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Children's Health

Learn about children's health

Children grow and change so quickly. Our Growth and Development topics can tell you what to expect at each stage of childhood. And our health topics can help you care for them when they're sick.

You can find information you need to keep your child healthy and thriving in topics such as:

  • Health and Safety, Ages 2 to 5 Years.
  • Healthy Eating for Children.
  • Healthy Habits for Kids.
  • Asthma in Children.
  • Immunizations.
  • Depression in Children and Teens.
Health Topics
  • Abdominal Pain, Age 11 and Younger
  • Abuse: Signs of Abuse-Related Injuries
  • Abusive Head Trauma
  • Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
  • ADHD and Hyperactivity
  • ADHD: Impulsivity and Inattention
  • ADHD: Tests for Other Disorders
  • Adolescent Sensory and Motor Development
  • Advance Care Planning for Your Child
  • Aggression in Young Children
  • Amblyopia
  • Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Panel (AJGP)
  • Asthma Action Plan: Red Zone
  • Asthma in Children
  • Asthma in Children: Knowing How Bad an Attack Is
  • Asthma Zones
  • Asthma: Educating Yourself and Your Child
  • Asthma: How to Overcome Treatment Obstacles
  • Asthma: Overuse of Quick-Relief Medicines
  • Asthma: Peak Expiratory Flow and Personal Best
  • Asthma's Impact on Your Child's Life
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism and Vaccines
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Behavioral Training and Management
  • Babies and Older Adults Have an Increased Risk of Cold Injury
  • Back Pain in Children and Teenagers
  • Basic Dental Care
  • Basic Dental Care From Birth to 16 Years
  • Bed-Wetting in Children
  • Behavior Rating Scales for ADHD
  • Behavior Therapy for ADHD
  • Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens
  • Bipolar Disorder in Children: Other Health Problems That May Occur
  • Bipolar Disorder in Children: School Issues
  • Biting
  • Breath-Holding Spells
  • Breath-Holding Spells: Keeping a Record
  • Bronchiolitis
  • Brushing and Flossing a Child's Teeth
  • Bullying
  • Bullying: Building a Child's Self-Esteem
  • Bullying: How to Help Your Child Who Bullies
  • Cancer Treatment and Infertility
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Chickenpox: Controlling the Itch
  • Chickenpox: Preventing Skin Infections
  • Child Abuse and Neglect
  • Child Abuse: Emotional Abuse by Parents
  • Child Car Seats
  • Child Safety: Air Pollution
  • Child Safety: Bicycles and Tricycles
  • Child Safety: Drowning Prevention in Pools and Hot Tubs
  • Child Safety: Guns and Firearms
  • Child Safety: Pets
  • Child Safety: Preventing Burns
  • Child Safety: Preventing Child Abduction
  • Child Safety: Preventing Drowning
  • Child Safety: Preventing Falls
  • Child Safety: Streets and Motor Vehicles
  • Child Safety: Strollers and Shopping Carts
  • Child Safety: Washing Toys to Prevent Germs
  • Child Who Is Overweight: Medical Evaluation
  • Childhood Fears and Exposure to Violence
  • Childhood Immunization Record
  • Childhood Immunization Schedule: Ages 0 to 6 Years
  • Childhood Immunization Schedule: Ages 7 to 18 Years
  • Children's Growth Chart
  • Choking Rescue Procedure: Heimlich Maneuver
  • Cholesterol in Children and Teens
  • Choosing a Counselor or Therapist for Your Child
  • Choosing Child Care
  • Cleaning Your Young Child's Natural (Uncircumcised) Penis
  • Cleft Lip
  • Cleft Palate
  • Cognitive Development, Ages 6 to 10 Years
  • Colds
  • Comparing Symptoms of Normal Moodiness With Depression in Children
  • Complications of Ear Infections
  • Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Depression in Children and Teens
  • Congenital Heart Disease in Children
  • Congenital Heart Disease: Caring for Your Child
  • Congenital Hydrocephalus
  • Congenital Syphilis
  • Constipation, Age 11 and Younger
  • Corporal Punishment
  • Coughs, Age 11 and Younger
  • COVID-19 Vaccine for Children
  • COVID-19 Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Crib Safety
  • Croup
  • Crying Child and Possible Abuse
  • Crying Child Who Is Not Acting Normally
