It's perfectly fine to take your new baby home for the holidays. The danger isn't in the airplane itself, but the potential contact with sick individuals. If possible, wait until she is 6-to 8-weeks old and has received her first set of vaccinations--to protect against whooping cough, pneumococcal and Hib meningitis and rotavirus (a vomiting and diarrhea illness).

Since you have a history of a consistent bedtime routine and your toddler previously slept well, it does sound like something is causing him discomfort and disrupting his night. He's at the right age for teething and some toddlers do experience quite a bit of pain as teeth poke their way through sensitive gums...ouch!

Constipation is common in toddlers and can usually be corrected with some simple, healthy dietary changes. So before you take him off milk, take a look at everything your son eats and drinks.

I'm sorry you have an early riser, and I know it's exhausting, but 6:30 is when some children wake up. While you can try black-out curtains, an earlier or later bedtime, and even ignoring the crying, it may not make much difference. She's had a full night of sleep and now it is morning and that means playtime! As my son says, "The world is bright. Get up!"

Depending on where you live, you might be able to visit a children's museum with a mock plane so your child can see what the process is like. At a minimum, you might try a trial run to the airport so she can see the hustle and bustle of the security process, the crowds, the lines etc.

Sleepwalking is common, especially in kids ages 4 to 8. We don't know what causes sleepwalking, but it does tend to run in families.

Healthy children can catch around 10 infections a year--almost one a month! This is especially true when they are in daycare. During the summer months kids are mostly well, but during the winter, they may get sick every other week. Why? Because children constantly touch things and viruses can live on toys and surfaces for hours.

Fear is an intrinsic human emotion -- a vestige of our days as cave people when fear was critical to survival. In many cases, that is still true today: fear protects us from many risks. That said, it's important to differentiate a fear from a phobia.

There is no "right" answer to this question -- only the one that fits your family's needs and beliefs. Many girls will start to experience darkening and coarsening of their hair sometime between the ages of 10 and 13, with lots of cultural variation. In the melting pot that we've become in the U.S., this is now even harder to predict.

Every child is unique and different in his or her own way. It can be challenging for a family when there are two extremes in the house. It's important to help your older son feel special in his own way and boost his confidence in things he does well. Perhaps he runs fast. Maybe he's a real comedian. Praise character and other accomplishments instead of grades. Create a task or a situation in which you know he will excel and then congratulate him.

No matter how you choose to address the co-sleeping issue, it's critical that you and your husband are in agreement. Talk out any options first and make a decision to support each other. This won't be easy, but after a week or two of difficult nights, most children make the adjustment smoothly.

Not only is it appropriate, it's a good routine to start. However, she might not have much to say at age 9, which is fine.

You might not need to broach the subject at all. She is already declining desserts and seconds so you don't need to tell her to stop eating but you will need to protect her from misinformation. Most girls her age learn what they know about food from advertisers. They incorrectly believe foods carrying nutrition claims such as "low fat", "sugar-free" or "lite" are always better choices than regular foods, and your daughter may eat these highly-advertised foods thinking they do not count. I find snack foods and drinks marketed to kids her age can be a tremendous source of unnecessary calories.

First, let me reassure you that medical research has never shown any link between vaccines and autism. There is also no evidence that delaying vaccines has any potential benefit over giving vaccines according to the recommended schedule -- the CDC schedule that scientists spent years developing and studying. We do know, however, that delaying vaccines may put your infant at risk for catching infections that cause serious disease and death. In the last 10 years, I have seen two forms of childhood meningitis (a serious infection around the brain and spinal cord) virtually disappear, thanks to vaccines. And, we have seen how quickly diseases can make a comeback when small groups decide not to protect their children -- Measles and Hib meningitis outbreaks occurred recently in our country, causing illness and death in young children.

Say thank you, and then decide if you should keep or toss the items. Lead may be found in paint on toys as well as in flexible plastics.

