Connecticut Children's Blog

Many factors in life can disrupt routines, create stress – and make sleep more difficult.  How can you keep your child’s sleep on track? Connecticut Children’s behavioral sleep psychologist Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD, joins the Growing Healthy blog with tips. Want more articles like this from pediatric experts you trust? Sign up for our newsletter. Subscribe First, […]

Winter darkness and colder weather can cause your child’s mood and health habits to take a dive. To help, start with the basics! Connecticut Children’s pediatric psychologist Melissa Santos, PhD, shares her top five tips. Want more articles like this from pediatric experts you trust? Sign up for our newsletter. Subscribe   1. Eat right. […]

You ask, we answer. In each edition of “Ask a Pediatrician,” Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts respond to a question from our community. Many parents wonder if their child can get both immunizations at once. Connecticut Children’s Physician-in-Chief Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP, answers. Want more articles like this from pediatric experts you trust? Sign up for […]

Resilience is the ability to overcome serious stress or difficulty, and bounce back stronger than ever. In this series, Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts share keys to resilience, and how to help your child be resilient.  We hear it all the time: Kids are resilient. But what does that mean, and why does it matter so […]

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, Connecticut Children’s and its partner pediatric practices have worked around the clock to provide a safe environment for patient care – including making sure that kids are getting the vaccines they need. To share an important reminder to parents, Catherine Wiley, MD, division head of Primary Care at Connecticut […]

This post was last updated on December 30, 2021. Your family has probably been focused on COVID-19 lately. But did you know it’s also peak season for another virus in kids? It’s called respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. On one hand, RSV is nothing new. If your child is over the age of 2, they’ve probably […]

While vaccines keep us healthy, they’re linked to a genuine fear for one out of five people: “needlephobia.” And that can present some unique challenges when it’s time for immunizations like the COVID-19 vaccine and annual flu shot. To help your child overcome any fear of needles — or better yet, prevent them from feeling […]

By: Vanessa Laurent, PhD, and Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD As the days grow shorter and the hours of sunlight decrease, your child may feel sad or sluggish from the gray skies. For some kids and teens, this feeling may be a more serious problem known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.  Connecticut Children’s pediatric psychologists explain. […]

The FDA authorized Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months to 4 years, and experts for the CDC unanimously approved the use of both vaccines – a moment that parents, pediatricians and health leaders are celebrating.  Connecticut Children’s Physician-in-Chief, Juan Salazar, MD, MPH, and Medical Director of Infection Control, John Schreiber, MD, […]

So your family is ready for a change of scenery, and the adults and older teens are fully vaccinated. But what if your younger child is still waiting on their COVID-19 vaccine? Before you make any spring or summer travel plans, Connecticut Children’s infectious disease expert John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH, has guidance. (Originally published in May of […]

This post was last updated May 17, 2022. You ask, we answer. In each edition of “Ask a Pediatrician,” Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts respond to a question from our community. The CDC and FDA authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine primary series and booster for anyone over the age of 5, and for the Moderna and […]

Since the very first cases of COVID-19 arrived in Connecticut in March of 2020, the pandemic has felt like a game of stop and go. And just when life seems to have returned back to normal after this past winter’s Omicron surge, here we are hearing and reading about the Omicron BA.2 subvariant. What should […]

Our kids have been through a lot during this pandemic. Many have lost people in their own families due to COVID-19. Because of this, we’ve told them that masks are how they help to save people’s lives—and they did a good job at taking this mission seriously. On March 1, 2022, the COVID-19 mask mandate […]

February 7, 2022 Media Contacts: The COVID-19 pandemic seems to be a never-ending rollercoaster ride for kids and families. Lately, with the rise in infections due to Omicron, that’s included a sensitive subject: what to say to your child when they or someone they know tests positive. Connecticut Children’s pediatric psychologist Emily Wakefield, PsyD, helps […]

Everyone is feeling burnt out from pandemic restrictions, and kids are no exception. It’s hard to limit activities and stay away from friends! It’s even harder when it feels like you’re the only one. So if your child has to quarantine due to COVID-19, and is stuck home while their friends are at school, sports, […]

By: Amy Adolfo Signore, PhD, MPH and Emily Wakefield, PsyD The holidays are always full of surprises. This year, as we wait to learn more about the Omicron variant, families are dealing with more uncertainty than usual. Whether you’re rethinking travel, opting for a smaller gathering, or dealing with a family member’s COVID-19 exposure right […]

You ask, we answer. In each edition of “Ask a Pediatrician,” Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts respond to a question from our community. This week, infectious disease pediatrician John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH, tackles a popular topic this cold and flu season, especially with the new threat of the Omicron variant. My child has a runny nose but no […]

By: John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH, and Beth Natt, MD, MPH This post was last updated January 19, 2022. Right around the time your family was celebrating Thanksgiving, you probably heard news about a new variant in the COVID-19 pandemic. The Omicron variant is now surging around the world, including in the U.S. Scientists are racing to […]

This post was last updated November 4, 2021.  Parents and caregivers, this is an exciting time: A COVID-19 vaccine is now available for ages 5 to 11. Since kids in this age group might be a little more nervous about needles or doctor’s visits, Connecticut Children’s Child Life specialists have prepared some tips to help get […]

This post was last updated May 18, 2022 Children aged 5 to 11 can get the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine because experts for the CDC unanimously approved its use. Connecticut Children’s infectious disease expert John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH, answers common questions about the vaccine and younger kids. Want more articles like this from pediatric experts you trust? Sign […]