Monday, November 23, 2009

Children's Health

Test Yourself: 20 Things Many Pediatricians Get Wrong

Andrew Adesman's Babyfacts sets parents straight on common health issues

Posted February 18, 2009

Are you smarter than a pediatrician? Test your knowledge of children's health and safety facts against the pros. When pediatrician Andrew Adesman quizzed his peers, he found that half of the pediatricians answered one quarter of the questions wrong. See if you can beat their score. Here are 20 situations that stumped the experts, gleaned from Adesman's new book, "Babyfacts" (Wiley, $15.95).

  1. Sugar makes children hyperactive.
  2. If you keep your baby awake during the day, he'll sleep soundly at night.
  3. Newborns should be bathed daily.
  4. Wounds need to air out at night to heal properly.
  5. Over-the-counter cold remedies are safe, speed recovery, and achieve faster cures than letting a cold run its course.
  6. Eating raw carrots will not improve a child's vision.
  7. A fever of 104 degrees won't cause brain damage in a baby.
  8. The best way to stop a bloody nose is to tilt the head back.
  9. You should wash your newborn's clothing in special detergent.
  10. Sitting close to the television won't damage a child's vision.
  11. If a child has a seizure, place a spoon or a wallet in his mouth so he doesn't choke or swallow his tongue.
  12. Treat a burn with butter or ice.
  13. If your child can move an injured body part, it's not a broken bone.
  14. After a bee sting, don't squeeze out the stinger for fear of injecting additional venom.
  15. Shopping cart seats are the safest place to put a child.
  16. No need to avoid spicy foods or alcohol if you are breast-feeding.
  17. If your child has a cough and yellow or green mucus, he has an upper respiratory infection and should be treated with antibiotics.
  18. It's never a good idea to heat a baby bottle in a microwave.
  19. Co-sleeping is a bad idea; babies need to sleep in their own beds.
  20. Putting a child to bed with a light on will damage his eyes.

  • Read the answers to this quiz here.

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