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Food Allergies in Children

Food allergy affects approximately 2% to 10% of the population. Studies suggest that early introduction of common allergenic solids such as eggs and peanuts, especially in high risk infants, may have a role in preventing food allergy. For infants at high risk for food allergy, it is recommended that common allergenic foods should be introduced around

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Why Room Sharing Reduces SIDS

The Government of Canada states in a joint statement  that infants who room share for at least 6 months have a lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).   This coincides with recommendations from the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics for safe sleep.  Our daughter Madi stayed in our room until she was almost a

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The Risks and Benefits of Video-Chatting in Children

Our family has used FaceTime more often in the past six weeks than we have in the past several months. We are FaceTiming multiple times a day with relatives and friends. During a time like this it is important to check on each other and stay connected.  Because our family is on FaceTime at least

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What are the Possible Benefits of App Use in Children?

Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, I have been relying more on screens to keep Madi busy.  Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic I would rarely let Madi play apps with the exception of when we were flying. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, she is allowed to play on an app for 30 minutes

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Guest post: Temper Tantrums, Meltdowns, and Anxiety

The terms “tantrum,” “meltdown,” and “anxiety” are often used interchangeably however, they are actually all different terms used to describe different behaviours.  As I’ve talked about in previous posts, it is so important to understand where your child’s behaviour is coming from. Understanding this will help you immensely when determining how to deal with it.

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Vitamin C and the Common Cold

There has been a lot of talk about whether vitamin C will help prevent or treat COVID-19. To date, the safety and efficacy of vitamin C has not been established for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19. However, there has been quality studies on the role of vitamin C and common colds.   Vitamin C Supplementation

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Should Routine Immunizations Continue During COVID-19 Pandemic?

A common question I have received from parents is whether or not we should continue routine immunizations for children. COVID-19 is spread by close personal contact or by touching contaminated surfaces. Public health has suggested that people stay at home to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.  This includes limiting non-essential doctors appointments. Majority of non-urgent

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Childhood Obesity

There is a growing epidemic of childhood obesity.  The reasons for this is multifactorial, one of those factors being highly processed and high sugar foods and beverages.   An unexpected family dynamic between my parents, and Graeme and I is how we choose to feed our children.  My mom in particular feels that if my daughter (her granddaughter)

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Is All Screen Time The Same?

Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, our family has been watching a lot more television while we do our part in social distancing and staying at home.  For children ages 3-5, the recommended screen time is 1 hour or less per day by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) and the American Academy of

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