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Medicaid Matters for Kids: Part 3 - A Community-Driven Approach By Paul Dworkin, MD: As a pediatrician and Executive Vice President for the Office for Community Child Health at Connecticut Children’s, I’ve spent much of my career focusing on improving child health services. In my various roles—including Project Director for North Hartford Ascend and Founding

Vote for Kids: Here’s How You Can Make a Difference for Children’s Health By Aimee Monroy Smith: Lawn signs, nonstop political ads on television, social media, and the radio can only mean one thing — it’s election season! It is time to get involved and share your voice.

Promote Safe Riding: Tips for Talking to Kids About Bike Safety By Anna Stern, MPH: As the weather warms up, families are heading outside to enjoy bike rides together. This is an ideal time to start or continue conversations with children about how to stay safe while riding. A few simple reminders and regular check-ins can make every ride safer. The Injury

Turn Challenges into Growth for All Ages By Dana Brunell Eisenberg, APRN, PPCNP-BC: This blog was originally published in April 2020 and updated for relevancy in December 2023. Date changed to reflect new information.

Partnering for Family Support: Connecticut Newborn Screening Network and Alexion Charitable Foundation By Debra Ellis, NBS, RN: The Connecticut Newborn Screening Network (the Network), a program within the Office for Community Child Health , provides crucial support to families of infants who receive out-of-range newborn screening (NBS) results. Our goal is to ensure that every family—regardless of their

A Burning Platform for Child Health Services Reform By Paul Dworkin, MD: Several months ago, I had the opportunity to address a Hartford convening of the New England Pediatric Program Directors hosted by our own UCONN Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Ed Zalneraitis, our esteemed program director, requested that I set the stage for colleague Dr. Patricia

Meet the Local Artist Behind North Hartford Ascend’s New Brand Introducing Our New Look The North Hartford Ascend initiative is dedicated to guiding children from infancy to adulthood, ensuring that those residing within the North Hartford Promise Zone – which includes the Clay Arsenal, Northeast, and Upper Albany neighborhoods – receive the

5 Creative Ways for Kids to Stay Hydrated By Jennifer Zarrilli, MS, RD: Did you know kids’ bodies are 60-70% water? That may seem like a lot, but kids actually get dehydrated quickly because they lose more water through the skin when they sweat, compared to adults. So what are the best ways for us to make sure kids are taking in enough water as we

It's One Question Parents Should Ask As part of our organization’s efforts to keep children safe this upcoming holiday season and all year long, Connecticut Children’s is collaborating with hospitals and health systems across the country in a new nationwide public awareness campaign that encourages families to ask

Is Caffeine Safe for Teens? A Doctor Explains By Andrew Carlson, MD: Coffee and other tasty caffeinated drinks are part of our culture. But pediatric health professionals are asking parents to be aware of new 2025 guidelines from Healthy Eating Research that clarify what kids should and shouldn’t be drinking, and that teenagers especially should

Smart Summer Reading Tips for Busy Parents By Andrew Carlson, MD: Just as daily exercise keeps our bodies healthy and strong, regular reading keeps our brains active and growing, especially during the summer months when school is out. Children who don’t read regularly over the summer can lose up to two months of reading development, a

Honoring Black History Month with Children At Connecticut Children’s, we proudly honor Black History Month with our team members, patients and their families. We do so by displaying signage in our hospital, providing educational resources to team members, sharing team member profiles and much more. As a children’s

Why Access to Food and Nutrition Is Essential for Every Child By Stacy Chandna, MS, CIP: Access to nutritious food is one of the most powerful drivers of children’s health and development, yet for many families, it is not always easy to maintain. Across the United States, millions of children live in households that rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Strengthening Families During COVID-19: Daunting Challenges and Enormous Opportunities By Paul Dworkin, MD: By: Paul Dworkin, MD As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated across the nation and the world, child health providers took some comfort in recognizing the relatively limited impact of the disease on children as compared to adults and, particularly, seniors. Notwithstanding the

Ensuring Every Child Gets the Care They Deserve: How Physicians Advocate for Families By Michael Isakoff, MD: When your child is sick or needs specialized care, nothing else matters. You focus on their health, on getting them the care they need, and on being there for them every step of the way. For any parent, even small barriers, such as long waits, limited specialists, or complicated