Ask Dr. Bob

Dr. Bob: I am worried about my child’s weight.  I read so much about too many children being overweight and all of the concerns about pre-diabetes.  Do you have any suggestions? Answer:  You are right to be concerned.  Multiple factors appear to be contributing to increased weight in too many children.  Less exercise, less healthy…

Dr. Bob: My grandson seems to have fits of crying that are difficult for any of us to control. I remember his mother having colic, but this seems so much worse.  What can his mother do?  How can I help her? Answer:  Indeed, you seem to be describing colic. We don’t really know what causes…

Dr. Bob: My young son seems to have too many temper tantrums at home.  He is 3 years old so I can’t say that it’s just the “terrible twos.”  How do I deal with them and get him to calm down? Answer:  In my experience of over four decades in pediatrics, this is one of…

Dr. Bob: Please discuss history of peanut allergies.   Will peanut allergies diminish in future generations? Answer:  Allergies in children are an annoying problem for the child and the parents.  And they are often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Many ailments are misattributed to allergies, and some ailments are unrecognized to be due to allergies.  So, before…

Dr. Bob: How do feel about children having mobile phones in schools? Answer: This is certainly a hot topic these days. But before I address the specifics of phones in schools, let’s talk about phones in general for children. Phones are different than other internet-connected devices. They are so much more portable (“mobile”) and, as…

Dr. Bob: How can two siblings who are raised in the same home behave so differently? Answer: This is an age-old question.  How is it possible that two sibs, with the same parents and raised in the same household, behave so differently?  My forty plus years of pediatrics experience has certainly demonstrated this phenomenon, and,…