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Are Your Child’s Symptoms From RSV or Something Else? What to Know About This Common Illness By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: Did you know it’s peak season for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV? On one hand, RSV is nothing new. If your child is over the age of 2, they’ve probably had it at least once. As an adult, you might get sick with it every few years. On the other hand, RSV can be serious for

Pandemic Breastfeeding By Nancy Trout, MD: By: Nancy Trout, MD, MPH It’s a great time to review the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers, babies, and the environment as August is National Breastfeeding Month. This particular year, it is also worth looking at the value of breastfeeding in the middle of a pandemic and

From the Sidelines: How Involved Should Parents Be in Sports? By Kelly Ann Maynes, PsyD: Whether your child is preparing for their first-ever game or for a high school championship, one thing is true—your support matters. As parents, the way we show up on the sidelines and in life shapes not just how our athletes play, but also how they grow. Connecticut Children’s

The New Food Pyramid: What Families Need to Know By Antoinette Maraglino, MS, RD: The good news? Healthy eating for kids hasn’t changed as much as it may sound.

Experts You’ll Meet if You Have a High-Risk Pregnancy By David Sink, MD: Early in your pregnancy, your doctor will ask lots of questions about your health, and perform routine tests to check for risks to you or your developing baby. If they think your pregnancy could be at a higher-than-usual risk for complications, they’ll connect you with

Grow Bold: Penny’s Story Growing up means blazing your own trail. For the past 13 years, Connecticut Children’s has been watching Penny Ringrose do just that. Penny, who has Down syndrome, has been coming to Connecticut Children’s since the day she was born, when she was rushed to our nationally-ranked

Violence Prevention Through New Collaborative By Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA: By: Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA Since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in December 2012, there have been over 900 school shootings in the United States, according to Sandy Hook Promise. The most recent tragedy in Texas was predictable and preventable

Does My Child Need a COVID-19 Booster Shot? By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: 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

No Holding Back: Tyler’s Story 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

What to Do If Your Child Swallows or Ingests a Button Battery By Christopher Grindle, MD: Last updated in December 2023. Do you have button batteries in your home? The answer is almost certainly yes. These tiny batteries are used in all kinds of electronic devices, from key fobs to your child’s favorite toys. Unfortunately, they’re also the sort of small, shiny object

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

How to Manage Negative Emotions When Your Child Is Watching By Kelly Ann Maynes, PsyD: As a parent, you’re often told to “model calm.” But in life, and especially over the past couple years of the pandemic, it can be exhausting for parents to constantly keep it together – and it’s not necessarily healthy for their kids, either. How do you manage stress, fear

3 Questions to Ask About Newborn Screening By Debra Ellis, NBS, RN: Every year, about 4 million babies are born in the U.S. Most, if not all, of these babies have had newborn screening, and since they began 50 years ago, newborn screening has been helping babies each year. This means that about 200 million people went through newborn screening

Beyond Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation (CCAM): Izzy’s Story This is Danielle Chenard’s story about her daughter, Isabelle “Izzy,” now 10 years old. Danielle is Senior Research Program Manager at Connecticut Children’s Research Institute . These are her words. Finding out you are pregnant is an exhilarating and life-changing moment for any

Beyond Fetal Renal Failure: Josiah’s Story, One Year Later By Timothy Crombleholme, MD: It would forever impact her 3-year-old son, Josiah, and their whole family. As she answered, she glanced at the time: 11:10 a.m. on April 1. “They said there was a kidney available for Josiah,” Narina remembers. “I started crying immediately. I felt excitement, fear, gratitude —