Q: Will earbuds harm my children's hearing? --Emily, Sausalito, CA

Those white wires coming out of your child's ears might as well be fuses: iPodtype earbuds could detonate your child's hearing. The buds block just one decibel of background noise, prompting your kids to crank up the volume, explains Brian Fligor, Sc.D., director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital Boston. "If a child blasts music at 90 percent of the maximum volume for two hours a day, five days a week, for 10 years, he will suffer a significant hearing loss," Fligor says. "He could have the hearing of a 60-year-old by the time he's 20." The reason is that repeated exposure to high volumes damage the outer hair cells, which connect to the auditory nerve. While the iPod does have volume restrictor controls, Fligor recommends a different solution: Explain the danger to your child and buy sound-isolating earbuds that block exterior noise by fitting into the ear canal perfectly. "This way your child can appreciate music, but will be more likely to listen at a lower volume." Several manufacturers make sound-isolating earbuds, including Loud Enough (loudenough.com), which has a $40 model aimed at children 6 and older.

Q: My husband insists on a Montessori preschool. Is he right? --Pam, Hamilton, VA

Only if you're open to a nontraditional school experience. "Unlike conventional preschools, Montessori schools let kids choose what they want to do from a handful of subject areas, including practical life, sensorial exercises, language, math, geography, science, and art," says Angeline S. Lillard, Ph. D., a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia who has published 40 studies on how young children learn. "There are no tests or grades, and the goal is to discipline the mind to make good decisions." Maybe that's why Montessori-educated children were more socially competent and performed better on standardized reading and math tests in a recent study published in Science. Still not convinced? Consider this: Many top CEOs--including the founders of Google and Wikipedia--went to Montessori schools. For all the benefits of the Montessori method, however, there are caveats. First, tuition can range from $1,000 to $14,000 a year. Second, not all Montessoris are created equal. The better ones are reviewed every three years by the International Montessori Association. Visit its website, montessori-ami.org,to find a quality school in your area.

Q: Should I feed my baby boy gluten-free food and formula? --Lisa, Montclair, NJ

There's a lot of confusion over who should go gluten-free, and researchers are investigating whether new research suggests that some babies may benefit from delaying the introduction of gluten into their diet. "Gluten-free baby foods are for infants with celiac disease, an immune-system disorder in which consuming gluten--a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley--can lead to gastrointestinal distress as well as stunted growth," says Alessio Fasano, M.D., a nutrition researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Although its cause remains unclear, a genetic component is suspected, and Fasano's team is studying whether delaying the introduction of gluten into an at-risk baby's diet will reduce their odds of developing the condition. The study won't be completed for 10 years, so in the meantime, introduce gluten into your baby's diet beginning at 6 months. If you notice any symptoms, such as intestinal pain, diarrhea, or failure to gain weight, have your pediatrician do a blood test for celiac disease.