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Is Vaping Safe? No. Here’s Why. By Melanie Sue Collins, MD: The FDA recently ordered all Juul e-cigarette products off the shelves, a decision that has been in the works for two years following the rapid rise of underage vaping. Parents are concerned that their kids may look for other products or turn to actual cigarettes—both strong

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

Is Your Child Online? Follow 6 Steps for Social Media Safety By Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA: Children turn to social media to stay connected with friends – through messaging and video chats, sharing photos and videos, and playing video games. For many, this is happening at a younger age than their parents originally planned. That can be okay, since it’s important for

What to Know About Human Parvovirus, AKA Slapped Cheek or Fifth Disease By Andrew Carlson, MD: The CDC recently warned communities about an increase in human parvovirus B19, also known as “fifth” or “slapped cheek” disease: fifth because in the 19th century, it was fifth in a group of common illnesses with a rash and slapped cheek because of the infamous rash it often

Make Social Media Work: Safety Features for Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok By Jeanie Naja: Have you ever looked up from your phone and noticed everyone (your spouse, your kids, yourself, that stranger sitting across from you) is doing the exact same thing- on their phone scrolling through social media? And then you wonder what your kids are seeing and how much time

A Twin Pregnancy, a Rare Diagnosis, and the Team That Never Stopped Believing By Christine Finck, MD, FACS: Felecia was receiving prenatal care close to home and was followed by a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist, Andrew Mackenzie, MD. Aside from mildly elevated blood pressure and gestational diabetes — both common and manageable conditions during pregnancy — there were no real

12 Pediatric Sports Injury Questions Every Parent Asks—Answered by a Pediatric Orthopedic Expert By Anthony Pastore, MS, PA-C: From fractures to lingering joint pain, activity- or sports-related injuries in kids are common. This past July, Anthony “Tony” Pastore, PA-C, pediatric orthopedic physician assistant, was featured in a live segment hosted by Westport Moms at Connecticut Children’s Pediatric

OCCH Recognizes Media and Technology as Key Factors Shaping Child Development By Annika Anderson, MPH: At Connecticut Children's Office for Community Child Health (OCCH), we know that improving child health and well-being requires a comprehensive approach. The newly updated "flower diagram," which now includes Media & Technology, seamlessly represents this evolving reality. By

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

Cole’s Story: Growing Again After Crohn’s Disease By Jeffrey Hyams, MD: For most of his childhood, Cole looked like he was right on track. The youngest of three kids, he hovered around the middle of the growth charts and kept up with his siblings and classmates. But when he hit his teens, something didn’t follow the usual pattern. Between ages 13 and

Carter’s Story: Empowering Families to Support Kids Ashley Burkman and her husband, Matt Chella, were thrilled to welcome their twin sons Calvin and Carter into the world in May 2019. The pregnancy had been a healthy one for Ashley with no signs of anything abnormal for the babies. However, shortly after the boys’ birth at 38

Beyond a Brain Tumor: Ciri's Story For a few weeks, she’d been getting the same call from the school nurse. Her daughter, Ciri, had vomited again during class. No fever. No sniffles. No explanation. The pediatrician guessed anxiety. That didn’t seem right to Krysti, though. Ciri, then 8 years old, seemed so at

Collaboration in Action: Creating a Services Map to Improve Program Accessibility and Utilization in Hartford By Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH: In April of 2023, CT Data Collaborative introduced the Neighborhood Profile & Mapping Project to the North Hartford Ascend Pipeline (Ascend) Family Navigation System Building Work Group. The tool, designed to be widely used and accessed by family navigators, providers, and

Grow Healthy: Jenna-Lee At the age of 5, Jenna-Lee loves learning from her teachers at school and is excited to head back to the classroom this fall. She also loves dancing, playing piano and belting out her favorite songs. She can often be found helping to care for her younger brother, Indio, age 3

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