Search Results

Mouth Breathing in Kids: When to Worry and What You Can Do By Amy Hughes, MD: If you've seen your child sleeping with their mouth open night after night, or even breathing through their mouth during the day, you might be wondering: Is this normal? Should I be worried? Occasional mouth breathing is common in children, especially during a cold or allergy

Does My Child Have Nasal Allergies? All About Allergic Rhinitis By Amy Hughes, MD: Nasal allergies are one of the most common conditions in kids today. Inflammation of the nasal passage occurs when a child inhales something they are allergic to, like animal dander or pollen. Nasal allergies also called “allergic rhinitis” or “hay fever,” but neither hay nor

Pathways to Action: Driving Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Workplace By Lauren Dominique, MA: Driving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is a key focus of Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health’s Equity Committee. After working on numerous initiatives over the past three years, our members are excited to debut a new Subcommittee

Healthcare Transformation: Addressing a Triple Crisis By Paul Dworkin, MD: By: Paul Dworkin, MD The call to transform our healthcare system by focusing on children first is nothing new. However, it is critical now more than ever to move forward with such an agenda. COVID-19, racial injustice and ongoing economic challenges present a triple crisis that

The 6 Rules of Sports Injury Prevention for Kids, Teens and Young Athletes By Imran Hafeez, MD: The longer an athlete is inactive, the longer it takes for them to come back to full activity after a break. Connecticut Children's pediatric and adolescent sports medicine experts have been hearing one question a lot: How can athletes prevent injury? Here are 6 tips from our

Screening for Social Determinants of Health By Paul Dworkin, MD: By: Paul Dworkin, MD It’s important that physicians screen for problems related to the critical social determinants of health. Those are the circumstances in which people live and work, such as food insecurity, housing insecurity, and transportation, that have been shown to have

Beyond a Heart Transplant: Taylor's Story By Dennis Mello, MD: Every December, a familiar email arrives in the inbox of Taylor’s heart surgeon. It’s from “Aunt Ellen,” featuring the latest Christmas photo of Taylor and her cousins. Through the years, these photos have captured Taylor’s transformation from thoughtful child to determined teen

AI is Here to Stay. 4 Things Parents of Teens Should Know By Preeti Sandhu, PsyD: This blog was originally published in February 2024 and has been updated as of February 4, 2025. In today's digital age, teenagers are growing up in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is part of everyday life. From virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa to

Care Coordination is Critical for Children in Mental Health Crisis By Steven C. Rogers, MD, MS: By: Allison Matthews-Wilson, LCSW, Susan Roman, RN, MPH, and Steven Rogers, MD Children with complex medical conditions deserve strong care coordination to support their families in promoting optimal healthy development. A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted the issue

Pediatric Meltdown: Parent-Led Health Care Transformation As pediatricians face enormous challenges maintaining practices amid growing expectations, there is optimism that transformational change in pediatric primary care delivery could further support providers and bring about the often-elusive outcomes we have long sought. Paul

Personal Hygiene Milestones: A Guide for Parents By Andrew Carlson, MD: Good hygiene habits start young. As kids develop, they reach important milestones and one of the most noticeable ones is personal hygiene. Proper hygiene is your child’s foundation for good health, confidence and a solid social life—and it’s so much more than learning about

How to Support Your LGBTQIA Loved Ones Who May be Struggling By Tasha Hawksley: Social acceptance of the LGBTQIA community has progressed in recent years, but those old stereotypes and misconceptions can still greatly affect the mental health of members of this community. So how can we as their loved ones make them feel comfortable during times of transition

Shifting the Paradigm: Elevating Assets and Strengthening Families’ Protective Factors By Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH: As the parent of two tiny humans, ages 2.5 and 4.5, and a public health practitioner focused on supporting children’s well-being, I (Jacquelyn) regularly read about the science, practice, and art of rearing children into socially, emotionally, and physically healthy adults. I’ve

Meet Rachel: Making a Difference in Children’s Lives Through Excellent Care After working alongside Advanced Practice Providers (APP) for several years as a bedside nurse, Rachel Caplan, APRN, was inspired to go back to school. Now a nurse practitioner in Hospital Medicine, Rachel creates a genuine connection with patients and their families by

Signs Your Child Might Be Depressed or Anxious – and What to Do Next By Lauren K. Ayr-Volta, PhD: Over the last few years, some parents and pediatric experts have noticed an increase in youth anxiety and depression. For general advice on how to support your teen, check out Is Your Teen Stressed, Sad or Angry? They May Be Feeling Grief . If you’re wondering how you’ll know