Dr. Michael W. Cater, MD, FAAP

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a disease that occurs due to the reappearance of the varicella-zoster virus, which is the causative agent of chickenpox. Shingles usually starts with a skin rash. These skin rashes occur either in the form of a band or a strip covering a small area on your...

Milk Protein AllergyOne of the most common food allergies in babies and young children is cow's milk allergy. The good news is that milk allergies are usually outgrown by babies when they turn 2 or 3 years old. Its symptoms are usually managed by consuming a dairy-free diet. Regular milk is...

IntroductionCyanosis is the medical term for a bluish discoloration of the skin, nails, toes, and mucous membranes. It is generally caused by low levels of oxygen in the blood. Normally, blood appears bright red when it is fully oxygenated. However, when blood does not have enough oxygen, it turns...

In a new study, researchers analyzed data from four different studies to see if childhood obesity results in an increased risk of heart disease and other health problems. Results of the study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed that obese children who cut down weight and reach...

IntroductionTay-Sachs disease is a genetic disorder that affects the brain's nerve cells. Individuals who have this disorder lacks a type of protein that is needed to break down fatty substances in the brain. Without this protein, fatty substances accumulate in the brain to toxic levels, which...

It is very common to assume that anyone with the sniffles is contagious. Very often, however, those sniffles are not linked to anything contagious at all--they can be related to other factors. The first thought of many individuals when they suffer from a runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing, or...