In theory, the holidays are a time to relax and celebrate. 

In reality, the holidays can be a busy time of planning, budgeting and managing complicated family dynamics — factor in the unique challenges that come with being the parent of a special needs child and you might have a recipe for even more seasonal stress. 

I’ve been there and this doesn’t need to happen. A little prep work ahead of time with your special needs child can help reduce frustration, tantrums and emotional overdrive, as well as manage expectations of well-meaning family members.

Do you know a little one who isn't as talkative as you'd expected?

For many people, the holidays are a time of anticipation – anticipation of the joy of family gatherings, sharing gifts with our loved ones and celebrating. 

For our family, the holidays serve as a bittersweet reminder of how much our lives differ from those around us. 

The holidays bring extra stress and excitement that serves as yet another trigger for kids like our son. Imagine having to calm your child down on Christmas morning because the excitement of opening presents is causing their brain to be overloaded. You see them zoning out and you know a seizure is eminent. You try to intervene before the seizure strikes, fearing that this one could land them in the hospital again, or worse… 

This is Dravet syndrome.

Every year, thousands of families in the U.S. experience the death of a child, leaving behind parents, siblings, families and communities who must find ways to deal with their loss.

What's the scoop on flu shots this season?

Should you enroll your child in martial arts classes?

Ah-choo! What's behind your child's sudden sinus issues?

Parenting is challenging, but parenting a child with special needs brings the experience to a whole new level that no one can really understand until they live it. 

From one day to the next, parents with special needs children can never really predict what the next day will bring. Will it require another trip to the doctor for another unforeseen and confusing medical issue? Will a certain behavior become so unmanageable that it impedes the ability for the child to get to school that day? Will you be on the phone with the school again for another challenging issue to sort through? 

Even with all the challenges our special needs children present, we love and care about them deeply, but how do we as parents keep a positive outlook and not succumb to burning out?

As a mom, it's important to slow down and take a minute to focus on the things that matter most, and the first step is to connect with yourself again.

Should your child watch 13 Reasons Why?

What are we teaching our children if we don’t know how to disagree?

Prevent the spread of infectious disease in your child's sports program.

You can be a cool parent by knowing what to do if your child wants a tattoo or piercing.

Do you know a little one who isn't as talkative as you'd expected?

Stress can be devastating to your child's health. Learn how to help your little one become more resilient.

Should you give your child juice?

Ask the important questions before sending your child on a playdate.

Do you view motherhood as a job or a joy?

Find out how to get your child to talk about his school life and how you can help him finish his homework.

Find out why your child needs the HPV vaccine.

Back-to-school means school sports are back in gear. Find out what your coach should know, how to keep your child safe and how to encourage good sportsmanship.

Swimming is a family activity. Follow these tips to keep your family safe in the water.

Striving for the "super mom" status can be a losing battle.

According to a new survey conducted by the Unity Consortium, 92 percent of parents and 88 percent of teens surveyed believe it is important for all teens to be vaccinated, but the stark reality is that vaccination rates are lower than where they should be. 

For instance, less than 50 percent of male teens and 65 percent of female teens have received the first dose of the HPV vaccine series, despite it preventing certain types of cancer. 

Unfortunately, the survey showed that both parents’ and teens’ attitude towards preventive health and vaccines could impede them taking action to improve their future health prospects.

Addiction affects the entire family. How can you handle a loved one's addiction?

Should you give your child juice?

Ask the important questions before sending your child on a playdate.

Swimming is a family activity. Follow these tips to keep your family safe in the water.

Find out why your child needs the HPV vaccine.

Legalization of marijuana is changing, and fast. How do you talk to teens and families about the shift?

If you’re a parent, the world wide web can mean added stress.

A severe deterioration is happening in the collective health of our nation's children. But, drugs should be a last resort, not an automatic response.

Can a home remedy address your child's symptoms?

Should your child watch 13 Reasons Why?

It was January 24, 2002, just seven weeks after her adoption and beginning her new life in America, that my daughter Alena was diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). 

I felt as if I’d been run over by a train. It was the worst day of my life. I had no idea that her runny nose, her slight heart murmur, her small statute, her little hands, her big blue eyes, and that button nose held anything that could not be corrected or fixed. 

And, I did not know or understand the magnitude of what was to come.

Ah-choo! What's behind your child's sudden sinus issues?

Can a home remedy address your child's symptoms?

Legalization of marijuana is changing, and fast. How do you talk to teens and families about the shift?

Should you enroll your child in martial arts classes?

According to the National Institutes of Health, on any given day, one-third of children and 41 percent of teens eat from a fast-food restaurant. They also report that the restaurant meals often served to kids contain too many calories. 

The typical “kid food” being offered tends to usually include chicken nuggets, fries, macaroni and cheese, burgers, and pizza. The problem is that these meals often provide empty calories and don’t provide enough nutrition. They also keep the kids wanting the same types of foods at home, with parents often providing them. 

Dr. Nimali Fernando, aka Doctor Yum, says it’s time to ditch the “kid food” and start giving kids better options.

“Most food is kid-friendly. Kids just need to learn how to eat it,” says Dr. Fernando, a Fredericksburg, Virginia-based pediatrician who founded The Doctor Yum Project. “Kids who are taught healthy eating habits, which include eating a variety of healthy foods, will be far better off now and in the long run. They will be learning healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”

Here are six reasons to ditch the pizza and pouches and get your kids back to real food...

ADHD is not a discipline problem. It is a medical condition that presents as a set of symptoms with a range of possible underlying causes unique to each child.

Being a mom has never been an easy job, but the increasing popularity of social media has put a new spin on motherhood.

As a pediatrician, I see and hear about all sorts of things parents are doing with their kids on a regular basis... the good and the bad. 

In response to this, I have compiled the following eight tips for parents on things any pediatrician would tell you to stop doing. 

1) Stop posting photos of your children on social media without their permission. Funny photos might make you laugh but are embarrassing to your child. Their egos are sensitive. Additionally, unless your posts are private, the whole world (including perpetrators) can see you and where your child is likely to be and when.

2) Stop requesting antibiotics when your child has a cold or other viral illness. This has lessened during the past decade, but we still get many phone requests for antibiotics.

The younger you can get your kids interested in addressing daily stressors in a healthy way, the better.

In the past few years, advances in technology have had major impacts on the physical and mental health of children and teens.

Learn how you can achieve ultimate life/work balance with a very simple approach.