Ask Dr. Bob

Dr. Bob: How do I talk to my 7-year-old about their grandparent’s cancer diagnosis? I am worried about saying too much, but I want to be honest. Answer: I completely understand your concern.  Let’s first acknowledge one thing – I suspect that you are very worried about this diagnosis yourself.  Whether the diagnosis of cancer…

Dr. Bob: My 5-year-old snores. Should I be worried? Answer: There are multiple causes for snoring in children.  Most of them are self-limited but when snoring persists, medical attention should be sought. Since snoring is usually related to partial obstruction of the nasal passages and upper airways, one of the most common causes is an…

Dr. Bob: My seven-year-old is anxious. Should she see a counselor? Answer: This is an excellent question.  We are currently in a pediatric mental health crisis – too many children are manifesting anxiety or depression and too few services are available.  If you are concerned that your child’s anxiety is comprising her ability to function…

Dr. Bob: How do you manage “sibling rivalry?”  Answer: This is a very broad question.  One can address this question from the newborn period (when a newborn comes home and, all of a sudden an older child has competition for affection) or later in childhood (from preschool rivalries to teenage squabbles).  Let me address this…

Dr. Bob: I have a next level dawdler, taking forever to get things done. Everything my 5-year-old does takes a significant amount of encouragement and coaxing and finally “the countdown.” I hate how frustrated I get. I don’t want the threat of lost privileges to be the only thing that finally gets her going. Any…

Dr. Bob: I’m struggling to help my elementary school aged child connect with friends outside of school. There are many reasons for this. My husband and I both work long hours, so we often need the weekends to relax and reconnect as a family. We also live in a rural area, so we don’t have…