One of the most common questions I get from SquintMom readers is along the lines of is item/substance/compound XYZ toxic? I’d like to go ahead and answer this once and for all: YES, it is. Now let me explain what I mean, and how I can answer this very generic question in a catch-all way…
Got another great question recently (keep them coming, readers; I love answering these!): I’ve heard that girls shouldn’t take bubble baths because they can get urinary tract infections. I have some around the house, though, and in a moment of weakness, I let my toddler use it. Now she wants a bubble bath all the…
I love getting questions about science-related issues from readers. I particularly love it when a question intersects with an issue I myself am curious about, as happened when a reader got in touch with me last week: I need some advice about sunscreen. I just read some articles on CNN about new FDA guidelines and…
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in their continuing effort to promote public health and health awareness, has outlined the basics of zombie apocalypse preparedness. Yes, for real. As it turns out, preparing for the zombie apocalypse is similar to preparing for any other disaster: stock up on non-perishable food, water, and medications,…
Last week, I addressed pharmaceutical options for relieving teething discomfort. There are a number of reasons a parent might want to consider non-pharmaceutical options, however. For instance, teething pain can cycle up and down for weeks at a time, and neither acetaminophen nor ibuprofen are appropriate for long-term use. Even clove oil, which is likely…
High-‐fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ubiquitous in the American diet, and unless you make a concerted effort to avoid the stuff, your child consumes it in everything from soda to fast food to the convenient prepared snacks and juice boxes you tuck into backpacks and leave in the pantry for after school. The debate over…
