‘To Swab or Not to Swab?’ What is Strep Throat and when should you bring your child to the doctor?
A sore throat is a common complaint in pediatrics. But how common is strep throat? Group A Strep is the…
More than the Baby Blues: When Parents Struggle, Help is Available – Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Postpartum Mood Disorders, are common and can impact the health of parents and family. It is estimated that one in…
Building Resilience to Stress in our Kids!
Life can be stressful – school, extracurriculars, goals, jobs, and keeping it all balanced for your entire family! Stress is…
It’s that time of year again, flu season!
While the weather has still been warm and sunny, we are already seeing cases of the influenza virus in our…
Social Media and Internet Safety:
Our children have grown up with access to TV, video games, social media, texting etc. Because they’ve been surrounded by…
Braces-friendly Halloween Recipes
Halloween is around the corner, and Families First Orthodontics wants to provide you with a treat of our own! Many…
Should I vaccinate my young child against COVID-19?
On June 17 th , 2022, the FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old. 18…
Sick Season and Fevers
With children back in school, sick season has begun. With sick season, comes fevers. One of the most common concerns…
Depression: What is it and how can I help my child?
What is Depression? Depression is defined by the National Institute on Mental Health as a serious and treatable condition that…
School Avoidance: Intervention Strategies for Parents
School attendance can be an exciting time for children and teens with opportunities to develop intellectually, socially, and physically. But…
Parenting Strategies for Tweens and Teens
Family life and parenthood can be a source of great joy. And yet, despite our best efforts to raise great…
Positive Parenting Tips: Building Healthy Relationships and Raising Resilient Children
Family life and parenthood can be a source of great joy. However, despite our best efforts to raise great children,…
What to Expect in Behavioral Health Therapy
Mental health matters. It’s connected to nearly all facets of life – our relationships, physical well-being, and capacity to…
Molluscum Contagiosum
Have you noticed small, pink or skin-colored, pearly bumps on your child’s face, trunk, arms, or legs? You are not…
Pushing out the Facts on Constipation
While most of us do not enjoy talking about it – everyone poops! Almost everyone has also experienced constipation at…
Shark Teeth
Did you know a shark can have up to 35,000 teeth during its life? That’s A LOT of teeth! How…
Finding Health in Nature
Several years ago, I watched my daughter and nephew create an elaborate “squirrel house” for the black and grey…
Talking about our feelings, why do we do it?
Have you ever stubbed your toe, hard? And then gotten angry? Maybe yelled at the person who left the…
To the Senior Class of 2022
Photo By: Jenifer Miller Photography Dear Seniors, We owe you an apology. I’m sorry for so many things happening in…
Autism Spectrum Disorder
The autism spectrum is very wide. Some kids have noticeable issues, while in others the symptoms might be quite mild. …
Allergies vs The Common Cold: How to Tell the Difference
Welcome to allergy season! One of the most common symptoms caused by allergies is allergic rhinitis. Rhinitis is…
Vomiting. Diarrhea. Fever. Oh my!
Have I made anyone uncomfortable yet? Sometimes just thinking of these things can make someone sick; have you…
Congenital Tear Duct Obstruction (Dacryostenosis)
A common situation encountered by parents with newborns is the presence of eye discharge. This can certainly be concerning and…
Helping Our Kids Understand Their Emotions’
The moment a baby is born every person in the room falls silent waiting in anticipation for that first cry…
2022 Similac Formula Recall
Click Learn More to Watch 2022 Similac Formula Recall Video …
The Importance of Adequate Sleep for Adolescents
Sleep is considered one of the three pillars of a healthy lifestyle, with the others being nutrition and exercise….
Divorce and Children
Divorce can be a very stressful time for all members of a family. In many cases, it can be…
What is RSV and why do we care?
This year, Covid has not been the only virus on the news. RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) has been featured as…
Childhood Tooth Decay: What Causes it and How to Prevent it
Tooth decay is the most chronic disease among children. The effects of dental decay on children are far reaching. Oral…
How do Cavities REALLY form? The (Gross) Truth
Many children have heard the phrase from their parents or dentist, “you have to brush to get all those sugar…
Surviving Holiday Travel with Young Children
This time of year brings many get togethers and festivities, which is fun but can present challenges when traveling…
Just Breathe
Using Deep Breathing as a Coping Skill for Healthier Emotions Life is a mixture of ups and downs and in-betweens….
