Dr. Stavra A Xanthakos M.D.

Kids can be so unpredictable when it comes to eating – they may complain about stomach pain when they are very grumpy, but may keep quiet when they really feel bad. Most children settle into a better eating pattern and the complaints about stomach aches also reduce. Some of these are true warning...

Have you ever wondered why your child has difficulty in gaining weight, or maybe he or she is not gaining weight at all? Does your child experience abdominal pain, bloating, or even diarrhea when they eat foods with wheat, barley, rye, and the like? Is your child always weak and sickly? If he or she...

What is celiac disease?A gluten-free diet is a must for people with celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that can get triggered by gluten. Gluten is a protein that is usually found in foods such as wheat, rye, and barley. When people with celiac disease ingest this protein, damage to the...

Many doctors still dread to recommend rotavirus vaccination thinking that it may increase the chances of bowel blockage, known as intussusceptions, in children. Many studies have shown that vaccination can considerably reduce the number of hospitalizations due to severe diarrhea in infants. One of...

Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, a disease that is mostly known as the rupture of the appendix. The human appendix is considered to be a vestigial structure. Vestigial means lacking meaningful work, or the evolving of a part of the body to take on a new shape, or an organ that has...

Jaundice usually appears about three days after birth and disappears by the time the baby is two weeks old. Premature babies are more prone to jaundice than the mature ones. This condition can also take 5-7 days to appear. It can also stretch up to 3 weeks. Jaundice also tends to last relatively...