Imagine this: You’re in the grocery store in the snack aisle. Seemingly out of nowhere, your otherwise cheerful toddler launches into a full-blown meltdown. It’s a temper tantrum—a kicking, crying, red-faced temper tantrum. But why?
Poop! Everyone, including every baby and kid, does it. But what’s in it? Why is it (usually) brown? And what makes a poop healthy or unhealthy?
Your child’s temperature is rising. They have a shiver. Is this fever worth worrying about?
Breastmilk! What’s in it? And how do different formulas on the market live up to the nutrition-filled OG?
Masks, along with social distancing, are a great way to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. How can you help your child dress for success in a face covering, and are any children best off not wearing one?
With the reopening of schools and the continued threat of the coronavirus looming, parents and guardians are bound to have questions about how to help their kids avoid—or recover from—COVID-19.
Fevers can be scary—and sudden. But don’t fear: Hosts Dr. Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft, with the help of Mia the Doll, are here to illustrate how best to check your child’s temperature and explain what can be done to calm you and your little one.
You may know that the placenta is there to take care of your baby in utero, like a gory version of Mary Poppins. But what is the placenta exactly, how does it form… and should you eat it?
We know what vaccines generally look like: a needle that a medical professional injects into your or your child’s arm. But what’s inside them, and are they safe?
Aluminum, formaldehyde, and mercury (no, not Freddie): vaccines have quite a few ingredients, and some of them don’t have the best reputation. But each ingredient has an important role in making vaccines sterile, safe, and effective.
If you’ve been safe and healthy throughout the pandemic, it may be tough to admit that things have been difficult, too: In fear of sounding ungrateful or unappreciative, we often act like we have it all together. But the reality is it's been an exceptionally challenging time for all of us—perhaps especially for parents.
Teeth: You may think of them as simple bones in our mouths, but they’re much more powerful than they appear. Teeth are designed to withstand anything hot, cold, chewy, soft, or hard thrown at them—and growing them is no walk in the park.
Have you ever put your little one peacefully to bed only to hear them crying out in distress later in the night? Dreams and nightmares, which occur during REM sleep, are a normal part of human brain activity—and they don’t stop as you get older.
Food allergies, drug allergies, seasonal allergies: Discover the science behind why they form and if there’s any truth to the idea that playing in the mud works as an allergen preventative.
Your child may love the idea of going to school, interacting with other kids, and learning new things. But when it comes to leaving you—their parent or guardian—they may experience stress or anxiety.
Eczema, allergic asthma, and allergic rhinitis are three hyper-allergic conditions—often called the atopic triad—that tend to affect certain people, including kids.
The link between these conditions is complicated, even for doctors and scientists. But having one may increase the chances of your child having another hyper-allergic condition.
How can you tell if your child’s rash might clear up on its own or is indicative of an allergy? Hosts Alok Patel and Bethany Van Delft are here with suggestions on who to talk to when your little one is dealing with one or more of the “triad” conditions.
Hearing that “your child should be doing X by Y age” can make you worry—and can make many families whose children have special needs feel left out.
Sleep is essential to children's growth and development. But no matter how many textbooks and parenting guides you read, it can be challenging to apply the self-soothing and Ferber methods to your actual child (especially when they're shrieking and crying for hours on end).
Poop is a window into the body. Its different colors and textures—and the food that comes out—can give you a clue as to what’s going on inside.
Do you need the right pillow, blanket, and mattress just to sleep through the night? Hear us out: You should be just as concerned with your baby’s sleeping environment, because where and how a baby sleeps can contribute to their overall safety.
Macaroni necklaces and school drawings may be nice offerings, but your child’s poop is a glorious gift that gives you a window into their bodies.
At the beginning of pregnancy, mammary glands start out like a tree in winter with no foliage. As pregnancy progresses and the body prepares for milk production, mammary glands undergo a massive tissue restructuring — like a tree in the spring. By the time a baby arrives, the “tree” is in full bloom, ready to produce and deliver milk.
Puberty is a wonderful, fun, uncomplicated, and totally non-awkward time for those going through it (said no one ever).
You’ve been there: An action as simple as giving your child the wrong snack is an injustice worthy of waging war (and in this case, “war” is a tantrum).
Watching your child get their immunizations can be really hard. It might also raise some questions: Why are they getting so many shots at once and why now? Is this all really necessary?
Just a few years ago, pediatricians advised parents to shield their children from allergenic foods before the age of one. Research now shows that exposing children to these foods—like peanuts and eggs—when they can tolerate solid foods may actually be good for them and help prevent food allergies in the future.
Sleep can have a profound effect on children's growth and development. Here’s the lowdown (or "lay down") on how much sleep your child needs between naps and a full night’s rest.
Puberty—the process of developing from a child to a reproductive adult—can make a kid look, feel, and act differently. Here’s what’s happening to your kid.
61 million adult Americans live with some sort of physical, sensory, or intellectual disability. When parents receive the news—prenatally or postnatally—that their child may have some form of a chromosomal difference or intellectual disability, it’s key that healthcare providers relay this diagnosis in a way that’s respectful to the family and those who live with these disabilities every day.
One in five US adolescents has a diagnosable mental health disorder. Here’s how you can encourage teens in your care to find balance in their lives and when to seek help from a professional.
Can kids become addicted to screens? When screen time is withdrawn, children may experience crankiness or fussiness. Let’s break down the brain chemistry behind screen “addiction.”
Being a new parent can bring on a mix of feelings, from excitement and joy to stress and frustration. It may not be easy, but with a little parental-logic, you can take on the challenge!
Major funding for NOVA is provided by the David H. Koch Fund for Science, the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.