Who benefits? Be careful with medical information in social media!
... and yes, the doctor himself spreads a lot of medical information on Insta & Co. But there is one crucial difference: he does not pursue any commercial interests with his channels. Unfortunately, you can't say that about everyone who is active in this field ..
As a result, parents are increasingly inundated with information that is often backed by a major commercial interest. One paediatrician colleague spoke of an "anarchy of information" that parents are exposed to on the networks.
The best example: Food supplements (NEM), i.e. omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iodine, etc. Parents are increasingly being told that there will be more or less dramatic health consequences if they don't give their child this or that supplement very quickly. The scientific data is quite simple: the German Society for Nutrition clearly states that children and babies need vitamin D and, in certain cases, iodine for a certain period of time. Otherwise, there are no recommendations for food supplements.
And yet this is often presented differently on social media. This creates pressure for parents to buy certain supplements for their children. What you should know: The market for food supplements in Germany has an annual turnover of 4.2 billion euros! That's why you should always check carefully and critically when such information is disseminated online: Who is behind it? Are there any commercial interests involved?
The whole thing is a growing burden in two directions: we serious paediatricians have to invest more and more time in relieving parents of the worry that their children will suffer a deficiency if they don't supplement with A or B. And parents are stressed anyway. And the parents are punished anyway: in addition to the already high "mental load", they are made to worry even more about the "optimisation" of their children and to pull out their wallets.
The time, money and energy spent on this would be much, much better invested in spending time together and relaxing with the children - and this would also help their health in the long term.
Further interesting tips
Language development
Comparing children is rarely a good idea. But in one area, comparisons with others are even more stupid than they already are: language development. Because this is a very individual story. Nevertheless, there are of course a few pointers and tips. Not only the doctor knows this, but also Myriam Mayländer, speech therapist in Lorch.
Bedwetting
When it comes to bedwetting, parents are often surprised by the point at which it is first mentioned. The good news is that if the child has been wetting the bed for a longer period of time, it's good news: It often only takes patience for the issue to resolve itself.
Advertising ban for sweets & co
In the UK, there has been a ban on advertising extremely unhealthy foods since January 2026. Specifically, products with significantly too much salt or significantly too much and too densely packed sugar may no longer be advertised on television before 9 p.m., and not at all online. Do we need the same in Germany?