Family Health: Ask Dr. Rubin

Q: My eight-month-old son has yet to really roll over. He does it by accident when he is reaching for something, but I see him really trying to do it when he gets frustrated from being on his tummy or back and he has yet to do it. Is this something I should worry about?

A: Watching your baby grow is a wonderful and unique experience. Generally, there are four major areas of development: personal-social, language, fine motor, and gross motor (e.g. rolling over). Although these are further broken down into “milestones,” growth is complex, with many subtleties, not all babies “read the book” and the adage that “there are no two individuals alike” is none the truer than in this area. Remember, guidelines are just that.

Although rolling over is “generally” accomplished at an earlier age than the way you describe your baby, this feat is merely one in myriad of signs. In my practice, I have seen many babies crawl first—and a few actually walking—before figuring out how to roll over. Yet, in order to be absolutely sure of the significance—or not—of your baby not “really” rolling over, your pediatrician should perform a thorough and careful developmental screen. There are many standardized tests, a commonly used one is called the Denver Developmental Assessment, that may be utilized. If there are questions or concerns, he/she may then refer you to a developmental pediatrician (specialist in developmental issues).


Q: If my child drinks something hot or cold before I take his oral temperature, will it still be accurate?

A: This one’s on the money, according to a recent study at the University of Virginia Health System. If your child has just had a cup of tea, a bowl of soup, or an ice pop, wait about half an hour before giving him an oral thermometer.


Q: Help me here—my friends are always debating whether a child can get sick from getting chilled. Some insist that children can’t catch a cold by being outside too long on a rainy, cold day. Yet I’ve noticed that my child definitely has the sniffles after spending hours in the park on a soggy, chilly day. So who’s right? Can a child catch a cold from being cold?

A: For decades, scientists have been saying there’s no evidence for this. Well, now there is. Last year, researchers in Wales tested the age-old wisdom that being cold can bring on a cold.