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When Does a Teen ACL Tear Need Surgery vs. Rehab? A Parent’s Guide By Matthew Brown, MD: When your teen is told they have torn their ACL, one of the biggest questions parents ask is: Do they need surgery, or can physical therapy be enough? Matt Brown, MD, orthopedic surgeon and ACL reconstruction expert, answers questions for parents.

Healing Beyond Injury: The Role of Hospital-Based Violence Intervention in Hartford When a patient arrives at the hospital after experiencing violence, their recovery often involves much more than just treating physical injuries. Renee Beavers, a Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) Specialist at Connecticut Children’s, plays a key role in

Meet James: Finding Inspiration in Little Miracles For James Gerace, PA-C, providing the best care and emotional support to the parents and family members of babies boils down to doing what’s right as a professional. As a physician assistant in the NICU, James enjoys the variety it provides. His favorite part is seeing the

7 Challenging DEI Conversation Topics and How to Have Them By Melissa Santos, PhD: In recent years, many diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI for simplicity) topics around social justice, racism and more have bubbled to the surface. To be fair, many of us adults are still educating ourselves on what we should know, and why it matters. But what information do

Meet Rachel: Making a Difference in Children’s Lives Through Excellent Care After working alongside Advanced Practice Providers (APP) for several years as a bedside nurse, Rachel Caplan, APRN, was inspired to go back to school. Now a nurse practitioner in Hospital Medicine, Rachel creates a genuine connection with patients and their families by

Signs Your Child Might Be Depressed or Anxious – and What to Do Next By Lauren K. Ayr-Volta, PhD: Over the last few years, some parents and pediatric experts have noticed an increase in youth anxiety and depression. For general advice on how to support your teen, check out Is Your Teen Stressed, Sad or Angry? They May Be Feeling Grief . If you’re wondering how you’ll know

5 Handwashing Facts That Might Surprise You By John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH: Swings, slides, doorknobs, animals… Little hands are a breeding ground for germs because kids get into everything. That means that, whatever’s going around right now can be spread from unwashed hands. Most older kids know germs make them sick, and that it’s important to wash

How to Help Kids Handle Holiday Disappointment if Omicron Changes Your Plans By Amy Adolfo Signore, PhD, MPH: The holidays are always full of surprises. This year, as we wait to learn more about the Omicron variant, families are dealing with more uncertainty than usual. Whether you’re rethinking travel, opting for a smaller gathering, or dealing with a family member’s COVID-19 exposure

Beyond Brain Surgery: Josh's Story By Jonathan Martin, MD: When Josh Hollm was 6 years old, an eye doctor dilated his eyes, took one look, and sent him to Connecticut Children’s Emergency Department. The diagnosis: a brain tumor, noncancerous. It was putting dangerous pressure on his brain. Josh’s parents, Ruth and Bob, had known

Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health Communication Between Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Patients and Clinicians By Natasha N. Frederick, MD, MPH, MST: Dr. Natasha Frederick, a physician-researcher in Connecticut Children’s Research Institute’s Scientific Center for Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, was recently awarded a $1.36 million K08 grant by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health.

From Crib to Bed: When, How, Why and What If? By Haviva Veler, MD, FAASM: It’s 3 am and you caught your toddler trying to climb out of the crib! Or, maybe you’re just wondering when, how or why you should make the switch to a bed. We turned to Dr. Haviva Veler, Division Head of Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine team, for

Grow Kind: Cameron’s Story When Cameron Soto had a life-threatening injury three years ago, a highly specialized team saved his life. Surgical innovation transformed his future. And compassionate care got him through it all. But if you met Cameron today, you couldn’t know any of that. You’d just see a

5 Reasons Not To Delay Your Child's Vaccines By Andrew Carlson, MD: This blog was originally published in 2022 and has been updated as of October 13, 2025 to reflect current times. We continue to stress how important it is for kids to get their routine childhood vaccines according to the recommended schedule, which is based on rigorous scientific

Beyond Atrial Septal Defect: After Heart Surgery, Soccer Player Is Stronger Than Ever It was Xavier Crane’s first soccer game after open heart surgery — but most of the people in the stands had no clue. Neither did the opposing team. He was playing better than ever. Xavier’s mom, Beth, was another story. She’d enlisted Xavier’s sister to come with her for moral

What’s Juneteenth and Why Do We Celebrate It? The Juneteenth commemoration celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. The term combines June with nineteenth, which is the day in 1865 that Union Army General Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas proclaiming freedom for enslaved