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dr. mom

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Nightmares in Toddlers

Two years ago for an entire week, Madi has woken up suddenly in the middle of the night from nightmares. She is in tears and terrified of the spooky monsters running around her room.  To calm her down, I would end up cuddling her and sleeping with her in her bed. This left me exhausted as

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Tips for flying with a toddler

Our family has started travelling again as restrictions have loosened and here are some tips I found useful on our most recent trip to Vancouver. Sanitizing – Once we arrive on the plane I wipe down our seats and the tray table with a sanitizing wipe and the kids hands. I also make sure to have

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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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Baby Drool Rash

Drooling can be a sign of teething, but some babies like George drool more than others. The presence of saliva frequently on on a baby’s chin, neck and chest can cause red irritation of the skin and is often called a “drool rash.” George had a drool rash on his chin when he was 2-3 months

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Hair Tourniquet

I lost so much hair postpartum after Madi and George. With my increased shedding of hair, there were loose strands of hair not only all over the floors of our house, but also on my babes. Loose strands of hair on babies can be dangerous as it can lead to a hair tourniquet. What is

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Constipation in Children

I struggled with constipation as a toddler. Constipation is a very common problem in childhood and is a frequent reason children see the doctor. In majority of children with constipation, there is no medical cause identified, and is called functional constipation. Your doctor will diagnose constipation based on the history of symptoms, physical examination of your child

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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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When Should I Give my Baby Peanuts?

Introducing solid foods to your baby’s diet is an exciting time for many parents.  But with that also comes some worries about potential food allergies.  Some foods are a higher risk for allergies than others.  Peanuts, milk and eggs are some of the more common culprits. Before starting medical school, I remember being told by relatives that we

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How Does Shift Work Affect Circadian Rhythm? How Can Sleep Hygiene Help?

Our bodies have an intrinsic timekeeping system that regulates sleep, wakefulness and other systems such as temperature, appetite and hormone levels. This built-in system is called the circadian rhythm.  For most people the circadian rhythm drives wakefulness during the daytime and promotes sleep at nighttime. This is because the biggest environmental contributor to sleep-wake cycles

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