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8 Mental Health Tips for Parents By Bradley S. Jerson, PhD: How can parents and caregivers check on their own mental health so they can be there for their children? Connecticut Children’s pediatric psychologist Bradley S. Jerson, PhD, joins the Growing Healthy blog with tips.

10 Ways to Keep Kids Safe From Playscape Injuries By Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FACS, FAAOS: Want to make sure your child’s time on the playground is as safe as it is fun? Follow these safety tips from orthopedic surgeon Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS and the Injury Prevention Center’s Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA. Playground injuries are common, but preventable. Each year

Sports-Related Concussions: 5 Things for Athletes to Know By Imran Hafeez, MD: If your child, teen or young adult is an athlete, it’s important to talk to them about concussions. Pediatric Sports Medicine experts share five important things parents and athletes need to know…

5 Creative Ways for Kids to Stay Hydrated By Jennifer Zarrilli, MS, RD: Did you know kids’ bodies are 60-70% water? That may seem like a lot, but kids actually get dehydrated quickly because they lose more water through the skin when they sweat, compared to adults. So what are the best ways for us to make sure kids are taking in enough water as we

Walk Right In: Ellie’s Story One bright October weekend, 9-year-old Ellie McOmber was flying high on a friend’s swing set. The next minute, she was falling. She fell from a height of about seven feet and landed on her side, fracturing her arm just below the shoulder…

8 Ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month With Kids May Is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the rich history and culture of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) in the U.S. It’s a great time to teach kids about these cultures, and what an

Gardening With Kids: How to Plan, Grow & Enjoy a Garden By Stacy Chandna, MS, CIP: This article was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for accuracy. Your family may be dreaming up a spring or summertime bucket list. A garden project is a perfect addition! Stacy Chandna, Director of the Office of Research and Quality Assurance, joins the blog with

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

Tips for Better Sleep for Mental Health in a Challenging World By Alyssa Nycz, MD: We all know sleep is a necessary part of life, especially at a younger age. Kids need sleep for healthy growth, development, behavior and overall success in society. But, did you know? Children 6 to 12 years old need between nine and twelve hours of sleep a day— naps and

8 Ways to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month By Connecticut Children’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Team May is Jewish American Heritage Month! The month is celebrated across the country to recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American History. At a time when anti-Semitism is on the

Resilience Is Connection: Strong Relationships Create Strong Kids By Robert D. Keder, MD: Resilience is the ability to overcome serious stress or difficulty, and bounce back stronger than ever. In this series, Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts share keys to resilience, and tips to help your child be resilient. Research consistently shows that even in stressful

First in Connecticut: Luna’s Story Technology that enables a devastating sports injury to heal itself? At Connecticut Children’s, it’s no longer beyond imagination. Connecticut Children’s recently became the first health system in Connecticut to use the BEAR® Implant to treat a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL

Your Summer Reading List by Age By Robert D. Keder, MD: As parents, we can’t deny that reading is one of the safest summer activities that exists. Long before the electronic era, everyone read books, heavily, every day. So, encourage your kids to take a digital detox and travel to space this summer with space-themed reads. Here are

4 Nutrition Tips for Athletes to Feel and Perform Their Best By Haley Duscha, RDN, CDN: An athlete’s body needs plenty of fuel, whether they’re just starting out or part of an elite team. All those sprints, drills and fitness challenges take a lot of energy! Luckily, some simple habits go a long way. Connecticut Children’s dietician, Haley Duscha, RD, CDN, outlines

Carter’s Story: Empowering Families to Support Kids Ashley Burkman and her husband, Matt Chella, were thrilled to welcome their twin sons Calvin and Carter into the world in May 2019. The pregnancy had been a healthy one for Ashley with no signs of anything abnormal for the babies. However, shortly after the boys’ birth at 38