Kristan Appleford

An observant and curious student asked me today, “Why do some kids have freckles and others don’t?” Freckles, those little brown specks found on a child’s cheeks and nose, are caused by a ...

Many children develop the habit of thumb sucking, even from the time they are still in the womb. The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes sucking as a "natural reflex" for kids. ...

Children acquire scrapes, bumps and bruises throughout the course of a busy day of play. As parents, it is important that we know when those scrapes are serious enough to require stitches. ...

Nearly 40,000 Americans have been diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten, the protein in grains like wheat, barley and rye. With celiac disease, also known ...

Arthritis is often associated with grandparents, but the Arthritis Foundation has reported that nearly 300,000 children in the United States also suffer from arthritis. The most common form ...

If a student has difficulty understanding spoken directions or other forms of speech, even when the spoken words are communicated under optimal circumstances, he or she may be experiencing ...

A small skin rash, called purpura, is a hallmark symptom of the most common form of vasculitis in children. Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), named for German doctors, Eduard Henoch and Johann ...

Worldwide, 400 million people are affected by a blood disease known as G6PD deficiency. In this inherited genetic condition, once thought to only affect men and boys, the body doesn’t produce ...

Parents of teens and young college kids understand the mood and energy changes that this age group can experience. They may be enthusiastic, upbeat, and energetic one moment and sleepy, grouchy, ...

As our portable electronic devices get smaller, so do the batteries that power them. Hearing aids, watches, calculators, and toys all run on small “button batteries” about the same size as a ...

For families living in snowy climates, sled riding is a fun part of the winter season. Children look forward to a snow day away from school when they can head to the neighborhood’s favorite hill ...

When our son was in elementary school, we visited the dermatologist because of the strange little bumps in Patrick’s armpit. When our doctor announced that our son had a case of molluscum ...

A dramatic rash, made of red or purple welts with a bull’s-eye, blistery center may be like no other rash a parent has ever seen before. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD) ...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that over 14,000 Americans are infected with the shigella bacteria each year. The highly contagious family of shigella ...

Children can experience many colds during the school year. Thankfully, these common colds clear up in about a week. However, a cold that won't go away and a dry hacking that turns into a thick, ...

Ryan Clark plays safety for the NFL football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although an important player in the starting line-up, his coaches and doctors didn’t allow him to play in this ...

A case of mononucleosis will interrupt the busy life of a teen. Mononucleosis or "mono" is a viral infection that causes symptoms similar to the flu. Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr (EBV) ...

Hand-washing can help prevent the spread of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), a common contagious viral infection. HFMD can be caused by either the coxsackie virus or enterovirus, which lives ...

Impetigo, a contagious superficial skin infection, is typically caused by group A streptococcus, the same bacteria that results in strep throat. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ...

Diabetes, types 1 and 2, are among the most common chronic childhood diseases in the United States. Both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are conditions that affect the body’s ability to ...

Pompe disease is an inherited gene mutation condition affecting 1 in every 40,000 people in the United States. This debilitating disease hinders cells, especially those in the heart muscle, from ...

Pink eye or conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the clear membrane, known as the conjunctiva, which covers the white part of the eye and the inside of the eyelids. According to the Center for ...

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a debilitating and incurable childhood disease, usually affecting boys. It is marked by rapidly progressing muscle weakness beginning between ages 2 and 6. ...

Young athletes, parents, and coaches can err on the side of safety when it comes to a child’s brain. Repeated — or perhaps just two concussions — can lead to permanent changes to the brain. A ...

Our human spines are articulated with individual vertebrae to help us move, flex, and bend. While some curvature in the spine is natural, lateral or side-to-side curving of the spine is ...

One of the most contagious childhood illnesses, the viral infection known as fifth disease, can cause a rash that resembles a freshly “slapped cheek.” According to the Family Doctor website, ...

Learning to read is a complex process that involves the brain working to identify and blend sounds into words. According to the PubMed Health website, when a child has the learning disability, ...

Healthy gums, clean teeth, and preventative dentistry translate into healthy mouths and better overall health for children. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) reminds us that ...

Nothing is more uncomfortable than a stubborn, itchy fungal skin infection. Ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot are collectively known as tinea. These infections are caused by fungi called ...

A case of strep throat, followed by an unusual red rash, may be a disease known as scarlet fever or scarlatina. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the ...

A few precautions will keep your child’s asthma and allergies in check this holiday season. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) cites Christmas trees, both live and ...

Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) creates painful blisters in or around the mouth, and is present in nearly everyone. In fact, according to the Pediatric Dental Health site, over 60 percent of ...

A crying and frightened child, awakened in the middle of the night by a nightmare, can be an emotional and dramatic event for a household. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), ...

Do you know when your child is running a fever? What is the best way to take a child’s temperature to check for fever? Not sure how high the fever has to be before calling the pediatrician? As ...

It is important to remember that the most common burn injury in children is caused by hot or scalding liquids. According to the American Burn Association (ABA), most burn injuries occur in the ...

Consider this statement from Centers for Disease Control (CDC): Flu is more dangerous than the common cold for children. Nearly 20,000 children, under the age of five, are hospitalized each year ...

As cold and flu season approaches, parents can be tempted to give their children over-the-counter cold medicine to relieve a stuffy head or a persistent cough. It seems, however, that there is no ...

Fewer absences during the school year mean greater academic performance from students. As we approach cold and flu season, remind your kids that hand washing is the best way to stop the spread of ...

Grinning jack-o'-lanterns, ghost and goblins are in the air. I love listening to my students chat about their Halloween costumes and party plans. During this time of autumn, it is important to ...

Bullying is unacceptable behavior that comes in many forms. It can be overtly physical, like taunting or pushing and punching on the playground. Other times, it is sneaky and quiet, like ...

Would it surprise you to know that as a teacher, I hold a master's degree, yet get paid less than my husband who did not graduate from college? Would it also surprise you that I don’t know one ...

Divorce, remarriage and blended families are certainly a common occurrence nowadays. Many parents handle it with strength and dignity, always remembering that children are also involved in the ...

During the first two months of school, I spend time teaching lessons on respect, kindness, caring and teamwork. While there are also endless academic objectives to also teach, a classroom can’t ...

If you are a parent of a child with Tourette syndrome (TS) you know that your student may have hurdles to overcome as he or she goes through the school day. Additionally, that child deserves a ...

According to the Office of Children’s Health Protection, children are more vulnerable to environmental health issues because their little bodies are still growing, and they eat, breathe, and drink ...

Growing up with three rough and tumble older brothers, I often heard my mother’s voice say, “It’s funny until someone puts an eye out!” One afternoon my eldest brother responded, “Well, what ...

Our teenager never seemed to get enough sleep. I worried that his academic, extracurricular, and social schedule was just too full. Furthermore, it seemed that he was a grouch in the morning, ...

After I say goodbye to my students for the day, I open the cupboard where I keep my after-school snacks. By 3:00 in the afternoon I am starving ... and I am sure your students are, too! Many ...

A child should never have to go hungry. Hunger and malnutrition interferes with physical growth, academic performance and overall well-being and happiness. Our schools and the National ...

For better or worse, a teen’s self-confidence is often linked to body and physical image. Teenagers experience appearance changes with each growth spurt and as a result, are often concerned with ...