About: Dr. Shaer

Back to school can be a stressful time for both parents and kids, but did you know that stress can actually make you sick? The stress response also known as the fight or flight response, when overactive in our bodies can cause illness. The fight or flight response is a normal and involuntary physiologic response…

This summer, spend time reading with your kids. Reading is critically important to your child's development. Do what you can to help your child learn to enjoy it. Lifelong reading is one of the keys to success and this habit is best instilled at a young age. 1. Let your children see you reading and…

Parents of newborns often ask if holding their baby too much will spoil him or her. The answer to this question is a resounding "No". Newborn babies are accustomed to being held 24/7. This was their existence during their entire gestation. Any amount of time that a newborn is not being held can be stressful.…

Everyone loves Summer, right? Here are five tips to stay safe so you can enjoy summer to the fullest. 1. Sunburns: Don’t forget sunscreen. We all know that vitamin D from the sun is important for your health, but the risk of sunburn is too great to skip the sunblock. When choosing a sunblock for…

Happy Father's Day to all our dads out there. Recently I've been asking your kids what they like about their dads. Here are some of their answers. We hope you have a great Father's Day. My Dad... Makes me laugh. Is so much fun. Plays with me. Loves me. Reads to me before bed. Makes…

Happy belated Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mothers out there. This year I collected some information from children, especially the ones here in Riverhead, NY, about what makes a great mother. On reflection of the day, I’d like to share a combination of their input and some kid tips on how to be a…

It makes sense that physicians want to DO something to help their patients get better. That’s what we went to medical school for, right? Sick patients tend to expect the same from their doctors; a quick fix for their illness. One of the hardest things to learn is that sometimes the best thing we can…

Recently there has been attention on an event that occurred in Riverhead where a police officer was reportedly giving a woman a difficult time for breastfeeding her baby. It is not my intention to discuss the details of this event, but to use it as an opportunity to discuss breastfeeding from a slightly different perspective.…

When faced with a difficult situation, what determines your response? Do you ever hear stories in the news that make you wonder, “would I do that?”. Some people seem to get stuck in grief and others process it and rise above to do great things. Here in Riverhead, NY, we seek to recognize those who…

There has been a massive grassroots movement against Common Core of late. I am certainly not an expert on the educational system but I have a couple of objective observations that I'd like to share. First of all, this past week during testing, many kids came to the office with headaches, stomach aches and other…

There is a lot of attention these days on childhood obesity. How do cute chubby babies grow into unhealthy overweight children? It’s very easy. Weight management is an uphill battle for everyone. It is only successful for adults when they have the desire and determination to make a change. The problem for kids is that…

Dear Parents, As healthcare consumers, many of us have been experiencing confusion with the insurance products offered through the New York Health Insurance Exchange. As noted in a recent article, many physicians' offices are having a very difficult time verifying patients' insurance coverage, particularly when many patients do not yet have their insurance cards. The…

Everyone gets nervous when their child has a fever. However, fever is not dangerous. The CAUSE of the fever is what is important. There are many myths surrounding fever. Here are some facts about fevers: 1. Fever helps the body fight infection. Fever helps slow growth of bacteria and viruses. It also enhances the immune…

With all the talk that "breast is best", I'd like to present a different perspective. Breastfeeding is not special, it is normal. Humans are mammals and in mammals, after pregnancy comes lactation. There is nothing special about that, it's just the natural state of affairs. It is true that breastfed babies have health benefits over…

Recently my 13 year old daughter told me that she wished she had grown up when her dad and I did. My initial instinct was to be upset about how old I was and that I had grown up in the old days but then she explained. She loves the stories that she hears of…

By Jennifer Shaer, MD It seems like kids cough all winter long. When is it time to worry about the cough? When can you treat it at home and when should you go to the doctor? There are many causes of cough in children. Most commonly, a cough is caused by a viral upper respiratory…

This year I had a hard time coming up with a new year's resolution. I'm tired of setting myself up to fail by making unrealistic goals and broad proclamations. That is not the way to start the year off right. At the same time, having no goals leaves me without a focus. I like to…

Stay safe and have fun this holiday season A few reminders of dangers to avoid this holiday season 1. Fires: Artificial Christmas trees should be labeled "fire resistant". Live trees should be fresh and keep them watered. Set the tree up away from radiators and fire places and make sure it is secure in its stand.…