Rotavirus Vaccine - Why bother with that one? Let me tell you a story.  A long, long time ago, in a world very, very different from this one, a young Dr. Fisher graduated from medical school and residency in pediatrics.  As he started his career, he expected to deal with Rotavirus season every summer.  Why?  Because every year of medical school and residency (7 years spent training in how to prevent illness and help kids stay healthy) he saw kids get admitted to the hospital

Sometimes it is helpful to step back and think, why do we do this?  Does it make sense, or are we doing it just because that is what is done?  In medicine, we try to avoid high doses of radiation, like CT scans, in children more than adults.  Why?  We know that radiation exposure can cause mutations in our genes, and we know that these exposures add up over time, causing problems for some people in their distant future.  So, a 2-year-old who has a CT scan has decades of time

(Disclaimer - this is pretty dry, straight forward information! If your child isn't prone to throwing tantrums or you are not trying to modify their behavior, I would read one of our other blogs, but for preschool to school age kids, this can be pretty helpful!) Behavior Modification Charts (BMC) Parents often ask us how to change their child’s behaviors, either at school or home.  Often punishments feel like they no longer work, and parents tell us, “They don’t care what we

MMRV vs MMR + V vs M + M + M + R + V A few weeks ago, government officials were discussing MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella),...

One of my parents recently suggested that I should address some of the healthcare topics that politicians are discussing on my blog.  I...

Every year when flu season starts, I have several conversations over and over.  I thought it might be helpful to tell you about some of...

Hives/Angioedema Hives, also called urticaria, can be alarming to parents because the rash comes on so fast and can cover a large part of...

The current measles situation is a preventable tragedy .  To understand the situation, it is important to understand “herd immunity”. ...

One of my proudest moments as a parent of a teenager came last year.  My newly driving teen hit the curb at an away tennis meet and...

Every year when flu season starts, I have several conversations over and over.  I thought it might be helpful to tell you about some of...

First Impressions Many of my articles are inspired by the Fisher family dinner table, but this month’s is from the Taylor Swift concert....

Whenever we (pediatricians) walk into a room with a 15, 18, or 24 month toddler waiting for us, we take a deep breath right before...

(Warning: this article contains a 3 letter "swear" word that starts with an A and ends with the sound a snake makes, if you are easily...

Middle school and high school use of electronic cigarettes or “vaping” is a huge problem in the US.  In 2022, studies show that 3.3-4.5%...

A Family That Games Together …… August is GenCon, the largest tabletop gaming convention in North America!!  I have had a deep love of...

Indiana Lifeline Law Kids NEED to know this information In July 2012, Indiana passed the Indiana Lifeline Law.  The law allows teens to...

It’s the Weather’s Fault! Parents often mention the weather as one of the reasons for their child’s health issues.  Sometimes we hear...

Sleep Training - for Parents! The first few months of your baby’s life, we will tell you that you need to be on call for them and their...

The past few years have been rough on a lot of us when it comes to our mental health and coping with anxiety and depression.  Teens are...

20 years from now - Adult Child, late 30s: Mom, Dad I have throat cancer. Parent:  How could this happen?  You are so healthy.  What can...