Parenting and Children’s Healthcare Blog

Selling to kids and teens is huge business. Tweens and teens direct nearly $44 billion in spending each year, which explains why the average child sees well over 100,000 advertisements and promotions each year - and few of these messages…

Has your child been vaccinated? The US CDC has confirmed that, already, 27 children in the United States have died this flu season - and this record-setting number will only worsen as the season continues.  The children that have passed…

Your child spends 2-4 hours a day at school “staring at a screen” and is expected to use a screen to complete homework assignments - and then the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that no one at any age should…

When JUUL e-cigarette maker disconnected their Instagram and Facebook accounts over a year ago, their marketing efforts to children and teens didn’t miss a beat. Thousands of young Instagram users still mention JUUL each day in their posts. Over a…

It’s the holiday season and that means family parties, neighborhood get-togethers and worship community gatherings! It also means runny noses, sneezes, coughs and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). While social media and the internet does a fantastic job of freaking out…

It’s a behavior that drives Grandmas crazy, can cause social isolation and makes dentists shudder. Yet in the first year of life, nearly 75% of babies happily indulge in it and benefit from it. Thumb-sucking or finger-sucking can begin before birth,…

As the Internet continues to explode with false stories, proven medical science is sometimes labeled as “unnecessary” or “unnatural." Lately, there has been a rise in parents questioning the necessity of a Vitamin K shot shortly after the birth of…

In just a few short months, recreational marijuana will become legal in the state of Illinois. Although purchase will be restricted to those over 21 years of age, the reality is that, just like with alcohol, many teens will be…

Dr. Joanne Sundermeier is retiring from a long and successful pediatric career today. Dr. Alzein says, “Dr. Sundermeier has been a positive, valuable colleague for over four years and Alzein Pediatrics just won’t be the same without her. We will…

Come to our Flu Shot Clinics on Friday, October 4th and Friday, October 25th! The CDC is predicting this year’s flu season will begin in mid-October, just a month away. The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending all children who…