Connecticut Children's Blog

His mother didn’t share the pediatrician’s suspicions, but Jack Wright knew something was wrong. He could tell she had been crying when she had him pulled out of class to pick him up at school. They headed straight for the emergency department at Connecticut Children’s, where doctors confirmed he had Type 1 diabetes. “I thought […]

It was Easter weekend 2011, when, on a lark, Annie Cooper pricked her finger with her dad’s glucometer to test her blood sugar. It was sky high. A freshman in high school at the time, Annie remembers wondering if it was all the Easter candy that caused the spike. Her father, a Type 1 diabetic […]

Each November, we and other healthcare organizations across the country celebrate National Nurse Practitioner Week, which raises awareness for the nurse practitioner role and recognizes the exceptional care they provide. Meet two of our nurse practitioners below, and if you know or have an appointment with a nurse practitioner this week, please thank them for […]

Robert Parenteau hated the word “diabetes” and for a long time after being diagnosed with Type 1 at age 10, he was in denial about even having the disease. Worries about bulky equipment and a frightening appearance filled his head. “That will never be me”, he remembers thinking to himself. In middle school, things only […]

By Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA is the Associate Director of Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center When you drive home on October 31st, drive more slowly than usual, watch out for kids and adults who may be out and about in places you normally would not expect them to be. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children […]

Do you ever wonder if your child might benefit from a sleep study? Or, has your child already been scheduled for one? You might wonder what is involved and how to make your child more comfortable during this procedure. You might also wonder whether your child will be able to tolerate the necessary sensations for […]

Andrew DiMauro is a typical eighth-grade boy who lives for sports and having fun with his friends. But when a knee malformation he was born left him on the sidelines one too many times, he and his family turned to an expert at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Lee Pace, an orthopedic surgeon with the […]

Sleepwalking is a normal part of childhood and is not considered a sleep disorder. It is however, fairly common. Up to 40% of children sleepwalk at some point and, most of the time, this behavior disappears by puberty. A recent study surveyed parents of 1,800 children in Australia and their parents noted that 10% percent of these children […]

Each year in early October, we and other healthcare organizations across the country celebrate National PA Week, which raises awareness for the physician assistant profession and its contributions to national health. Meet two of our PAs below, and if you know or have an appointment with a PA this week, please thank them for their […]

After 15 years and multiple misdiagnoses, Kelly Amato says her son finally found the right doctor and a medical “home” for his rare bone disorder at Connecticut Children’s. Families that have a child with a rare disease search endlessly for a doctor willing to take them in – a doctor willing to believe them and […]

At Connecticut Children’s, some of the top physician-researchers in the nation are doing whatever it takes to transform care for children with rare diseases. We sat down with Gyula Acsadi, MD, PhD, division head of neurology at Connecticut Children’s, to learn more about recent developments in treatments for children with rare neurological disorders. What are […]

Now that fall sports are starting up, it’s a good idea to be mindful of how to keep your young athletes safe on the field. David Wang, MD, MS, chief of Connecticut Children’s Sports Medicine division, shares some ways athletes can prepare for the season. Before athletes head out to the field for practice, what […]

Concussions are one of the top sports-related injuries, and require prompt diagnosis and treatment. We sat down with David Wang, MD, MS, division head of Connecticut Children’s Sports Medicine division, to talk about concussion prevention, how to recognize the signs and symptoms, and what happens if your young athlete sustains a concussion. Are there any […]

Armani Hernandez’s father, David, was apprehensive in the fall of 2015 when 14-year-old Armani said he wanted to play football at school. “He was a baseball player,” David says, “and I was skeptical about football because it has such a high injury rate.” And sure enough, soon after starting football, Armani complained that his arm […]

Charlotte Wesoloskie is a sweet, soft-spoken girl with a big heart and an even bigger message for children diagnosed with cancer: “Don’t be scared and never give up!” As a cancer survivor, 11-year-old Charlotte speaks from experience and truly “walks the walk.” And, as the inspiration behind a growing fundraising phenomenon known as “PJ Day […]

Gavin David is an ebullient child, always happy, always running, says his mother, Lindsay. “He’s a ball of sunshine,” she says. So Lindsay wasn’t particularly alarmed when Gavin woke up with a bloody nose one morning in March 2017. His mother figured it was just winter in New England and let it go. But the […]

When Genevieve Neiman was 10 years old, her parents had no idea that a routine doctor’s visit would lead to a cancer diagnosis. Or that she would begin her summer vacation the very next day as an inpatient at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. The family was packing for a trip to Florida when they received […]

When Madisen Yanez was almost 2 years old, she told her mother she had a “boo-boo.” Little did her mother know, the “boo-boo” was actually a tumor the size of a grapefruit—engulfing her kidney. “She kept saying she had a ‘boo-boo’ in her belly,” Megan recalled. “She started complaining right before Christmas. We called it […]

It’s Back to School time! As you prepare to send your child off, check out our Back to School guide for ideas from Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts on what to pack for lunch, how to keep your children safe on the bus, tips for waking up on time, and more! Preparing for the First Day […]