Article
"My Friend Has Cancer:" Helping Adolescents and Young Adults Cope By Mary Laliberte: Normally, adolescents and young adults first experience cancer from older relatives who have been diagnosed. But what happens when a peer gets diagnosed with cancer? Mary Laliberte, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Connecticut Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
Article
Dr. Shannon Blemings: Advancing Pediatrics and Advocacy Through REACH Shannon Blemings, MD, a second-year pediatrics resident at Connecticut Children's, embodies a dedication to child health and community advocacy that has been shaped by her experiences growing up in New Haven, Connecticut. With a strong academic foundation in Physiology and
Article
Beyond Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD): Lincoln’s Story For new parents Kirsten and Elijah, the arrival of their first child, Lincoln, in March 2023 was a moment of pure bliss. However, just a week after bringing him home, their world shifted when Kirsten received a call that no parent imagines—a flagged abnormality had appeared in
Article
Beyond Crohn’s Disease: Madeline’s Story By Jeffrey Hyams, MD: If that expert happens to be a two-hour drive away, you thank your lucky stars and grab some road snacks. If the year is 2024, you also prepare to listen to a lot of Taylor Swift. That’s what 15-year-old Madeline often blasts on the drive from home in New York’s Hudson River
Article
What to Expect During and After a Fetal MRI By Andrew Healy, MD: Caring for your baby begins in the womb. If your developing baby might be at risk of a complex fetal condition based on a recent ultrasound, echocardiogram or both, your care team might refer you to a comprehensive fetal care center. There, a team of maternal-fetal medicine (MFM)
Article
Whooping Cough is On the Rise. Here’s What Parents Should Know. By Andrew Carlson, MD: Have you ever heard a cough that sounds like someone trying to bark and gasp for air at the same time? That's the signature sound of a serious respiratory virus, whooping cough, also called pertussis. It's a sneaky disease that can make kids really sick and end up with 1 out of 3
Article
Spooktacular Safety for a Happy Halloween Halloween is a thrilling time for kids, filled with costumes, candy, and spooky fun. However, it’s essential to keep safety in mind to ensure that the festivities are enjoyable for everyone. Here are some important tips from Safe Kids CT and our Injury Prevention Center for
Article
In the Best Hands: Miles’ Story In the third trimester of pregnancy, Hattie and Donnie Donner went to one last ultrasound to check on Hattie’s thyroid levels. Her levels were fine, but something else wasn’t. The ultrasound picked up on two bubbles in the baby’s small intestines. Their baby boy had a rare, life
Article
What is Parechovirus and How Can I Keep My Family Safe? By Ian C. Michelow, MD, FCPaed: On Tuesday, July 19, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a warning to medical professionals about parechovirus, a common virus that goes around in summer and fall and infects most children by the time they start kindergarten. Understandably, parents are concerned
Article
6 Tips to Help Kids Deal With Peer Pressure By Lauren K. Ayr-Volta, PhD: TikTok dares. Drug and alcohol abuse. Bullying. Peer pressure can lead to a lot of difficult and dangerous situations for kids and teens. It’s hard for your child to know how to handle that, especially in the moment. But you can help them understand what to watch out for, and
Article
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
Article
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