Category: children

MMR Vaccines: Do They Work and Are They Safe?

In the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, getting your child’s routine vaccinations may be the last thing on your mind, or perhaps you are wondering whether it’s ok to go to a clinic at the moment and whether it would be better to wait. Even without these unusual considerations, some parents worry about childhood vaccinations…


NACI Recommends Three COVID 19 Shots for Immunocompromised Children

OTTAWA—The National Advisory Committee on Immunization now recommends immunocompromised kids between the ages of five and 11 be offered a third dose of an mRNA vaccine to protect them against COVID-19. NACI says evidence shows that some moderately to severely immunocompromised people may have a reduced immune response to COVID-19 vaccines. While there is no…


Is It Shyness or Something on the Spectrum? 

Recently I heard from a parent of an almost 4 year old boy, described as smart, but shy at school. The teacher is recommending testing to see if he’s “on the spectrum”. This is a classic case of teachers diagnosing through suggestion – and while trying to be helpful – it can create enormous anxiety…



Children With COVID-19 at Low Risk for Severe Health Issues: International Study

Children aged 17 and younger are at low risk of getting severe health issues, according to an international study examining the risk factors for severe outcomes in children with COVID-19 in 10 countries. The observational study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open on Jan. 11, involved scientists who followed…


Putting Children and Their Social Interactions First Will Be Key to Mental Health Recovery in a Post-Pandemic World

There was a time, not too long ago, when educated, civilized societies felt that putting children first was a good idea. They felt that this idea was so sensible and good that they enshrined it in a global declaration: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child. Posters about it were displayed in…


‘No Evidence Right Now’ Children Need COVID-19 Boosters: Top WHO Scientist

World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said there is no evidence currently available to support giving COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for children or adolescents. “There’s no evidence right now that healthy children, or healthy adolescents, need boosters. No evidence at all,” she said at a WHO media briefing on Tuesday. Swaminathan, an Indian…


‘No Evidence Right Now’ Healthy Children Need COVID-19 Boosters: Top WHO Scientist

World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said there is no evidence currently available to support giving COVID-19 vaccine booster doses for healthy children or adolescents. “There’s no evidence right now that healthy children, or healthy adolescents, need boosters. No evidence at all,” she said at a WHO media briefing on Tuesday. Swaminathan, an…


Childhood COVID Vaccination Causing Contention in Families

The issue of COVID-19 vaccinations, which polls show has become a divisive issue in society, has also caused rifts in some families. A Saskatchewan father recently went into hiding with his young daughter to keep her from receiving the COVID vaccine, just one case of many across Canada where vaccination status is becoming a point…


The Subtle Art of Parenting

It’s easy to claim the titles of mother/father or mum/dad, they’re a biological thing or even a role demarcation. You are, or you are not, a mum or dad. Being a parent, on the other hand, is a different kettle of fish. You can be a mother or father without ever actually being a parent….