We parents worry about our children getting enough exercise — but what about ourselves? Are we all leading by example and also getting enough exercise? Surveys show that most adults both here in China and in countries like the USA don’t get the recommended 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise or 90 minutes of strong exercise.… Read the rest
Category Archives: Children
What’s Your Toddler’s Best Source of Milk?
What’s the best milk source for your baby after 12 months? Breast milk is still the preferred choices, and whole milk the next option — but many people in China prefer toddler formula. While milk safety in China is a legitimate concern, most pediatricians and nutritionists don’t feel this is the best choice.… Read the rest
Rehydration In Kids: Which Is Safest?
What’s the best treatment if you or your child have a stomach infection and get slightly dehydrated from a couple days of diarrhea and poor eating? I see a lot of such gastroenteritis in the summertime, mostly due to more bacterial food poisoning.… Read the rest
Don’t Like Dairy But Need Your Calcium? Eat These
Did you know only 10% of teen girls in the USA get enough calcium? That’s an astonishingly depressing stat from the American Academy of Pediatric’s fascinating position paper on calcium (available here for free). Let’s show that graph right now:
This graph clearly shows a couple points:
- Most infants are doing great with their calcium, thanks to breast and formula milks.
The Science of Fatherhood
I recently experienced a wonderful thing — my first Father’s Day as a father. It was a glorious test of real fatherhood, from a 4 am feeding to a doctor’s visit to us all taking a long afternoon siesta, his drool soaking my Sunday best shirt.… Read the rest
“Leaves Of Three, Let Them Be” — Avoiding Poison Ivy and Oak
“Leaves of three, let them be.” Sounds familiar to many of us, yes? This quote refers to the dreaded poison oak and poison ivy, plants which line the hiking trails and woods of much of the world. To protect themselves from being eaten, these hardy weeds have developed a very effective defense: their shiny leaves are coated in an incredibly reactive oil which causes a severe local, swollen and weeping rash, which often burns but mostly is incredibly itchy.… Read the rest