Our medical experts answer some common - and not so common - questions from readers about parenting, diseases and conditions, the human body, and raising happy and healthy kids.

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General Health

Are Certain Pets Better Than Others, Especially for Young Kids?
Are Head Lice Becoming Resistant to Medications?
Are Insect Repellents With DEET Safe for Kids?
Are Kids With No Tonsils More Susceptible to Infections?
Are Tanning Salons Safe?
Can Birth Control Pills Help Treat Acne?
Can Cake Cause Hives?
Can I Prevent Ear Infections When My Child Swims?
Can Tonsils Grow Back?
Can Too Much Juice Discolor Teeth?
Does Knuckle Cracking Cause Harm?
Does My Son Need a Retainer?
Does Sunlight Cause Problems With Chickenpox?
How Can I Encourage Good Hygiene Habits?
How Can I Find a New Doctor for My Child?
How Can I Help My Teen Quit Smoking for Good?
How Can I Protect My Family From Ticks?
How Can I Tell if My Child Needs Stitches?
How Can My Daughter Help Her Boyfriend Quit Smoking?
How Do Doctors Test for Allergies?
How Do I Get My Child Tested for Lead Poisoning?
How Do I Know Which Vaccines My Kids Need?
How Long Does Acne Last?
How Will I Know if My Child Has Trouble Hearing?
Is Breast Cancer a Threat in the Teen Years?
Is Earwax Removal Safe?
My Child Is Worried About Wetting the Bed at a Sleepover - How Can I Help?
Should I Start My Child on an Exercise Program?
Should My Daughter Sleep in My Room After Having a Nightmare?
What Can I Do About My Child's Bedwetting?
What Can I Do to Ease My Child's Fear of Shots?
When Should I Start Brushing My Child's Teeth?
When Should Kids Start Using Deodorant?
When Will a Girl's Period Start?
Who Should Decide When Kids Are Immunized?
Why Are Rubber Bands Sometimes Used With Braces?
Why Do Doctors Perform Testicular Exams?
Why Do Some Kids Have Freckles?
Why Does My Child Get Nosebleeds?

Growing Up

Can Birth Control Pills Help Treat Acne?
How Can I Reassure My Daughter That She'll Get Her Period?
How Do I Help My Son Feel Better About Not Having Any Facial Hair?
How Long Does Acne Last?
Is It Normal for an 11-Year-Old Boy to Fondle Himself?
Is My Daughter Too Concerned With Her Looks?
Is My Son's Voice Changing Too Soon?
My 1-Year-Old Son Always Tries to Touch His Penis. Is This Masturbation?
My Daughter Is Embarrassed About Her Period - How Can I Help Her?
My Daughter Is Perfectly Healthy, But Thinks She's Fat. Should I Worry?
My Son Wants to Grow Taller - What Can I Tell Him?
When Is Puberty Supposed to Start for Girls?
When Should I Intervene During Teasing?
When Should Kids Start Using Deodorant?
When Should My Daughter First Go to the Gynecologist?
When Will a Girl's Period Start?
Why Does Puberty Sometimes Happen Early?

Medical Conditions

Are Asthma Inhalers Changing?
Are Kids With No Tonsils More Susceptible to Infections?
Can Endometriosis Make It Difficult to Have Children?
Can I Feed My Baby Honey?
Can Vision Problems Affect School Performance?
Can a Child Have Fifth Disease More Than Once?
Can a Person Get Mono Again?
Could ADHD Be Hereditary?
Does Ritalin Have Side Effects?
Does Sunlight Cause Problems With Chickenpox?
Does the Seasonal Flu Shot Protect Against H1N1 Flu?
How Can I Explain Cataracts to My Child?
How Can I Help My Child Handle Teasing?
How Can I Prevent Cold Sores?
How Can I Teach My Daughter Tolerance?
How Did Chickenpox Get Its Name?
How Do I Get My Child Tested for Lead Poisoning?
How Do I Watch for Lyme Disease After Removing a Tick?
How Long Will It Take to Heal a Broken Bone?
If My Child Has Asthma, Can We Keep Our Pet?
Should Girls Who Aren't Sexually Active Be Vaccinated Against HPV?
Should I Worry About the Way My Son Walks?
What Are Canker Sores?
What Does HIV Do to the Immune System?
What Is "Minimally Invasive" Surgery?
What Is Informed Consent?
Why Does Puberty Sometimes Happen Early?

