I scream, you scream, we all scream for sunscreen!

School is out which means summertime is here!! As your kiddos jump for joy and you are getting your summer plans set, I am sure that time outside whether for swimming, sports or just having fun in the sprinklers is on the agenda.  One of the most important things to remember to pack in your bag for the summer is sunscreen.  I had the opportunity to stop by WBRZ 4 o’clock newscast to talk with Brittany Weiss about what to look for in a sunscreen as well as other ways to protect your skin this summer.  Here is what you need to know about sunscreens as well as some of the biggest mistakes to avoid when it comes to protecting your little one’s skin this summer. Look for sunscreen that is labeled as “broad spectrum.” This means it will provide protection against both UVA (these cause aging of the skin) and UVB (these cause burning of the skin) rays from the sun. Sunscreen needs Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.  Going higher than SPF 50 probably doesn’t give you much more protection so don’t worry about spending extra money for sunscreens with SPF higher than 50. Everyone 6 months and older needs sunscreen.  For babies under 6 months of age, ideally they should be kept out of the direct sun.  If sun exposure is absolutely unavoidable in this age group, a small amount of sunscreen is ok. Make sure to apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes BEFORE heading outside.  Applying sunscreen and then jumping right into the pool means that the sunscreen is just going to come right off!...
The Big 3

The Big 3

The big 3…mistakes that is! I had the opportunity to visit the 4 oclock newscast this week to talk with Brittany Weiss about the 3 biggest errors when it comes to children and car seats.  Click on the link above to make sure you are sidestepping those pitfalls. And as for that new sign I have hanging in my office, here are two of my favorite “models” showing it...
Talking peanuts on WBRZ

Talking peanuts on WBRZ

Wondering about the new recommendations for the introduction of peanut products to infants?  Take a look at the video above as I had the opportunity to stop by WBRZ 4 oclock news today to talk with Brittany Weiss about these new recommendations. As I mentioned in the video, these are exciting new recommendations that will hopefully help to reduce the overall incidence of peanut allergies in children.  Here are the suggested recipes for making the first peanut products for your little one as taken directly from the statement paper from Annals of Allergy and Immunology:   “Four recipe options, each containing approximately 2 g of peanut protein Note: Teaspoons and tablespoons are US measures (5 and 15 mL for a level teaspoon or tablespoon, respectively). Option 1: Bamba (Osem, Israel), 21 pieces (approximately 2 g of peanut protein) Note: Bamba is named because it was the product used in the LEAP trial and therefore has proven efficacy and safety. Other peanut puff products with similar peanut protein content can be substituted. a. For infants less than 7 months of age, soften the Bamba with 4 to 6 teaspoons of water. b. For older infants who can manage dissolvable textures, unmodified Bamba can be fed. If dissolvable textures are not yet part of the infant’s diet, softened Bamba should be provided. Option 2: Thinned smooth peanut butter, 2 teaspoons (9-10 g of peanut butter; approximately 2 g of peanut protein) a. Measure 2 teaspoons of peanut butter and slowly add 2 to 3 teaspoons of hot water. b. Stir until peanut butter is dissolved, thinned, and well blended. c. Let cool. d. Increase water amount if necessary (or...
A Storm Without a Name

A Storm Without a Name

Devastation. It is all around us. “You can expect rain for the next week or so.”  That was the forecast from last week for here in Southern Louisiana…Baton Rouge to be exact.  It started on Thursday with our “typical” summer afternoon shower, but then things began to change as the rain didn’t stop.  Over the next 48 hours, we saw an estimated 4 trillion gallons of rainfall!  The rivers began to swell and when all was said and done, every major river in and around Baton Rouge had broken prior records with some of these rivers reaching almost 18 feet ABOVE flood stage.  The National Weather Service has called it a “1,000 year rain” meaning there was a 0.1 percent chance of that much rain in a given time period over a year.  By the end of it all, the statistics are absolutely unfathomable: Over 30,000 people rescued as flood water rapidly rose 2 major highways closed as flood waters reached 4 feet on the roadways stranding thousands Over 10,000 people displaced to area shelters Between 75-90% of homes in hardest hit communities that have been flooded A death toll currently at 13 and will likely continue to rise as waters recede I had the opportunity to sit down with Sylvia Weatherspoon and Michael Shingleton on WBRZ News a few days ago to discuss important ways to help our children deal with this tragedy.  You can check that video out below: Now, a few points I want to make about health issues and concerns for those that have waded in flood waters and experienced this tragedy first hand. If...

Spring is in full bloom

The official start of Spring is tomorrow evening, but for many, you probably already know the seasons have changed thanks to never-ending sneezing, having a tissue constantly in your hand, or that little tickle in the back of your throat that makes you cough at the most inopportune times.  Yes, spring allergy season is upon us, and I stopped by WBRZ First at 4 today to talk with Brittany Weiss about what that means for millions of Americans, including children. Look for my upcoming blog post all about seasonal allergies and ways to manage allergies in children so that they can still head outdoors to enjoy this time of the year before the blazing days of summer are...

3 Common Vaccine Myths

The vaccine discussion has certainly been re-ignited with the recent outbreak of a disease once considered eradicated in the US, measles.  I had the opportunity today to talk with WBRZ News 2 at Four’s Brittany Weiss about three very common vaccine myths and concerns.  You can check out the segment above. At the bottom of this post, I have included several links to various scientific studies as well as scientifically sound and reputable websites that address the three vaccine myths that I addressed today in the news segment. If you have a question about these myths or are wondering about any other topics dealing with vaccines (the possibilities are endless when it comes to discussing vaccines), send me an email at mindy@themommydoctor.com, and I would be happy to discuss it with you.  I will also plan to compile a list of questions that I receive and make them into a post for the future. Hopefully, by discussing some of these common questions and concerns about vaccines, parents will feel confident in their decision to protect their children with life-saving vaccinations.  After all, knowledge is power. http://vec.chop.edu/service/vaccine-education-center/home.html - Great site from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia that covers the spectrum of vaccines including information about each vaccine, the schedule of vaccines to common questions and concerns, etc.  http://vec.chop.edu/export/download/pdfs/articles/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-ingredients.pdf  http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa021134#t=articleResults  http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/10376617  http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/ucm187810.htm  http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2013/Childhood-Immunization-Schedule/ChildhoodImmunizationScheduleandSafety_RB.pdf...