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Children's Health
Learn about children's health
Children grow and change so quickly. Our Growth and Development topics can tell you what to expect at each stage of childhood. And our health topics can help you care for them when they're sick.
You can find information you need to keep your child healthy and thriving in topics such as:
Health Topics
- Abdominal Pain, Age 11 and Younger
- Acetaminophen Use in Young Children
- ADHD and Hyperactivity
- ADHD Medicines: Suicide Warning for Strattera
- ADHD Myths and Facts
- ADHD: Other Conditions With Similar Symptoms
- ADHD: Social Skills Training
- ADHD: Tests for Other Disorders
- Adolescent Sensory and Motor Development
- Alcohol Effects on a Fetus
- Allergic Rhinitis Medicines and Children
- Allergy Kit
- Amblyopia
- Anger, Hostility, and Violent Behavior
- Antihistamines
- Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Panel (AJGP)
- Asperger's Syndrome
- Asthma Action Plan
- Asthma in Children
- Asthma in Children: Knowing How Bad an Attack Is
- Asthma: Educating Yourself and Your Child
- Asthma: Overuse of Quick-Relief Medicines
- Asthma: Pollen as a Trigger
- Asthma's Impact on Your Child's Life
- Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism
- Autism and Vaccines
- Autism: Behavioral Training and Management
- Avoiding Mercury in Fish
- Avoiding Temper Tantrums
- Back Pain in Children and Teenagers
- Barking Coughs in Children
- Basic Dental Care
- Bed-Wetting
- Behavior Rating Scales for ADHD
- Behavior Therapy for ADHD
- Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens
- Bipolar Disorder in Children: Other Health Problems That May Occur
- Bipolar Disorder in Children: School Issues
- Biting
- Biting as a Behavior Problem
- Bladder Exercises for Bed-Wetting
- Bone Remodeling for Malocclusion
- Brace (Orthotic) Treatment for Scoliosis
- Breath-Holding Spells
- Breath-Holding Spells: Helping Your Child Avoid Injury
- Breath-Holding Spells: Keeping a Record
- Bronchiolitis
- Brushing a Child's Teeth
- Brushing and Flossing a Child's Teeth
- Bullying
- Bullying: Building a Child's Self-Esteem
- Bullying: How to Help Your Child Who Bullies
- Bullying: Signs a Child Is Bullied
- Celiac Disease
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy: Bathing and Grooming Tips
- Cerebral Palsy: Controversial Treatments
- Cerebral Palsy: Help for Speech Problems
- Cerebral Palsy: Safety Tips
- Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Chickenpox: Preventing Skin Infections
- Child Abuse and Neglect
- Child Abuse: Emotional Abuse by Parents
- Child Abuse: Signs of Neglect
- Child Car Seats
- Child Care Providers: Licensing Standards
- Child Care Providers: Safe Child-Staff Ratio and Group Size
- Child Care: Hidden Costs
- Child Care: Interviewing Care Providers
- Child Care: Qualifications for Providers
- Child Care: When to Keep Your Child at Home
- Child Safety: Air Pollution
- Child Safety: Bicycles and Tricycles
- Child Safety: Guns and Firearms
- Child Safety: Pets
- Child Safety: Preventing Burns
- Child Safety: Preventing Child Abduction
- Child Safety: Preventing Drowning
- Child Safety: Preventing Falls
- Child Safety: Streets and Cars
- Child Safety: Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs
- Children and Malaria: Reducing the Risk
- Children's Camps
- Children's Growth Chart
- Choking Rescue Procedure (Heimlich Maneuver)
- Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- Choosing Child Care
- Classification and Types of Hydrocephalus
- Classification of Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
- Classification of Juvenile Arthritis
- Cleaning Your Young Son's Natural (Uncircumcised) Penis
- Cleft Lip
- Cleft Palate
- Cleft Palate Treatment After Surgery
- Clubfoot
- Cochlear Implants and Meningitis
- Colds
- Communicating Effectively With a Child Care Provider
- Comparing Symptoms of Normal Moodiness With Depression in Children
- Complications From Klinefelter Syndrome
- Complications of Ear Infections
- Conditions Related to Dyslexia
- Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Depression in Children and Teens
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Congenital Hydrocephalus
- Congenital Syphilis
- Connection Between Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
- Constipation, Age 11 and Younger
- Corporal Punishment
- Cough Symptoms in Children
- Coughs, Age 11 and Younger
- Crib Safety
- Croup
- Crying Child That Is Not Acting Normally
- Crying: Tired or Overstimulated
- Cuts
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Cystic Fibrosis: Alternate Ways to Clear the Airways
- Cystic Fibrosis: Getting Enough Calories and Nutrients
- Daytime Accidental Wetting (Diurnal Enuresis)
- Dealing With Childhood Fears
- Dealing With Emergencies
- Dehydration
- Dehydration: Drinking Enough Fluids
- Dental Care: 3 Years to 6 Years
- Dental Care: 6 Years to 16 Years
- Dental Checkups for Children and Adults