Emotions and Behavior

Can Playing Video Games Be Good for Kids?
Can Vision Problems Affect School Performance?
Don't Babies Have Separation Anxiety?
How Can I Avoid Struggles With My Child About Going to School?
How Can I Get My Kids to Donate Old Toys?
How Can I Help My Child Cope With Divorce?
How Can I Help My Child Cope With a Friend's Death?
How Can I Help My Child Deal With My Dating After Divorce?
How Can I Help My Child Deal With a Breakup?
How Can I Help My Child Deal With a Bully?
How Can I Help My Child Develop Healthy Self-Esteem?
How Can I Help My Child Overcome Shyness?
How Can I Help My Daughter Cope With the Death of Her Father?
How Can I Help My Son Feel Better About Being a Big Brother?
How Can I Help My Son Wake Up in the Morning?
How Can I Help My Toddler With Separation Anxiety?
How Can I Help a Child Cope With a Parent's Suicide?
How Can I Improve My Child's Eating Habits?
How Can I Stop My Child From Biting Her Nails?
How Can I Stop My Child From Sucking Her Thumb?
How Can We Discourage Our Toddler From Biting?
How Do I Handle the Transition When My Husband Returns From War?
How Do I Help My Kids Deal With My Husband's Deployment?
How Do I Tell My Son He's Adopted?
How Much Exercising Is Too Much?
Is Head Banging Normal?
Is It Normal for Children to Hold Their Breath?
Is My Daughter Too Concerned With Her Looks?
Is My Son's Voice Changing Too Soon?
My Child Is Worried About Wetting the Bed at a Sleepover - How Can I Help?
My Child May Have an Eating Disorder - What Can I Do?
My Daughter Is Perfectly Healthy, But Thinks She's Fat. Should I Worry?
My Daughter Puts Herself Down - How Can I Help Her?
My Son Is Being Deployed; How Do I Help My Other Kids Cope?
My Teen Is Breaking Rules - What Can I Do?
Should I Be Worried About My Child's Nightmares?
Telling a Child About Deployment
What Are the Symptoms of an Overeating Disorder?
What Can Be Done About a Child Who Steals?
What Can I Do About My Child's Bedwetting?
What Can I Do to Stop My Child From Shoplifting?
What Causes Night Terrors?
When Is Puberty Supposed to Start for Girls?
Why Is My Child Anxious About Going to School?

Nutrition and Fitness

Are Adult Diets OK for Kids, Too?
Can Too Much Juice Discolor Teeth?
Does Skim Milk Provide the Same Nutrients as Whole Milk?
How Can I Calculate Calories From Fat?
How Can I Get My Child to Eat Vegetables?
How Can I Improve My Child's Eating Habits?
How Much Exercising Is Too Much?
How Should I Deal With a Picky Eater?
Is Aspartame Safe For My Child?
Is Caffeinated Soda OK for Kids?
Is It Safe to Eat Food That's Dropped to the Floor?
My Child May Have an Eating Disorder - What Can I Do?
Should I Start My Child on an Exercise Program?
What Are the Symptoms of an Overeating Disorder?
What Is a BMI Report Card?
When Can Young Kids Start Exercising?
When Should Kids Switch to Skim Milk?
Why Does My Toddler Eat Dog Food?
Why Is Breakfast So Important?

