Connecticut Children's Blog

An important warning from Connecticut Children’s Division Head of Emergency Medicine: John Brancato, MD. As we head into the holidays, please be aware of where certain dangerous objects are in your home. Water beads, button batteries and magnets can be fatal if ingested or inserted into parts of the body. Here is the harsh reality […]

By Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA is the Associate Director of Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center Everyone deserves a memorable, spooky- and safe- Halloween. Here are some Halloween safety rules of the road for all ages, to help make sure that happens.  1. Go together: Plan on accompanying your child if they are trick-or-treating, especially […]

By Amy Watkins, MPH and Kristen Levesque, Transportation Engineer When school is in session, we can expect buses, crowded drop-offs and bicycling or walking along busy roads. Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States, so it’s important to talk to your child now about being safe around […]

In New England, summer sneaks up after a long winter. However, when the sun comes out, it’s out full force. Before you and the family head outside and “take back” summer, check out some summer sun safety tips to protect yourself and those you love against the sun’s harmful rays. Connecticut Children’s pediatrician Dr. Keri […]

Children turn to social media to stay connected with friends – through messaging and video chats, sharing photos and videos, and playing video games. For many, this is happening at a younger age than their parents originally planned. That can be okay, since it’s important for children of all ages to maintain social connections. But […]

Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in basketball athletes of all ages. And all too often, many players have to sit most of the season out depending on how severe the injury.  This is a situation no athlete and their parents, understandably, want to face. >Related: The Pressure to Win: Sports and […]

There’s never a good time for your child to need urgent care. But it’s really, really not a good time when you’re about to leave for vacation. Two days before his family’s big trip to Marco Island, Florida, 7-year-old Tyler Grad fell off a slide at his school playground. He and the slide had a […]

Heat-related illness like heat exhaustion and heat stroke can oftentimes send kids to the emergency room in the summer months. What should you look for and what should you do if your child is showing signs of any heat-related illness? Better yet, how can you help your child prevent these illnesses all together? Dr. John […]

By: Kevin Borrup, Executive Director, Injury Prevention We all want our children to have a fun, memorable and active summer. Water play is a major part of making summer memories and many kids are eager to splash around, swim or attend pool or beach parties. However, we need to be mindful that water can be […]

By: Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS, and Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA Want to make sure your child’s time on the playground is as safe as it is fun? Follow these safety tips from orthopedic surgeon Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS and the Injury Prevention Center’s Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA. Playground injuries are common, but preventable. […]