Melanie Herron, Author at Rainbow Pediatrics - Page 6 of 7 : Rainbow Pediatrics

Not Another Shot! Effective At-Home Allergy Treatment

Allergies can be downright miserable for the person suffering from them. They feel like having a cold, causing symptoms such as sneezing, a running nose, and fatigue. Allergies affect a child’s ability to focus in school, resulting in missed school days, as well as limiting their ability to enjoy time with family and friends. Knowing […]

Five Reasons All Children Should Have a Dentist by Age One

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children receive their first dental exam when the first tooth appears or by age 1. Does that seem early to you? Those budding teeth are just temporary. Does a dental exam at such a young age really matter? Small children are downright squirmy and have short attention […]

Four Ways to Prevent Birth Defects

When dreaming about having a baby, we yearn for a healthy, full-term infant. While some birth defects cannot be prevented, others can. Some things can be done to prepare the body for a healthy pregnancy. The challenge, however, is making sure women know precisely how and when they should get their body ready for having […]

Pediatric Obesity Rates in North Carolina are Not Adding Up

According to the State of Childhood Obesity, pediatric obesity rates have declined in North Carolina. However, what is being reported state-wide doesn’t correlate with what many pediatric providers are seeing in their offices. At Rainbow Pediatrics, we see patients every day who are morbidly obese. Often, when we look back on their medical history, the […]

Is My Child Ready for Contact Lenses?

There are the kids who love glasses and how they look in them, and there are kids who would prefer not to have to wear them. No matter the person, at some point or another, contact lenses may become a topic of conversation. Here are some readiness tips and age-appropriate considerations to help you decide […]

Whooping Cough Vaccine: Why it is Not Just for Kids

Perhaps you’ve seen the commercials. Mom and Dad bring home their beautiful new baby and Grandma comes to visit. She kisses and hugs her new grandbaby in loving endearment. In addition to the love she shares with her new grandbaby, she also shares a highly contagious respiratory infection. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is […]

Four Answers to the Most Common Questions About Managing Reflux in Babies

Babies spit-up. That is just a part of their job. But when the spit-up causes other health issues, it can become a bigger concern for parents. Gastrointestinal reflux (GER) can happen to anyone, at any age. It happens when the contents within the stomach back up into the esophagus. In an infant, this causes them […]

Identifying and Addressing Eating Disorders in Kids

My daughter and her friend were talking in the car last week about a girl in their circle who they believe has bulimia. They spoke about how they have talked with her about their concerns to no avail and were curious about what they should do next. They didn’t want to compromise their friend’s trust […]

Four Ways to Overcome Bullying

Kindness counts. But sometimes it seems that no matter how much we instill the importance of being kind into our children, they are forced to face adversity. How we and they handle adversity is much different than years ago. Bullies have been around for thousands of years. Recently, however, we have begun to see the […]

What to Expect from the 2019/2020 Flu Vaccine

It is that time of the year again. Time to make the annual trek to the doctor’s office to help reduce the risk of getting the flu this season. Here are the top eleven answers to questions or concerns most parents have about the flu and the 2019/2020 flu vaccine. Have there been cases of […]

3 Top Questions Parents Have About Calcium for Kids

Calcium builds strong bones. We get it. For kids, however, getting enough calcium is critical because their bones are developing and getting enough early in life helps protect them from bone loss as they age. In addition, calcium (and vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium) can help prevent Rickets, which is a disease […]

The Skinny on Childhood Obesity

One in six children in the United States has been diagnosed with obesity. In North Carolina, childhood obesity rates are continuing to climb. According to the State of Obesity, current data shows over 13% of 10 to 17-year-olds and 15% of high school kids are obese, and 15% of 2 to 4-year-olds are obese as […]

Insurance Changes and How They May Affect You

If you have Medicaid, you may have already received or will receive in the near future, a letter from Medicaid asking you to enroll with one of the new insurance carriers, as well as choose a Primary Care Provider (PCP), for the new Medicaid program. Not all of the new carriers have Rainbow Pediatrics’ […]

Preventing and Treating Youth Sports Injuries

When it comes to sports, today’s youth are much more involved than 30 years ago. Almost 70% of kids participate in individual and group sports. This is wonderful news on the heels of an obesity crisis as exercise helps kids better manage their weight. The challenge, however, is that kids are specializing in sports at […]

Common Breastfeeding Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Breastfeeding is a special time for bonding and nurturing that moms should embrace if possible. It is also a time for learning as each child nurses differently and can pose different challenges. Here are some of the most common breastfeeding challenges moms face and how to overcome them. Poor latching – Latching refers to the […]

Why Wellness Exams are Critical for Kids

Wellness exams are an essential part of managing ongoing health. For kids, they are especially critical. That is why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a specific schedule for wellness exams for children. They also note that some children with developmental, psychosocial or chronic disease may need to be seen by a pediatrician more […]

Is Technology Helping Us Parent Better?

You LimitWe fondly remember the “good ole days” before cell phones and other technological advancements began vying for our time and attention. But some advances in technology are meant to make our lives more simple. Babies can now be monitored without leaving the couch or bed via a live camera poised directly over their crib. […]

Depression, Inflammation, and Diet: How Rainbow Pediatrics is Addressing Pediatric Mental Health

Infection and disease have an interesting effect on the human body: inflammation. This can be a wonderful thing because healing isn’t possible without an inflammatory response, but when it comes to pediatric mental health, too much of a good thing isn’t so good. Depression, according to a Duke University study, is likely to contribute to […]

Six Pediatrician Recommended Tips for Treating Sunburned Skin

Summer is in full swing with warm weather and sunshine that beckons us to go outside and play. Even the most diligent sunscreen-applying parents will face treating a sunburn at some point or another. It can be downright frustrating, painful, and disheartening to discover a sunburn along the bathing suit lines or in that little […]

One Thing Every Parent Must Understand About Seasonal Allergies

Have you ever noticed that your allergies are worse after a rainstorm? When our cars are coated with yellow pollen, we look forward to the rain washing it away. But before that happens, pollen particles burst open and release more particles into the air. As rain switches to sun, plants release more pollen, thanks to […]