I generally try to keep evidence-based information on one “side” of the SquintMom site, and bloggier things on the other side. A book review would typically go on the blog side, but in this particular case, the concept behind Baby Unplugged and Blue Manatee Press is so well supported by scientific evidence that it’s going…
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a relatively conservative organization, in the sense that they require a significant body of evidence before making a statement or changing a recommendation. For instance, they equivocate on infant circumcision, ignoring both the violent protestations of those who feel the practice is immoral as well as the body…
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…
Since 2001, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has required that car manufacturers comply with Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH), a system that relies upon a universal anchor system to which car seat tethers can be attached. However, as of 2014, the NHTSA will be requiring child seat manufacturers to inform parents…
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…
My husband and I are both avid cyclists, recreationally and for commuting purposes. We both owe our lives, several times over, to helmets. Some of our crashes have been due to, shall we say, “operator error,” while others have been the result of collisions with vehicles. Aside from those crashes that were severe enough to…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the week of April 21, 2012 to be World Immunization Week. The purpose of the initiative is to spread information about the importance and safety of vaccines. Immunizations protect children and save lives. However, the idea of a shot (or two, or three) can be intimidating to young…
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…
One of the characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is that they focus on social images (faces, for instance) to a lesser degree than typically developing (TD) children. This tendency is exacerbated by the presence of images of particular interest to the ASD child. This characteristic of ASD children can be used both…
