MomDocs

The first visit to the gynecologist is a crucial moment for your daughter's overall health. It paves the way for a lifetime of well-being. Dr. Rachel Pasquesi discusses how to help prepare your teen for her first gynecological appointment.

The coldest months bring along their own unique set of potential winter injuries. During winter, it's important for everyone to be extra cautious both indoors and outdoors. Not only do winter storms pose health hazards and dangers, but they can also make it challenging to reach an emergency room due to icy roads. Since most kids aren't used to dealing with winter throughout the year, their risk of getting injured may rise. Dr. Lindsay Clukies, a Washington University emergency medicine physician, discusses common winter injuries she sees in the emergency room.

Dr. Shobha Bhaskar, a pediatric hospitalist with St. Louis Children's Hospital, discusses common hazards to watch out for in your home during the holiday season.

The holiday season includes spending time with family and friends and a lot of food and desserts. Dr. Emily Hahn, a board-certified pediatric dentist at St. Louis Children's Hospital, discusses how parents can help keep their kids' teeth healthy during the holiday season.

Viruses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV are more common during winter. How can you protect your child from getting sick with a respiratory illness? And if your child does become ill, how do you know if it’s time to go to the pediatrician or emergency department?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, the obesity rate among U.S. children and teens has more than tripled since 1980. Dr. Piyush Srivastava, a pediatrician whose practice is a part of BJC Medical Group and is also board-certified in Obesity medicine, discusses the various causes of obesity in kids.

Cold and flu season is here. When your child gets sick, you want to make them feel better and stop the illness from spreading to other family members. Antibiotics may come to mind. Dr. Jamie Kondis, a pediatrician at St. Louis Children's Hospital, discusses how antibiotics work and what types of illnesses require antibiotics.

While rare, pediatric strokes occur, affecting one in every 1,100 newborns and an additional 2,000 older children each year. The cause of a stroke is either a blood clot or bleeding in the brain. If left untreated, it can lead to damage or death of brain tissue. Dr. Kristin Guilliams, a pediatric neurologist with St. Louis Children's Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, discusses stroke in children.

Whether kids fall off their bikes or play a sport, their risk for head injuries rises. Parents, teachers, and caregivers should know the differences between mild head injuries and concussions and when to seek medical help.

Dental anxiety is an abnormal fear or dread of visiting the dentist for preventive care or therapy and unwarranted anxiety over dental procedures. Many children worry about going to the dentist. They may have had a poor experience or learned this anxiety from a family member. Emily Hahn, a board-certified pediatric dentist at St. Louis Children's Hospital, discusses why some children have dental anxiety and tips for dealing with your child's anxiety.

The 4th trimester is when a new mom is recovering from pregnancy and delivery while learning to be a mom as her baby adjusts to life outside the womb. But for new moms struggling with the physical and emotional changes that follow childbirth, the 4th semester can be a period of significant adjustment.

Dr. Kelly Boland, a psychology fellow at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, discusses maintaining mental health for parents and kids during this holiday season and at all times.

While respiratory infections occur year-round, there is a significant increase in these infections during the fall and winter months (cold and flu season) when people tend to spend more time inside. It is important for parents and caregivers to understand the difference between common respiratory infections and treatment options. Dr. Tara Neumayr, a Washington University- St. Louis Children’s Hospital Pediatric Critical Care Physician and Pediatric Nephrologist, can discuss the most common winter respiratory viruses, their symptoms, and how to know when to seek help.

Women from teens to seniors should have an annual visit with their OB/GYN. But, just as women’s healthcare needs change as they age, their annual OB/GYN appointments change, too. Dr. Rosanna Gray-Swain, a BJC Medical Group Ob/Gyn affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, talks about what to expect during an annual visit with your OB/GYN during each stage of life.

Anxiety is often a normal part of childhood and adolescence, but there’s a difference between everyday worry and chronic anxiety. According to the CDC, 9.4% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 5.8 million) were diagnosed with anxiety in 2016-2019. Dr. Jamie Kondis can add insight into the cause, diagnosis, and management of anxiety.

As a parent in summer, we hope that kids spend a lot more time outside but these activities can also lead to itchy, irritated skin. Dr. Allie Grither discusses common summertime rashes for kids and what you can do to identify and prevent them.

For many parents, having young children means negotiating to get them to eat their vegetables, taste new foods, or finish what’s on their plate. Picky eating is nothing new, but what happens when it involves many foods, never goes away, or gets worse? There are different types of restrictive eating behaviors that vary in severity. Dr. Sarah Garwood discusses these different types of restrictive eating behaviors and how you may be able to curb these behaviors.

With spring comes rain, thunderstorms, and possible tornadoes. For children who are afraid of storms and tornadoes, the unpredictability of severe weather can be especially unsettling.

The 20-week ultrasound often gives parents a detailed look at the development of their baby and allows them to see just how much their baby has grown in the first half of pregnancy. Brittani Schwartzkopf and Dr. Heather Lopez discuss what you can expect at your 20-week ultrasound appointment.

Dr. Katherine Rivera-Spoljaric explores the topic of teaching children the importance of kindness and empathy and how those teachings can be put into practice.