A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse who has advanced education and training in the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic medical conditions, disease prevention, and the promotion of health an... continue reading  about  My ob-gyn doctor's office recently added a nurse practitioner. Can you tell me more about their qualifications and what they do?

Generally nose bleeds occur because the small blood vessels are shallow within the tissues of the nose. This is normal, but the constantly wetting then drying of the nose can cause the nasal tissue to crack (si... continue reading  about  My 7-year-old son gets nosebleeds often. What causes them and can they be prevented?

When a child is struggling in school, especially with comprehension and focus, hearing and vision could be a factor. Children can sometimes do okay in school until the upper elementary grades when the school wo... continue reading  about  My 10-year-old daughter is having trouble with comprehension and focus in school. Do you think that her hearing should be tested?

Swimmer's ear is a term commonly used to describe an infection of the ear canal. People who repeatedly wet the ear canal (swimming, surfing, scuba diving) can develop persistent dampness that allows either bact... continue reading  about  What is "swimmer's ear" and what is the best way to deal with it?

I'm SO glad that your family is remembering sunscreen! The most recent statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) show that approximately 70,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with melanoma... continue reading  about  My son is in school all day, then jumps into a car to travel to an outdoor swim practice. He has about five minutes to get ready. If we apply sunscreen in the morning, is it still effective eight hours later? What sunscreens are best for his situation?

Hypothyroidism is a medical condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones in the body. It is estimated that up to five percent of the population has hypothyroidism, women more th... continue reading  about  Are there certain foods which can help my hypothyroid condition?

"Pink eye" is a very common patient complaint and usually refers to the experience of eye redness, swollen red eyelids, itching or burning, or drainage from the eye. The patient is most often diagnosed with con... continue reading  about  What are the symptoms of pink eye? How is it treated?

Food jags, or when a child will only eat one food item at a time, is a common behavior in early childhood. It usually represents a way for children to show growing independence and is a normal part of their dev... continue reading  about  My 2 1/2 year old was once a great eater, but now wants to eat only cereal - plain Cheerios to be exact. He won't eat any dinner but complains he's hungry before bed, so I let him have some cereal. How do I break the cycle?