Caring for children

You may hear about concussions happening to athletes, but the brain injury can happen to anyone. Know the symptoms that signal danger.

Would you let your child play in the dirt, chew on a toy used by another child, or eat food that fell on the floor? In today's sanitized climate - where things like antibacterial soaps, lotions, portable gels, and handwipes fly off the drugstore shelves - we're more aware of germs today than ever before.

Childhood vaccines are a controversial topic. Public Health Agency of Canada assures that most vaccines in Canada do not use thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative thought to be linked to autism.

Are cough and cold medications for children safe? Learn about some frequently asked questions about these products for children.

Planning for storage of blood cord cells Expectant parents who want to save their child's cord blood stem cells have 2 options available to them. Based on an informed decision, they can: store the cord blood for their own family usage (a fee is charged for this service), or donate the cord blood to be utilized by the general population (similar to blood donations given to the Canadian Blood Services), free of charge.

Honey has been found to soothe children's cough symptoms.

Oral rehydration solutions consist of a combination of salts, water, and sugar and are used to replenish fluids and electrolytes that have been lost due to diarrhea and vomiting.

Constipation is common in children, but there are a few things you can do to prevent it from happening.

Children are more prone to burns because they have thinner skin, which burns more quickly than adult skin. There are many things you can do to safeguard your child from dangers in and around the home.

There are a number of simple ways to prevent constipation.

Bites and stings are easily preventable if you plan ahead before going outdoors. Here's a list of the do's and don'ts to keep you safe from biting or stinging insects.

Here are some tips to keep your muscles and ligaments free from injury.

What should you do when you get a blister on your foot? Should you leave it alone - or pop it? And how can blisters be prevented in the first place?

An ingrown nail can really hurt! Learn more about the causes of ingrown nails and how you can treat and prevent them.

Research on cord blood stem cells and a look into the future Several areas of research are actively underway to answer the following questions: What is the minimum dose of stem cells per kilogram of body weight required for a successful graft? What is the potential for increasing the number of umbilical cord blood stem cells in the laboratory? Are cord blood stem cells the best cells to use for gene therapy? Complete this questionnaire to help decide if you wish to save your child's cord blood.

Should parents worry if their child likes to suck their thumb?

Touch can actually give more than a momentary tingle or a second of solace; touch can comfort and heal.

The temperature reading you get on your thermometer depends on the body area you measure from. This chart shows the normal temperature readings for different body sites.

A child's biting behaviour can turn from light-hearted to habitual if not handled quickly and appropriately.

Find out which temperature-taking method will give you the most accurate measurement of your child's temperature.