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Meet Coriana: A New Nursing Graduate Already Feels Like She’s Found a Home Not only is Coriana a new nursing graduate, she cares for Connecticut Children’s most vulnerable patients: infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. But thanks to the support she receives from leadership and her fellow nurses, she’s feeling empowered, not intimidated.

Beyond Imagination: How Life Support Saved Kaitlyn’s Lungs- And Life Last summer, 3-year-old Kaitlyn Duong caught a common virus. It should’ve amounted to nothing more than a typical childhood flu. She was prescribed rest and fluids; a dose of antibiotics when the doctor heard a touch of pneumonia. No major cause for concern. But then her

Beyond Crohn’s Disease: Madeline’s Story By Jeffrey Hyams, MD: If that expert happens to be a two-hour drive away, you thank your lucky stars and grab some road snacks. If the year is 2024, you also prepare to listen to a lot of Taylor Swift. That’s what 15-year-old Madeline often blasts on the drive from home in New York’s Hudson River

Beyond Esophageal Atresia: Marcus’ Story Minutes after Marcus was placed in his mother’s arms for the first time, the nurses gently lifted him away again. They’d heard something alarming in his cry. An X-ray confirmed it: esophageal atresia, a problem with the connection between his esophagus and stomach. He’d just been

Preventing Eye Strain During Your Child’s Screen-Based Learning By Janine Collinge, MD: Whether from homework assignments on a computer or tablet, or remote instruction during COVID-19 quarantines, screens are probably a big part of “back to school” for your child. Connecticut Children’s pediatric ophthalmologist Janine Collinge, MD, shares tips.

GROW Thoughtful: Danny’s Story One day, when Danny Sullivan was 8 years old, he began to feel very tired. Everyone thought it was allergies, maybe, or a growth spurt. He’d always been a healthy kid, with nothing more than the occasional cold. But this time, it got worse. Suddenly, he could barely stand up. His

Going Beyond Clinical Care: Improving Housing Conditions and Health Outcomes Fredrik was two months old when he started struggling to keep down food. No matter what parents Marie and Josh Pinheiro tried, “he was spitting up and vomiting at all hours of the day,” says Marie. “Nothing helped.” Two months later, the wheezing and coughing started. At an age

Healthy Housing: Innovation Gone Wrong By: Marcus Smith, MBA and Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH This is the second in a series of four blog posts that we plan to publish during Healthy Homes Month that explores how organizations can leverage housing innovations as a platform to help children to flourish, thrive, and succeed

What is Kindness in Healthcare? 8 Questions with Chief Kindness Officer, Bob Duncan Look up the word “kindness” in the dictionary and you’ll likely see, “the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate.” But kindness is so much more than its textbook definition. Here at Connecticut Children’s, we go beyond imagination to cultivate a culture of kindness

Medical Mystery: Could It Be POTS? By Irfan Warsy, MD: This article was published in March 2025 and was last updated on June 23, 2025 with a video. Does your child complain about dizziness all the time? What about fatigue, or strange symptoms that don't seem to fit any one diagnosis? If this is the case, you might wonder: could they

A Life-Changing Screen: Jonah’s Story By Gyula Acsadi, MD: When Jonah Ferace was born in December 2023, he appeared to be a healthy, happy baby. At over 10 pounds, he was strong and alert, and his parents, Jaime and Marc, were thrilled to welcome their third child. Aside from a challenging first week as Jonah was treated for jaundice

Don’t Try This Trend: Keeping Kids Safe with Electronics and Social Media By John Brancato, MD: Many students use laptops like Chromebooks for homework, class projects, and even talking with teachers. But lately, a dangerous TikTok trend has been going around. It encourages kids to blow up or damage their school-issued or personal laptops—and it’s causing real harm

Advancing Pediatric Cancer Research with the Jackson Laboratory By Ching C. Lau, MD, PhD: A personal mission of pediatric cancer research Ching Lau, Ph.D., M.D., never thought he would want to be a doctor. He remembers hating going to the doctors in his youth and finding the atmosphere unacceptable. Because of his early experiences, he set out to find a solution

Is My Child Experiencing Weight Stigma? By Vanessa R. Laurent, PhD: Kids come in different shapes, sizes and personalities! It is important to recognize, however, that there is an ongoing childhood obesity problem in this country—for many reasons. This means, unfortunately, children and adolescents with obesity struggle with teasing, bullying and

Curly Toes in Kids: 6 Things Parents Should Know By Kristan A. Pierz, MD: Some kids are born with toes flexed down and curled under other toes. This usually occurs in the third, fourth, or fifth toes on both feet. “Curly toes” is an actual condition, and tight tendons pulling the toes downward and inward are to blame. Many parents wonder—how do I know