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…
A reader recently asked whether exercise — specifically marathon training — affects lactation and breastfeeding. I did a little digging and came up with some information, but decided the article fit better at another site for which I write: Trail and Ultra Running. Here’s a brief summary of my findings, based upon the current research:…
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…
Misconceptions and fear have been fueling the anti-vaccination movement in recent years, particularly with regard to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. This is in part because a study published in The Lancet that linked the MMR vaccine to autism (Wakefield et al). In addition to rampant misinformation spread via the Internet, the Wakefield…
There are two interesting studies on breast milk as an analgesic (pain reliever) in this month’s issue of Pediatrics. Each compares the effects of breast milk to those of oral sugar (either glucose or sucrose) for relieving pain during the ubiquitous neonatal heel stick procedure. The first study looked at late preterm infants (gestational age…
The decision to start solids is both an exciting one (your baby is growing up!) and a difficult one for many parents. The latter is because there’s so much conflicting information floating around (“Starting solids sooner will make your baby sleep better!” “Starting solids too soon will give your baby allergies!”). The purpose of this…
Vaccinations. Circumcisions. Birthing interventions. These are among the parenting topics that stir up strong feelings and can lead to the exchange of strong words. The recent heated debate over a circumcision post I wrote is one example of this, but there are countless others in fora and on blogs all over the web. In any…
There are many different techniques and mechanisms by which circumcision occurs. Since the purpose of this series of posts on circumcision is to address routine infant circumcision in the hospital environment, I will not be addressing alternate circumcision practices, including non-hospital (religious ritual) circumcision. Last week, I addressed the scientific evidence as it pertained to…
Note: This should go without saying, but the article below refers to male circumcision. Female circumcision is a completely separate practice, occurring for the express purpose of destroying sexual function. That the two practices share a name in common is unfortunate and misleading. This is part 1 of a three-part series. Part 2 will deal…
For those who are interested in scientific articles but don’t like to read them, there’s a great resource online. It’s called JoVE, the Journal of Visualized Experiments, and the idea is that they do open source (meaning you don’t have to pay to access the information) video-format publication. That is to say, instead of reading…
