Healthy Living /

Children's Health

5 learnings about lice every parent needs to know

Healthy Living

Aug 19, 2018

The school year means bringing home new friends, homework and in some unfortunate cases, those dreaded critters we know as head lice. Every parent fears the diagnosis — but if and when it happens to your child, it’s important to...

For teen with hidden heart condition, annual physical a lifesaver

Healthy Living

May 15, 2018

For 14-year-old Cain Porter, few things in life were more important than being active. From football and soccer to karate, track and cross country, he did it all — until an abnormal heartbeat during his annual physical before Boy Scout...

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Elizabeth Smart puts spotlight on child abuse, survival

Healthy Living

May 1, 2018

Elizabeth Smart was the keynote speaker at this year’s Texans Fostering Community Enrichment Conference, a collaboration between Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center and several community organizations. At the conference, Elizabeth spoke to foster parents, social workers, case...

8 ways to help your child establish healthy habits

Healthy Living

Apr 30, 2018

We all want our kids to grow up healthy and happy. There is no right way to raise a child; there are many, probably more than I can imagine. But as a pediatrician and parent, I have some thoughts on...

How to spot the signs of child abuse and neglect

Healthy Living

Apr 3, 2018

In 2016, the United States recorded approximately 676,000 cases of child maltreatment and an estimated 1,750 child deaths due to abuse and neglect.Looking at the issue from a national standpoint, it’s easy to feel removed. However, the alarming number of...

Meet Lorenzo, the new facility dog at McLane Children’s Medical Center

Healthy Living

Mar 29, 2018

A new four-legged friend now walks the halls and the campus of Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center — Lorenzo, the hospital’s new facility dog.Lorenzo, a two-year-old Labrador Retriever mix, is the first Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) highly...

How to help your child keep a healthy sleep schedule over school breaks

Healthy Living

Mar 13, 2018

Any break from school is time reserved for rest and recuperation from daily school routines. However, abrupt changes in sleep habits can leave both you and your child stressed instead of refreshed, and sleep deprivation can affect your child’s school...

Is your child specializing in a sport too soon?

Healthy Living

Mar 1, 2018

In recent years, there has been a dramatic rise in early sports specialization for young athletes — kids seem to be settling on a single sport at younger and younger ages. With the increased availability of competitive travel leagues and...

6 common car seat safety mistakes you’re probably making

Healthy Living

Jan 24, 2018

There’s no such thing as a perfect parent.As a parent of young children, I know this all too well. Undoubtedly, we all make mistakes, but the consequences of installing a car seat incorrectly could lead to serious injury and in...

For a baby in the NICU, parent’s voice is the best medicine

Healthy Living

Dec 21, 2017

The day your child is born should be the happiest day of your life. But for some new parents, it quickly becomes a nightmare when they find themselves in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With its tight security, beeping...

The alarming health crisis on the rise in today’s teens

Healthy Living

Nov 1, 2017

There’s a growing health problem among adolescents, one I’ve decided to call “Busy Kid Syndrome.” It’s exactly what it sounds like — when kids’ schedules get so busy with schoolwork and extracurricular activities that they neglect their health.It looks something...

Mom and baby skin-to-skin care reduces NICU admissions for hypoglycemia

Healthy Living

Oct 18, 2017

Parents and researchers alike often talk about the benefits of mother’s skin-to-skin contact with infants. It’s a practice performed soon after birth that carries sensations of security and comfort to which infants naturally respond. New research from experts at Baylor...

How to protect your child from cyberbullying

Healthy Living

Sep 6, 2017

If you’re a parent, you probably worry about your child’s safety. But how often do you worry about their online safety?Cyberbullying is a growing issue among children of all ages, and it can take many forms. It might be a...

Is your child ready for the new school year?

Healthy Living

Aug 15, 2017

It’s hard to believe, but back-to-school season has arrived once again. Parents, it’s time to consider what needs to be done before that first school bell rings — and that includes making sure your child is healthy and ready for...

Ted D. Bear, the doctor will see you now

Healthy Living

Jul 26, 2017

Remember your favorite stuffed animal as a kid? Like most children, you were probably inseparable.Children have a special bond with their stuffed animals. They become best friends, take them on adventures, sleep with them every night — and now, they...

Why your child should start swimming lessons early

Healthy Living

May 28, 2017

Summer is fast approaching and pools, lakes, ponds and beaches are a fun way to beat the heat. However, water also can be dangerous and can increase the risk of drowning for children if parents don’t take the proper precautions....

Child life specialists help children understand and cope with death

Healthy Living

Apr 12, 2017

Caroline, 5, a budding artist, decorated a small mailbox for her mother’s room in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. Shannon was struggling to recover from a heart transplant.Caroline made cards, and watched through...

New technology detects critical feeding problems in preemies

Healthy Living

Mar 24, 2017

Many babies born prematurely have trouble eating because of swallowing difficulties, making new moms anxious during bottle feeding or breastfeeding.Whereas a full-term pregnancy is 39 to 40 weeks, infants born prematurely before 37 weeks may experience a feeding problem because...

Pursuing a career in medicine after lives saved as premature twins

Healthy Living

Nov 2, 2016

My identical twin sister, Anh, and I were born one minute apart from each other on June 18, 1999, at 29 weeks after my mom had an emergency cesarean section (C-section).We had to be delivered right away because of my...

From routine to a race against time

Healthy Living

Sep 16, 2016

What started out as a routine doctor visit for one mother soon turned into a race against time.Alicia Barlow, who had only been in the Central Texas area for about four months, was excited about having her baby. That excitement, quickly...