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Daytime Accidental Wetting (Diurnal Enuresis)
  • Dealing With Emergencies
  • Dengue Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Dental Sealants
  • Depression in Children and Teens
  • Depression Screening
  • Depression Screening in Children and Teens
  • Diabetes in Children: Food Issues at School
  • Diabetes: High or Low Blood Sugar in Young Children
  • Diarrhea, Age 11 and Younger
  • Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
  • Domestic Violence
  • Down Syndrome
  • Down Syndrome, Ages 1 to 5
  • Down Syndrome, Ages 5 to 13
  • Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Avoid Social Problems
  • DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Dyslexia
  • Ear Infections
  • Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
  • Ear Tube Surgery
  • Ebola Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)
  • Educational Rights for Children With Disabilities
  • Effective Parenting: Discipline
  • Egocentric and Magical Thinking
  • Emotional and Social Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
  • Emotional and Social Development, Ages 6 to 10 Years
  • Emotional Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
  • Encouraging Language Development in Your Preschooler
  • Energy and Sports Drinks
  • Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68)
  • Epilepsy: Atonic Seizures
  • Epilepsy: Tonic Seizures
  • Establishing Limits With Your School-Age Child
  • Family Life Cycle Theory
  • Family Therapy for Depression in Children
  • FDA Advisories for Antidepressants
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
  • Fever or Chills, Age 11 and Younger
  • Fever or Chills, Age 12 and Older
  • Fever Seizures
  • Fever Temperatures: Accuracy and Comparison
  • Fifth Disease
  • Fluoride During Childhood
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux in Babies and Children
  • Genital Warts (Human Papillomavirus)
  • Getting Enough Calcium and Vitamin D
  • Goniotomy for Childhood Glaucoma
  • Grief: Helping Children Understand
  • Growing Pains
  • Growth and Development Milestones
  • Growth and Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
  • Growth and Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
  • Growth and Development, Ages 6 to 10 Years
  • Growth Modification for Malocclusion
  • Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease
  • Health and Safety, Ages 2 to 5 Years
  • Health Screening: Finding Health Problems Early
  • Healthy Attitudes Toward Food and Exercise
  • Healthy Eating for Children
  • Healthy Eating in Children: Problems Caused by Poor Nutrition
  • Healthy Eating in Children: Things That Influence Food Choices
  • Healthy Habits for Kids
  • Heat Rash
  • Help Your School-Age Child Develop Social Skills
  • Helping Adolescents Develop More Mature Ways of Thinking
  • Helping Children During Immunizations
  • Helping Children With Disabilities Stay Active
  • Helping Kids Handle Peer Pressure
  • Helping Your Child Avoid Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol
  • Helping Your Child Build a Healthy Body Image
  • Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength
  • Helping Your Child Manage Their Emotional Reactions
  • Helping Your Child Recover After a Traumatic Event
  • Helping Your Child Transition Into Middle School or Junior High
  • Helping Your Child Who Is Overweight
  • Helping Your School-Age Child Learn About the Body
  • High Blood Pressure in Children and Teens
  • Hip Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
  • Hip Problems, Age 11 and Younger
  • Hirschsprung Disease
  • HIV Treatment in Children
  • Home Ear Examination
  • How ADHD Affects Your Child
  • How Reading Helps Language Development
  • HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Hypospadias
  • Immunization Schedules
  • Immunizations: Questions Parents Ask
  • Impetigo
  • Importance of Immunizations
  • Indoor Tanning: Is It Safe?
  • Intussusception
  • Iron Toxicity
  • Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
  • Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Pain Management
  • Kawasaki Disease
  • Klinefelter Syndrome
  • Language Development Between 12 and 24 Months of Age
  • Language Development From Age 6 to 10 Years
