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10 Healthy Holiday Traditions to Start With Your Family Holidays go hand in hand with a big meal, several kinds of dessert, and an afternoon nap. We get it! No need to give up all your usual traditions – but how about sneaking some healthy ones into the mix? These ideas will keep your child entertained and engaged all day, and might

Colon Cancer is On the Rise: 5 Prevention Tips for Kids By Annette Vannilam, MD: Why is this happening? How can we prevent colon cancer? Annette Vannilam, MD, Pediatric Gastroenterologist shares ways parents can encourage healthy colon health in kids.

The Power of People: How Co-Design Enhances Project Management Tools By Annika Anderson, MPH: Have you ever developed a project management tool that's supposed to make your life easier, but ends up causing more frustration or inefficiency? You're not alone. In Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health (the Office), we attempt to “work smarter, not harder”

Healing in Norwalk, CT: A Lifeline for One Medically Complex Child By Adam Vella, MD: When 10-year-old David Daly-Rosa walks into Norwalk Hospital today, his mother Tasaly sees more than an emergency room—she sees peace of mind. For years, every trip to the ER meant anxiety, long drives, and uncertainty. But now, thanks to the new Cohen Pediatric Emergency Center

Introducing the Youth Suicide Prevention Center at Connecticut Children’s By Steven C. Rogers, MD, MS: If you feel your child is in crisis, or a danger to themselves or others, call 911. In Connecticut, you can also call 211 or 988 for emergency or crisis intervention . For free, confidential support, call 1.800.273.8255 or text “HOME” to 741741. A New Chapter of Hope and Action

Innovation as a Platform for Equity By Jacquelyn Rose, MPH: By: Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH “Are we all racist?” Taken out of context, this is an alarming and controversial question. However, when Ingrid Canady of the State Education Resource Center (SERC) asked the question during her training session with Connecticut Children’s Office for

Coccygeal Pits in Babies: What Parents Need to Know By Bethany Simonetti MSN, APRN, FNP-BC: One of the most common reasons kids see our team in pediatric neurosurgery is for a coccygeal pit, something that often sounds more concerning than it actually is. To help answer common questions and ease worry, we spoke with Bethany Simonetti, APRN, pediatric neurosurgery nurse

Bridging Healthcare and Food Insecurity: A Unified Approach By Nancy Trout, MD: With food insecurity on the rise in Connecticut, the Start Childhood Off Right program, part of Connecticut Children's Office for Community Child Health, is dedicated to providing essential support to families in need. Food insecurity—defined as the economic and social condition

Level Up Your Video Game Knowledge: An Interview with a Child Life Gaming & Technology Specialist By Annie Goldsnider: The world of video gaming offers so much! Did you know Connecticut Children’s Child Life team works with families during hospital stays to encourage therapeutic video game play? That’s because, with the support of Child’s Play Charity, we have a Gaming & Technology Specialist

Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, Urges Physicians to Expand Focus Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has dedicated her career to improving the health and well-being of children. Connecticut Children’s was honored to host Admiral Levine as the featured presenter during a

Portion Sizes for Kids: How Much Food Is Healthy for My Child’s Age? By Jennifer Zarrilli, MS, RD: Some days, figuring out what to feed your child is hard enough. Figuring out how much can seem downright impossible. The recommended portions for a child depend on their age and even gender – and unfortunately, the serving size listed on grocery store labels doesn’t have much to

How to Prepare Kids for the End of Daylight Saving Time This November By Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD: Daylight Saving Time ends the first Sunday of November in most states, including Connecticut. That means on Nov. 7, 2021, clocks “fall back” an hour: Instead of 2 am, it’ll be 1 am. That extra hour can cause problems around bedtime (even if your child already has a great bedtime

6 Reasons Why It’s Important to Cook With Your Kids By Nancy Trout, MD: By now, you and your child may be discovering the fun of cooking together. Want to make kitchen time even more meaningful? Primary care pediatrician Nancy Trout, MD, MPH, co-director of the Kohl’s Start Childhood Off Right program at Connecticut Children’s, joins the blog with

Changing How We Talk to Kids About Wearing Masks During COVID-19 By Melissa Santos, PhD: 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

A Conversation with Kirsten Carlone on Strengthening Families in North Hartford By Annika Anderson, MPH: In February of 2025, Childhood Prosperity Lab (the Lab) led the second North Hartford Ascend Strengthening Families Protective Factors Community of Practice with 12 service providers and leaders. The Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework (SFPFF) is a research