Should I be Concerned About My Child’s Imaginary Friend?
By Mila Caraballo, DNP Reliant Medical Group Pediatrics Every parent knows that children often have vivid imaginations. But what if that imagination includes a friend that exists only in …
Keeping Your Kids Safe and Healthy This Halloween
By Matthew Waugh, MD Reliant Medical Group Pediatrics Fall is here and that means children will soon be enjoying one of our favorite holidays – Halloween. You can make …
Medical Mythbuster: When a Child’s Runny Nose Turns Green, That’s a Sign You Need Antibiotics
By Kia McCarthy, NP Reliant Medical Group Pediatrics Many parents mistakenly believe that their child’s green nasal mucous means there is a worsening infection present. In truth, most colds …
Preparing Your Children Emotionally for Returning to School
By Lloyd Fisher, MD Reliant Medical Group Pediatrics President, Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for families with …
You Can Count on Advanced Practitioners for Great Care
These days, a visit to your doctor’s office often means seeing an advanced practitioner (AP). Advanced practitioners are playing an increasingly important role in providing patient care at Reliant …
Pandemic Gives Rise to Eating Disorders Among Adolescents
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, one unfortunate side effect of the pandemic has been an alarming rise in eating disorders among teenagers. Outpatient and …
Medical Mythbuster: Kids Younger than Four Can’t Learn to Swim
This is not true. While it’s possible for children as young as infants to learn to swim, the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends waiting until age one before …
Summer Road Trip? Make the Journey Half the Fun
We all remember those summer road trips from our youth, where we no doubt fidgeted in the back seat and probably annoyed our parents by asking “Are we there …
COVID-19 Vaccine Now Approved for Children Age 12 and Older
By Lloyd Fisher, MD Reliant Pediatrics After rigorous study, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 years …
Know the Early Signs of Autism
By Jocelyne Durrenberger, DNP Department of Pediatrics It’s not unusual for young children to experience delays in their development. Sometimes these development delays can be a sign of Autism …
Is it Time for Your Child to See the Doctor?
Your child’s annual well visit is an essential part of keeping them on the road to good health. By providing a comprehensive evaluation, monitoring your child’s growth and developmental …
Meeting the Challenges of Parenting During Covid-19
We recently spoke with Christine Stille, NP, a member of our Pediatrics Department at our Holden office, to learn more about what parents can do to help their children …
Helping Your Kids Cope with Stress from Covid-19
By Laura Ting, MD Department of Family Practice Reliant Medical Group Just like adults, many children are having trouble coping with the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic. Family life …
Help Keep Babies Safe this Flu Season!
By Dr. Alwyn Rapose Division of Infectious Diseases Transmitting a cold or the flu to babies as well as the elderly can be deadly in some cases. What’s more, …
Free-Range Parenting – Is it Right for Your Family?
If you are a parent, chances are you’ve heard of “free-range parenting.” Advocates of free-range parenting believe that independence is fostered in children when they are given greater autonomy …
Be Safe with School Backpacks – Key Tips to Lighten the Load!
These days it seems like the average schoolchild is carrying more things in their backpack than ever before. Unfortunately, lugging around a too-heavy backpack from class to class can …
What You Need to Know About Measles Vaccine
By Dr. Alwyn Rapose Division of Infectious Diseases Measles is a disease that has been making headlines across the nation in recent months. Outbreaks have occurred in 23 states, …
Does Your Child Need Juice?
By Jocelyn Durrenberger, NP Department of Pediatrics The evidence clearly says “no.” Even though I raised my three kids on water, juice and milk and my mother raised us …
Still Spanking Your Kids? Here’s Six Other Ways to Encourage Better Behavior
By Dr. David Gilchrist Department of Family Practice, Reliant Medical Group Fortunately, most parents understand that spanking isn’t the best way to discipline their children. Most experts believe that …
Six Ways to Promote Empathy in Children
By Helene Titelbaum, LICSW Pediatric Integrated Behavioral Health Clinician There’s no doubt that we live in an increasingly self-centered age. Whether attention-seeking celebrities or friends and family addicted …
How to Make Healthier Choices When Eating Fast Food
No matter where you live, you’re probably not far from a fast food restaurant. While convenient for our on-the-go lifestyles, many fast food offerings are not beneficial to our …
Medical Minute: Preparing Your Child for School
We spoke with Dr. William Horgan at our Milford Pediatrics office about how to prepare your child for school, and for kindergarten in particular. Dr. Horgan is welcoming new …
Play Hard, Play Safe
Children love to play! Playgrounds can be fun, exciting, creative places to play. Every pediatrician, however, has treated children who have been hurt at their local playground. Following the …
Baby-Led Weaning Gains in Popularity
It’s a classic image that most of us are familiar with – a parent spoon-feeding some baby food to a child in a highchair. However, for some families that …
Bike Helmets Make Summer Safer
By Dr. Herath Wijerathna Reliant Medical Group Internal Medicine Each year, more than 300,000 children go to the emergency room due to injuries caused on a bike. Accidents and …