November 21, 2017, 4:07 p.m.
Sarah Garwood
As an adolescent medicine physician, I see kids struggling with addictions they may think are minor now, but could become so much worse and increasingly dangerous as they grow and age. One of those habits that’s “in style” right now: vaping. Are e-cigarettes really “safe” – or are they just a gateway? Here are some points on which the research, our experts at Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and I all agree.
Sarah Garwood
I became a pediatrician because of the impact pediatrics has on a person’s entire life. If we can help parents guide children toward best practices and teens toward healthy choices early, then their chances of success are so much greater. My husband, Jason, and I share three daughters. Becoming a parent myself has deepened my empathy for children and teens who face adversity. As a pediatrician I am able to channel that energy and work toward improvements. Like any parent, I spend a lot of my “free” time running the girls around to different activities. But when we have downtime, I like to live by my favorite MomDoc tip: Keep track of and limit screen time. Kids will play, create, and engage their imaginations when being "plugged in" is not an option. Sarah Garwood, MD, is a Washington University adolescent medicine physician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. After completing medical school at the University of Missouri – Columbia, she trained at Children’s and became an attending physician in 2008.