Helping Teens Cope with Academic Stress
There is so much excitement just around the corner: holidays, school breaks, and parties; but with all the fun…
Understanding Dangers of Social Media Use Among Preteen and Teenage Girls
I received my first Kodak camera as a preteen and was thrilled that I could take my own photos. This…
Halloween – Trick or Treat Safely
Halloween is almost here, and surely is one of children’s (and parent’s) favorite evenings. After all, who doesn’t like dressing…
Should I Really Take My Child To The Orthodontist At Age 7?
EARLY TREATMENT In the past, children weren’t sent to the orthodontist until all of their permanent teeth were in. …
Remember There’s Flu too!
Most pediatricians in the country are seeing more positive COVID cases in their offices due to the delta variant…
Healthy Snacks, Healthy Teeth
“My kid won’t eat anything at mealtime, so I have to give him snacks all the time, is that…
COVID-19, the Delta Variant, Vaccinations, and Kids: What we know, what we don’t know, and what we can do to protect our kids.
This has been a tough 18 months. Just when we think the clouds are starting to clear, the storm…
How Does My Child Perceive Love?
As a mother, I try to show my children how much I love them. Saying “I love you”, making…
5 Water Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe and Cool This Summer
If your kids are like my kids, they LOVE the water. It takes extra caution and thoughtfulness to keep…
Fun in the Sun: Keeping Kids Safe Near Water this Summer
When my oldest daughter was approximately 18 months old, she nearly drowned in my parents’ pool. I was sitting…
How Do We Help Kids Develop Resiliency?
If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that the only constant in life is change. We have…
There’s No Crying in Baseball!
In an iconic sports movie and childhood favorite 1992 film, “A League of Their Own,” Tom Hanks plays the…
Introducing Baby to Solid Food
Taking that first bite of solid food is a big and exciting milestone for parents and their little one….
Is Melatonin Safe for Kids?
Whether you are a first time parent or more seasoned in the game we call kid’s health, knowing what medication…
Helping Empathy to Grow
The definition of empathy can really be as simple or as scientifically and neuro-psychologically difficult as a specific audience needs…
Just What the Doctor Ordered: Sunshine (with a Side of Sunscreen)
The weather is warming up and the days are getting longer. After a year of quarantine and limitations, few things…
Finding the Joy in Parenting
Parenting is possibly the most rewarding and simultaneously most overwhelming of jobs. Daily efforts of teaching, training, correcting, nursing wounds…
Summer Vacation? Think Immunizations – Keep Your Family Safe with Vaccinations
Summer is in the air, and while children are focused on time off and warmer weather, not many parents are…
Adolescents and Balancing Relationships with Their Independence
The teen years have a bad rap, normalized for arguing, fighting, and disrespectful behaviors. This is hard on families,…
Academics and Mental Health
Watching our youth this past year complete their school from home and online has given us an opportunity to…
Managing Big Emotions in Little Kids
Sometimes kids have big emotions. And that is okay. Anger, sadness, and worry are an integral part of the…
Mental Health Awareness
2020 has been one of the hardest years we have had to face as a human race, a country, a…
Surviving Colic
Colic. Rarely have five letters elicited such torture. There are millions of parents with PTSD from having had a child…
COVID-19 Updates/Policies
As you have come to expect, Families First Pediatrics continues to be committed to providing the best possible healthcare for…
10 Symptoms of Childhood Depression Parents Need To Know
I see patients of all ages for depression, but that is not always why THEY think they are coming to…
Coronavirus General Overview
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Concern over the coronavirus (also called coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19) is top of mind for everyone. The…
Creating Healthy Sleep Habits For Your Kids
As a parent, sleep loss is part of your life. But for your kids, losing sleep can seriously damage their…
Signs Your Child May Be Getting Bullied
No parent wants to find out their child is being bullied. Worrying about your child’s safety is perfectly understandable, since…
Autism Resources
This is a great resource for all parents who are looking for more info and resources for autism and child…
Mental Health and Teens
Whether one wants to call it the terrific or terrible teens, the truth is adolescence can be a very trying…
Healthy Cooking and Meals Tips
Great link to ideas for healthy cooking and meals based on the Choose My Plate guidelines (aka food guide pyramid)….
Healthy Breakfast Tips for Kids
Ever feel like you’re rushing out the door to get the kids to school? Yea, us neither…;) Here some great…
Healthy Eating & Habits for Kids
Great article designed for parents to help promote healthy eating and habits in kids. Kids Eat Right www.eatright.org your source…
Halloween Safety Tips
Are Your Kids Excited for Halloween? Are you getting excited for Halloween??? Us too!! If you are coming in this…