Healthy Kids Zone

Nail biting is a common habit, but usually not a serious one for most children. Most children who bite their nails eventually lose the habit, but some may continue well into adulthood. In more serious situations, nail biting can lead to health concerns. There is no prescription to stop nail biting, but it can be addressed. Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about the reasons why nail biting occurs and offers suggestions on how to help your child stop biting her nails.

Does it seem like your child gets bad colds every winter? If it lasts longer than a month, there’s a good chance the sneezing and sniffling aren’t from a cold at all. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner explains how to tell the difference between seasonal colds and winter allergies.

It might seem like your child doesn’t eat enough, is never hungry or won’t eat, and you worry he or she will starve unless you spoon-feed them yourself. Don’t worry. It’s normal for a child’s appetite to slow down between the ages of 1 and 5. Normal doesn’t mean it’s pleasant, however. Dr. Cindy Gellner gives you tips on what you can–and shouldn’t–do to help your child through this period of eating struggles.

Parents worry, naturally. "Is my child developing normally?" "Why isn't my child eating?" "Will eating carrots improve my child's eyesight?" As The Healthy Kids Zone celebrates five years, Dr. Cindy Gellner goes through her list of top five children's health topics that parents should know about before bringing their child in to see the pediatrician.

New Year's resolutions aren't just for adults—kids can make them too. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner says by helping children make and keep resolutions, parents can teach their children important values such as commitment. Dr. Gellner has some tips for helping your children choose a resolution or two, and how best to hold them to it.

There are so many shining decorations that can catch a child’s eye during the holiday season, especially since they are only brought out at this time of the year. From the Christmas tree to seasonal plants around the home, there can be hidden dangers lurking in your decorated halls. In this episode Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about how to protect your child from common, but preventable, holiday home hazards. She'll explain exactly what can be hazardous, what can be poisonous, and what you can do to help your child avoid getting hurt during the holidays. For emergency help, please contact Poison Control at 18002221222.

In the United States, 18 percent of children under the age of 18—13 million children—live in a home struggling to put healthy food on the table. Food insecurity can have long-lasting effects on young children, impacting their memory, social and learning skills. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about the steps you can take to help children in food-insecure homes, as well as what resources are available if you find yourself having difficulty providing food for your child.

As parents, we want to make sure our children are safe and healthy. We worry when they cough too much or eat too little. As The Healthy Kids Zone celebrates five years, Dr. Cindy Gellner breaks down the top five health concerns for children—according to parents—and not so surprisingly, coughs and stomach aches made the list.

A recent study suggests the overdiagnosing of ADHD in elementary-aged children could come down to something as simple as what month a child is born. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about the new study and why the youngest kids in an elementary class have a 30% higher chance of being diagnosed with ADAH compared to the older students. Dr. Gellner also talks about the best treatment opinions for inattention and hyperactive in young children.

Children as young as two years old are seeing an increased prescription for playtime—it can stimulate creativity and offsets secondhand stress. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner highlights the health benefits that come from simply letting kids be kids and has tips on how you can help your child be a child.