Kid's Corner

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is depression that happens only at a certain time of year. With SAD, kids and teens tend to become depressed in the fall or winter, when days are shorter and it gets dark earlier. Once the daylight hours grow longer again, symptoms go away.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are different conditions, but they both affect the body’s use of insulin. Although type 1 is more common in young people, both types can affect children and teenagers.

Although breast cancer is rarely diagnosed in teens, a small number of patients (less than 2% according to the National Cancer Institute) are diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 34.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends all children between 9 and 11 years old are screened for high blood cholesterol levels due to the growing epidemic of obesity in children.

When kids are outdoors, it's important to protect their skin from too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV rays), which can lead to skin cancer, skin damage and aging, and eye injury.

So, you are growing up and gaining the new responsibilities that come with getting older. Now, if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, take a deep breath. Learning how to advocate for yourself without the help of your parents/caregivers can be an intimidating responsibility, but remember with the right tools, you can succeed!

It's easy to take our bones for granted. After all, they do all their work behind the scenes. But when a bone breaks, it’s a big deal. Bones take time to heal, even for kids. Having strong bones in childhood is a good start for bone health throughout life.

Your intestines (also called bowels) can have something called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It causes cramps, bloating (puffiness in your belly area), constipation (when you can't poop) and diarrhea (when you poop too much). If you have irritable bowel syndrome, there are ways to deal with or prevent these symptoms.

There are 100 trillion bacteria in the human gut. The good ones are important in reducing risk of diseases and unwanted symptoms like stomach aches and uncomfortable digestion. Health benefits go even beyond the belly gut health helps foster an overall healthy immune system too.

A diet high in fat in childhood may lead to the development of heart disease as an adult. A heart-healthy diet may help prevent or treat high cholesterol. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthy children ages 2 and older follow a diet low in fat (30% of calories from fat).

Your child’s vision helps them take in the world around them. But it also plays an important role in their development. If your child has an uncorrected vision problem, it may affect their ability to learn and reach their highest potential. Having a routine eye exam is important to keep their eyes healthy.