Articles In This Section
-
Nervous System
The nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and a complex network of nerves. It's job is to send messages back and forth between the brain and the body.
-
Peripheral Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system delivers information back and forth between your brain and your body.
-
Skin
Our skin protects the network of tissues, muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, and everything else inside our bodies.
-
Skin, Hair, and Nails: The Body’s Protective Layer
Skin, hair, and nails form the outer layer of our body and protect everything inside.
-
The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is an extensive drainage network that helps keep bodily fluid levels in balance and defends the body against infections.
-
Central Nervous System: The Brain and Spinal Cord
The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system. Find out how they work together to control everything we do.
-
Digestive System
The digestive process starts even before the first bite of food. Find out more about the digestive system and how our bodies break down and absorb the food we eat.
-
Endocrine System
The glands of the endocrine system and the hormones they release affect almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies.
-
Enzymes
Enzymes speed up chemical reactions in our bodies. They’re essential to digestion, blood clotting, and growth, and do many other important things.
-
Female Reproductive System
Learning about the female reproductive system, what it does, and the problems that can affect it can help you better understand your daughter's reproductive health.
-
Hair
Hair grows all over the human body except the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and lips.
-
Immune System
The immune system, composed of special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs that protect against germs and microorganisms, is the body's defense against disease.
-
Male Reproductive System
Understanding the male reproductive system and what it does can help you better understand your son's reproductive health.
-
Metabolism
Brush up on metabolism, the chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy, in this article.
-
Mouth and Teeth
Our mouth and teeth play an important role in our daily lives. Here's a course on the basics - including common problems of the mouth and teeth.
-
Nails
Nails protect the sensitive tips of fingers and toes.
-
About Body Basics
Remember the biology class you had in high school? Well, maybe you don't or maybe now that you have a child, your interest in how the body works has grown.
-
Blood
Here are the basics about the life-sustaining fluid called blood.
-
Bones, Muscles, and Joints
Without bones, muscles, and joints, we couldn't stand, walk, run, or even sit. The musculoskeletal system supports our bodies, protects our organs from injury, and enables movement.
-
Corneal Abrasions
Corneal abrasions, which are common among kids, happen when something gets into the eye. Though sometimes painful, they're rarely serious and usually heal within a few days.
-
Dealing With Earwax
Earwax helps protect the eardrum and fight infection. Parents shouldn't attempt to remove earwax at home, as doing so risks damage to the ear canal and, possibly, a child's hearing.
-
Flying and Your Child’s Ears
That weird ear-popping sensation is a normal part of air travel. Here's how to help equalize the air pressure in your child's ears to prevent or decrease ear pain.
-
Surgery for Tear Duct Blockage
Blocked tear ducts are a fairly common problem in infants. Sometimes surgery is done to treat them.
-
Cholesterol
Most parents probably don't think about what cholesterol means for their kids. But high cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, which has its roots in childhood.
-
Hemangiomas: Suzanne’s Story
When Anna was born, she developed red spots that her parents learned were hemangiomas, benign birthmarks that she eventually outgrew. Her mother tells her story.
-
Nutrition & Fitness Center
You know the importance of exercising and eating nutritious foods, but do you know how to raise a healthy and active child? Get practical advice and tips.
-
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD)
Some kids have hearing loss due to auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD), a problem in the transmission of sound from the inner ear to the brain.
-
Overweight and Obesity
Preventing kids from becoming overweight means making choices in the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together.
-
The Spleen
The spleen is a fist-sized organ in the upper left part of the belly under the ribcage. It helps protect the body by clearing worn-out red blood cells and other foreign bodies (such as germs) from the bloodstream.
-
Your Child’s Changing Voice
Along with obvious changes in physical appearance that come with puberty, your child’s voice will start sounding a whole lot different too.
-
Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia )
Tongue tie is when a band of tissue connects the tip of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, which keeps it from moving freely.
-
Birthmarks
Birthmarks that babies are born with, or develop soon after birth, are mostly harmless and many even go away on their own, but sometimes they're associated with certain health problems.
-
How to Handle Constipation
Constipation is when a child has fewer bowel movements than usual. Ease constipation with the three Fs: fluid, fiber, and fitness.
