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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
HIV Non-Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (nPEP) Following Sexual or High-Risk Encounter Clinical Pathway It is essential that patients who are exposed to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) receive prompt and appropriate antiretroviral therapy to decrease the risk of becoming infected with the virus and developing Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In 2016 and 2025, the
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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
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Neonatal Neurodevelopmental Follow-up Program Some babies who are born premature are at higher risk for neurologic or developmental conditions. The Neonatal Neurodevelopmental Follow-up Program at Connecticut Children’s provides comprehensive assessment and care from birth up to 3 years old for a range of complex issues Service/Program
Retinopathy of Prematurity Follow-up Program Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a disease that primarily affects premature babies, causes abnormal blood vessels to grow in the retina. This growth can cause the retina to detach from the back of the eye, leading to blindness. ROP can stop or reverse itself at any point, or the Service/Program
Follow-up Newborn Hearing Screening All newborns in Connecticut receive a routine hearing screen to check for the possibility of a hearing loss at birth. Sometimes a baby’s hearing screening in the hospital showed that he/she needs more testing. This is not unusual; many factors can affect hearing screening, such Connecticut Newborn Screening Network: Post-Diagnosis Resources The following resources are for families that have a child diagnosed with a medical condition after newborn screening. Below is some information on resources that other families have found useful. Hyperlinks to their website are included if you want to learn more. This list
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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
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Connecticut Newborn Screening Network A simple blood test can detect more than 60 rare genetic conditions in newborns. If left untreated, these disorders can lead to illness, physical disability, developmental delay, or even death. Nurses perform a heel stick on every newborn in Connecticut to collect a few drops of Top 10 Ways to Make Sure You’re Ready to Vote This Year 1. Register to vote. Not sure if you are registered to vote in Connecticut? You can check your voter registration status and register to vote online. It is quick and easy! 2. Think about what issues matter most to you. With all that is going on in our state, nation, and world
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The Critical Importance of Newborn Screening: What Every Parent Should Know By Debra Ellis, NBS, RN: Newborn screening is an important part of your newborn’s healthcare. It has the potential to detect serious but treatable medical conditions before symptoms appear and could be the key to saving lives and preventing lifelong health issues. One aspect of newborn screening is the
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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
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6 Reasons Why It’s Important to Cook With Your Kids By Nancy Trout, MD: By now, you and your child may be discovering the fun of cooking together. Want to make kitchen time even more meaningful? Primary care pediatrician Nancy Trout, MD, MPH, co-director of the Kohl’s Start Childhood Off Right program at Connecticut Children’s, joins the blog with Article
3 Steps to a Safe School Year for Children with Asthma By Jessica Hollenbach, PhD: As summer winds down and we look forward to a new school year, it's crucial to take steps to ensure your child with asthma is prepared for the return to school. One important task to complete in August is to update your child's Asthma Treatment Plan. Why the Asthma Treatment Plan