A Spoonful of My Own Medicine

The first time I meet the parents of a newborn, I always give them a little lecture.

In order to be a good parent, I say, you have to take care of yourself first.  You cannot be a good parent (or a good partner, or good at your job) unless you are well rested and practicing excellent self care.

A well rested parent, you ask?  Yeah, right.  But the point remains.

Well, I’m going to take a spoonful of my own medicine and will be on holiday for a month, unplugged.  I will return at the end of June, with renewed vim and vigor.

What is that old saying?  Doctor, heal thyself. 

And so I will.

 

 

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

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Drool Factory: Is My Baby Teething?

When is my baby going to teeth?

Nearly every parent begins to wonder if their four month old child is going to get a tooth *any minute* now.  

Well, don’t hold your breath!

Woo Hoo: Got My First Teeth!

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Humor in Chaos: Watching The Swine Flu Epidemic Evolve

As I said in a previous post, being on the front line of a potential global pandemic is fascinating and not a little scary.  Since I shared my thoughts about swine flu, it appears that though the disease continues to spread, it is currently neither as contagious nor as deadly as experts feared.  We will see how it evolves and whether it adapts to become a serious threat or not.

In the meantime, because sometimes we have to find humor to ease our stress, I will share several of my favorite moments in the epidemic so far:  

Power To The (Little) People

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Top Child Health News of 2008, Continued

Part 2:  Here is my synopsis and opinion on the 2nd half of the top 10 most read online pediatric and adolescent medicine stories of 2008.  The previous post is here.

• When Are Temper Tantrums in Preschool Children Cause for Concern? 
  • Most toddlers and pre-schoolers have the occasional, or even frequent, tantrums but are generally healthy. In some children, however, they can be an early sign of depression or disruptive disorders.  If you have concerns about the frequency or quality of your child’s tantrums, please see your doctor.  
• Vaccines in the News
  • Two new combination vaccines have been approved this year.  The AAP strongly encourages the use of combination vaccines, as it helps assure that children receive their vaccines on schedule.  I think they’re nice because in my quest to prevent life-threatening illnesses, I have to stick fewer needles into children.  The kids seem to agree.

Breakfast Club

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Nearing Global Pandemic: What You Need to Know About Swine Flu and Children

 

What do you do when you hear “global pandemic?”  Is it time to build a bunker?  Should you and your family lock yourself in with enough PB&J for weeks of sustenance? With swine flu creeping towards meeting the definition of global pandemic, everyone is in a flutter.  Parents especially are wondering how to protect their families from this illness.

 

Today it was announced that there is at least one case of swine flu in my home, San Francisco.  Being on the front line of a potential pandemic is quite an experience, and at times I am tempted to feel a little nervous myself.   At the moment, however, the best thing that all of us can do is use common sense, stay informed, and, as usual:  don’t panic.

 

What do we know about the swine flu?