Food allergies in children, as a diagnosis, are more common than before. But are we over-diagnosing? The main issue is that the tests we perform, especially the blood tests for allergens, may show a positive “in vitro” allergy but “in vivo”, AKA in real life, there may not be a clinically significant allergy.… Read the rest
Category Archives: Illness
Air Quality: Games For Kids
It’s a bit, um, difficult to make air pollution a cool subject for kids. Even my recent slide show on air pollution left a few high-schoolers eyes glazed. Fortunately, I spread out a couple fun internet games to perk up the group.… Read the rest
Dry Skin & Kids: What Can Help?
The following is a first post from a guest contributor, Dr Nathanael Goldman. He is a pediatrician at Beijing’s United Family Hospital and also runs his own website, kidschina.org.
During the winter many more children come to the consultation with skin complaints than during warmer months.… Read the rest
Got The Winter Blues?
Well, this hasn’t been the most fun winter here, has it? Most snow in 50 years; coldest temperatures in 60 years; Avatar sold out again. Shall I go on? Yes, you have every reason to get the winter blues; many people are very prone to this.… Read the rest
Tai Chi Can Help With Arthritis
Do you or a loved one suffer from arthritis pains? Arthritis is common for many people, especially as we get older and add wear and tear to our joints. Elderly people are also at higher risk of falls. So anything to help decrease pain and fall risk, as well as help your quality of life, is more than welcome.… Read the rest
Plants Can Improve Indoor Air
I’ve talked a lot about indoor air quality, and I’m happy to report that Beijing Kids has an excellent post this week about indoor plants. They discuss a short video from the TED Conference series; this presentation discusses three common house plants and details how efficiently they can remove CO2, create oxygen, and also absorb toxins.… Read the rest