Hurray! Updating to keep you updated

two peds in a pod new look

hurray! launching a new look (photo credit: pixabay)

It’s no longer a secret. Many of you have noticed our new Two Peds in a Pod® logo. And indeed, we’re launching a whole new look. It’s a new vibe with the same dependable and relevant pediatric advice in a mobile friendly format!

The average blog’s lifespan is counted in months, not years, and as we complete our ninth year, we’re proud to have exceeded that expectation many times over. But it’s now harder to hang in.

Please don’t let us disappear off the internet!

As more and more advertisers jockey for spots at the top of search engines and more content crowds the web, it has grown tougher to reach parents. In fact, if you are reading this on Facebook, it’s because we’ve just paid Facebook to have this post reach all of our followers. We’re proud to avoid distracting pop-out ads on our blog, and we’re depending on your grassroot efforts to inform other parents and caregivers about our site. Invite your friends to follow us!

It’s been nine years, and like a cat with nine lives, we are determined to land on our feet. We believe, more than ever, that the internet is the best medium to reach you at all hours of the day. Help grow our worldwide presence.

Wishing you all Peds on earth!

Naline Lai, MD and Julie Kardos, MD
©2018 Two Peds in a Pod

Read our very first blog post from 2009 here.

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July 16, 2018 by

Easy way to remove a tick

 

how to remove a tick

ick, a tick

I was grumpy all morning after realizing that my dog was out of tick repellent. Really grumpy. I did not like the thought of having to remove a tick from my dog.

After all, on the East Coast of the United States, we are seeing ticks galore. All month long, parents who have had to remove a tick have been bringing us presents such as the one pictured here. Yes, that is a tick you see nicely trapped in tape. Sometimes when parents bring us a tick, it’s still clinging to the child and they ask us to remove it. To save you a trip to the doctor’s office, here is a quick refresher on how to pluck the bugs off:
Continue Reading

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July 8, 2018 by

Poison ivy: stop the itch

Stop the itch of poison ivy and avoid touching the plant in the first place

Teach your child to recognize poison ivy: “leaves of three, let’em be!”

Recently we’ve had a parade of itchy children troop through our office.  The culprit: poison ivy.

Myth buster: Fortunately, the rash of poison ivy is NOT contagious. You can “catch” a poison ivy rash ONLY from the plant, not from another person.

Another myth buster: You can not spread the rash of poison ivy on yourself through scratching.  However, where  the poison (oil) has touched  your skin, Continue Reading

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June 28, 2018 by

Discussing suicide: how much should I tell my kids?

how to breech the topic of suicide

In the wake of chef Anthony Bourdain and designer Kate Spade’s deaths from suicide, you may be wondering how to address the topic of suicide with your child.  We bring back psychotherapist Dina Ricciardo’s post  for guidance:

“Hi, it’s me, Hannah.  Hannah Baker.” So begins the first episode of 13 Reasons Why, a thirteen installment Netflix series that focuses on the aftermath of the suicide of a 17-year-old high school student.  Based on the novel by Jay Asher, the series has sparked quite a bit of debate and concern among parents and mental health professionals.  At its best, the series has served as a conversation starter; at its worst, it has glamorized suicide and the fantasy of revenge.  At the end of the day, however, an important question remains:  How do we talk with our kids about suicide?  While many difficult topics have become increasingly safer to discuss, suicide is one that is still shrouded in secrecy and shame. In fact, it is so difficult to talk about that I had a hard time writing this post.  Continue Reading

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June 9, 2018 by

Stealthy Salmonella! Not just in your eggs

salmonella

Raw chicken left out overnight—Dr. Lai’s recipe for Salmonella

These days it seems that the bacteria Salmonella is lurking everywhere. Last month’s egg recall for possible Salmonella contamination affected over 200 million eggs, but Salmonella is not just in eggs. In the last few months, dried coconuts and even guinea pigs (as pets, not as food!) have caused people gastroentestinal misery.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella usually causes fever and crampy diarrhea. Sometimes the stools contain blood. This stomach bug mainly lurks in Continue Reading

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May 25, 2018 by

Mom, thanks for every “I told you so”

Happy Mother's Day

Melanie with grandma and mom

Now that you are a mom, maybe, just maybe, you realize that your grandmother or mom was right after all. We asked our readers for some examples and our friend, writing coach Melanie Cutler, told us about two generations of advice she wishes she had heeded:

Grandma Helen ALWAYS had unsolicited advice for whoever would listen. She clipped out magazine articles and mailed them to her children and grandchildren. She was very well-read, and she knew a thing or two about most things nutrition and health-related. Continue Reading

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May 12, 2018 by

I have autism

I have autismTo complete our autism awareness month posts, the following is a speech that a friend of Dr. Kardos’s with autism gave to his classmates a few years ago when he was fifteen.

Good morning everybody. Today, I wanted to talk to you about Autism. I have Autism Continue Reading

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April 29, 2018 by

How to tell if your toddler has autism

how to tell if baby has autismAccording to a 2012 National Center for Health Statistics data brief, about half of all children in the United States with an autistic spectrum disorder are diagnosed at age five or older  However, many parents are suspicious much sooner. As part of autism awareness month, we bring you clues in toddler development that can alert you to a potential issue. This post follows up on our earlier post “How can I tell if my baby has autism?“

Pediatricians often use a questionnaire called the M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers) as a screening tool. This test can be downloaded for free. In our office we administer the M-CHAT at the 18-month well Continue Reading

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April 26, 2018 by