By Peter S. Waldstein, M.D., F.A.A.P and Julia A. White, M.D., F.A.A.P
You may have heard about the recent epidemic of whooping cough in the news, and like most parents probably have many questions. Pertussis (also know as “whooping cough”) is a respiratory illness that is characterized by paroxysms of cough. Vaccinations greatly decrease the incidence of the disease, although we do see some cyclical peaks in activity. Now, pertussis has made a come back with this year being on track to have the most cases in almost 50 years. Infants and young children are the most severely affected, and it can be fatal especially in young infants. All of the fatalities from pertussis this year in California have been in children under the age of 3 months.

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Bordatella pertussis. It may also be caused by Bordatella parapertussis, but less commonly. It is spread by contact with respiratory secretions or droplets of an infected person, and is most infectious during the initial catarrhal phase of the illness. A normal incubation period for the illness is about 7 to 10 days, but may be shorter or longer. After this, the symptoms start to appear.
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Dr. Alan Barbakow, DDS
Summertime is no reason for kids to take a vacation from maintaining healthy teeth. It is important for them to continue their routine of brushing and flossing regularly. Parents should also continue to reinforce daily dental discipline in addition to seeing their dentist and orthodontist during the summer.

Besides playing video games, hanging out at the mall and playing Marco Polo in the swimming pool, snacking plays a major part in children’s summer activities. Oftentimes, they tend to eat foods such as candy, potato chips and ice cream that are delicious and fun, but are traditionally bad for their teeth. These kinds of foods heavily laced with sugar (sucrose) and corn sweeteners (fructose) attack the hard enamel of the teeth resulting in cavities.
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By Marc Kalan, M.D.
“It was pretty easy to get pregnant with our first child, so we figured the next one should be easy too.”

Unfortunately, I hear this statement all too often. It usually comes from a nice couple in their late 30’s or early 40’s who adore their first child, and after a few years, are ready for a second. Sometimes, however, being ready for your second child is simply not enough.
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By Peter S. Waldstein, M.D., F.A.A.P and Julia A. White, M.D., F.A.A.P
Talking about infant head shape is something that frequently comes up at the pediatrician’s office. Your pediatrician may ask you to start “tummy time” very early in your infant’s life, and there is reason behind it. Plagiocephaly, which is a term for abnormal head shape with flattening of the skull, is something that has increased in incidence dramatically since babies have been sleeping on their backs.
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By Dr. P. Benjamin Nikravesh DPM, DABPOPPM, DABPS
A bunion is a bump you notice on the side of your foot. Iit is most noticeable in women due to pain from shoe gear. What you see is a physical dislocation of the bone, which eventually causes the big toe to drift towards the second toe. As the bunion gets worse the big toe eventually touches or goes under the second toe. .
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By Dr. Payman Danielpour and Dr. John Layke
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group
The “Mommy Makeover” is not a new procedure. Pregnancy can take its toll on the female body causing breast deflation, tummy laxity and stretch marks. There are two parts to the traditional “Mommy Makeover”: (1) an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) to tighten the abdominal wall, remove the excess skin and markedly decrease the presence of stretch marks, and (2) either a breast augmentation or breast lift. During pregnancy the breasts swell – sometimes markedly – in preparation for the baby and milk production. After breast feeding stops, however, the breast tissue involutes and the overall volume deflates. (more…)

By Andrea Thorpe, L.Ac.

Recent research is now pointing towards something that Chinese medicine has been explaining for thousands of years. 80% of your immunity potential lies in your gut. Studies indicate that a balance between good and bad bacteria in the large intestine is a significant determinant of your potential to ward off pathogenic illnesses such as colds and more importantly the flu.
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Tips on how to stay healthy during the flu season.
By Peter S. Waldstein, M.D.,F.A.A.P and Julia A. White, M.D.,F.A.A.P

It has been an interesting year for influenza. Not only are there more types to worry about, but also more vaccines for the flu than ever before. The novel H1N1 influenza virus (also known as “swine flu”) has hit the community hard, and particularly early in the year. This article will focus on prevention of the flu.

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