Dr. Saundra Blanchard, MD

Most allergy medications are over the counter and are once a day preparations. particularly claritin, allegra and zyrtec. they can be taken independent of when you eat. usually most folk start with claritin as it causes the least sleepiness. DR. b

Remember - you must do your own research on the Covid vaccine. The simple answer is "NO" But every medical decision we make has pros and cons. So do a little bit of study for yourself. Dr. B

Dear friend there are MANY medications that we use to help high blood pressure, but there are MANY natural remedies that do not need a prescription. Dr. Livinggood - has a web sight and books on that. Also Dr. David Brownstein, MD has a book called, "SALT your way to Health" that has some wonderful information. Your doctor will have many pharmaceuticals that help as well. Blessings!! Dr. B

most allergy medications are now over the counter. the usual dose is 1mg per year so at 10 years old your daughter could take claritin or zyrtec. Since each person is different, you would watch for any problems with either one. Claritin has less sleepiness than zyrtec. But either of these has less sleepiness than benadryl. Of course, the very safest is not to have to use medication at all. It is easier to control dust at home than outside the home. Be sure there isn't carpet in her bedroom. keep the floor clean. Avoid lots of knick knacks as they collect dust. Most allergy specialists recommend "no pets in the bedroom". also a HEPA filter in the bedroom can really help a lot too. If problems persist, then seeing an allergist might be helpful.

Dear kidney stone patient, Your surgeon is the best one to answer that question. But depends on the kind of exercise and the extent of the surgery. Always best to start gently! Good luck Dr. B

anemia has many causes. The length of treatment will depend on the cause of the anemia. Most hematologists suggest that a trial of 3 months of iron therapy and then retesting is in order. Many physicians will retest in 6 weeks to see if there is any improvement. But it is very important to follow with a physician to be sure the cause is found and the treatment is working.

Speech delay can be from many causes - such as hearing loss, a tied tongue or a learning disability. Finding the cause of the speech delay is the first task. Then you can look for a way to "fix" it.

THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED - how old is your child? what is their diet and exercise like? how much screen time are they doing? how much outdoor play time in the sun does your child get? to navigate all these questions and many more takes a visit to a provider that understands children. There is not an easy answer as each child is so different. Good luck!

The best treatments for depression for older adults is to use natural things Isolation is one of the biggest causes. - Help him socialiaze vitamin D is very helpful - especially if he can get outside for awhile each day ( check with his doctor about his blood levels ) be careful to not over do the sugar increase B complex vitamins. These are some easy to do natural things that are very helpful for our older adults