-
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Doctors use body mass index (BMI) measurements to assess a child's physical growth in relation to other kids the same age. Here's how to calculate BMI and understand what the numbers mean.
-
How to Handle Heat Illness
In hot weather, a child's internal temperature can rise and cause heat exhaustion, which can progress to heatstroke if not treated quickly.
-
How to Handle Pain While Peeing
When it hurts to pee, a urinary tract infection (UTI) is usually to blame. But there are other causes. Here's what to do.
-
How to Handle Vomiting
Vomiting can be caused by many things, most commonly gastroenteritis (the "stomach flu"). Here's what to do when your child throws up.
-
How to Handle a Cough
Coughing is a healthy reflex that helps clear the airways. Many coughs are caused by viruses that just need to run their course.
-
How to Handle an Earache
Here's what to do if your child complains of ear pain.
-
How to Take Your Child’s Pulse
Need to check your child's heart rate? Follow our guide and check with your doctor if you have questions.
-
Is It a Cold, the Flu, or COVID-19?
The flu usually makes kids feel worse than if they have a cold. But it's not always easy to tell the difference. Here are tips on what to look for — and what to do.
-
Is My Child Too Sick to Go to School?
It can be hard to know if kids are well enough to go to school or childcare. Here are some guidelines.
-
Keeping Your Child’s Diabetes Under Control When They’re Sick
Parents need to take a few extra steps to keep blood sugar levels under control when kids who have diabetes are sick.
-
Teething Tots
Teething can be a tough time for babies and parents. Here are the facts on teething, including tips for baby teeth hygiene and relieving pain.
-
How to Take an Axillary (Armpit) Temperature
The axillary (armpit) method is a convenient way to take a child's temperature, especially for kids who can't hold a thermometer in their mouths. Here's how to do it.
-
How to Take an Oral Temperature
Taking an oral temperature is easy in an older, cooperative child. Most kids can have their temperature taken this way when they’re about 4–5 years old. Here's how to do it.
-
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy can help improve kids' cognitive, physical, and motor skills and build their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.
-
Physical Therapy
Doctors often recommend physical therapy for kids who have been injured or have movement problems from an illness, disease, or disability. Learn more about PT.
-
Taking Your Child’s Temperature
All kids get a fever from time to time. Find out about taking your child's temperature, safely and accurately.
-
What Can I Do About a Fever (High Temperature)?
Fevers are usually not cause for alarm - they're the body's way of fighting infection. Here's what to do if your child has a fever.
-
When and Where to Get Medical Care
Should you head to the ER when your child is hurt or ill? What about an urgent care center? Different problems need different levels of care, and you have many options.
-
Braces
Does your child need braces? Find out when braces are necessary, what's involved in caring for them, and how to find low-cost orthodontic care in your area.
-
Fluoride
Keeping kids' teeth healthy requires more than just daily brushing. Learn about fluoride, a substance found naturally in water that plays an important role in healthy teeth.
-
How Do I Care for My Baby’s Teeth?
Proper dental care begins before a child's first tooth appears. Each day, run a clean, damp washcloth or an infant toothbrush over their gums to clear away harmful bacteria.
-
Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy
Here are the basics about how to care for your child's teeth - and when.
-
TMJ Disorders
Kids with these jaw disorders often have difficulty chewing or talking due to problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Symptoms can resolve on their own, or with treatment.
-
Going to the Emergency Room
Knowing what to expect when you need to take your child to the emergency room can help make it a little less stressful.
-
Growing Pains
Growing pains are leg pains and soreness that happen to kids at night, usually when they're 3 to 12 years old.
-
How to Take a Rectal Temperature
The best way to take a temperature in infants and young children is by taking a rectal temperature. Here's how to do it.
-
Canker Sores
Many people regularly get bothersome canker sores in their mouths. Here's how to help prevent them - and make a kid who has one more comfortable.
-
Fever (High Temperature) In Kids
Fevers happen when the body's internal "thermostat" raises the body temperature above normal. This is often the body's way of fighting infections.
-
Sleep and Your Preschooler
Preschoolers sleep about 10 to 13 hours during each 24-hour period, and it's important to help them develop good habits for getting to sleep.
