Melissa Arca

So the other day I sat down with my calendar and a list of my children's upcoming after- school activities, trying to reconcile multiple schedule conflicts.

I have a picky eater. I don't call him that or tell him he's picky.

During the longer and hotter days of summer, many children flock to the pool. Swimming is no doubt a favorite summertime activity.

Parents think it would never happen to them. Unfortunately, the reality is that parents do forget.

Few things are worse than getting a sunburn on your second day of vacation. A total sunscreen fail. It ranks right up there with your children fighting over who gets to press the elevator buttons (every single time) as one of the unpleasant aspects of vacation.

Aside from the common cold and ear infections, constipation is one of the most common complaints at both well- and sick-child visits

Screening for lead exposure and checking blood lead levels in infants and toddlers is routine preventive health care in pediatric offices across the United States.

I recently saw a young boy in the clinic coming in for a follow-up on a tick bite.

In the past few weeks, we've been seeing an increase in hand-foot-mouth disease among toddlers and preschoolers.

Summer is just around the corner and this wonderful weather means most of us are headed for the outdoors. Our extended outdoor adventures mean more time in the sun, so inevitably, the sunblock comes out and we start slathering it on.

It's National Dog Bite Prevention Week – a great time to remind young children about dog safety.

Last summer our family was enjoying a nice, relaxing day in the backyard of good friends. The kids were getting ready for a dip in the pool.

Smoking is not good for you. I think we all can agree on that. It's bad for your lungs, leaves you prone to chronic respiratory infections, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Toddlers are rambunctious. In all their "I do it" and super-human-strength glory, you've got to love them.

I 'm putting myself and the rest of my family on a detox. It's not a body cleanse or anything like that. It's more of a mental clutter cleanse.

A friend recently asked me if I thought bullying was really on the rise. Is it really so much more prevalent today than when we were kids?

I don't know about you, but just thinking about the numerous ways my children can endanger themselves once they become teenagers sends me into a mini panic attack.