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Tylenol & Twenty Years As A Pediatrician
I’ve been thinking a lot about Tylenol lately. In 2011, manufacturers made the strength of Infant Tylenol the same as Children’s Tylenol. They made the change because dosing errors happened too often...
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The Gift of an Ordinary Day
It is my friend, the wise native American, Ellen Noland who reminds me that the most important thing is to pay attention. Why? “Because there are no ordinary moments.” I know it’s sounds crazy, but… In...
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FitBit Fan For Life
In 2012, I attended a TEDMED conference where I met my first The FitBit Story It’s is a digital, computerized pedometer, but as it turns out, these gadgets are SO MUCH MORE. They come with a program...
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Tool or Toy: How Do You See Media Screen Time?
I am very interested in the impact of media on our children’s health and wellbeing, and I admit it: I always make time to pitch my ideas about screen time during check-up visits, but there are so many...
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The Flu Fighters Club.
When I saw the Earn Your Stripe Campaign encouraging all health care providers to get a flu vaccine, I knew it was a great idea. And your Partners In Pediatrics are 100% protected. We live by...
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Calling The Shots. Who’s Responsible For Telling The Truth
What’s the difference between spreading gossip and circulating misinformation? If you’re raising children, there is no difference. I was sitting at the dinner table when one of the kids said there was...
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Does Naming The Virus Help Parents?
I used to think that when doctors diagnose a virus with its name, it was more helpful to parents. RSV is a good example. Respiratory Syncytial Virus a one that often settles in the chest causing...
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Impossible Things
A quote from Alice In Wonderland. “There’s no use trying,” she said; “one can’t believe impossible things.” “I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger… Why...
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Thanks And Giving And Stretching Time
I wish I had THE magic power to slow time, to stretch it a little in order to have just a wee bit more of those magical minutes I love so much this time of year. There is nothing I love more than the...
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An Apple A Day Is Not Enough
An apple a day. Is NOT Enough. Listen up boys and girls, Moms and Dads, teens and tweens. You are NOT really hearing me. Listening and hearing, ya know? Because, well… Mr. Mali says Health is not...
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Measles And Memories
There’s a lot of media attention these last few weeks about measles and vaccines, and I’ve been thinking about a delightful, little three year old who is going to Disney. (He’s fully vaccinated and...
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Play Again
I’ve been working on an article for Richmond Family Magazine and looking forward to the warm spring weather. I grew up in a big family, and one of the worst things you could do as a kid in our house...
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The Sisterhood of Motherhood
When one of the Facebook parents sent me the following video clip, she was careful to say, “watch it to the end. You’ll never guess that it’s a commercial selling something.” And so I watched… all the...
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Autism Awareness … For More Than A Month
April is Autism Awareness Month, and when the folks at NBC Channel 12 called to ask if I would help them raise awareness, of course I said, “Yes.” I began thinking about Autism Awareness Month and...
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Co-ed Prom Sleepovers Are Not A Good Idea
The DrDownload blog is about the health and well being of children. It’s spring as I write, and I could feature spring allergies or new sunscreen guidelines. But what I’ve really been fretting about...
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Behind Closed Doors, the RVA Children’s Hospital May Fail
It was Einstein who said that to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different outcome: that is insanity. The Power People building a children’s hospital must come out from behind...
View ArticleMayor Jones Issues A Call To Action: Build A Children’s Hospital.
It’s June. I love how my city describes the hot, humid days we love to hate. It’s just so ‘close.’ When I came to Richmond to go to medical school and first heard that phrase, I remember thinking,...
View ArticlePoliticians and Vaccines
It’s September and there’s a long year ahead before we choose a new president. Some of the people who want to lead the country are debating on TV. The topic of vaccines comes up. Two physician...
View ArticleThe AAPExperience Is Doctor School.
When my kids were small, they called it Doctor School. I’d go away to a conference every year to learn new ideas and become a better pediatrician. I always want to be an example to them of life-long...
View ArticleThanksgiving Thoughts
“Give thanks oh Thou, who has given us so much. Mercifully grant us one more thing ~ a grateful heart.” -George Herbert (read more as one pediatrician reflects hourly on things for which she’s...
View ArticleA Week Without Waste
With the plates cleared and Thanksgiving over, I’m seeing countless containers of leftovers filling my fridge. It’s the right time to pitch this idea I’ve had to my family and hope they’re willing to...
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7 Reasons To Choose A Concierge Pediatrician
As a physician and a mother, I’ve got a lot of experience on BOTH sides of the stethoscope. While I see patients every day in my concierge pediatrician office, I also make appointments to see the...
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The Blessing of a Skinned Knee
The title of this book caught my eye right off the bat, and the mother who sent it to me is raising one of my all time favorite families. You may know her as the lady who created the breakfast cookies...
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What A Life Is Meant To Be | Cameron Gallagher
Cameron Gallagher would have been bold enough to ask me, “what is a life meant to be?” I often think about that when I’m cooing and coaxing an infant into cooperating for a check up. I don’t remember...
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Newborns Stay Healthier With A Kisses Box
Lots of new babies arrive in the spring … and in the summer and the fall, and in the ‘just-in-time-to-be-our-tax-deduction’ winter season. Regardless of when that newborn in your life might arrive, we...
