Let’s be real here: being a parent can be confusing. There is no manual that we are sent home from the hospital with to guide you on the right path. We must trust our gut and learn from trial and error. Because of this, everyone’s parenting experience is different.
It also means that sometimes people pass along misinformation. Whether you read things online, hear something that just doesn’t sound right in a local parenting group, or were passed some not-so-great information from a well-intentioned relative, there are definitely child health myths floating around that need to be busted.
5 Common Child Health Myths Busted by a Pediatric ENT
Since Dr. Noze Best was founded by Pediatric ENT, Dr. Steven Goudy, he is debunking these child health myths. He sees and hears it all in his examination room, so he is sharing the most common questions that parents come to him with and is setting the record straight.
1. You have to clean your kids ears.
Have you ever taken your baby or small child to visit the doctor, they look in their ears and say something like, “wow, there’s a lot of wax in your ears”? Well, this is your reminder not to feel bad about that. We promise that the doctor isn’t saying that to make you feel like you aren’t bathing your child. In fact, the need to clean your kid’s ears is a total myth!
Guess what? Our ears are actually self cleaning! That’s right, you learn something new everyday. Wax in the ears does not mean that they are dirty, it is totally normal.
2. You don’t need to cut up your child’s food.
Just like we recently outlined the 7 holiday chocking hazards, food is an everyday chocking hazard that we need to think about as parents. Many people believe that you can easily go from feeding your child baby food on a small spoon to handing them smaller portions of our meals as soon as they show interest and this is not the case. We must always be mindful of the size and shape of the food we are feeding our little ones.
A few key foods to pay special attention to (and cut extra small): hot dogs, grapes, raw vegetables, and dried fruit.
3. If kids pull on their ear, it means they have an ear infection.
Kids are always exploring and touching everything that they can get their little hands on. If you rush your child to the doctor every time they pull on their ear, thinking they have an ear infection, you will spend way too much time at the pediatrician. If you notice that they are doing this more frequently, have a talk with them first or monitor how much it is happening over a period of time first.
4. Kids don’t need to wear a helmet.
Head injuries are unfortunately some of the most frequent type of injuries that Dr. Goudy sees at the hospital. No matter what age you or your children are, they should always be wearing a helmet when riding any type of bike, scooter, or ride-on toy. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
5. If they are picky eaters, they will be that way forever.
Nope, nope, nope…thank goodness! Your child might currently hate peas or is going through a white rice only period of time, but it won’t last forever. Their taste buds will change as they get older, and in most cases they will eventually get excited to try new things!
Check out Dr. Goudy’s recent video busting these health myths:
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Has anyone ever shared a child health myth with you? Send us a DM on Instagram, we would love to debunk any misinformation that could impact children’s health and wellness.
The Nozebot is a battery-powered suction device designed to clear nasal congestion in babies and children.
