Whether you are preparing for your child’s very first day, or you’ve been through it before, the transition from summer vacation back to school can be tough!

To help parents plan, Erum Kazim, MD, a pediatrician with Dignity Health Medical Group — Merced offers tips to consider as part of the back to school preparation process — for a happy and healthy academic year.  

The holidays are here, and to celebrate, many will be visiting homes of loved ones. Parents and guardians often have a list of questions they ask before their children visit other homes, whether about pets in the house, allergies, or internet supervision. Swapna Kudtarkar, MD, a pediatrician with Dignity Health Medical Group — Inland Empire, asks parents to add another question to their safety checklist: “Is there an unlocked gun in your home?”

Serving as a caregiver to a child is one of the most important, rewarding and difficult roles one can have. Being a caregiver during a pandemic has made the role even more challenging. It goes without saying that the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have also been challenging for children and teens, especially as they navigate normal developmental milestones on top of challenges that may have been present prior to the pandemic.

Stephanie Parmely, Ph.D, a psychologist with Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group, answers common questions about anxiety in children and teens. Dr. Parmely identifies signs to watch out for, and actions that parents, guardians and/or caregivers can take to address issues.

Finding the perfect gift for each child on your list is no small feat. To help you make the best choices, we talked to three Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group child and adolescent psychiatrists about thoughtful, clinician-approved gifts for every child on your shopping list.

Halloween is just around the corner, marking the beginning of the holiday season. With pandemic guidelines having loosened in many parts of the state, people are excited for an end-of-year holiday season that’s reminiscent of pre-pandemic celebrations from years past. Even with vaccination numbers on the rise, we should continue to recognize that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. This Halloween, it is important to continue taking precautions against spreading the COVID-19 virus whenever possible.