Children

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...

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...

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...

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...

Would you serve your children Kool-Aid with sugar or NutraSweet? My children never drank Kool-Aid as I didn't 't buy it. I also didn't buy my children sweetened carbonated beverages (soda or pop). Since children usually don't have their own money or drive a car, I was their food gatekeeper. Rather than dealing with children begging...

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...

Could you comment on the fact that many parents are feeding their very young children diet cold drinks with NutraSweet? What effect will this have on the development of these children? I am concerned because they do not seem to be getting enough water and healthy foods and beverages. Children do not need diet beverages...

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...

1) My wife and I have recently switched from 1% to skim milk. What is the recommended type of milk for our two children, ages 8 and 9? 2) Please clarify the % fat content on food nutrition labels. I understand that a general guideline for gauging fat intake is no more than 30% of...

I am 12 years old and measure 5 feet 2 inches. I weigh 108 pounds. Is that about right? You are of average height, weight, and BMI for age (75th percentile). What that means is you are taller than 75% of girls your age. A healthy weight range for you is of 89 - 119...