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Expert-Approved Books to Get Through Tough Stuff By Connecticut Children’s Child Life Specialists Books can be our greatest teachers, especially when families face a constantly changing world with ups, downs and challenges. This list of books, recommended by our Child Life team, will help kids of all ages and parents embrace

Native American Heritage Month: 5 Facts Beyond Imagination In November, we celebrate Native American Heritage Month, also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. What should we know about the culture, traditions, struggles and victories about these very diverse groups? We called upon Connecticut Children’s DEI team to

Beyond Imagination: How Life Support Saved Kaitlyn’s Lungs- And Life Last summer, 3-year-old Kaitlyn Duong caught a common virus. It should’ve amounted to nothing more than a typical childhood flu. She was prescribed rest and fluids; a dose of antibiotics when the doctor heard a touch of pneumonia. No major cause for concern. But then her

Are Your Child’s Symptoms From RSV or Something Else? What to Know About This Common Illness By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: Did you know it’s peak season for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV? On one hand, RSV is nothing new. If your child is over the age of 2, they’ve probably had it at least once. As an adult, you might get sick with it every few years. On the other hand, RSV can be serious for

Thriving Beyond a Swallowing Disorder: Amila’s Story Like many medical stories, Amila Watt’s begins with a mystery. For the first few years of her life, she struggled with one illness after another — usually, infections in her lungs or ears. Ear tube surgeries stopped the ear infections, but the respiratory illnesses kept coming

Is It Flu or RSV? How to Tell the Difference By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: This blog was originally published in 2023 and has been updated in February 2025. What is RSV? How is it different from the flu? When should I call my pediatrician or seek emergency care? Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts have the answers you need to get through

Experts You’ll Meet if You Have a High-Risk Pregnancy By David Sink, MD: Early in your pregnancy, your doctor will ask lots of questions about your health, and perform routine tests to check for risks to you or your developing baby. If they think your pregnancy could be at a higher-than-usual risk for complications, they’ll connect you with

Formula Recalls: What to Know Right Now By James E. Moore, MD, PhD: Updated October 17, 2022 for additional recall of certain lots of Abbott 2 fluid ounce/59 milliliter bottles of Ready-to-Feed liquid products for infants and children. (Originally published on February 22, 2022 and updated on March 1, 2022 and again on August 16, 2022) October 17

Is Your Child Scared to Get Their Vaccine? 13 Tips to Prevent Fear of Needles While vaccines keep us healthy, they’re linked to a genuine fear for one out of five people: “needlephobia.” And that can present some unique challenges when it’s time for annual immunizations. To help your child overcome any fear of needles — or better yet, prevent them from

Can't Find Baby Formula? What to Do and What Not to Do By Jennifer Zarrilli, MS, RD: Parents of infants everywhere are facing challenges with baby formula shortage following this year’s recall and supply chain issues—not to mention the never-ending COVID-19 pandemic. Connecticut Children’s Clinical Nutrition Manager, Jennifer Zarrilli, shares advice on what to do

Vote for Kids: Here’s How You Can Make a Difference for Children’s Health By Aimee Monroy Smith: Lawn signs, nonstop political ads on television, social media, and the radio can only mean one thing — it’s election season! It is time to get involved and share your voice.

Tackle Toddler Tantrums Like a Champ By Laura Caneira, DNP, APRN, FNP-C: We all know that tantrums are normal behavior for toddlers, but that doesn’t change how upsetting they may feel for everyone in the household. That’s why it’s helpful to have strategies ready to keep your cool – and, of course, calm your child. For help with toddler tantrums

Celebrating Sickle Cell Patients at Connecticut Children’s Determined to make patients with Sickle Cell Disease and their families feel more comfortable while at Connecticut Children’s, Kelly Ha, LMSW, a member of Connecticut Children’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Board, turned a creative idea into reality in launching

Growing Resilient: What Your Child Needs to Get Through Tough Times By Robert D. Keder, MD: We hear it all the time: Kids are resilient. But what does that mean, and why does it matter so much right now? Developmental pediatrician Robert D. Keder, MD, joins the blog to explain.

8 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month with Kids February is Black History Month. The month honors the cultures and contributions of Black Americans in the United States. It provides a great opportunity to teach children about the history of the month and try out new activities to build appreciation and allyship for others