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Giving a Teen the Freedom to Laugh: Our Life-Changing Partnership with Kids In Crisis By James Healy, MD, MHS, Pediatric Surgeon: We’d like to thank our valued partners at Kids in Crisis for this story. Published with permission. For most teenagers, laughter is spontaneous and free. But for one 17-year-old who came to Connecticut Children’s, every laugh meant choosing between joy and pain – until we Article
7 Ways to Reduce Screen Time By Robert D. Keder, MD: Have you wondered if your child is spending too much time in front of screens? The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend the following: No screen time at all for kids under 2 except for video chatting One hour of screen time a day for kids 2
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When Resources Are Connected, Families Feel the Difference Last week, North Hartford Ascend hosted its Summer Programs Fair, “Plan Your Summer, Secure Your Spot!” Families from across North Hartford gathered to explore local summer programs, ask questions, and begin applications before spots fill up. The event focused on summer planning
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Help Me Grow Model: 25 Years of Service to Families By Paul Dworkin, MD: The Help Me Grow (HMG) Model is celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2022 – having spent the past 25 years helping children and families in Connecticut and across the country thrive. The HMG Model is an early childhood system building model that partners with families to
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Melatonin Poisoning in Kids: What Parents Should Know By John Brancato, MD: All parents can agree—a good night’s sleep is one of the most amazing feelings—and even more so when our children sleep well. It’s not always easy, though, and sometimes kids need a little help getting into a healthy sleeping routine. Melatonin has become a popular, over-the
Suspected Sexual Abuse Clinical Pathway According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2017, there were 674,000 substantiated cases of child maltreatment in the U.S., 8.6% of which were sexual abuse. In Connecticut, there were 8,442 victims of child maltreatment, and 401 of those cases involved
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Getting to Know Genetic Counselors: What They Do and What to Expect in a Session By Ginger Nichols, MS, LCGC: Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health is home to the Connecticut Newborn Screening Network (the Network), which responds to flagged newborn screening results in the state. The Network is staffed by board-certified physicians, genetic counselors, nurses, and a
Service/Program
Palliative Care Pediatric palliative care is an active, total approach to relieve pain and suffering by embracing physical, emotional and spiritual elements of care with a focus on maximizing quality of life for children with serious illness and their families. Palliative care is appropriate for
Educating Practices The Educating Practices program provides pediatricians with timely, evidence-based clinical information and office tools, and helps them connect to community and state resources so they are able to implement practice changes. Educating Practices utilizes an academic detailing

Specialty
Anesthesiology Children undergoing surgery, invasive diagnostic procedures, and some imaging tests and radiologic interventions may require anesthesia to block sensations in areas of the body that would otherwise experience pain or severe discomfort. Our pediatric anesthesiology team receive Article
Mind the Chatter By Annika Anderson, MPH: What comes to mind for you when you think about Mindfulness ? You might envision a guided meditation practice, a tech-free walk outside, the fragrance of your favorite candle as you end the day with a journal entry, or intentionally relaxing your jaw when you notice it’s tense
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From Snowballs to Ski Slopes: Preventing Winter Injuries in Children By Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA: If you are like me, then you appreciate all four seasons. Of them, winter is my favorite. Through our work in the Injury Prevention Center , an initiative of Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health , I see how winter can be a time for incredible fun — snow forts