- Dental Sealants
- Depression in Children and Teens
- Diabetes in Children: Care Plan for School or Day Care
- Diabetes in Children: Food Issues at School
- Diabetes: Urine Test for Sugar
- Diabetes: When to Test Your Child's Blood Sugar
- Diarrhea, Age 11 and Younger
- Differences Between ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in Children
- Disc Battery in the Nose
- Disposable Underpants for Bed-Wetting
- Doctors Who Treat Cleft Lip and Palate
- Domestic Abuse
- Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence: Checklist of Things to Take When You Leave
- Domestic Violence: Getting a Protective Order
- Down Syndrome
- Down Syndrome, Ages 1 to 5
- Down Syndrome, Ages 5 to 13
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Avoid Social Problems
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Dress Independently
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Eat Independently
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Learn to Communicate
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Learn to Walk and Use Other Motor Skills
- Down Syndrome: Training and Therapy for Young People
- Dry-Bed Training for Bed-Wetting
- Dyslexia
- Ear Infections
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Early Disease Detection
- Early Treatment for Malocclusion
- Effective Parenting and Disciplining Children
- Egocentric and Magical Thinking
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
- Emotional Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Encouraging Language Development in Your Preschooler
- Epinephrine for Croup
- Establishing Limits With Your School-Age Child
- Evaluating Your Child's Hearing
- Extracting Teeth for Malocclusion Treatment
- Eye and Vision Tests for Children and Teens
- Failure to Thrive
- Family Meetings
- Family Therapy for Depression in Children
- FDA Advisories for Antidepressants
- Feeding Your Child Using Division of Responsibility
- Fetal Alcohol Effects: Behavior and Learning Problems
- Fetal Alcohol Effects: How to Help Your Child
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Signs That Your Child Needs to Be Evaluated
- Fever Seizures
- Fever Temperatures: Accuracy and Comparison
- Fever, Age 11 and Younger
- Fever, Age 12 and Older
- Fifth Disease
- Flouride During Childhood
- Food Allergies
- Gastroesophageal Reflux in Babies and Children
- Genital Warts (Human Papillomavirus)
- Getting Children to Brush Their Teeth
- Getting Enough Calcium and Vitamin D
- Glucocorticoids for Croup
- Goniotomy for Congenital Glaucoma
- Grief: Helping Children Understand
- Grief: How Storytelling Helps Children
- Group Child Care Center Policies
- Group Child Care: Activities
- Group Child Care: Health and Safety
- Growth and Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
- Growth and Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Growth and Development, Ages 6 to 10 Years
- Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease
- Hand-Washing
- Head Injuries in Children: Problems to Watch For
- Head Injury, Age 4 and Older
- Headaches in Children
- Health and Safety, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Healthy Attitudes Toward Food and Exercise
- Healthy Eating for Children
- Healthy Eating in Children: Problems Caused by Poor Nutrition
- Healthy Eating in Children: Things That Influence Food Choices
- Healthy Habits for Kids
- Heat Rash
- Heat Waves
- Heat-Related Illnesses
- Heatstroke Prevention: Acclimating to the Heat
- Heatstroke Prevention: What to Wear
- Help for Anger Problems
- Help Your School-Age Child Develop Social Skills
- Helping Adolescents Develop More Mature Ways of Thinking
- Helping Children During Immunizations
- Helping Children With Disabilities Stay Active
- Helping Kids Handle Peer Pressure
- Helping the Overweight Child
- Helping Your Child Avoid Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol
- Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength
- Helping Your Child Transition Into Middle School or Junior High
- Helping Your School-Age Child Learn About the Body
- Hemophilia: Preventing Bleeding Episodes
- Hip Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Hip Problems, Age 11 and Younger
- Hirschsprung's Disease
- HIV Symptoms in Children
- HIV Treatment in Children
- How ADHD Affects Your Child
- How Adolescent Thinking Develops
- How Asthma Develops in Children
- How Cystic Fibrosis Affects Breathing and the Lungs
- How Cystic Fibrosis Affects Digestion and the Pancreas
- How Cystic Fibrosis Affects the Bones
- How Cystic Fibrosis Affects the Sweat Glands
- How Normal Vision Develops
- How Reading Helps Language Development
- Hypothyroidism in Infants, Children, and Teens
- Ibuprofen Use in Young Children
- Immunization Safety
- Immunizations
- Immunizations: Questions Parents Ask
- Impetigo
- Importance of Immunizations
- Improving Your Child's Fitness
- Inguinal Hernia: Surgery in Children
- Interactive Tool: What Is Your Child's BMI?
