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3 Things to Know About Treating Fetal Renal Failure By Timothy Crombleholme, MD: In the world of fetal care, fetal renal failure is one of the most misunderstood diagnoses. That’s because, for a long time, it was untreatable. But today, the nation’s top fetal care centers can and do offer options for treatment — a deeply personal decision for families. What

How, and When, to Talk to Your Child About Drugs By Melissa Santos, PhD: Families in Connecticut are mourning the death of a 13-year-old who overdosed on the painkiller fentanyl while at his Hartford school. It’s a tragic reminder of the dangers of drugs around kids. If you’re a parent or caregiver, it can be hard to know how to talk to your child

Deciding to Treat Fetal Renal Failure: Information & Support for Families By Timothy Crombleholme, MD: Until recently, most experts thought fetal renal failure was fatal — period. Expecting parents were simply told they had no options. Today, that’s no longer the case. With special care, it’s possible for a baby with fetal renal failure to survive and eventually thrive. But the

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

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

Back to School Road Safety: Bus Stops, Biking and More By Amy Watkins, MPH: When school is in session, we can expect buses, crowded drop-offs and bicycling or walking along busy roads. Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children in the United States, so it’s important to talk to your child now about being safe around buses and cars

The World’s Smallest Mechanical Heart Valve: Ellis’ Story To solve a life-threatening heart defect, Ellis Schwartz-Mosca’s care team at Connecticut Children’s had to think big – by thinking small. On Oct. 27, Connecticut Children’s pediatric cardiac surgeons successfully implanted the world’s tiniest mechanical heart valve into Ellis’

Mycoplasma Pneumoniae in Kids: What to Know About this Bacteria Mycoplasma is on the rise right now in Connecticut, crowding emergency rooms, and parents have questions. Connecticut Children's has the answers.

Grow Caring: Claire’s Story Seven-year-old Claire is never one to drag her feet. “She doesn’t walk, she bounces,” says mom Tracy. And that was true even before she was born, when at 33 weeks pregnant, doctors announced that baby Claire was on her way – seven weeks early.

4 Things to Know About Ear Tube Surgery for Kids By Christopher Grindle, MD: This blog was originally published in 2021 and was updated in February 2025 and again in February 2026. Ear tube surgery is the most common surgery for children in the United States – in fact, about half a million kids have the procedure every year. Kids (and adults) can get ear

Adult Skincare Products are Not Safe for Kids. Here’s Why. No. It’s not safe for kids to use adult skincare products. But thanks to TikTok “skinfluencer” trends everywhere (#schoolgrwm, for one), kids are getting the wrong messages about what it means to keep skin healthy. Many preteens and children as young as 6 years old (!) have been

The 8 Golden Rules of Summer Safety for All Ages By Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA: “Trauma season” – that’s how emergency medicine providers and injury prevention experts often refer to the months of May through August. That’s because of the dramatic increase in the number of children injured during the warm spring and summer months. Favorite summer activities

Such a Miracle: Jack's Story At 17 weeks pregnant, Ashley Donnelly’s water broke. She wasn’t even halfway through a full-term pregnancy. At her Ob/Gyn’s office, and then with her maternal fetal medicine team, the experts gently prepared her for the worst. “I could see it on everybody’s faces,” she says.

Beyond Leukemia: Alex's Story She’d already survived cancer, heart failure, a deadly lung infection and septic shock. Now, she was grimly determined to face her next challenge: relearning how to walk. Her goal: one minute.

Healing Beyond Injury: The Role of Hospital-Based Violence Intervention in Hartford When a patient arrives at the hospital after experiencing violence, their recovery often involves much more than just treating physical injuries. Renee Beavers, a Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) Specialist at Connecticut Children’s, plays a key role in