Heather Collette, M.D.

It’s hard to say without looking at the results myself but I can understand how the uncertainty can be worrying. I would recommend having a conversation with the doctor themselves so they can explain what exactly they are monitoring for.

Heather Collette

There are many things that can lead to insomnia - too much screen time before bed (the blue light from screens promotes alertness), caffeine in the afternoon/evening, large meals in the evening time, anxiety, not enough activity or exercise during the day. I would speak to your physician more extensively about your sleep habits and/or mental and hopefully they can pinpoint some lifestyle changes you could make. Melatonin is a relatively benign supplement that mimics a neurotransmitter in our own brain that helps us to fall asleep and is available at the pharmacy without a prescription. You could try taking this 30 minutes before bedtime to see if it helps you fall asleep. It is not addictive.

Heather Collette

It depends on what the fever/cough is caused by. For viral pneumonia or bronchitis, I would expect the fever to last no longer than 5-7 days. If the fever is lasting longer than this, bacterial pneumonia may be present and the child should be checked out by a doctor as antibiotics may be needed.

The effects that I would expect from bathing your child too frequently would be: dry skin, skin damage or reactions from scrubbing or using harsh soaps, and a psychological impact on the child causing an abnormal fear of germs and need to bathe frequently into adulthood.

Heather Collette

It would be unusual for a child to have a true bacterial pneumonia without a fever (defined as greater than 100.4 degrees). However this could happen if the child did not have a normal immune system and was not able to mount a fever like other children would. Children can have a viral pneumonia without a fever - but this type of pneumonia would not require antibiotics.

Heather Collette

Good question. Having your back is to the wall is the best way to ensure that you are completely stretched to your full length. Unfortunately, most of us have slouched posture at baseline and true "upright" posture may feel uncomfortable because our muscles are not used to being in that position.


Heather Collette, MD, MHS-MEd

Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics

Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Yale University School of Medicine

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of great options out there to help teething babies sleep. Tylenol can help with pain or low-grade fever associated with teething. A cold, wet, soft cloth can be rubbed on the baby's gums or they can gnaw on it. Be sure the cloth is not frozen though, as this could potentially cause damage to the gums. There are teething "gels" available over the counter that help to numb the gums - but the effect is short-lasting and, if over-used, can cause serious side effects.

PCOS typically causes abnormal hair growth, acne, irregular periods, and obesity. When it comes to physical growth, particularly height, PCOS does not seem to affect this. A study published in Endocrine Abstracts in 2012 by Zabuliene et al. did not find a difference in height between female patients with PCOS and those without PCOS. They did find that women with PCOS had a larger body frame size, longer torso, higher and narrower pelvis, and shorter extremities compared to women without PCOS.


Heather Collette, MD, MHS-MEd