Do you sometimes feel that your kids might eat you out of house and home? It can feel like that at times, especially during the teen years. They grab a handful of cookies here, a bag of chips there, and finish last night’s leftovers in a flash. They’re growing like …
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Body Mass Index (BMI) Charts
For years, doctors have used height and weight measurements to assess a child’s physical growth in relation to other kids the same age. Now they have another tool: body mass index (BMI). BMI is a calculation that uses height and weight to estimate how much body fat someone has. Doctors …
Eating Disorders
Many kids — particularly adolescents — are concerned about how they look and can feel self-conscious about their bodies. This can be especially true when they are going through puberty, and undergo dramatic physical changes and face new social pressures. Unfortunately, for a number of kids and teens, that concern …
Encouraging a Healthy Body Image
It seems like just yesterday that you had to coax your daughter to bathe. But then she turned 11 and started spending hours in the bathroom and sizing herself up in every mirror she passes. She seems consumed by her looks. What happened? And is it healthy? As they approach …
Failure to Thrive
Most kids steadily gain weight and grow quickly within the first few years of life. But in some cases, kids don’t meet these expected standards of growth. When this happens, it’s called “failure to thrive.” Doctors say children “fail to thrive” when they don’t gain weight as expected. Often, these kids also …
How Can I Improve My Child’s Eating Habits?
I want to try to reform my daughter’s unhealthy eating habits. But I am worried that by not letting her eat high-calorie, high-fat junk food, I’ll be paving the way for her to develop an eating disorder. I want her to be healthy, but I don’t want to make her …
Hunger and Malnutrition
If you’re raising a picky eater, you might worry that your child isn’t getting the nutrients necessary for proper growth and development. But you probably don’t need to worry unless your doctor tells you that your child isn’t growing at the normal rate for that age range. Over time, most finicky eaters do get …
Lactose Intolerance
About Lactose Intolerance For many kids, an ice cream sundae or a cool glass of milk at lunch means an afternoon of cramps, gas, and diarrhea. Kids who have this kind of discomfort after consuming dairy products might have lactose intolerance, which is caused by problems digesting lactose, the main sugar …
Overweight and Obesity
The number of overweight children in the United States has grown at an alarming rate, with 1 out of 3 kids considered overweight or obese. Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, phone, tablet, or video-game console. And today’s busy families have …
Pica
Many young kids put nonfood items in their mouths at one time or another. They’re naturally curious about their environment and might, for instance, eat some dirt out of the sandbox. Kids with pica, however, go beyond this innocent exploration of their surroundings. About Pica The word pica comes from the …