The yellow school buses are rolling once again on Loudoun’s roads, and there’s a general buzz of excitement as school gets back into session. But excitement for kids is often mixed with anxiety. Transitioning from a laid-back summer to the pressures and dynamics of the school year can be challenging. Here are some tips for helping your child transition back to … [Read more...]

With the measles virus--and the anti-vaccine movement--making headlines this spring, families have more questions than ever about immunizations and the resurgence of communicable diseases. Parents want to know if their children are safe, given the return of a dangerous virus in several U.S. communities. While recent trends might be concerning, we continue to emphasize that … [Read more...]

We all want our kids to have healthy, productive summers, engaging their minds while getting a chance to relax after the busyness of the school year. But remember, parents are not cruise directors, especially as our kids get older and can meet more of their needs on their own. Our job is not to entertain our kids 24/7. Instead, it’s to help them learn to self-direct and … [Read more...]

For parents and pediatricians, spring and summer mean a flurry of activity as we get all of those super important forms filled out for sports, camps and school. As children get older, sports physicals become even more important, with Virginia law requiring a physical for high school athletes and many youth sports leagues also requiring physician approval. Your … [Read more...]

Thanks to technology, parenting has become a lot more complicated these days. One especially tricky challenge is how to navigate social media – especially with younger teenagers, or tweens. Teenagers’ use of social media is on the rise. Common Sense Media found that 75 percent of American teenagers have a social media profile. Studies done on the impact of social media … [Read more...]

Thinking about childhood often conjures up images of carefree kids playing dress up or running outside. But even during this fun and breezy time, children can experience stress and anxiety. This can be especially true as they enter school and experience academic and social pressures. You might be aware that your child has a lot on his or her plate, but when does it … [Read more...]

Screens are a part of life for just about everyone. We work on them, play on them and connect on them. Technology use by children does have benefits, including access to information and social connections. But it also has plenty of drawbacks including sleep disruption and physical inactivity. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than two hours a day of … [Read more...]