UPLAND—One minute, you’re cradling your child in your arms for the first time. The next, you’re fending off the advances of a well-meaning stranger warning you’ll spoil the kid if you hold him too much.

Along with the many joys of parenthood comes a surprising fact: everyone, from your mom to your co-worker to that stranger on the street, has advice on how to care for your child – and they’re not afraid to share it. However, while those giving advice usually have nothing but the best intentions for your young one, some common advice is woefully outdated – or was never correct in the first place.

To help you sort fact from fiction, the pediatricians of Crozer-Keystone Health System offer the following advice to help new (and veteran) parents make the best choices for their children’s health.

Myth No. 1: Immunizations cause autism.

No way, says Richard Z. Kaplan, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill. “This one is definitely NOT true,” he says. “This theory has been thoroughly refuted by many scientific studies during the past decade. There is no proven link between immunizations and autism. There is no doubt that there has been an explosion in the number of autism cases in the past 15 to 20 years, and the cause remains a mystery at this time.”

Bottom line, don’t fear those shots – they’re your baby’s best defense against many serious illnesses.

Myth No. 2: Feed a cold, starve a fever.

For centuries, moms have followed this well-meaning – but totally false – advice.

“When your child is sick – whether it’s a cold, a fever or something else – one of the most important things you can do is give him or her plenty of liquids and nutrients,” says Gerald Kolski, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland. “For infants, we recommend giving plenty of formula and electrolyte solutions, such as Pedialyte. You may have heard that milk and formula can increase mucus and congestion in children who have colds, but this is another myth. Toddlers and older kids can drink milk, as well as other liquids. Electrolyte solutions like Gatorade can be very helpful in keeping older kids hydrated. If your child isn’t up to eating solid foods, try offering things like chicken noodle soup or even frozen yogurt, which offer him or her some nutritional value and could help with symptoms like sore throats.”

Myth No. 3: Green discharge from the nose means your child has something worse than a cold.

You may have heard that clear discharge from the nose is the sign of a cold, while green mucus is the harbinger of a sinus infection.

“Not necessarily,” Kaplan says. “Colored mucus can be a common occurrence during a common cold. If the colored drainage persists for several days without clearing or is associated with other symptoms, such as fever, headache, eye drainage or cough, then your child may have a sinus infection.”

Myth No. 4: If your child is having a seizure, put a spoon in his mouth so he won’t swallow his tongue.

“It’s physically impossible for your child to swallow his tongue, and putting an object into his or her mouth can inhibit breathing and result in an injury to his mouth and teeth,” Kolski says. “Instead, concentrate on getting your child away from furniture or sharp objects that could hurt him, roll him on to his or her side, and tip his chin forward a bit to help open his airway. When the seizure is over, take the child to the Emergency Department.”

If your child’s seizure lasts for longer than five minutes, call 911.

Myth No. 5: Too much sugar makes kids hyper.

“The issue of sugar intake causing hyperactive behavior is controversial and not clear-cut,” Kaplan says. “Studies done have conflicting results, and experts in the field are divided in their opinions. Suffice it to say, there are definitely some children who are more sensitive to different foods, sugar, food additives, dyes and the like, and whose behavior can be affected by those things.”

Regardless of where the advice comes from, if you have any questions about your child’s health or behavior, it’s best to go straight to the expert – your pediatrician or family physician. After all, who better to sort the myths from the facts than the people who have heard it all?

To find a Crozer-Keystone Health System pediatrician who’s right for your child, call

1-800-CK-HEALTH (1-800-254-3258).