Around the same time as the peak of the fussy period, most babies start to have a real, joyful, social smile. Again, we see the balance of parenting.
By now, babies are clearly tuned in socially. They have started to become fascinated with their own hands, staring at them as they slowly turn them over. But [...]

One month after eating an earthworm on a dare, a 16-year-old girl developed a fever and nausea that lasted about 2 or 3 days, along with some mild swelling around her eyes. These symptoms went away, but over the next two weeks she also had a worsening cough and lost 5 pounds. The diagnosis? She [...]

When you really leave, do not make a big fuss over going and do not sneak out. Children need a simple, affectionate, direct “Bye-bye, I’ll be back.” Be sure to tell them when you’ll be back. Anxiety can be contagious. The more anxious you are about leaving or about others caring for your baby, the [...]

Once children have learned about leaving, you want them to learn about returning. Separation/return games, and short practice separations are quite helpful. The classic separation/return games are peek-a-boo and Where’s the Baby?
I like playing peek-a-boo with the feet. With the baby lying on his back, lift his legs “up, up, up” to hide your face, [...]

Most healthy babies and toddlers exhibit at least one phase of stranger/separation anxiety as part of normal development. The first peak of separation anxiety usually takes place in the second half of the first year and lasts for about two to four months, although there is great variability in this.
There is often a second peak [...]

Separation anxiety and stranger anxiety both coincide with a new intellectual skill called object permanence. Your baby now remembers objects and specific people who are not present. He will search for toys that have dropped out of sight. He is able to call up a mental image of what (or who) he is missing. He [...]

Every two years we are inspired by watching the best young athletes in the world. We are touched by their commitment to excellence, their hard work, and their discipline in what is usually a once-in-a-lifetime event. Just watching the athletes step forward and give their very best can inspire the next generation to be more [...]

Question: Can too much fiber in the diet of a 17-month-old cause loose bowels?
Dr. Greene:  What a great problem to have! The loose stools may just be a temporary sign that someone who was not getting enough fiber earlier, is now suddenly getting an appropriate amount.
In it’s 2006 report Food Marketing to Children and Youth, [...]

Question: Is it okay for a 17-month-old to eat clam dip or any other seafood?
Dr. Greene:  The two main concerns regarding feeding seafood to young children are that of potential allergy development and mercury exposure.
More than 90 percent of food allergies come from just a few sources: eggs, dairy, nuts, peanuts, wheat, fish, and shellfish. There is controversy [...]

Question: My baby is 11 months old. To make sure that she gets proper nutrition, can I keep her on formula even after she turns 1? Would keeping her on regular formula be better than switching to toddler formula?
Dr. Greene:  For breastfed babies, the nutrition in the breast milk changes throughout the nursing experience. Breastmilk is [...]

We lost the last generation to healthy nutrition before they were 18 months old. Parents found their children rejecting baby foods. And they didn’t know what or how to feed the babies they loved. They didn’t want their kids to go hungry. So the finger foods that many kids sampled were salty, partially hydrogenated, artificially [...]