Is it safe for children to eat raw cookie dough?
Health authorities and food producers recommend against it, but it’s unclear how much of a risk it poses. Eating raw cookie dough, with eggs that haven’t been pasteurized or flour that hasn’t been heat-treated, has infected people in the past with E....
Does teething cause fever?
No. It’s simply an old wives’ tale that children get fevers from their baby teeth growing in. A fever is generally considered to be when a child’s temperature exceeds 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Studies in multiple countries have found that...
Is the flu vaccine safe during pregnancy?
Yes. There’s wide consensus among health authorities that when pregnant mothers get the flu vaccine it both reduces any harm from the mother getting flu and provides the child with immunity from the virus for several months after they’re born. The proven benefits of...
Is sunscreen safe for babies and young children?
In general, yes, sunscreens are safe for babies and young children. Because there’s been little study of sunscreens’ long-term effects and effectiveness on children younger than 6 months, health authorities generally recommend keeping newborns out of the sun and...
Is Zika virus still a risk for pregnant women?
Yes, there is still no vaccine, and if a pregnant mother is infected it’s far more likely her child will be born with birth defects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend that all pregnant women, and both men and women planning to...
Should you introduce potential food allergens to your kids?
Recent research suggests it won’t hurt, and might help. There’s no evidence that avoiding potential food allergens prevents children from developing allergies, and there’s growing evidence that introducing some foods to children earlier in life could...
Should I give my child a daily probiotic supplement?
Studies have suggested there may be some benefits if they’re experiencing the following conditions: Diarrhea: Studies suggest probiotics taken while experiencing diarrhea can lessen its duration and intensity. Eczema: Certain strains of probiotics might prevent...
Should I bank cord blood?
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against paying to bank a newborn’s cord blood because it’s very rarely used or effective as a treatment option if the child later becomes sick, mainly because the cord blood will likely carry the genetic mutation...