-
Bruxism (Teeth Grinding or Clenching)
Gnashing and grinding teeth, called bruxism, is common in kids, and often happens during deep sleep or while a child is under stress.
-
Kids and Sleep
Getting enough sleep can be a problem for children of any age. Here's how to know if your kids get enough sleep.
-
Nightmares
Nightmares aren't totally preventable, but parents can help kids feel better when they have one and ease their transition back to sleep.
-
Bedwetting (Enuresis)
Bedwetting is an issue that millions of families face every night. Most of the time it's not a sign of any deeper medical or emotional issues and kids eventually grow out of it.
-
Growth Charts
Doctors use growth charts to figure out whether kids' height and weight measurements are "normal" and whether they're developing on track. Here are some facts about growth charts.
-
Common Questions About Vaccines
Vaccines protect kids from potentially deadly diseases. Learn about what they are, how they work, and what they do.
-
Bed-Sharing
Bed-sharing increases the risk of sleep-related deaths, including SIDS. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing for the safest sleep environment.
-
Breastfeeding FAQs: Sleep – Yours and Your Baby’s
Here are answers to some common questions about breastfed babies and sleep - from where they should snooze to when they'll finally start sleeping through the night.
-
Flat Head Syndrome (Positional Plagiocephaly)
Babies can develop a flat spot on the back of their heads, usually from sleeping in the same position too long. Alternating your baby's sleep position and providing lots of "tummy time" can help.
-
How Can I Be Sure My Baby Stays on Her Back While She Sleeps?
Find out what the experts have to say.
-
Sleep and Your 1- to 2-Year-Old
Nighttime feedings may be a thing of the past, but in this second year of life your tot might be rising for other reasons. Learn more.
-
Sleep and Your 1- to 3-Month-Old
At this age, babies generally have their days and nights straightened out. Many infants even "sleep through the night," which means 5 or 6 hours at a time.
-
Sleep and Your 4- to 7-Month-Old
By this age, your baby should be on the way to having a regular sleep pattern, sleeping longer at night, and taking 2 or 3 naps during the day.
-
Sleep and Your 8- to 12-Month-Old
Sleep problems are common in the second half of a baby's first year. It's best to respond to your baby's needs with the right balance of concern and consistency.
-
Sleep and Your Newborn
Newborn babies don’t yet have a sense of day and night. They wake often to eat – no matter what time it is.
-
Sleep and Your School-Aged Child
School-age kids need 9–12 hours of sleep a night. If they don't get it, they may be cranky or moody, hyper, and have behavior problems.
-
Lungs and Respiratory System
We need the respiratory system for breathing. Find out how it works.
-
Coughing
Coughs are a common symptom, but most aren't a sign of a serious condition. Learn about different coughs, how to help your child feel better, and when to call your doctor.
-
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein in the body that helps make bones strong.
-
Stress Fractures
A stress fracture is a tiny crack in a bone. They usually happen from repeating the same movement over and over.
-
Splints
A splint is a support device that keeps an injured area from moving. Doctors often use splints to hold bones and joints in place so they can heal after a fracture.
-
Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is one of the most common causes of knee pain in adolescents. It's really not a disease, but an overuse injury.
-
Greenstick Fractures
A greenstick fracture is a type of broken bone. The bone cracks on one side only, not all the way through the bone.
-
How Broken Bones Heal
Broken bones have an amazing ability to heal, especially in kids. Full healing can take time, but new bone usually forms a few weeks after an injury.
-
Growth Plates
Growth plates are the areas of new bone growth, usually near the ends of long bones. A growth plate is weaker than solid bone. This makes it more likely to get injured.
-
Broken Bones
Many kids will have a broken bone at some point. Here's what to expect.
-
Buckle Fractures
A buckle or torus fracture is a type of broken bone. One side of the bone bends, raising a little buckle, without breaking the other side of the bone.
-
Comminuted Fractures
A comminuted fracture is a type of broken bone. The bone is broken into more than two pieces.
-
Ears
Hearing may be the ears' main job, but it's not all they do. Learn all about the ears in this Body Basics article.
-
Kidneys and Urinary Tract
The bean-shaped kidneys, each about the size of a child's fist, are essential to our health. Their most important role is to filter blood and produce urine.
