This article provides an overview of the composition of human milk, its variation, and its clinical relevance. The composition of human milk is the biological norm for infant nutrition. Human…

Worldwide, breastfeeding saves the lives of infants and reduces their disease burden. Breastfeeding also reduces the disease burden for mothers. This article examines who chooses to breastfeed and for how…

From a population perspective, the achievement of the goals of exclusive breastfeeding throughout the first 6 months of life and continued breastfeeding with the introduction of age-appropriate complementary feeding for…

The pediatrician plays a major role in advocating, promoting, and managing breastfeeding, beginning in the prenatal period by providing facts and discussing questions and concerns regarding breastfeeding with the expectant…

Malaria, diarrhea, respiratory infections, and cutaneous larva migrans are common travel-related infections observed in children and adolescents returning from trips to developing countries. Children visiting friends and relatives are at…

Endemic parasitic infections in the United States are more frequent than is commonly perceived. Intestinal parasitic infection with Cryptosporidium, Dientamoeba , and Giardia occurs most often in children in northern…

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is typically undifferentiated from many other infections in the first few days of illness. Treatment should not be delayed pending confirmation of infection when Rocky Mountain…

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) occurs more often in early childhood than at almost any other age. Many microorganisms are associated with pneumonia, but individual pathogens are difficult to identify, which poses…

An acute osteoarticular infection in a child is most often hematogenous. The infection manifests as osteomyelitis or septic arthritis. The most common causative organism is Staphylococcus aureus. Medical advice is…