I have a two-year-old who will eat anything but meat.

I have a two-year-old who will eat anything but meat. If she does eat meat, all she'll eat is chicken nuggets from McDonald's. I have tried to cut out the sweets in her diet but she still only ever wants to eat her sweets. My question: how do I try and get her to...

My twin girls are always sick. Are there foods to boost their immune systems?

I have twin girls who are 5 years old. Since they have started school it seems as if they are always kind of sick. In any given week they could each have a gross cough, runny nose, upset stomachs, and headaches. They eat fairly healthy for kids (they prefer fruits and veggies over candy...

What is obesity?

What is obesity? Obesity is a medical diagnosis that describes a condition where you weigh 20% more than the maximum you should for your age and gender. Obesity is a risk for getting diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Obese kids are more likely to be obese adults. For instance, if you are 10-year old girl...

Where can I find a dietitian who works with children?

Where can I find a dietitian who works with children? The Pediatric Nutrition dietetic practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics specializes in working with infants, children, and adolescents. You can find a dietitian at the Find a Registered Dietitian on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Include your zip code or city/state...

Our daughter who is 4 seems to have less than normal bowel movements sometimes going without for 4 to 5 days.

Our daughter, who is four, seems to have less than normal bowel movements sometimes going four to five days without. The last couple of bowel movements have been hard and we have seen traces of blood in the stool. Our pediatrician has prescribed Dulcolax, a stool softener, twice daily with no real success. The...

My daughter is constipated. Her doctor told me to give her prunes but no apples or bananas.

I was very glad to find your website. My 2-year-old has great problems with constipation. It grieves me to see her so distressed. All the pediatrician told me is to give her prunes and don't give her apples or bananas. I read on your site that apples (especially the peel) are good for constipation. Do...

I am trying to find out my son’s percentiles for weight and height.

Congratulations on a very useful site. I am trying to find out exactly my son's percentiles for weight and height before I seek a specialist's help. I have not been able to locate such tables in any place on the web, not even in the CDC site. Your tables are the closest I got,...

If my daughter is an okay shape and weight, why can I never find clothes to fit her waist?

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. You have made me feel so much better. I could not find anyone to tell me anything about children and weight, even our family doctor, whom we adore, seemed hesitant about discussing Emily's weight, acknowledging she was big, but shrugging it off. I simply wanted someone...

My 5 year old daughter is 4 feet tall and weighs 59 pounds. I would like to help her slim down.

I was very happy to find your website as I cannot seem to get answers anywhere about my 5-year-old daughter. She is exactly four feet tall and weighs 59 pounds. She carries most of this weight around her middle and her stomach sticks out quite a bit. She has become very aware of her...

If you are 11 years old, what is the correct weight?

If you are 11, what is the correct weight that you should be? Depends on your exact age and height. What are your: age in years and months height and current weight? Please write back with your data. The average 11-year-old boy would be 55 to 58 inches tall and weigh 70 to 91 pounds. The...