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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

Grow Inspiring: Natalia’s Story The staff at the hospital where Natalia Rodriguez Sabala was born hadn’t seen a patient like her in seven years. She was born with cloacal exstrophy, also known as OEIS syndrome: Her bladder and portions of her large intestine were on the outside of her belly, and her bladder was

Maximize Your Impact: Childhood Prosperity Lab By Jacquelyn Rose, MPH: By: Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH and Paul Dworkin, MD Have you ever wondered what supports childhood prosperity? What is necessary to help children flourish, thrive and succeed? How to identify opportunities to enhance child health, development, and well-being? How to innovate

Beyond Hearing Loss: Annabelle’s Story When you are a child growing up with hearing loss, or the parent of a child who’s diagnosed with a hearing condition, you likely have lots of questions. What challenges will we face? Where can we find advice? Who else will understand? Annabelle Jacobs, age 17, has made it her

Can Math Teach Us to Strengthen Systems to Help Children and Families? By Scott Orsey: By: Scott Orsey Change is hard, especially where structure creates imbalance in perspectives, power and impact. When years of good intentions yield underwhelming results for children and families, it is time to question the approach. In this four-part blog series, Scott Orsey

Through the Storm: Keilany’s Story When Tropical Storm Isaias hit Connecticut this past August, it toppled trees and knocked out power across the state. It also hit the campground where Keilany Palma and her parents, siblings and grandmother were celebrating her 12 th birthday. Keilany’s actual birthday had been

Mental Health Crisis: We Must Address Root Causes While mental health providers, policymakers and parents scramble to handle the escalating mental health crisis in children and youth, we must address the root causes through long-overdue systems-level changes in order to make an impact. That’s the message Paul H. Dworkin, MD

Remembering Joanna: The “Heart” of Help Me Grow By Paul Dworkin, MD: By: Paul Dworkin, MD With great sadness, I share my reflections on the passing of our dear friend and beloved colleague, Joanna Bogin. Joanna was the first manager of the Help Me Grow (HMG) National Center, leading our HMG dissemination efforts even prior to our evolution to an

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

The Best Way to Prevent Youth Suicide? Talk About It By Steven C. Rogers, MD, MS: This article was originally published in September 2020 and last updated in December 2023. Youth suicide has been on the rise for the past decade, so prevention is more important than ever. Dr. Steven Rogers, medical director of Emergency Behavioral Health services at Connecticut

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

What is Good Program Definition? By Scott Orsey: By: Scott Orsey Are you struggling to explain your program to potential supporters? Is your program a wild success and worthy of replication, but others just don’t get it? Are you looking to put pen to paper and document your program definition? A quick internet search will turn

Back-to-School, Backed by Community By Madhura Sawant-Suryawanshi: It’s back-to-school season! The start of a new school year is an exciting transition filled with new opportunities and growth. It's also a time for families to step into new routines. When caregivers help kids feel prepared for school , we tend to see improved attendance

Car Seat Clinics and the Key to Child Passenger Safety Ensuring child passenger safety is one of the most important responsibilities for parents and caregivers. While most parents know the basics of using car seats, it’s easy to make mistakes, especially when it comes to installation and usage. Car seat clinics, like those offered in

Introducing the Youth Suicide Prevention Center at Connecticut Children’s By Steven C. Rogers, MD, MS: If you feel your child is in crisis, or a danger to themselves or others, call 911. In Connecticut, you can also call 211 or 988 for emergency or crisis intervention . For free, confidential support, call 1.800.273.8255 or text “HOME” to 741741. A New Chapter of Hope and Action