Pregnancy and Infants

Are All X-Rays Risky During Pregnancy?
Are Artificial Sweeteners OK to Consume During Pregnancy?
Are Certain Medications Off-Limits During Pregnancy?
Are Teeth Whiteners Safe for Pregnant Women?
Can I Drink Tap Water While I'm Pregnant?
Can I Exercise During Pregnancy?
Can I Feed My Baby Honey?
Can I Fly While I'm Pregnant?
Can I Have a Vaginal Birth If I Had a Previous C-Section?
Can I Keep My Cat Now That I'm Pregnant?
Can I Request to Have a C-Section?
Can I Still Drink Coffee Now That I'm Pregnant?
Can I Take Long, Hot Showers While I'm Pregnant?
Can I Use Bug Killers and Repellents During Pregnancy?
Can I Use Paint and Household Chemicals While Pregnant?
Can Lead Affect My Unborn Baby?
Can Pregnant Women Do Anything to Reduce or Prevent Swollen Ankles?
Can Pregnant Women Use Microwaves?
Do Computer Monitors Have Any Effect on Pregnancy?
Do Pregnant Women Need the H1N1 Influenza Vaccine?
Don't Babies Have Separation Anxiety?
Hair Coloring During Pregnancy: No-No or No Big Deal?
How Can I Be Sure My Baby Stays on Her Back While She Sleeps?
How Can I Help My Son Feel Better About Being a Big Brother?
How Can I Make Teething Easier?
How Can I Overcome Breastfeeding Difficulties?
How Can I Relieve My Pregnancy Leg Cramps?
How Can I Wean My Reluctant 2-Year-Old?
How Do You Treat Pregnancy Hemorrhoids and Constipation?
I May Have H1N1 Influenza. Can I Still Breastfeed My Baby?
In What Position Should a Pregnant Woman Sleep?
Is Cosleeping a Good Idea?
Is It Ever OK for Pregnant Women to Take Recreational Drugs?
Is It OK to Have an Occasional Drink During Pregnancy?
Is It OK to Use Self-Tanner During Pregnancy?
Is Sex Safe During Pregnancy?
Is There Any Relief From Morning Sickness?
Is There a Remedy for Heartburn During Pregnancy?
Should I Avoid Certain Foods During Pregnancy?
Should I Avoid Certain Types of Exercise During Pregnancy?
Should I Wait After a Miscarriage to Try Again?
What Are the Risks of Smoking During Pregnancy?
What Can I Do About Colic?
What Can I Do to Relieve My Pregnancy Backaches?
What Can I Do to Stop Passing Gas During My Pregnancy?
What Does "High-Risk" Pregnancy Mean?
What Is Gestational Diabetes?
What Is the Risk for a Second Ectopic Pregnancy?
What Is the Triple Screen Test?
What Precautions Should I Take While Trying to Conceive?
What Toys Can Help Improve a Baby's Motor Skills?
What if My Baby Isn't Born by My Due Date?
When Can I Take My Newborn Out in Public?
Why Are Pregnant Women Told to Avoid Feta Cheese?
Why Do I Get Nosebleeds Now That I'm Pregnant?
Why Do Many Pregnant Women Pull Ligaments, Muscles, and Joints?
Why Do Some Pregnant Women Get Varicose Veins?
Why Do Some Pregnant Women Have Trouble Breathing?

Parenting

Are My Kids Watching Too Much TV?
How Can I Discipline My Child Without Spanking?
How Can I Help My Child Develop Healthy Self-Esteem?
How Can I Wean My Reluctant 2-Year-Old?
How Do I Know Which Vaccines My Kids Need?
How Should I Deal With a Picky Eater?
How Should I Set an Allowance for My Child?
My Teen Is Breaking Rules - What Can I Do?
What Can I Do to Ease My Child's Fear of Shots?
What Can I Do to Stop My Child From Shoplifting?
What's a Teaching Hospital?
When Should I Intervene During Teasing?
When Should a Child Start Receiving an Allowance?

Safety

Are Tanning Salons Safe?
How Can I Childproof My Toddler's Room?
How Can I Ensure My Teen's Safety on the Internet?
How Can I Protect My Child From Strangers Online?
How Can I Protect My Family From Ticks?
How Can My Child Avoid Spider Bites?
How Can We Tell if Our Home's Paint Contains Lead?
How Do I Get My Child Tested for Lead Poisoning?
When Can a Child Switch to a Regular Seatbelt?
Why Does My Toddler Eat Dog Food?

School

Can Vision Problems Affect School Performance?
How Can I Avoid Struggles With My Child About Going to School?
How Can I Help My Child Deal With a Bully?
How Can I Help My Teen Prepare for a Medical Career?
How Do I Know Which Vaccines My Kids Need?
Who Should Decide When Kids Are Immunized?
Why Is My Child Anxious About Going to School?

Sexual Development

How Can I Reassure My Daughter That She'll Get Her Period?
Is It Normal for an 11-Year-Old Boy to Fondle Himself?
My 1-Year-Old Son Always Tries to Touch His Penis. Is This Masturbation?
Should Girls Who Aren't Sexually Active Be Vaccinated Against HPV?
When Should My Daughter First Go to the Gynecologist?
When Will a Girl's Period Start?