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Is Your Child Struggling With Germ Phobia During COVID-19? 11 Ways to Help By Melissa Santos, PhD: We’re all concerned about getting sick right now. But if your child has an intense fear of germs, and trouble functioning at school or at home because of it, they may be dealing with some degree of germ phobia (aka “germaphobia”). During this coronavirus pandemic when we’re all

Breaking the Silence: Understanding and Combating Teen Dating Violence By Susie DiVietro, PhD: The Scope of the Problem February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge and raise awareness of this pervasive public health crisis and work to break the cycles of violence in our communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines

Honoring the Legacy of a Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr. Day provides a time for all of us to reflect on the life and legacy of the renowned civil rights leader while also focusing on opportunities that still exist to bring about health equity as well as racial and social justice. At Connecticut Children’s, we

Connecticut Children's President & CEO James E. Shmerling Announces Retirement After Decade of Leadership Hartford, Conn. – After a decade of transformative leadership, James E. Shmerling, DHA, FACHE, President & CEO of Connecticut Children’s, has announced his plans to retire at the end of 2025. His tenure has been marked by extraordinary growth, innovation, and an unwavering

A Promising Opportunity to Transform Child Health Services By Paul Dworkin, MD: Background I am honored to serve as co-chair of the Children’s Subcommittee of Comptroller Sean Scanlon’s Healthcare Cabinet alongside Alice Forrester, the chief executive officer of Clifford Beers Clinic in New Haven. Comptroller Scanlon formed this subcommittee following his

Staying Warm, Well, and Supported: Winter Resources for the North Hartford Promise Zone The winter and holiday season is a time for celebration, connection, and community—but it can also come with added stress and unexpected needs. This season reminds us how important it is to lean on one another and the resources that help our community thrive. Just as

Why Access to Food and Nutrition Is Essential for Every Child By Stacy Chandna, MS, CIP: Access to nutritious food is one of the most powerful drivers of children’s health and development, yet for many families, it is not always easy to maintain. Across the United States, millions of children live in households that rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Connecticut Children's and UConn School of Medicine Name Rachel M. Stanley, MD,MHSA, As Physician-In-Chief And Chair Of Pediatrics Hartford, Conn. – January 21, 2026 — Connecticut Children’s and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine today announced the appointment of Rachel M. Stanley, MD, MHSA, as Physician-in-Chief at Connecticut Children’s and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UConn

Reflections of a Pediatric Resident By: Amritha Patel, MD As a graduating third year pediatric resident, I have been reflecting on the last three years of training along with the journey I took to get to this point. Many of the experiences that led me to the field of medicine were based around community service on

Food is Medicine: The Essential Connection Between Food Security and Health By Nancy Trout, MD: By: Nancy Trout, MD, MPH For more than two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought devastating loss along with political, economic and social disruption to our nation. While we no longer see televised images of snaking lines of cars containing food insecure families lined up for

Medical Pioneers: Honoring Contributions of Women Women have made a remarkable impact on the healthcare field. As part of Connecticut Children’s diversity, equity and inclusion journey to strengthen our culture, we continue to celebrate the accomplishments of diverse medical pioneers. These are the physicians, surgeons, nurses

Spring Cleaning Tips for a Healthier Home By Chris Corcoran: Spring cleaning isn’t just about getting your house in order—it’s about protecting your family’s health. As the weather warms up and we throw open the windows, it’s the perfect time to tackle the dust, clutter, and grime that have built up over the winter. But there’s more to

Protect Your Family from Carbon Monoxide Hazards The Office for Community Child Health works to enhance healthy child development across a variety of areas. As part of this mission, two of our programs—the Injury Prevention Center and Healthy Homes —focus specifically on safety, helping to protect children and families from

Not So Novel: COVID-19 Exposes Inequities in Vulnerable Communities By Lenora Codrington, DO: By: Lenora Codrington, DO COVID-19 is called the great equalizer with the ability to affect the young, old, rich and poor. However, COVID-19 has exposed concerning inequities, as preliminary studies have shown that it disproportionately affects people of color with higher

Empowering Hartford's Future: Connecticut Children's Impact through Community Partnerships By Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH: Healthy Development Our goal in the Office for Community Child Health (the Office) is for Connecticut children to have unlimited opportunities for holistic healthy development, starting in their earliest years and continuing through to college and career prep. This goal extends