Author Archive
Jan 27, 12 | Posted by: David Melbye, M.D.
“Read to me Daddy”
Reading to your kids is one the most important things you can do for them. I enjoy reading to my children (most nights), and it always helps when they pick a book I like too. I mean, I will read them stories about Dora, but I can only take so much…
One of my favorite authors is Mo Willems, who has books about a number of different characters. My son’s favorite stuffed animal is his knuffle bunny, the star of a trilogy that adults can relate to as well as the children can, and I love to read the twins The Pigeon Loves Things That Go. My older girls like me to read them the longer Pigeon books or one of the Elephant and Piggie tales. My personal favorite Mo Willems book is Leonardo the Terrible Monster. Check it out if you haven’t yet read it. More »
May 2, 11 | Posted by: David Melbye, M.D.
What do I do if I find a bat in my house?
Starting in the spring (It is spring right? I can’t tell.) and going throughout the summer we will get an occasional phone call about a family who finds a bat in their house. Waking up with a bat in the house would freak me out, thankfully I’ve never experienced it. Most people’s first instinct is to get the bat out of the house and as far away as possible. I know that would be my reaction, but it’s not the right one. More »
Mar 21, 11 | Posted by: David Melbye, M.D.
Swimmer’s Ear
I know alot of people will be heading out of town to warmer weather in the next few weeks (can I come too?) and I’m sure most of you will be taking your kids swimming. One of the questions I often get this time of year is about Swimmer’s Ear.
Swimmer’s ear is a bacterial infection of the ear canal that occurs when the inside of the ear canal stays wet for a long period of time. It is not the same as a middle ear infection that ofter happens with a cold. The symptoms of Swimmer’s ear are ear pain and tenderness to touch. Occasionally there will be itching and swelling of the ear canal or ear drainage. Swimmer’s ear is easily treated with antibiotic drops in the ear canal to clear the infection along with Tylenol or Ibuprofen for pain. More »
Jan 21, 11 | Posted by: David Melbye, M.D.
What do I do when a tooth gets knocked out?
This is something nobody wants to see. I have a friend whose biggest fear is bloody teeth, so hopefully this will never happen to her kids. She hated the movie “Fight Club”. Anyway, there is a difference in what to do if your child knocks a tooth out depending on if it is a baby tooth or an adult tooth. More »
Dec 13, 10 | Posted by: David Melbye, M.D.
Carbon Monoxide
Now that all of our windows are closed and furnaces are on it’s time to think about Carbon Monoxide. A girl I knew in High School had a carbon monoxide leak in her house and luckily one of her sisters woke the whole family up when she got sick so nobody died.
Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer because you cannot see or smell it. The symptoms are often vague at first and include dizziness, fatigue, headaches and nausea that can progress to weakness, confusion and shortness of breath during prolonged exposures. Some clues to look for are multiple people developing the same symptoms at the same time or feeling better once you get fresh air.
The best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning is to have properly installed and serviced gas burning appliances and furnaces. If you have a wood burning fireplace you should make sure the chimney is clean and can provide appropriate ventilation. It is also very important to have carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. There are multiple options for combined carbon monoxide and smoke detectors on the market. They are very easy to install (even I can do it; I got to use my cordless drill driver) and will give you peace of mind this winter.
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