Kid's Health

1. Confusing those school screenings with eye exams.‘Too often, these quick screenings give parents a false sense of security. Parents think because their child's eyes have been checked in school, they don't need to see an optometrist, which isn't th...

1. Confusing those school screenings with eye exam...

it is never too early to teach children about how their hearts benefit from a good diet and lots of exercise. By reinforcing an active lifestyle and proper eating habits, you can teach children, by example, how to keep their hearts in good shape. You...

it is never too early to teach children about how ...

Some kids can't wait to get braces. Others are a little worried about what it will be like or how they will look. It can help to learn more about braces, which straighten your teeth and make your smile even better looking. Tooth Talk Lots of kids don...

Some kids can't wait to get braces. Others are a l...

What's Up With Body Hair? Body hair really gets going during puberty. Some boys will start to notice hair growing on their face around the chin, on the cheeks, and above the lip. Also, hair grows on the chest, the armpits, and even down there in the ...

What's Up With Body Hair? Body hair really gets go...

A lot of changes happen as you grow up, especially as you reach puberty (say: pyoo-bur-tee), the name for the time when your body begins to develop and change. Girls start developing breasts and get their periods — signs they are growing into women. ...

A lot of changes happen as you grow up, especially...

Face Up to Changes Another thing that may come with puberty is acne (say: ak-nee) — or pimples — caused by all those hormones at work in the body. Skin gets oilier and pimples sometimes start showing up when puberty begins, and you may get them throu...

Face Up to Changes Another thing that may come wit...

Time to Change OK, so it's a funny word — but what is puberty, anyway? Puberty (say: pyoo-ber-tee) is the name for the time when your body begins to develop and change as you move from kid to adult. We're talking about stuff like girls developing bre...

Time to Change OK, so it's a funny word — but what...

No one can say exactly when you'll get your first menstrual period, but you will get it sometime during puberty. Puberty is the time in your life when you begin to become an adult. This means a lot of growing and changing — both inside and out. Some ...

No one can say exactly when you'll get your first ...

Did you know that people have been getting their ears pierced for thousands of years? What those ancient people probably didn't know is that it's really important to take care of your ears after they're pierced. Pierced ears may look cool, but infect...

Did you know that people have been getting their e...

Twelve-year-old Cindy woke up one morning and felt familiar pain in her lower belly. She knew what it was and grumbled, "Oh, no. Here comes another period." Cindy started her period over a year ago. She's learned to handle using pads and tampons, but...

Twelve-year-old Cindy woke up one morning and felt...

When will you get your period? That's a big question for girls who are waiting for their very first periods. It's also on the minds of girls who have just started getting periods because — especially for younger girls — periods don't always come exac...

When will you get your period? That's a big questi...

How Do I Tell My Mom or Dad That I Got My First Period? It's normal to feel a little shy about sharing this bit of news. In some families, talking about body stuff might seem like no big deal. With this kind of family, they might take you out to dinn...

How Do I Tell My Mom or Dad That I Got My First Pe...

Lots of girls wonder when their period will start, but they also might wonder: Do they ever end? The answer is yes. A woman may stop getting her period for a variety of reasons: She's having a health problem. She's pregnant. She's reached menopause ...

Lots of girls wonder when their period will start,...

Honk! Squeak! What the heck is that? A goose playing the trumpet? If you're going through puberty (say: pyoo-ber-tee), it could be your voice. Both boys and girls experience voice changes as they grow older, but girls' voices get only a little deeper...

Honk! Squeak! What the heck is that? A goose playi...

When most adults think about exercise, they imagine working out in the gym on a treadmill or lifting weights. But for kids, exercise means playing and being physically active. Kids exercise when they have gym class at school, during recess, at dance...

When most adults think about exercise, they imagin...

Few kids would say they crave a good fiber-rich meal. Although the thought of fiber might bring gags and groans from kids, many appetizing foods are actually great sources of fiber — from fruits to whole-grain cereals. And kids are probably eating th...

Few kids would say they crave a good fiber-rich me...

As with carbohydrates in recent years, fats have been wrongly accused of being "bad." Too much fat can be a bad thing, but fat is an essential nutrient and some are definitely better than others. Certain kinds of fat are actually good for us and are ...

As with carbohydrates in recent years, fats have b...

Most parents probably don't think about what cholesterol means for their kids. But high levels of cholesterol are a major factor contributing to heart disease and stroke, and medical research shows that cardiovascular disease has its roots in childho...

Most parents probably don't think about what chole...

I know that at some point kids should drink skim milk as part of a low-fat diet. But what's the right age to switch kids from whole milk to skim milk? - Sheila Breast milk is the food of choice for at least the first year or beyond. Cow's milk should...

I know that at some point kids should drink skim m...

I have a 5-year-old son. Is he too young to start exercising? - Emily Encouraging kids to be physically active is important at any age. In fact, kids who are active at a young age tend to stay active later in life — and have a lower risk of becoming ...

I have a 5-year-old son. Is he too young to start ...

Preschoolers love being physically active, so it's no wonder that it's often hard to keep them in one place. The solution is to work with their high energy levels. It's important to keep them safe, of course, but give them plenty of opportunities to ...

Preschoolers love being physically active, so it's...