-
Sleep and Your Teen
Teens need about 8–10 hours of sleep a night, but many don't get it. Keeping these tips in mind can help your teen get a good night’s sleep.
-
Sleepwalking
Although it can be unnerving to see, sleepwalking is actually very common in kids. Here's how to keep your young sleepwalker safe.
-
Helping Your Teen Get Enough Sleep (Video)
Not getting enough sleep can lead to physical and mental health problems in teens. By making a plan together, you can help your teen sleep better.
-
Night Terrors
A night terror seems similar to a nightmare, but it's far more dramatic. Night terrors can be alarming, but aren't usually cause for concern or a sign of a medical issue.
-
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Brief pauses in breathing during sleep can be normal. But when breathing stops often or for longer periods, it can be a cause for concern.
-
Heart and Circulatory System
The heart and circulatory system are our body's lifeline, delivering blood to the body's tissues. Brush up on your ticker with this body basics article.
-
Blood Types
Categorizing blood according to type helps prevent reactions when someone gets a blood transfusion. Find out how blood types work.
-
Body Basics: The Heart (Slideshow)
Learn how this amazing muscle pumps blood throughout the body.
-
Preventing Eye Injuries
Eye injuries in kids can lead to serious vision problems, even blindness. Wearing protective eyewear can prevent most eye injuries.
-
Quick Video Summary: Treating Tear-Duct Blockage (Tear Duct Massage)
Blocked tear ducts are a fairly common problem in infants. If your child has a blocked tear duct, your doctor may show you how to massage the eye several times a day at home for a few months. Massaging can help open the blockage.
-
Quick Video Summary: Treating Tear-Duct Blockage (Tear Duct Probe)
Blocked tear ducts are a fairly common problem in infants. A common procedure called a tear duct probe can open the blockage.
-
Strabismus
Strabismus causes eyes to wander or cross. Treatment may include glasses, patches, eye drops, or surgery.
-
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
A subconjunctival hemorrhage is a red spot on the white of the eye. It can look scary, but is usually harmless, doesn’t hurt, and won’t affect vision.
-
Your Child’s Vision
It's important for kids to have their eyes examined regularly, as many vision problems and eye diseases can be detected and treated early.
-
Nearsightedness (Myopia)
Nearsightedness (myopia) is a vision problem that makes it hard to see distant objects clearly.
-
Amblyopia
Amblyopia interferes with the way the eye and the brain work together. The result is poor vision. Treatment may involve glasses, patches, eye drops, or surgery.
-
Black Eyes
A black eye is bruising around the eyes that can look purple, black, or dark blue. Usually, they get better in a week or so.
-
Eyes
The eyes are small compared with most of the body's other organs, but their structure is incredibly complex. Learn more about eyes, vision, and common problems with both.
-
Farsightedness (Hyperopia)
Farsightedness (hyperopia) is a vision problem that makes it hard to see nearby objects clearly.
-
First Aid: Pinkeye
Pinkeye is an inflammation of the white part of the eye and the inner eyelids. Although some kinds of pinkeye go away on their own, others require treatment.
-
How to Handle an Eye Injury
Some eye injuries can be treated at home, while others require a visit to the doctor or emergency room. Find out what to do if your child has eye pain.
-
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches can cause severe pain and other symptoms. Read about migraine causes, treatments, prevention tips, and lots more.
-
Febrile Seizures
Febrile seizures are full-body convulsions caused by high fevers that affect young kids. Although they can be frightening, they usually stop on their own and don't cause any other health problems.
-
Fainting
Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness. Someone who has fainted will usually recover quickly.
-
Headaches
Headaches affect kids as well as adults. Learn about common causes and when to talk to a doctor.
-
Constipation
Constipation is a very common problem among kids, and it usually occurs because a child's diet doesn't include enough fluids and fiber. In most cases, simple changes can help kids go.
-
Functional Abdominal Pain
Functional abdominal pain is lasting belly pain that doesn't respond to treatment. Many school-age kids have it at some point, but get better without lasting problems.
-
Inflammation
Inflammation is one way the body reacts to infection, injury, or other medical conditions. Many things can cause it.