Dr. Melissa Arca

I suppose this is my somewhat belated public show of appreciation for good and involved Dads everywhere. But, mainly it’s to the one that my two kids call Dad. My husband. An amazing Dad. And I don’t say that lightly. I know how good my kids have it. I know that they will never...

Did you know that over of 80% of ER visits among kids less than 12 are due to accidental or unsupervised medicine ingestion? This translates into over 70,000 ER visits in children less than 18 for unintentional medication overdose. Children getting into over-the-counter and prescription medicine is a huge problem. And we know that...

When it comes to over-the-counter medicines and household products, I think all of us as parents have had some pretty close calls or actual incidents in terms of accidental ingestion. It’s scary how quick (and curious) kids are. I still remember the time my then three year old got her hands on (and teeth...

When Alice from Science of Mom: The Heart and Science of Parenting (I love that, don’t you?) asked me to answer a few questions on the topic of infant sleep, SIDS, and bed-sharing as part of research for the sleep chapter of a parenting book she’s writing (which I can’t wait to read by...

I will not text and drive. In fact, I will not check my email, Facebook, or Twitter while driving. Better yet, I will  keep my cell phone in my purse, the backseat, or the glove compartment to resist the urge. It may not be this simple when it comes to teens and texting while...

1.  Reapply at least every 2 hours. No matter what. Spending the day at outside? Make sure your little one has his/her sunscreen reapplied at least every 2 hours. Set a timer if you need to. Also be sure to reapply after swimming or excessive sweating no matter how much time has passed. Fact–>...

Oh great. I’m still in a booster at age 8. So apparently, my son had the misconception that once he turned 8, it was bye-bye booster. Poor kid. I guess I forgot to tell him that it’s really his height that matters. I think he might be a little embarrassed considering many of his...

Spring is here and with all the beautiful blooms and warm days comes the tree and grass pollen (the most common Spring allergy triggers). Combine that with the wind and kids spending more time outside and unfortunately, what you get are an uptick in your kids’ allergy symptoms. While some kids will only have...

You know the kid. The one in the outfield kicking dirt and picking daisies. His parents, religiously cheering from the bleachers. Because he likes baseball. Probably loves the snack bar tickets more, but nonetheless, loves being there. Game after game, pitch after pitch, one missed fly ball after the next. Pay attention, get your...

Teens, smartphones, Facebook, Instagram, and a myriad of other “social” apps. What do they have in common? Well they simply go together these days. Just look around and if you spot a teen, he/she is likely virtually connected, phone firmly in hand. The social landscape has certainly changed since our own teen years and...