Welcome to CHOC.org/health!
Kids and the Stomach Flu
Gastroenteritis, also known as the stomach flu, is inflammation in the digestive tract, including the stomach and the small and large intestines.
Kids and Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a condition in which a sleeping person appears to be awake and exhibits behaviors associated with being awake, but is actually still asleep.
Sprains and Strains
A sprain is a stretch or tear in a ligament, the bands of fibrous tissue that connect our bones at the joints. A strain is also a stretch or tear, but it affects the muscle itself or a tendon.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a fancy word for a developmental reading disability. It’s quite common and it has nothing to do with intelligence. There is a misperception that children with dyslexia see things backwards.
The Truth About Vaccines
Some parents do not vaccinate their children, believing myths that vaccines are dangerous or cause disorders like autism. Learn what the experts say in this health feature.
Signs and Symptoms of Pneumonia
Symptoms of pneumonia can include fever and cough, and in the very young, those may be the only symptoms. In older children, you will notice their respiratory rates go up because they need to oxygenate their blood so they breathe more often.
Anxiety and Kids
It’s normal for young children to be scared of the dark, or apprehensive when they experience a new place, for example for a six-year-old to be afraid of going to the doctor. Parents can prepare their kids by talking these things.
Keep Kids Healthy While Traveling
To help kids stay healthy while traveling, people should bring waterless, alcohol-based hand sanitizers or wipes with them on the plane and use them before eating or drinking.
Current Diet Trends & Kids
A vegetarian diet excludes meat, poultry, fish, seafood and shellfish but includes eggs and dairy products. It can be really healthy for children and teens.
Identifying Hernias
“Parents will typically notice a bulge in the groin or abdominal wall, where there shouldn’t be one,” says CHOC pediatric surgeon Dr. Reyna. The areas around the groin and belly button are the two most common regions for hernias in babies and young children.
Chronic Constipation in Kids
Child constipation is a common problem that can make kids - and their parents - miserable. Learn about symptoms and treatments for chronic constipation in kids.
Dental Hygiene
Poor oral health can cause problems with feeding in babies and also harm a child’s overall health, development and school performance. Learn more in this health feature.
Lice and Other School Aged Problems
What are lice? Are my kids too busy? Why does my teen have a bad attitude? Get the answers to these questions and more in this health feature.
Bullying
One of the best ways to protect your children from bullying is to talk to them with open-ended questions and help them come up with an appropriate response, says pediatric psychologist Dr. Heather C. Huszti in this health feature.
Kids and Glasses
Kids like to be up close and part of the action, but standing too close to a TV is not okay. Learn more from Dr. Bhola, a pediatric ophthalmologist at CHOC.
Seguridad en el Agua
Los niños y el agua pueden ser una combinación fatal. El ahogamiento ocurre en forma rápida y silenciosa. ¡Lo bueno es que esto no tiene que sucederle a su niño! Las muertes por ahogo pueden prevenirse si se toman las medidas correctas.
Drowning Prevention
Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children ages 1–4. Dr. Goodman says backyard pools are often to blame.
Kids and Melanoma
Orange County is one of the sunniest places in California, with hundreds of sun days per year. With that comes the need for proper protection.
Kids and Clotting Disorders
A clotting disorder can mean that your blood doesn’t clot enough, or it may clot too much. Both can cause medical emergencies. Learn more in this health feature.
Urinary Tract Infections
UTIs are very common in children. Kids can get them at any age as they grow. Learn about the symptoms so you’ll know when to take your child to the doctor.
Identifying Sudden Cardiac Issues in Young Athletes
Young athletes that suffer sudden cardiac arrest usually have an inherited condition that tends to run in families. Learn what to look for in this health feature.
Childhood Obesity
Exercise helps keep kids fit and should be a part of every child’s daily routine. Read on for tips to make exercise a lifestyle habit for kids that starts in infancy.
Diagnosing ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder, not a disorder of effort, character, intelligence, parenting or self-control.
Chronic Inflammation and What it Means in a Child
Chronic inflammation can be manifest in many ways - fatigue, fever, rash, joint pain or swelling, sores in the mouth, chest pains and abdominal pain.
Growing Pains in Kids
Growing pains are real because many children experience musculoskeletal pain, but the most common cause for this type of pain are ligaments that are loose.
