Kids Health – For Every Parent

Pediatric Immunization Rates Plummet and How This Can Impact Your Child

Many parents are avoiding the pediatrician’s office due to concerns about COVID-19. This means well-child appointments are being postponed, and necessary pediatric immunizations aren’t being administered on time. Public health experts warn that collateral damage from the current crisis epidemic could show up as outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles and whooping cough. National […]

Pediatrician Approved Tips for Helping Families Thrive During Social Distancing

Too much of a good thing can be a little overwhelming. The current health pandemic has given us many things to be concerned about but has also provided many things for which to be thankful. Despite this, many families are struggling in search of some semblance of normalcy and peace amid the chaos. Fear and […]

Eight Things Parents Need to Know About Coronavirus COVID-19

This past week, the first two positive cases of Coronavirus-COVID-19 were reported in North Carolina. With that change, many parents are concerned about the safety of their families. Here’s what your trusted pediatricians and the American Academy of Pediatrics wants you to know about Coronavirus COVID-19. What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)? While Coronaviruses are common causes […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Poor Vision and The Lifelong Consequences that Come From It

Disruption in the classroom is often attributed to behavior problems or poor parenting, but it may actually stem from the inability to see the blackboard (or whiteboard). An article by NBC News notes that poor vision is one of the five primary reasons why kids drop out of school. The American Academy of Pediatrics names […]

Four Things You Should Know About Pink Eye

We want our kids to share. We proclaim the importance of it. But when it comes to sharing, there are a few exceptions. This includes conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. Viral and Bacterial Conjunctivitis Explained There are several types of pink eye, but the one that can wreak havoc in schools are viral and […]

Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Pediatric Depression

Look around your kid’s school or sports team. Now count each child or teen, one through five, repeating until you have counted them all. Every fifth person should stand apart from the others. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, as many as 20% or 1 in 5 teens experience depression at some point during […]

2019 Measles Outbreak: What Parents Should Know

Immunizations are a safe and effective way to prevent many diseases. Since vaccines were developed, the number of disease outbreaks in the US has plummeted. Pockets of outbreaks can occur when people who are healthy choose not to vaccinate. For a small percentage of our population, the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine is not […]