san francisco pediatrics

November 1, 2021 Vol. 10: A Nuanced Perspective – Whether Parents Should Vaccinate 5-11 Year Olds

On October 26th an independent advisory panel to the FDA, comprised of the country’s top scientists, epidemiologists, immunologists and physicians, voted 17 to zero to recommend a smaller dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. The FDA and CDC will undoubtedly accept and ratify the panel’s advice within days and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (aka Comirnaty) will soon be available to all but the youngest people in the United States. 

Milk and Milk Alternatives

Until infants are 12 months old, their primary nutrition source comes from breast milk and/or formula with the addition of solids typically at 4-6 months. Once the 12-month birthday comes around, and the rate at which children grow decreases, the nutritional needs for toddlers change as they no longer require the dense nutrition provided in formula.

We’re Only as Healthy as the Bacteria in Us and on Us.

Our bodies are teeming with microbes ­– inside and out. In fact, we walk around with 100 trillion single celled organisms (4 pounds of bacteria!) that we rely on to keep us healthy. The number of bacteria that live in and on us is so vast that they (those not originated in the body) outnumber our own body cells 10 to 1!

From First Bites to Picky Eaters: A Food Survival Guide For Parents

As natural medicine pediatricians we can’t overstate how critical good nutrition is for building healthy bodies and brains. However, we also recognize that hectic lifestyles and the convenience of packaged foods are real-life challenges to feeding your kids unprocessed, whole foods.

Pinworm Infection

Pinworms are the most common parasitic infection in the United States with a general incidence rate of about 11% among people of all ages. Pinworms are small, white, thread-like organisms that infect the large intestine and anal area.

Tylenol Revisited: It’s NOT as Benign as People Think – Especially During Pregnancy

What you choose to put in your body during pregnancy directly impacts your child’s health – and Tylenol (aka acetaminophen/paracetamol) is no exception. For decades Tylenol has been commercially endorsed as THE “go-to” over-the-counter pain reliever, with over 60% of women in the United States relying on it to alleviate aches and pains related to pregnancy. However, mounting evidence continues to underscore the potential short- and long-term health risks it poses to babies – before and after birth.

Toddlers, Tantrums & Teens – Oh My! Tips for Supporting Your Child at Every Stage of Development

Kids are often mistaken for being little manipulative masterminds. But the truth is – they’re not. They’re burgeoning beings who are learning how to navigate the world and interact with people around them.

To better manage your child’s behavior it is instructive to understand why they do the things they do, and every stage of childhood development comes with a set of common behaviors and challenges. Below we’ll give you a brief breakdown of what you can expect during these developmental stages along with pediatric care tips to help alleviate some of the stresses of parenting.

Baby’s First Foods: A Jump-Start to Lifelong Health

More and more studies are proving that our earliest exposures to food – both before and after birth – set the stage for lifelong flavor preferences and eating habits. This means, as parents, you have more control over what kinds of foods your child likes than you probably realize.

Could Gluten be to Blame for Your Child’s Behavioral Issues?

Some kids simply can’t tolerate gluten and that can manifest in different ways. The array of complaints can include, but aren’t limited to, stomach aches and other digestive issues, nasal congestion, headaches, itchy/watery eyes, skin rashes, and mood complaints such as anxiety or depression. It’s also becoming more and more apparent, especially among functional medicine pediatricians, that a gluten sensitivity can negatively impact a child’s behavior.

Get Ready for Pregnancy by “Greening Your Womb.”

Preconception care means comprehensively preparing your body to provide the healthiest possible environment for your developing baby. At GetzWell, where we believe pediatric care should begin before your baby is born, we have named this process “greening the womb.”