Environmental and seasonal allergies can be so disruptive and uncomfortable. The good news is that there are many OTC treatment options available, but filtering through and figuring out the right one for your child is tricky. Here is a simple explanation of the best medication for your child’s specific allergy symptom.

Allergies occur when our immune systems overreact to triggers. Antibodies called Immunoglobulin E cause mast cells to release histamine, which then triggers symptoms. Some children are predisposed to allergies. They tend to run in “atopic” families (which means families with asthma and eczema as well as allergies). But it is possible to develop allergies even without a known family history.

Home Test to Treat is a nationwide program providing free testing, telehealth and treatment. Regardless of insurance status, anyone with a current positive COVID-19 test may enroll for free telehealth treatment. Read more here.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus is the leading cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in young infants, but it is not the only cause. For adults and older kids, RSV looks like any other respiratory illness: cold symptoms, some cough, often mild.

Here is what to do if your child tests positive for Covid. An article with clear tips for parents and a free download.

Hand, Foot & Mouth is a viral illness that most children encounter eventually. There is no treatment except time, but there are many things you can do to help your child through it. This post covers what parents need to know, plus practical tips!

Box breathing is an easy technique that is taught to US NAVY Seals (and pediatrician’s kids!) for those moments of overwhelm. I started working on the skill with oldest when she was 3. In our house, it has come in handy for insomnia, tantrums, and even when we had to go to the ER recently for a laceration repair.

Motion sickness can lead to a lot of frustration and anxiety. This post goes over WHY it happens, how to know if your child has motion sickness, and then reviews some evidence-based tips and tricks for treatment and prevention. I also talk through a practical list of things to have in your car if your child is prone to car sickness.

Unfortunately, it is very easy to unknowingly become over-heated, especially when on vacation and not in your regular space or routine. Knowing the signs of heat illness and when to be concerned is important, especially because children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to heat injury.

When you find a tick on your child, it is easy to panic. Here is a practical, high yield post detailing what you should do, and what else you need to know about tick-borne illnesses in kids, including Lyme.

Strep infections can be serious, but often they are not. In most cases, they are easily treated once the diagnosis is made.

Everything is a balance of risks and benefits, pros and cons. If you can minimize gas byproduct exposure, the data absolutely supports that this is worth doing. But if you cannot - if switching is prohibitive or impractical - there are many other things you can do to decrease the impact of this specific exposure.

Kids with croup sound like they swallowed a seal. Croup is the name given to the cough caused by a narrowing upper airway. In many cases, this is caused by infection, but there are many other possible causes as well. The tell-tale barky cough and stridor are a result of air passing through the narrowed upper airway (larynx, trachea).

Mostly, pinkeye simply needs time and not antibiotic treatment. But there is a lot of confusion among healthcare providers, schools and daycares about return to school guidelines when it comes to conjunctivitis.

I know coughs can be frustrating. But I promise you, your pediatrician isn’t holding out on you with some magical home remedy that they want to keep to themselves.

Hopefully these remedies help, but otherwise the best thing for most coughs is tincture of time.