The Doc Smitty - Dr Justin Smith, Pediatrician

09/22/2026

08/15/2026

Are you following my new podcast?

Podcast Episode · Deep Dives · August 12 · 3m

08/08/2026

New items in my on-line store!

Go check it out and help me pay for all the technology it takes to bring you solid, evidenced-based parenting tips!!

The Doc Smitty

07/15/2026

Sometimes they’re looking for information.

Sometimes they’re looking for reassurance.

Sometimes they’re just making conversation with the person they trust most.

Patience now often builds confidence later.

07/14/2026

Children don’t become wise because we make every decision for them.

They become wise because we gradually teach them how to make their own.

Do you find this step of parenting?

07/14/2026

My child sweats all the time. Should I be worried?

Sweaty kids are much more common than most parents realize.

Some children wake up with damp hair every morning. Others always have sweaty hands or feet. Some soak through their shirt after just a few minutes of playing outside. In many cases, this is simply how their bodies are wired.

Children’s sweat glands can be very active, and primary hyperhidrosis (excess sweating without an underlying illness) is often inherited. If Mom or Dad were “the sweaty kid,” there’s a good chance their child will be too.

Sweating during exercise, hot weather, excitement, or even deep sleep is usually completely normal. In fact, toddlers and younger children often sweat more from their heads while sleeping because they spend more time in deep sleep and have immature temperature regulation.

Where pediatricians become more concerned is when the sweating doesn’t fit the situation or comes with other symptoms.

Things worth discussing with your pediatrician include:
• Drenching night sweats that regularly soak pajamas or sheets
• Sweating while resting in a cool room
• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent fevers
• A racing heartbeat, chest pain, or trouble breathing
• Poor growth or decreased energy
• Excessive thirst and frequent urination, which could suggest diabetes

Most children who sweat a lot are perfectly healthy.

But if the sweating is new, severe, or accompanied by other concerning symptoms, it’s worth having it evaluated. Sometimes the answer is simply reassurance.

Occasionally, sweating is an early clue that helps us identify a medical condition before other symptoms become obvious.

As always, trust your instincts. If something seems different about your child—not just sweaty, but not themselves—it’s okay to ask questions.

07/13/2026

What words have you been saying about yourself lately?

07/09/2026

🚨 What’s Going Around: Screwworms

Recent news about New World screwworms has understandably caught people’s attention.

Here’s the reassuring news:

✅ Human infections are rare.
✅ Children are very unlikely to be affected.
✅ The biggest impact is currently on livestock and wildlife.

Screwworms are the larvae of a fly that lays eggs in open wounds. Unlike ordinary maggots that feed on dead tissue, screwworm larvae feed on living tissue, which is why they can cause significant damage if left untreated.

Parents should know:

• Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered.
• Watch wounds for increasing redness, swelling, drainage, or severe pain.
• Seek medical care if a wound isn’t healing normally, especially after travel to an affected area.
• If you ever see larvae in a wound, seek immediate medical attention.

At this point, this is not something the average parent in the United States needs to panic about, but it’s a fascinating example of why public health officials work so hard to prevent these flies from becoming established. Once they spread through livestock populations, the economic and animal health consequences can be enormous.

More info in the caption! Please share to get the word out!

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