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Jaundice and Newborns

Some degree of jaundice occurs in a large majority of all newborn infants.  Jaundice is a condition where a newborn baby’s skin turns yellow.  This can happen with any race or colour of the skin.   Why Does Jaundice Occur So Frequently in Newborns? Jaundice occurs when a chemical called bilirubin builds up in a baby’s blood.  Everyone has

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Safety of Suspended Baby Jumpers

A common question I have been asked is about the safety of suspended baby jumpers like the Jolly Jumper. Personally, both of my kids loved the jolly jumper from the start and would giggle almost the entire time they are in it. Over the years, there have been discussions about the possible dangers of suspended

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How Much Sleep do Babies, Children, Teenagers and Adults Need?

Sleep is important for our overall health, it allows our body and mind to recharge. The amount of sleep that we need changes throughout our lifetime. The National Sleep Foundation has established guidelines for how much sleep babies, toddlers, adolescents and adults should sleep. These are the suggested total sleep requirements by the National Sleep Foundation:

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Myths about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Children

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, or Autism) is a disorder that begins in the child developmental period.  Its hallmark is problems with of social communication, social interaction, repetitive behaviours, and restrictive interests. The disorder affects every child differently.  Some children have mild difficulties in social interactions, which was formerly known as “Aspergers Disorder.” Other children may

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Winter Activities for Kids

Prior to this past year, we didn’t spend much time outside during the winter.  I’ve never been a fan of cold weather, but I’ve slowly started to embrace and enjoy the Alberta winters! In order to enjoy outdoor winter activities, our family invested in getting warm winter gear. Being comfortable and warm makes outdoor play much

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Newborn reflexes

The initial movements that newborn babies make are primitive reflexes and part of normal neurological development.  Some of these movements may surprise new parents if they have never been around a newborn baby before.   Reflexes are involuntary, which means they happen without trying.  This is similar to when a doctor taps your knee with a hammer and your leg

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Screen Time and Young Children

When I was a child, our television was always on.  My parents allowed my brother and I to watch television as much as we wanted.  I remember wondering why some of my friends had restrictions on how much television they could watch. As a family physician, I advise parents to follow recommendations set out by the Canadian Paediatric

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