Dr. Niran Al-Agba

Boys and Weapon Play. Will it Make Them More Violent?

The take home point is weapons used in play can be fun and even constructive, but if used to hurt others can be damaging over the long term. Teaching children the significant differences between the two is crucial. So my slightly apprehensive self, did indeed, find the very important “weapon” for my son’s Lego man. And yes, I confess, it was a small gun. He made lots of “bang-bang” noises right after I handed it to him and it freaks me out less now than it did before writing this.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T17:03:29+00:00June 15, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Child Safety, Gun Violence, Injury Prevention, Parenting, Safety|

The Post-Partum Struggle: My Letter to Every First Time Mom

There are NO wrong decisions you make on behalf of your child. I know you are doing the best you can. I have been there; right where you are right now. After four children, I have made countless mistakes and learned so many lessons. There will be stumbles along the way. EVERY mother wants to throw the baby out with the bath water, run screaming from their house, and nap for 7 days straight without interruption sometimes. Those feelings are totally and completely normal.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T17:07:47+00:00June 12, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Mother, Parenting, Patient Physician Relationship|

A Good Night: How to Train Your Baby to Sleep

I had a 4 year old, 3 year old, and an 18 month old when the baby arrived, and to be honest, I do not remember a thing from the time he was born until he was 3 months old. That summer was literally about survival, theirs and mine. Since we live in a three bedroom house, the baby slept in our closet until about 6 months, when sleep training felt necessary to put him in a room with a sibling. My oldest still talks about when “we” sleep trained the baby because it was Christmas break and he slept on the floor of our room for two weeks, which he loved.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T17:12:38+00:00June 9, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Infant Sleep, Motherhood, Parenting, Sleep Training|

The Day I Forgot My Son in My Car

It happened to me one unforgettable January morning. The weather has been glorious this week; it is time to tell this story, even though I am hesitant to share it. Our world today is fast-paced and time-crunched; sometimes we overlook details as a result. Infants are rear-facing until they are 2 years old; they can fall asleep in their car seat and we can forget they are there. It really can happen to ANY parent and below is my own experience.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T17:17:04+00:00June 5, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Child Safety, Injury Prevention, Motherhood, Parenting, Physician Mother|

Lessons in Compassion From My Oldest Son

So far, with only 7 years of parenting under my belt, my children seem to have a solid self-esteem base, some self-control (a work in progress), and appear to be developing into truly compassionate human beings. There is still a lot for me to learn and many years of trials ahead. Whether or not my children will become successful adults, remains to be seen, but I can tell you it will be my life-long work in progress and it will be sprinkled with compassion along the way.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T16:26:58+00:00June 2, 2016|Categories: Patient, Physician|Tags: Children, Mom, Parenting, Physician Mother|

Thriving After a Pediatric Stroke

In my opinion, the physician-patient relationship is the most powerful force existing in medicine today. It has kept my love for this career alive even on the worst days. Being part of a childs’ life and changing it in some small way for the better is something to treasure. “Medically, mentally, physically, and academically, he did it!” Max has many more triumphs ahead for Max, there will also be many for other children who struggled early in life to survive.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T16:31:32+00:00May 30, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Parenting, Pediatric stroke, Stroke in Children|

Power Bars and Post-it Notes

Experts say teaching children to express their feelings comfortably helps to build self-esteem. In my opinion, we need to nurture our little saplings and provide a supportive environment to help them to grow strong on their own and avoid pruning their branches too early.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T16:37:21+00:00May 27, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Motherhood, Parenting, Physician Mother|

When Can You Introduce Solid Foods?

To sum it all up, I recommend using your gut instinct and watching your child for cues, letting your child nurse on demand, and eating solid foods when they are hungry. There are no right or wrong answers, only what is ‘right’ for your family. Happy Eating!

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T16:47:36+00:00May 20, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Feeding Children, Parenting, Parents, Solids|

The True Value of Stomach Acid

I realized I had not heard the faucet running in between trips and wondered from where she was getting the water. “From the toilet,” she said. I was speechless. My kids all started laughing as they did not exactly understand why drinking water from the toilet is not a good idea. If I had not been so tired, I might have panicked at the thought of what could happen to children who drink water from the toilet.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-03T16:53:12+00:00May 16, 2016|Categories: Patient|Tags: Child Safety, Parenting, Parents, Physician Mother|