- Intussusception
- Iron Toxicity
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Adult Treatments That May Be Used in Children
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Balancing Rest and Activity
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Deciding About Total Joint Replacement
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Features of DMARD and SSARD Drugs
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Growth Problems
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Inflammatory Eye Disease
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Range-of-Motion Exercises
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: School Partners
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Serial Casting
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Stretching and Strengthening Exercises
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Treatment With Heat, Cold, or Water
- Kawasaki Disease
- Kawasaki Disease: Criteria to Diagnose
- Ketogenic Diet for Epilepsy
- Klinefelter Syndrome
- Lead Poisoning
- Lead Poisoning in Children: Questions Before Screening
- Learning Disabilities
- Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
- Lice
- Lice: Cleaning Lice From Combs, Clothing, and Other Items
- Lice: Removing Nits From Hair
- Little Leaguer's Elbow (Medial Apophysitis)
- Low Blood Sugar: Emergency Care for a Child
- Malocclusion and Orthodontics
- Measles (Rubeola)
- Medical Causes of Bed-Wetting
- Medical Checkups for Adolescents
- Medical History and Physical Exam for Nearsightedness
- Menarche
- Milestones for 4-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 5-Year-Olds
- Mitral Valve Prolapse: Children Who Play Sports
- Moisture Alarms for Bed-Wetting
- Molluscum Contagiosum
- Motivational Therapy for Bed-Wetting
- Mouth Breathing and Malocclusion
- Mouth Guards for Sports
- Mumps
- Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
- Nail Problems and Injuries
- Nasal Potential Difference Test for Cystic Fibrosis
- Nausea and Vomiting, Age 11 and Younger
- Nausea and Vomiting, Age 12 and Older
- Nephrotic Syndrome
- Nonverbal Learning Disorder
- Nurturing Your Child to Improve Learning and Attention
- Object Stuck in a Child's Airway
- Oral Rehydration Solutions
- Orchiopexy for Undescended Testicle
- Other Health Problems Caused by Herpes Simplex Virus
- Overweight Child: Evaluating Nutrition and Activity Patterns
- Overweight Child: Medical Evaluation
- Peanut Allergy
- Pediatric Preparation for Medical Tests
- Pervasive Developmental Disorders
- Physical Abuse
- Physical Abuse: Common Injuries in Children
- Physical Activity for Children and Teens
- Physical Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
- Playground Safety
- Preschoolers: Building a Sense of Security
- Preschoolers: Building Self-Control
- Preschoolers: Building Social Skills
- Preschoolers: Encouraging Independence
- Preschoolers: Helping Your Child Explore
- Preventing Breath-Holding Spells in Children
- Preventing Choking
- Preventing Poisoning in Young Children
- Preventing Tooth Decay in Young Children
- Protecting Your Child From Infections
- Protecting Your Skin From the Sun
- Questions About Inguinal Hernia Surgery
- Questions Your Doctor May Ask Before Prescribing Medicine for Depression in Children and Teens
- Quick Tips: Giving Over-the-Counter Medicines to Children
- Quick Tips: Helping Your Child Stay Safe and Healthy
- Radial Head Subluxation
- Radiation Exposure: Risks and Health Effects
- Rash, Age 11 and Younger
- Recognizing and Developing Your Children's Special Talents
- Rectal Prolapse in Children
- Recurrent Abdominal Pain (RAP)
- Recurrent Ear Infections and Persistent Effusion
- Reducing Biting in Children Ages 15 to 36 Months
- Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection
- Reye Syndrome
- Roseola
- Rotavirus
- RSV: Risk of Complications
- Safety Around Irrigation Canals
- Safety Plan: Preparing to Leave a Violent Relationship
- Scoliosis
- Scrapes
- Screening for Hearing Problems
- Self-Awakening for Bed-Wetting
- Self-Esteem, Ages 6 to 10
- Sexual Abuse or Assault (Rape)
- Sexual Abuse: Knowing About Sex at Too Young an Age
- Sexual Abuse: Signs in Children
- Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Sibling Rivalry
- Sickle Cell Disease: Splenic Sequestration
- Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
- Snack Ideas for Preschoolers
- Sore Throat
- Speech and Language Delays: Common Misconceptions
- Speech and Language Development
- Speech and Language Development: Red Flags
- Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 3 to 5 Years
- Speech Problems: Normal Disfluency
- Speech Problems: Stuttering and Normal Disfluency
- Spina Bifida
- Sponge Bath for a Child's Fever
- Staying Safe: After You Leave a Violent Relationship
- Staying Safe: If You Are in a Violent Relationship
- Strabismus
- Stress in Children and Teens
- Stuttering
- Stuttering: Risk Factors
- Stuttering: Speech-Language Pathologist
- Sucking and Malocclusion
- Sunburn
- Swallowed Button Disc Battery, Magnet, or Object with Lead
- Symptoms of Depression in Children
