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Beyond Cardiac Critical Care: Joseph’s Story By Monika Gupta, MD: Every evening, when it was time to return home to their eight other children, parents Katie and Dan steeled themselves to say goodnight to their youngest. Their newborn son, Joseph, had been born with multiple heart defects, and was now in Connecticut Children’s pediatric
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Addressing the Root Causes of Racism, Discrimination and Bias The annual Juneteenth celebration provides an important opportunity for all of us to reflect on the progress we have made individually and as a society in addressing racial and social injustice, while also acknowledging the tremendous work that still lies ahead to eliminate
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8 Tips to Get Kids Involved in the Kitchen, By Age By Haley Duscha, RDN, CDN: This article was originally published in May 2020 and updated in December 2023 for relevance. Cooking together is a great way to get your child interested in healthy eating, and teach them important skills. Where to start? Haley Duscha, a pediatric dietitian in the Division of
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Become a Breast Milk Feeding Advocate in 5 Steps By Mary M. Lussier, BSN, IBCLC: Many of us have heard or seen the phrase, #normalizebreastfeeding, but what does it mean, exactly, to “normalize” something that’s seemingly so… normal? It starts with being an advocate for the breastfeeding community—regardless of your personal journey. Connecticut Children's
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How to Help Teens Stay Motivated During the Summer Months By Preeti Sandhu, PsyD: Summertime is often seen as a time for teenagers to relax and have fun, but boredom and lack of motivation can also set in. As a result, teens may find themselves feeling restless and uninspired. Connecticut Children’s mental health expert Preeti Sandhu, PsyD, shares 6 ways to
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Rhinovirus: More than the Common Cold? Runny noses, sneezing, sore throats and coughs—all par for the course during cold and flu season and a childhood rite of passage. One of the most common causes of these symptoms is a virus called rhinovirus. Turn to the ones parents trust to know what to expect if your child is
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Coccygeal Pits in Babies: What Parents Need to Know By Bethany Simonetti MSN, APRN, FNP-BC: One of the most common reasons kids see our team in pediatric neurosurgery is for a coccygeal pit, something that often sounds more concerning than it actually is. To help answer common questions and ease worry, we spoke with Bethany Simonetti, APRN, pediatric neurosurgery nurse
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Strengthening Families: Insights from Jeanika Browne-Springer of Hartbeat Ensemble By Annika Anderson, MPH: This is the third blog in a three-blog series regarding North Hartford Ascend’s Inaugural Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework Community of Practice facilitated by Childhood Prosperity Lab . Jeanika Browne-Springer, Director of LifeLong Learning at HartBeat
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Honoring Native American Heritage Month With Kids Native American Heritage Month provides an opportunity to teach children about the contributions, histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples and acknowledges the tremendous contributions they have made to our country. At Connecticut Children’s, we celebrate Native American
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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
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Innovating with Purpose: Nurturing a Culture of Innovation By Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH: By: Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH This is the fifth and final blog of a series describing Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health’s journey innovating with purpose to create and nurture a culture of innovation. As I look back on our year and a half-long process to
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8 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month With Kids June is Pride Month in the United States, a time to celebrate and support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA) community. It’s a great opportunity to teach kids about the different ways that people can identify and love one
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Preventing Eye Strain During Your Child’s Screen-Based Learning By Janine Collinge, MD: Whether from homework assignments on a computer or tablet, or remote instruction during COVID-19 quarantines, screens are probably a big part of “back to school” for your child. Connecticut Children’s pediatric ophthalmologist Janine Collinge, MD, shares tips.
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18 Ways to Keep Kids Entertained on Road Trips This article was originally published in September 2021 and updated in December 2023. If you’re getting out of town, there’s a good chance it’s in the family car. The trick is keeping your child occupied for all that time on the road. Here are ideas that boost imagination and
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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