- Medical Weight LossDetermine the severity of the diarrhea and dehydration. Is baby playful and wet (eyes, mouth, diaper)? Perhaps except for more frequent messy diapers, you wouldn’t know anything was amiss. In this case you don’t have to change anything (except more diapers), and observe what direction the stools take. To make sure the diarrhea, is not causing dehydration, weigh your child daily, preferably undressed and in the morning before feeding, using the most accurate scale you can obtain. As a general guide: no weight loss – no worries, and no need to call your doctor yet. Both the degree and the rapidity of weight loss determine the severity of dehydration. If your baby has not lost significant weight, she is not becoming dehydrated. However, if your child loses 5 percent of her baseline body weight (for example, a weight loss of one pound in a twenty-pound baby), she has experienced mild to moderate dehydration, and this merits a phone call to your doctor. A rapid weight loss is more of a concern than a gradual one. A twenty-pound infant who loses a pound of body weight over the period of a day is much more worrisome than one who loses the same amount of weight over a week’s time. But infants usually appear very sick if they are losing weight rapidly; they do not act as sick if their weight loss has been gradual. Ten percent weight loss, especially if occurring within a few days, suggest serious dehydration, and you should call your doctor immediately, preferable even before this degree of weight loss occurs.
- Pediatric CareDr. Sears, or Dr. Bill as his “little patients” call him, has been advising busy parents on how to raise healthier families for over 50 years. He received his medical training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the world’s largest children’s hospital, where he was associate ward chief of the newborn intensive care unit before serving as the chief of pediatrics at Toronto Western Hospital, a teaching hospital of the University of Toronto. He has served as a professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California School of Medicine, and University of California: Irvine. As a father of 8 children, he coached Little League sports for 20 years, and together with his wife Martha has written more than 40 best-selling books and countless articles on nutrition, parenting, and healthy aging. He serves as a health consultant for magazines, TV, radio and other media, and his AskDrSears.com website is one of the most popular health and parenting sites. Dr. Sears has appeared on over 100 television programs, including
- Ear InfectionsWhen our little ones are sick it can be a trying time for all those involved. Long nights, high fevers and lots of tears can be heart breaking. When is the right time to schedule a doctor’s appointment for your little one or when it is best to treat them at home? Whether you are concerned with ear infections to rashes, our Health Concerns section from Dr. Sears is here to help.
- Family PracticeDr. Sears, or Dr. Bill as his “little patients” call him, has been advising busy parents on how to raise healthier families for over 40 years. He received his medical training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the world’s largest children’s hospital, where he was associate ward chief of the newborn intensive care unit before serving as the chief of pediatrics at Toronto Western Hospital, a teaching hospital of the University of Toronto. He has served as a professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California School of Medicine, and University of California: Irvine. As a father of 8 children, he coached Little League sports for 20 years, and together with his wife Martha has written more than 40 best-selling books and countless articles on nutrition, parenting, and healthy aging. He serves as a health consultant for magazines, TV, radio and other media, and his AskDrSears.com website is one of the most popular health and parenting sites. Dr. Sears has appeared on over 100 television programs, including 20/20, Good Morning America, Oprah, Today, The View, and Dr. Phil, and was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine in May 2012. He is noted for his science-made-simple-and-fun approach to family health.
- Emergency CareYour child awakens in the middle of the night crying inconsolably. He feels hot to the touch, and you quickly take his temperature. 103 degrees! (39.5 Celsius) You are understandably worried! Should you call your doctor? Should you rush him to the emergency room? Here are some helpful tips and questions answered about fever in children, including when is a fever too high for a child, and how to reduce fever in a child naturally, so you can get safely and comfortably through the night.
- Irritable Bowel SyndromeGuar plant seed and has been proven to be very effective in the treatment of diarrhea and constipation. In Canada, Sunfiber (derived from guar fiber) is the only fiber supplement approved by Health Canada to treat diarrhea and constipation associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), even in children. It normalizes stool without additional gas, bloating or stomach upsets. Specifically, a five-gram serving of Sunfiber helps to improve intestinal regularity in children, provides a gentle relief of their constipation and helps to improve their bowel regularity. You can also find a combination of Sunfiber and probiotics in another product we like called Regular Girl. Both Sunfiber and Regular Girl are tasteless, odorless and colorless so children are more likely to consume them easily.
- PregnancyYour mind and body will tell you you’re pregnant long before anyone else notices. During the early months you may become more introspective as you consider the miracle going on inside you and the changes ahead.
- Labor and DeliveryWilliam Sears, M.D., received his pediatric training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital and Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. He has practiced as a pediatrician for more than thirty years. Martha Sears is a registered nurse, childbirth educator, and breastfeeding consultant. The Searses are the parents of eight children. Drs. Robert and James Sears are both board-certified pediatricians at the Sears Family Pediatric Practice in San Clemente, California. All four authors live in southern California and they have written over thirty books. Dr. Sears books are published in numerous countries throughout the world.
- Cancer CareHelp Heal Yourself from Cancer, cancer survivors and medical-profession veterans Bill and Martha Sears help you go from patient to partner in your cancer-healing journey. They outline the steps you can take, both in working with your cancer-care providers and on your own, to maximize your chances of not just beating cancer, but thriving in its wake.
- AutismHe is also the author of The Autism Book: What Every Parent Needs to Know About Early Detection, Treatment, Recovery, and Prevention. Dr. Bob is a medical advisor for TACA: Talk About Curing Autism and speaks at TACA conferences around the country to help parents understand autism therapies.
- UltrasoundAnother part of this challenge was to not get into the blame game. Three years earlier, I had found a lump in this same breast and was very relieved when the ultrasound showed it was only a cyst. So as this “cyst” seemed to get larger over time I didn’t think much of it. Two more annual mammograms didn’t pick up on it either. I do have what’s called extra-dense breast tissue and this causes mammograms to miss things, so I was having a more specific type of mammogram. I could have gotten stuck with “if only...” and could have wound up blaming that doctor who said “cyst”. Or I could have blamed myself for being so nonchalant about the lump getting larger. But my medical oncologist walked me back off that ledge. When I asked him, “Why didn’t I catch this growth sooner?” he said helped me see that I could choose to be grateful that this didn’t happen when our kids were younger and needed me more. I realized he was giving me wise advice: See this as being the right time in your life to be facing this challenge.
- ChemotherapyIn to supporting your immune system. Learn how to best support your natural cancer-fighting army through lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition—giving chemotherapy and radiation the best chance of success.
- Cyst
- EczemaHowever, not all skin changes mothers may experience are so welcome. Brownish or yellowish patches called chloasma (also dubbed the mask of pregnancy) can appear anywhere on the face. Acne, spider veins and skin tags may also appear for the first time. Children may face their own set of dermatological challenges such as allergies, eczema and rashes.
- FungusThis isn’t a viral rash, it is caused by a fungus. It is transmitted from other infected animals or people. A general rash of fine, red bumps can appear elsewhere on the body – this is an allergic reaction to the fungus that causes the rash. The treatment is over-the-counter Lotrimin AF (clotrimazole) twice a day for several weeks, or until clear. See our article on Ringworm for a more detailed discussion and a photo.
- Rashes
- Skin CareBoth mother and child may experience numerous skin related challenges in the early years. Everyone loves the the “pregnancy glow” new mothers have that comes from the increased volume of blood to the cheeks and the increased secretions of the oil glands.