In Sickness and Health: Pinworms

Are pinworms dangerous? People with pinworms often have no symptoms. The worst problem is itching, especially at night.

Can you get pinworms from pets? No. The pinworm that affects humans cannot live in dogs or cats or other animals.

How are they spread? Children scratch "back there" and get the eggs under their fingernails. They can then be passed to other children or adults through touch, toys, food, etc.

Can a child with pinworms attend childcare? They can return to childcare after they have taken the first dose of medicine. Caregivers should check with parents to be sure a second dose of medicine is given about two weeks later.

Safety First: Water Play Safety

Can children drown in shallow water? Children have been known to drown in as little as an inch of water.

What are good items for water play? Plastic toys and props (avoid glass or metal); nontoxic soaps or bubbles.

What is "swimmers' ear?" Also called "external otitis," it causes pain and itching when water and bacteria are trapped in the ear canal.

Can children in diapers play in pools? Children who are not toilet trained should not play in pools with other children, or only enter when wearing tight-fitting rubber or plastic pants.

Nutrition Action: From the Bottle to the Table

What is the first sign that babies can self-feed? Before self-feeding, the infant must have full control of his head and neck.

At what age can most babies begin to self-feed? At 6-9 months, they can grasp and hold objects and direct the objects to their mouths.

Why do babies often drop food on the floor? They are curious and testing; they want to see what happens when the food falls, and see what the adult will do.

Which is easier for babies to use-a fork or a spoon? It depends on the food. Either one may work as long as it is child-sized.

Medicine Chest: Health Insurance for Children

What is CHIP? CHIP, or the Children's Health Insurance Program, is a federal program to provide health insurance for children whose families do not qualify for Medicaid, but yet cannot afford private health insurance.

What are some of the health services paid for through CHIP? CHIP pays for preventive services, such as regular well-child visits and immunizations, and also for services when children are ill.

Where can parents or providers get information about CHIP? State or local health departments are one of the best sources of information.

Health and You: Health Information from the Web

Are there some criteria for evaluating health websites? The Health Information Technology Institute (HITI) has developed seven criteria for evaluating health websites.

How do I know if a site is credible? The person or agency who sponsors the site should be clearly identified, and contact information provided.

What are links? Many sites provide links that take you to other related sites. A credible site should only refer you to other sites that appear to be credible.