Your 10-month-olds are still at an age where they enjoy putting things in their mouths. It's part of being an infant and hard to prevent. So, how do you know which items are safe to suck and which aren't? That's the million-dollar question that scientists and environmentalists are trying to figure out.

It's a bit late to get a flu vaccine this year, but I am still seeing a few cases every day in my practice. Yearly flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, which includes your 10-year-old and you as well. For next flu season, the most ideal time to get the flu vaccine and protect your family from catching the flu is in the fall or early winter--before the flu hits.

I actually don’t routinely recommend supplements unless your child has a specific need. Maybe he’s a vegan or has an iron deficiency. Or, of course, your pediatrician recommends one.

It’s not too late if your child is truly not getting enough fluoride. But you don’t want to go overboard, either.

If your child gets too little fluoride, he won’t get the strengthening of the enamel that can protect against cavities. But if he gets too much, you can do cosmetic damage to the teeth (called fluorosis), so you’ll want to be sure he gets the right amount.

You could use lactose-free milk (such as the brand Lactaid), or your teen could supplement her diet with pills that aid in the digestion of lactose. But this is also where calcium-fortified foods come in really handy.

Many ear infections will improve on their own without antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, not viral infections. You can’t always tell if the infection is viral or bacterial without sticking a needle in and taking fluid out. We don’t do this very often anymore, but years ago, it was done and that's how we discovered that most infections children get are viral. 

Many parents today do understand that using antibiotics when they’re not needed can cause further problems. Some parents tell me that they don't want an antibiotic it's absolutely necessary, while others request on for every little cough and cold. Have an open conversation with your pediatrician about your child's illness and whether or not treatment is indicated. 

There is some recent research that may connect cell phone use during the younger years with increased risk of brain cancer later on. We don’t have all the answers, but based on what we know, limiting your child’s exposure is important.

But the real question is: Why does an 8-year-old need a cell phone? It opens a lot of doors to potentially dangerous things. When I was growing up, there was a phone in the middle of the house, and if I was talking to a friend, I knew that my parents could hear even though I tried to talk really quietly.  Once you give your child a cell phone, he or she can text anyone or talk anytime when you're not around.  You have no way to control it who she communicates with, or who communicates with her. A child in second gradestill needs a parent to be involved in their life, place limits and keep them safe. An adult should drop him off at school and pick him up. I can’t really think of a situation where a child at this age would need a cell phone.

It’s an expensive way to get nutrition. You can get DHA from other sources. DHA is a fatty acid that is found in breast milk (and marine animals), and it’s linked with brain development and disease prevention. It has been added to formula in the past few years for the purpose of replicating breast milk.

Absolutely. If you like veggies, chances are your kid will like them. Just offer good food, and eat it yourself. That’s all you need to do. I wouldn’t worry about it. If your pediatrician says your child is growing well, you’re okay.

Kids do need some texture in their foods, though, so I would offer foods like apple slices. By the age of 4, your child should experience the texture of cooked vegetables like broccoli. If your child is healthy and sees Mom and Dad eating it, chances are she’ll eat it, too. You do need to offer new foods as many as 10 or 15 times, though, but most parents stop at three.

By breastfeeding, you’re already doing the very best thing you can do to prevent allergies. There’s evidence that breastfeeding for at least four months may prevent or delay eczema.

We used to think that holding off on feeding a baby certain foods would delay the onset of food allergies. Earlier this year, however, the American Academy of Pediatrics, after evaluation of all the research, released a statement that basically says that doing so may not decrease the chance of a child becoming allergic later on. 

Yes. Your pediatrician won’t bring it up unless it’s really an issue. So listen carefully. He or she looks at the height and weight chart to get your child’s BMI (body mass index), a measure of fatness. Your pediatrician is looking for a change. For example, if your child is in the 80th percentile for BMI, and suddenly there’s a blip and he’s in the 90th or 95th, something has happened. What’s going on? This is especially important if there are any health issues in the family, such as a history of heart disease.