Doctors welcome lots of questions from parents and children, especially if they're concerned about symptoms of anxiety or depression, or behavioral disorders such as hyperactivity and autism, says Hagan. He encourages parents to have intimate talks at home early on, laying the foundation for more-complex discussions with their kids — about puberty and safe sex, say — as they develop. At what age "depends on the child," says Hagan, who usually broaches the subject of children's "private areas" at age 6. "Inevitably parents have had 'the talk' usually four to six months too late," he says.
Online Resources
Bright Futures, American Academy of Pediatrics
Vaccine Guidelines, CDC