoke, stress, strenuous... 

Your pediatrician is an important part of your support network, especially during those first years of your baby’s life when parenting is new and uncertain. Questions about vaccinations and growth curves alone are enough to keep any mom and dad up at night. Parents should feel confident handing over some of this concern to their child’s doctor. But what happens when parents and pediatricians disagree? Should you follow your instincts or simply trust your doctor to know what’s best for your child? Meeting of the Minds Hilary Eriksen, a mother... 

Should I start cleaning my baby’s gums even before his teeth come in? Yes. Even before your baby sports his first tooth, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of wiping his gums with gauze or a soft wet washcloth during bath time. You don’t need to use any toothpaste yet. Simply wrap the cloth or gauze around your index finger and rub it gently over the gums. Bacteria in the mouth usually can’t harm the gums before the teeth emerge, but it can be hard to tell when the teeth are starting to push through, so you’ll want to start... 

Recently, experts conducted a small survey among kids in kindergarten: “What hurts you most?” The answers, in general, did not surprise – most children complained to their bellies. Unfortunately, kids cannot say exactly what they are concerned – the intestines, pancreas, or something else, so parents should carefully examine problems in new born babies  and respond quickly to the situation. Problems in new born babies Colic After two or three weeks after discharge from the hospital, in addition to all existing concerns, you may receive another... 

Pertussis (whooping cough) is a very contagious and dangerous infection of the respiratory tract caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough gets its name from the whooping sound the child makes when trying to draw breath after a coughing spell. Not all children with whooping cough make this sound; very young children may not be strong enough. Symptoms generally include those of a cold, such as runny nose and a cough that gradually worsens. Violent coughing spells frequently end with vomiting. Once the whooping stage begins, antibiotics are... 

Is your child in daycare? Then it’s probably just a matter of time before she comes home with a case of the highly contagious, pink eye. If your child comes home from school or daycare with an itchy, red eye, then beware. She likely has the common, and very contagious eye infection, conjunctivitis. Also known as pink eye, it is usually accompanied by a thick, yellow discharge, often crusting the eyes shut in the morning. Pink eye can be viral or bacterial in nature. Viral infections are self-limiting and need to run their course, whereas bacterial infections... 

Catherine Uden coos at her 5-month-old, Jack, as they sit quietly in the yoga studio. The instructor enters and taps on a bell. Jack looks up. Class has begun at Yoga One studio in Hollywood, Florida. For the next 25 minutes, they follow instructor Darlene Feinzig’s lead. Uden sings to Jack. She cradles his face and runs her hands down to his feet. She pulls his heels together, to stretch his hips and thighs. They are practicing Itsy Bitsy Yoga. “I think yoga is good for everybody,” says Uden, a Hollywood, Florida, elementary schoolteacher... 

With the influenza season upon us, it’s important to know your child’s main symptoms and know when you should call your local health care provider. Influenza is a viral infection of the nose, throat, windpipe, and bronchi. The main symptoms are a fever, achiness, stuffy nose, sore throat, and nagging cough. For most children and adults, influenza is a just a bad cold with a mild headache and some muscle aches, which can last up to seven to 10 days. There are medications that can be given to treat the infection if they are taken within the first... 

If your child has trouble breathing or gets hives after eating, then she may have a life threatening food allergy. In children, particularly young ones, intolerance to certain foods is fairly common. But actual food allergies, when the body’s immune system reacts to certain foods, are rare, effecting only one to three percent of the population. Nonetheless, food allergies can be dangerous and even life threatening. Allergist Dr. John Dean explains some of the signs of a true food allergy. “Possible signs of a food allergy are severe eczema, swelling... 

It started around 1 A.M. My son, Liam, was 14 months old, and the noises coming from his room didn’t seem completely human: There was a sort of honking bark followed by a whistle-y kind of breathing. I ran into his room, my heart racing with worry, and I found him sitting up in his crib, looking scared and tired. I picked him up, took his temperature — no fever — and called the doctor. “It sounds like croup,” the doctor said. “Wrap him up in a warm blanket, sit outside with him, and call me back if his cough and breathing...