Head lice are tiny insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. An infestation of head lice, called pediculosis capitis, most often affects children and usually results from the direct transfer of lice from the hair of one person to the hair of another.

Research shows it’s far safer to keep them facing the back until age 2. Parents may be tempted to transition their children from rear-facing to forward-facing car seats as soon as possible, usually when they outgrow their infant carrier.

The stomach flu (also known as gastroenteritis) is usually caused by any number of different viruses that can attack your gastrointestinal system. It’s not caused by the influenza virus, which gives you the seasonal flu.

When stomach flu hits, it hits hard.

Nobody likes getting sick, but the stomach flu delivers its own brutal mix of symptoms. When it hits, it can quickly render you nonfunctional and utterly miserable (i.e., lying on the bathroom floor within constant reach of the sink or toilet).

Doctors recommend that your child get a flu vaccine every year in the fall, starting when he or she is 6 months old. Some children 6 months through 8 years of age may need 2 doses for best protection.