Kiki's Cookie Jan 12 08:09am I saw an adorable two year-old the other day, a girl I'll call Kiki.  She was in my office for a regular well-child check, and it was obvious from the start that she was healthy.  For starters, she was the perfect size and shape for a two... Read more

Education for (Longer) Life Jan 05 04:37am Two fascinating front-page stories in yesterday's New York Times:  First, a story by Gina Kolata explains that of all the factors that are connected with longer life-span, education consistently comes out on top.  In study after study, there is... Read more

He's Just Lazy Dec 30 07:01am In pediatrics, the first thing a parent tells you is often the most important.  In this case, it also turned out to be wrong. The mom talking to me was worried about her ten year old son, whose real name was not Jim.  Jim had done well in first and... Read more

Walking Christmas Dec 24 10:38am   Up here in New Hampshire, home of the White Mountains, the expected white Christmas is nowhere in sight.  Instead, it's drizzling.  Still, there are lights in the houses and trees in the windows, and the mall is packed.  It seems like... Read more

Scary Talking Dolls Dec 21 07:50am One of the residents told me about a patient he was seeing in the clinic, a four-year-old girl I'll call Patty.  Patty had begun to have trouble sleeping.  Her mother and father would tuck her in, give her kisses, and turn down the light.  A... Read more

The Developmental Santa: Best Gifts for School Kids Dec 15 04:22am School age kids are all about getting things done.  The famous psychologist, Erik Erikson, wrote (famously) that the core of development at this age is the crisis of "industry versus inferiority."  In other words, children need to feel... Read more

The Developmental Santa: Best Gifts for Preschoolers Dec 14 04:38am There is so much going on from two to five!  When you think about best presents, there are four different types of play to consider: active play, pretend play, creative play, and learning play. Active Play: Little balls are great for kicking and... Read more

The Developmental Santa: Best Gifts for Toddlers Dec 13 04:31am After a year of age, it gets harder to pick just one or two best gifts.  More and more, toddlers are individuals with their own very particular joys and wants.  Temperament plays a big role.  Some toddlers, for example, love movement.  They need... Read more

The Developmental Santa: Best Gifts for 9 to 12 Months Dec 12 04:27am Today, I'll make my Developmental Santa pick for the 9 to 12 month set.  But first, an autobiographical note:  If you read the comments for my last blog entry, about 6 to 9 month babies, you'll see that the first comment suggests an... Read more

The Developmental Santa: Best Gifts for Older Babies Dec 07 04:43am For my last blog entry , I tried to use child development insights to point you in the right direction for great gift choices.  My pick for newborns (0 to 3 months) was a soft front-pouch infant carrier and for little babies (about 3 to 6 months) a... Read more