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4 Quick Tips to Help Kids Sleep Better and Wake Up Energized By Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD: This article was originally published in August 2021 and last updated in December 2023. Good sleep is essential for a good school year: during the day, a well-rested child has an easier time focusing and behaving. At night, quality sleep allows their brain to organize and store
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"My Friend Has Cancer:" Helping Adolescents and Young Adults Cope By Mary Laliberte: Normally, adolescents and young adults first experience cancer from older relatives who have been diagnosed. But what happens when a peer gets diagnosed with cancer? Mary Laliberte, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Connecticut Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
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What’s the Risk? Which Activities Are Safe When Kids Aren’t Vaccinated Yet By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: In previous editions of What’s the Risk?, Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts have covered everything from playgrounds to farmers markets throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But things just got more complicated for families whose adults and adolescents are vaccinated but
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Honoring Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month With Kids Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month provides an opportunity to teach children about the tremendous contributions Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have made in the United States during past and present times. At
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“My Stomach Hurts!” Anxiety, or Something Else? By Bradley S. Jerson, PhD: This article was originally published in July 2022 and updated in February 2024. Oh, tummy troubles! Abdominal pain is among the most common reasons kids visit their pediatrician or obtain a referral to a gastroenterologist. What’s a parent to do when they hear, “My tummy hurts—I
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5 Questions with Jane Im, MD By Jane Im, MD: As part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey, Connecticut Children’s celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, which honors the culture and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the
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Q&A: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Pediatric Epilepsy & Primary Dystonia By David Hersh, MD: If your child’s epilepsy or dystonia isn’t responding to medication or other treatments, what comes next? Connecticut Children’s, in partnership with UConn Health, offers deep brain stimulation (DBS) as an option for pediatric patients — and for many families, a reason for hope
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Norovirus is Spiking: What Parents Need to Know By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: People call norovirus the “stomach flu,” but it’s not related to influenza at all. Most children will brave the storm and recover quickly—though it’s not fun—but some may need emergency care. Get answers from the ones parents trust for answers to common questions about norovirus
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Beyond Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Fifi’s Story Eight-year-old Fifi is, in her mom’s words, a “firestorm of positivity.” Every day, she rises to the challenges of her rare disease with determination, kindness, and a knack for brightening even the darkest days. Through a clinical trial that recently concluded at Connecticut
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4 Questions with David Hersh, MD By David Hersh, MD: As part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey, Connecticut Children’s celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month , which honors the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. As part of our organization’s recognition of this month and other
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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
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7 Ways to Introduce Your Child to Wearing a Mask By Kathryn Robbins: As part of Connecticut Children’s Safe and Sound program, every team member, visitor and patient over age 2 wears a face mask. To prevent the spread of coronavirus, masks should be a habit for your family too, especially as you venture out to public places for summer fun . But it
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At the Forefront of Newborn Screening By Debbie Ellis, RN, BSN: By: Debbie Ellis, RN, BSN It’s a tiny prick on a newborn baby’s heel, but it can have a huge impact on the rest of their life. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared newborn screening one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 21st century
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Beyond Cardiac Critical Care: Joseph’s Story By Monika Gupta, MD: Every evening, when it was time to return home to their eight other children, parents Katie and Dan steeled themselves to say goodnight to their youngest. Their newborn son, Joseph, had been born with multiple heart defects, and was now in Connecticut Children’s pediatric
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Bella’s Story: Introducing Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Pediatric Epilepsy By David Hersh, MD: Isabella has always been a joyful kid — bright-eyed, full of curiosity, and completely herself. But since age 10, she has also been living with the fear and danger of a hard-to-treat form of epilepsy, sometimes having more than five seizures a day. A partnership between