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Speak Up For Your Child’s Mental Health
It’s check-up season, and you hear the pediatrician ask, “Is there anything we should give special attention to at today’s visit?” Your mind goes immediately to the big changes you’ve noticed in your...
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Set Down The Juice And Reach For Real Fruit
Are you old enough to remember the TV commercials where smiling mothers stirred pitchers of KoolAid on the front porch in summer? They were serving liquid happiness to the children running around in...
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Go Outside And Play
I often wish I could write a prescription for play that reads: “Go Outside and Play” Sig: as directed and undirected is even better. Disp: Quantity Sufficient If daily outdoor play were a...
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Praising Children – Are You Doing Your Best?
So how powerful are words? And trophies? As I was cleaning out the attic recently, I came across several boxes full of soccer and little league trophies. There were ribbons and medals from swim...
View ArticleSafety & The Intentional Summer
Hearing a lot about summer safety? This time of year, the media is full of reminders for us, but don’t get distracted by the signal to noise ratio. This safety stuff we write about is important! A few...
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Is There A Gun Where Your Child Plays?
“The irresistible temptation to ‘play’ with guns…” That description was the opening statement on a TV trailer for Diane Sawyer’s documentary on children and guns in the home. When my boys were small,...
View ArticleDon’t Eat the Marshmallow
At Stanford University, a group of researchers studied the ability of four-year olds to wait for a treat. In the experiments, children were offered two marshmallows if they could hold out and overcome...
View Article#JustCookForKids
There’s little doubt that our diet is responsible for a variety of health problems. Kids and families eat very differently than they did a generation ago. Processed foods are part of life. What if it’s...
View ArticleCar Seats and Controversy
Child Passenger Safety Week. I love this idea, but not for the ‘top down’ educational opportunity it presents. There’s that, of course. Read MoreThe post Car Seats and Controversy appeared first on...
View ArticleHow To Stop Saying Screen Time
Hey, just wanted to say thanks, Dr. Hamblin. Can I call you, Jim? I love your magazine, and I really appreciate your bringing the issue of screen time to the attention of so many. Anytime I can get...
View ArticleFlu, Vaccines & Chicken Noodle Soup
With an organized roadmap to offer checkups and flu vaccines this fall, I’m proud to say that our practice vaccinated more than seventy five percent of the patients and the parents who come to us. It...
View ArticleIf Only My EMR Were More Like A Video Game
That’s so amazing! You noticed! The DrDownload blog was becoming an echo chamber. And I guess it’s true. I have been pretty quiet lately. Maybe it’s time to explain why. I’ve been busy playing...
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Guns? You Gotta Ask
When we ordered a new electronic health record, we picked one build for kids in an effort to improve the quality of the care we provide. One of the things it prompts us to ask about is guns in the...
View ArticleWhat Mothers Say Matters To Our Kids
When I’m having ‘one of those days’ at the office, I can always use a reminder that laughter is the best medicine. A mother’s job is never done. Today, I saw several parents … one after the next...
View ArticleCoats For Kids (And Grownups, Too)
It’s true. I want to change the world, and I’ve always said we do that when we teach our children important things … like it’s cold outside; wear a coat. And be grateful you have a coat. And you left...
View ArticleCar Seats and Common Sense
“This just out… on car seats.” It’s a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics on car seats. Again. When data changes; when studies conflict with one another; you have to stay...
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Coronavirus Causes COVID-19
Everybody says “Don’t panic” about the Coronavirus. That’s valuable advice to be sure, but this blog is about practical things you can do while you’re not panicking. We are in the middle of an...
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It Won’t Be Like This Forever
When I first saw the photograph, I thought it should be called “It Won’t Be Like This Forever.” A pregnant mother. A sweet new baby. The return of her waistline. It reminded me in a stark,...
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The COVID-19 Testing Facts (Subject To Change)
COVID-19 Testing. It’s in the news every day. “We don’t have enough tests. We have tests; come get one. The test results are all mixed together making it impossible to interpret them.” Get a test....
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COVID-19 Tests. We Must Proceed With Caution
COVID-19 Testing. It’s a featured topic on 60 Minutes in late June, 2020 and their investigative journalism has some surprising discoveries about how the FDA allowed antibody tests of varied accuracy...
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Coronavirus Decision Making
I just finished reading an excellent blog post by Emily Oster written to help parents make decisions in CoronaVirus times. She blogs at CovidExplained.org I’ve grown fond of saying that we are living...
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Get Better Faster With Love and Liquids
We call it Love and Liquids. It’s what you do when your child is sick, and as the Fall unfolds, we’re pretty sure it’s going to be a very long winter of illness. So let’s review the drill for how to...
View ArticleDid You Know We Need A Real Children’s Hospital?
This week, it’s about our Children’s Hospital… DID YOU KNOW?? Did you know that I have written about and wished for a real Children’s Hospital for Richmond for more than twenty years? We could split...
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How to Measure Medicine, Mary Poppins
Five years later. It’s official. Kids, I’ll no longer be asking you to take a teaspoon of medicine. I’m making the call to action for the pharmacists who prepare prescriptions for my patients to kick...
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A Shot of Hope
The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Richmond this week. I’m calling it a shot of hope, and I couldn’t be more hopeful and yes, excited to get my vaccine. As a spokesperson for the...
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