The road to a bright smile begins long before the first tooth appears. Parents play a big part in helping their children develop healthy teeth. Early monitoring by your child's doctor and dentist is important. (See "What is a pediatric dentist?")

Giving medicine in the right way can help your child feel better and get well. However, medicine information and labels can be confusing. Read on for information from the American Academy of Pediatrics about prescription and over-the-counter medicines, how to give medicine in the right way, and how to

Almost all teens get zits at one time or another. It's called acne. Whether your case is mild or severe, there are things you can do to keep it under control. Read on to find out how.

Next to the common cold, an ear infection is the most common childhood illness. In fact, most children have at least one ear infection by the time they are 3 years old. Many ear infections clear up without causing any lasting problems.

Estimates are that up to 20% of infants and young children may be affected by eczema at some point. There is no good data about how frequently hives and contact dermatitis occur.

Allergy describes a condition involving the immune system that causes sneezing and itching, chronic rashes, wheezing, or even life-threatening allergic reactions. Whether minor or serious, there are things you can do to prevent or control most allergic problems. The more you know about allergies—the

Allergies are very common. In a national study of children with special health care needs, 53% had allergies of some type.

The key adaptation to avoiding anaphylaxis is to try to avoid the allergen. This may mean

For anyone experiencing anaphylaxis, epinephrine should be given right away followed by a call to 911 for further treatment and transfer to a hospital. The main medicine to treat anaphylaxis is epinephrine. This is a medicine given by an injection. The best place to inject it is in the muscles of the

Anemia can make your child appear pale in color and feel cranky, tired, or weak. Though these symptoms may worry you, the most common causes of anemia—such as iron deficiency—are generally easy to treat, especially when anemia is detected early.

Acute ankle and foot injuries are common in athletes and other active young people. Sprains account for the greatest number of acute injuries.

Parents need to know that using antibiotics when they are not the right medicine will not help and may even cause harm to children.

Asthma (AZZ-muh) is a disease of the breathing tubes that carry air to the lungs. The linings of the tubes swell, and they fill up with mucus (MYOO-kus). This is called inflammation (in-fluh-MAY-shun). It makes the tubes get narrow. This makes it hard to breathe.

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, affecting between 5% and 10%.

Things that cause asthma (AZZ-muh) attacks or make asthma worse are called triggers. Asthma triggers can be found in your home, your child's school, child care, and other people's homes.

Almost every child (and adult) with asthma can benefit from sports and physical activity. Also, asthma should not prevent young athletes from enjoying a full athletic career. The following is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics