Dr. Marilyn P Smith MD

Recommended Articles

• Can Autism Run in the Family?

  The answer to the simple question of whether autism runs in the family is not clear. The fact of the matter is that autism most commonly runs in the family and is considered as the most heritable condition among other neuropsychiatric conditions. On the other hand, ASD mainly occurs through de novo...

• The Risk for Developing Cerebral Palsy in Babies is Higher at 37 or 38 Weeks

  Babies born at 40 weeks have a lower risk of developing cerebral palsy, when compared to babies born at 37 or 38 weeks, or at 42 weeks and later, according to a new study published in, The Journal of the American Medical Association. But the absolute risk of developing this condition in babies is...

• The Autism and Vaccine Debate

  There has been a heated debate across the US on whether vaccines could be potentially damaging to children. Some have strong opinions on this subject, but as always, people are encouraged to understand the facts to help them come to their own conclusions.This article is not meant to change...

• Fast Weight Gain in Infants Predicts Obesity in Their Future

  “Babies who gain weight quickly within the first two years have a high risk of childhood obesity," says a new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Infants who gain weight after 6-12 months are more likely to be obese when they are 5-years-old to 10-years-old....

• What Is Mumps: Get the Facts

  Mumps is a highly contagious viral infection, which is common in young children. It’s often recognizable by extremely painful swellings occurring at the side of the face, giving the individual a distinctive hamster face appearance. Other mumps-related symptoms include high body temperature,...

• What Are Vaccines?

  What is a vaccine?Vaccines are products that enable a person to develop immunity against certain diseases. A vaccine can be given through needle injections, by aerosol, or by mouth. The polio vaccine is given in the form of mouth drops that contain live but weakened organisms. The vaccine gets into...