  • Lead Poisoning
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
  • Little Leaguer's Elbow (Medial Apophysitis)
  • Liver Transplant in Children
  • Malocclusion and Orthodontics
  • Measles (Rubeola)
  • Media and Your Child: Making Choices
  • Medical Checkups for Adolescents
  • Menarche
  • Meningitis
  • Meningococcal ACWY Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Meningococcal B Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Migraine Headaches in Children
  • Milestones for 10-Year-Olds
  • Milestones for 4-Year-Olds
  • Milestones for 5-Year-Olds
  • Milestones for 6-Year-Olds
  • Milestones for 7-Year-Olds
  • Milestones for 8-Year-Olds
  • Milestones for 9-Year-Olds
  • Milestones for Ages 11 to 14
  • MMR Vaccine (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella): What You Need to Know
  • MMRV Vaccine (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella): What You Need to Know
  • Moisture Alarms for Bed-Wetting
  • Molluscum Contagiosum
  • Mood Disorders in Children
  • Motivational Therapy for Bed-Wetting
  • Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
  • Mumps
  • Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP)
  • Nausea and Vomiting, Age 11 and Younger
  • Nephrotic Syndrome
  • Nightmares and Other Sleep Problems in Children
  • Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Children
  • Nonverbal Learning Disorder
  • Nursemaid's Elbow
  • Orchiopexy for Undescended Testicle
  • Orthopedic Surgery for Cerebral Palsy
  • Osgood-Schlatter Disease
  • Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)
  • Peanut Allergy
  • Pediatric Preparation for Medical Tests
  • Physical Activity for Children and Teens
  • Physical Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
  • Physical Development, Ages 6 to 10 Years
  • Pinkeye (Conjunctivitis)
  • Pityriasis Alba
  • Pityriasis Rosea
  • Playground Safety
  • Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Polio Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Preparing Your Child for the Hospital
  • Preschoolers: Building a Sense of Security
  • Preschoolers: Building Self-Control
  • Preschoolers: Building Social Skills
  • Preschoolers: Encouraging Independence
  • Preschoolers: Helping Your Child Explore
  • Preventing Breath-Holding Spells in Children
  • Preventing Children's Injuries From Sports and Other Activities
  • Preventing Tooth Decay in Young Children
  • Protecting Your Child From Infections
  • Protecting Your Child From Online Strangers
  • Protecting Your Skin From the Sun
  • Puberty Issues
  • Quick Tips: Helping Children Take Medicine
  • Quick Tips: Helping Your Child Stay Safe and Healthy
  • Quick Tips: Safely Giving Over-the-Counter Medicines to Children
  • Rash, Age 11 and Younger
  • Recognizing and Developing Your Children's Special Talents
  • Rectal Problems Caused by Abuse
  • Regular Checkup for a Child
  • Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection
  • Reye Syndrome
  • Roseola
  • Rotavirus
  • Rotavirus Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Safety Plan: Preparing to Leave a Violent Relationship
  • Scoliosis in Children and Teens
  • Scrapes
  • Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
  • Screening for Hearing Problems
  • Screenings for Health-Related Social Needs
  • Sensory and Motor Development Ages 6 to 10 Years
  • Sensory Processing Disorder
  • Sexual Abuse: Signs and Symptoms
  • Sickle Cell Disease: Splenic Sequestration
  • Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
  • Snack Ideas for Preschoolers
  • Special Diets for Epilepsy
  • Speech and Language Delays: Common Misconceptions
  • Speech and Language Development
  • Speech and Language Development: Signs of Possible Problems
  • Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 3 to 5 Years
  • Spina Bifida
  • Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis
  • Sponge Bath for a Child's Fever
  • Starting Antidepressants: How to Care for Your Child
  • Starting Medicines for ADHD: How to Care for Your Child
  • Staying Aware of What Your Child Is Doing Online
  • Staying Healthy Around Animals
  • Staying Safe: After You Leave a Violent Relationship
