Kids Health – For Every Parent

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 […]

The Significance of Immunizations

Our health is our wealth. A familiar phrase, yet the significance of health cannot be truly appreciated until faced with a serious illness. Some illnesses cannot be prevented, but others can. If there is no greater wealth than our health, it is critical to understand the life-saving measures that are available to us, specifically immunizations. […]

Fevers in Kids: When to Worry and How to Treat

Fevers happen to everyone. A fever is a sign that there is another problem within the body. While a fever is usually a sign of an infection, there are other causes as well. For example, babies can run fevers by being overdressed, which raises their body temperatures. Fevers can also happen as a reaction to […]

The Pediatrician or Urgent Care? Choosing the Right Care at the Right Moment

A sick or injured child can create considerable anxiety for even the most experienced parents. Depending on the severity of symptoms, time of day or day of the week, parents often find themselves wondering if they should take their child to the urgent care or the pediatrician. The walk-in clinic model of urgent care centers […]

An In-Depth Look at the Seasonal Illnesses Going Around

‘Tis the season for congestion, runny noses, sore throats, and fevers. While winter illnesses are to be expected, it is nice to know what to be on the lookout for and how to protect your family best this season. Here are a few of the most common illnesses we are seeing. Upper Respiratory (Tract) Infection […]

The Ugly Truth About RSV

Born at 26 weeks, Andrew and Annie have spent a large portion of their first year of life inside a hospital. Their parents are mindful individuals who do what they can to keep the kids healthy. They limit their exposure to people who are sick and elected to have the twins receive palivizumab (Synagis), a […]

About Childhood Allergies: Six Common Questions Answered

We want our kids to be healthy, and we work hard to protect them from things that can cause them harm. Many parents worry about their kids developing allergies because they know that it is a significant contributor to sick days at school. Allergies can also be life-threatening. Check out the six most common questions […]

Shot-free Allergy Treatment Exclusively Available at Rainbow Pediatrics

When allergies strike, everyone suffers. Especially when they occur in young children. From missed work days to missed school days, allergies can wreak havoc, often for life. The most common symptoms of allergies in kids include chronic coughs, colds, red, watery, or itchy eyes, asthma, recurrent ear infections, eczema, chronic sinus infections, runny or congested […]

Ten Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Tick-Borne Illnesses

Tick and other insect-borne illnesses have more than tripled, according to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 13-year study. Three ticks are found in North Carolina: the American Dog Tick, the Lone Star Tick, and the Blacklegged Tick. The Blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick, is what spreads Lyme disease. Lyme disease accounts […]

Understanding Pediatric Headaches, Their Treatment and When to Seek Help

Having a headache, regardless of age, can be distracting and quite painful. Often they are caused by things like dehydration, allergies, sleep issues, too much screen time, or stress. However, just like adults, some kids are prone to frequent headaches or headaches that last a long time.

Name that Rash: A Guide to Identifying Rashes in Kids

Bumpy, scaly, red, inflamed rashes can be scary, especially when they appear on our kids. There are many different rashes a child can develop and it can be challenging to differentiate between them. Knowing how to identify and appropriately treat a rash is important knowledge for parents to have. It is even more important to […]