- Talking With Your Child About Sex
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Teething
- Teething: Common Concerns
- Temper Tantrums
- Testicular Prosthesis
- Thumb-Sucking
- Thumb-Sucking Versus Pacifier Use
- Tips for Parents of Children With Epilepsy
- Toilet Training
- Toilet Training: Knowing When Your Child Is Ready
- Tongue-Tie
- Tongue-Tie Surgery for Age 1 Year and Older
- Tonsillitis
- Tooth Development in Children
- Tourette's Disorder
- Trabeculotomy for Congenital Glaucoma
- Transparent Tape Test for Pinworms
- Treating Tuberculosis in Children
- Treatment for ACL Injuries in Children and Teens
- Treatment for Malocclusion
- Tuberculosis in Infants and Children
- Tubes for Ear Infections
- Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Caring for Your Child
- Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Emotional Issues
- Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Making Mealtime Happier
- Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Safe Exercise
- Type 1 Diabetes: Children Living With the Disease
- Type 1 Diabetes: Your Child's Role in Care
- Type 2 Diabetes in Children
- Type 2 Diabetes: Screening for Children
- Types of Malocclusion
- Types of Strabismus
- Umbilical Hernia in Children
- Unproven Treatments for Autism
- Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Urinary Tract Infections in Children
- Using Vaporizers and Humidifiers
- Vaccine Information Statements
- Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR)
- Violent Behavior
- Violent Behavior in Children and Teens
- Vital Signs in Children
- Warning Signs of Suicide in Children and Teens
- Warts and Plantar Warts
- Ways to Comfort a Baby in the Hospital
- Well-Child Visits
- When to Treat Malocclusion
- Your Child and the Dentist
Medications
- Antibiotics for Middle Ear Infection
- Antibiotics for Urinary Tract Infections in Children
- Antihistamines for Itching From Chickenpox
- Antihypertensives for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Antimalarials for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Antipsychotics for Child and Teen Bipolar Disorder
- Antiviral Medicines for Chickenpox
- Atomoxetine (Strattera) for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Benzyl Alcohol for Head Lice
- Biologics for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Chelating Agents for Lead Poisoning
- Corticosteroids for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Corticosteroids for Nephrotic Syndrome
- Desmopressin for Bed-Wetting
- Hormone Therapy for Undescended Testicle
- Lindane for Lice
- Malathion for Lice
- Methotrexate for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Mood Stabilizers for Child and Teen Bipolar Disorder
- Oxybutynin for Daytime Wetting and Bed-Wetting
- Permethrin for Lice
- Pyrethrins and Piperonyl Butoxide for Lice
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for Depression in Children and Teens
- Stimulants for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Sulfasalazine for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) for Bed-Wetting
Make a Wise Decision
- ADHD: Should My Child Take Medicine for ADHD?
- Bed-Wetting: Should I Do Something About My Child's Bed-Wetting?
- Bed-Wetting: Should My Child See a Doctor?
- Depression: Should My Child Take Medicine to Treat Depression?
- Ear Infection: Should I Give My Child Antibiotics?
- Ear Problems: Should My Child Be Treated for Fluid Buildup in the Middle Ear?
- HPV: Should My Child Get the Vaccine?
- Scoliosis: Should I (or My Child) Have Surgery?
- Tonsillitis: Should My Child Have a Tonsillectomy?
- Umbilical Hernia: Should My Child Have Surgery?
Take Action
- ADHD: Helping Your Child Get the Most From School
- ADHD: Helping Your Child Get Things Done
- Allergies in Children: Giving an Epinephrine Shot to a Child
- Amblyopia: Wearing an Eye Patch
- Asthma in Children: Helping a Child Use a Metered-Dose Inhaler and Mask Spacer
- Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma
- Asthma: Using an Asthma Action Plan
- Bipolar Disorder in Children: Helping Your Child Prevent Manic Episodes
- Chickenpox: Controlling the Itch
- Croup: Managing a Croup Attack
- Cystic Fibrosis: Helping Your Child Cough Up Mucus
- Diabetes in Children: Checking Blood Sugar in a Child
- Diabetes in Children: Counting Carbs
- Diabetes in Children: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar
- Diabetes in Children: Giving Insulin Shots to a Child
- Diabetes in Children: Preparing a Care Plan for School
- Diabetes in Children: Preventing High Blood Sugar
- Diabetes in Children: Preventing Low Blood Sugar
- Fitness: Teaching Your Child to Stay Active
- Grief: Helping Children With Grief
- Growth and Development: Helping Your Child Build Self-Esteem
- Healthy Eating: Helping Your Child Learn Healthy Eating Habits
- Sleep: Helping Your Children—and Yourself—Sleep Well
- Stress Management: Helping Your Child With Stress
- Thumb-Sucking: Helping Your Child Stop
Last Revised: April 20, 2012
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
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