  • Staying Safe: If You Are in a Violent Relationship
  • Steroid Medicine for Asthma: Myths and Facts
  • Strabismus
  • Stress in Children and Teens
  • Stuttering
  • Symptoms of Depression in Children
  • Talking to Your Child About Appropriate Online Behavior
  • Talking With Your Child About Sex
  • Tay-Sachs Disease
  • Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Teaching Older Children and Teens About Consent
  • Teaching Your Young Child About Consent
  • Temper Tantrums
  • Temper Tantrums: Keeping a Record
  • Tension Headaches in Children
  • Thinking About Child Safety
  • Thumb-Sucking
  • Thumb-Sucking Versus Pacifier Use
  • Thumb-Sucking: Helping Your Child Stop
  • Tips for Parents of Children With Epilepsy
  • Toilet Training
  • Toilet Training: Knowing When Your Child Is Ready
  • Tongue-Tie
  • Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring
  • Tonsillitis
  • Tooth Development in Children
  • Tourette Syndrome (TS)
  • Tourette's Disorder: Tic Triggers
  • Trabeculotomy for Childhood Glaucoma
  • Treating Asthma in Babies and Younger Children
  • Treatment for ACL Injuries in Children and Teens
  • Treatment Plan Record for a Child With ADHD
  • Type 1 Diabetes in Children
  • Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Safe Exercise
  • Type 1 Diabetes: Your Child's Role in Care
  • Type 2 Diabetes in Children
  • Type 2 Diabetes: Screening for Children
  • Umbilical Hernia in Children
  • Understanding How Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Can Affect Children
  • Unproven Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Urinary Obstruction in Children
  • Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
  • Urinary Tract Infections in Children
  • Using Vaporizers and Humidifiers
  • Vaccine Information Statements
  • Vaccine Safety
  • Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine: What You Need to Know
  • Vegan Diet
  • Vegetarian Diets
  • Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR)
  • Violent Behavior in Children and Teens
  • Vision Screening and Eye Exams for Children and Teens
  • Vital Signs in Children
  • Warning Signs of Suicide in Children and Teens
  • Well-Child Visits
  • Your Child and the Dentist
  • Your Child's First Vaccines: What You Need to Know
  • Your Child's Health: Using the Emergency Room Wisely
Medical Tests
  • Body Temperature
  • Cardiac Catheterization in Children
  • Ear Examination
  • Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Test
  • Galactosemia Test
  • Lead (Pb) Test
  • Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Test
  • Stool Analysis
  • Sweat Test
  • Tympanocentesis for Ear Infections
  • Tympanometry
Make a Wise Decision
  • HPV: Should My Child Get the Vaccine?
  • Tonsillitis: Should My Child Have a Tonsillectomy?
  • Umbilical Hernia: Should My Child Have Surgery?
Take Action
  • ADHD: Helping Your Child Get the Most From School
  • ADHD: Helping Your Child Get Things Done
  • Allergies in Children: Giving an Epinephrine Shot to a Child
  • Amblyopia: Wearing an Eye Patch
  • Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma
  • Breathing Problems: Helping a Child Use a Metered-Dose Inhaler and Mask Spacer
  • Cystic Fibrosis: Helping Your Child Cough Up Mucus
  • Diabetes in Children: Checking Blood Sugar in a Child
  • Diabetes in Children: Giving Insulin Shots to a Child
  • Diabetes in Children: Giving Single-Dose Insulin Shots to a Child
  • Diabetes in Children: Preparing a Care Plan for School
  • Diabetes in Children: Preventing High Blood Sugar
  • Diabetes in Children: Treating Low Blood Sugar
  • Fitness: Teaching Your Child to Stay Active
  • Grief: Helping Children With Grief
  • Healthy Eating: Helping Your Child Learn Healthy Eating Habits
  • Helping Your Child Build Self-Esteem
  • Preventing Choking in Small Children
  • Preventing Poisoning in Young Children
  • Sibling Rivalry: Reducing Conflict and Jealousy
  • Sleep: Helping Your Children—and Yourself—Sleep Well
  • Stress Management: Helping Your Child With Stress

Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

© 2024 Ignite Healthwise, LLC. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Ignite Healthwise, LLC.

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