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HEALTH IQ

or Medical Fiction?

CLAIM: STOP THE COMMON COLD BY GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN C.

Verdict: Fiction
While large doses of vitamin C may help to reduce how long a cold lasts, there has been
very little evidence to support the idea that it can protect someone from getting a cold
or curing it. In fact, taking too much vitamin C can make you sick to your stomach. For
most people, taking 1,000 to 2,000 mg per day is considered safe.

CLAIM: SITTING TOO CLOSE TO THE TELEVISION CLAIM: IF YOU KEEP CROSSING YOUR EYES THEY MAY GET STUCK LIKE THAT.
CAN RUIN YOUR VISION.
Verdict: Fiction
Verdict: Fiction If children purposefully cross their eyes on occasion, there’s very little to
“Sitting too close to a TV or other screen will worry about. If this motion happens frequently or appears to be happening
only temporarily hurt the eyes,” Dr. Sakhalkar involuntarily, that may be a different problem.
says. “That’s because it can lead to dryness
from not blinking sufficiently. However, this “Children with crossed eyes require intervention as soon as possible,”
is not a permanent problem and can often Dr. Sakhalkar says. “If crossing eyes are not addressed early, it can become
be remedied simply by blinking to help clear too late to correct the problem. “
the dryness.”
Your child could be dealing with amblyopia, or lazy eye, which can often be
While it may not cause problems, sitting fixed with the use of an eye patch.
too close to a screen can be a sign of an
existing condition, such as nearsightedness. CLAIM: BITING YOUR NAILS IS A HARMFUL HABIT.
If your children regularly scoot closer to the
television, it may be a good idea to have their Verdict: Wisdom
vision checked. “Nail biting is a very common, unwanted behavior among
children and adolescents,” Dr. Mansoor says. “Most of the
time, the behavior goes away on its own. But, for those
who continue the habit, it can cause a few problems.”

Bacteria can be transferred from the nails to the
mouth, leading to infection. It’s also possible for bacteria
from the mouth to infect the nails. Regular nail biting
can change the way your nails grow and cause them to
become deformed.

Using nail polish, fake nails or bitter-tasting polish,
or finding other ways to relieve stress, can help children
break free from this habit.

WHEN IT COMES TO TALKING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH
WITH YOUR DOCTOR, THERE ARE NO STUPID
QUESTIONS. VISIT WWW.NAVICENTHEALTH.ORG/
FIND-A-DOCTOR AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT
WITH A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN TO GET ANSWERS
TO YOUR QUESTIONS.

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