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Beyond Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Emily’s Story By Shailendra Upadhyay, MD, CEPS, FHRS: A few years ago, they got a double dose: On her final day of recovery from open heart surgery, lifelong patient Emily Glass donned face paint to match Valentine’s, and they made the rounds together. Emily, who is 34 years old, actually has a lot of experience in this area. Since
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Medicaid Matters for Kids: Part 1 - What is Medicaid? By Jane Baird: Welcome to the first of a three-part blog series about a critical health care issue for children: Medicaid. As Senior Director of Government Relations and External Affairs, I spend a lot of time thinking about the Medicaid program because it plays a huge role at Connecticut
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Medicaid Matters for Kids: Part 2 - Supporting the Financial Health of Pediatric Care By Bridgett Feagin, MBA: As Chief Financial Officer at Connecticut Children’s, part of my role is ensuring that our independent children’s health system has the necessary resources to meet the needs of our patients and their families. Connecticut Children’s is the only health system in Connecticut 100%
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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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Medicaid Matters for Kids: Part 3 - A Community-Driven Approach By Paul Dworkin, MD: As a pediatrician and Executive Vice President for the Office for Community Child Health at Connecticut Children’s, I’ve spent much of my career focusing on improving child health services. In my various roles—including Project Director for North Hartford Ascend and Founding
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What to Expect at Your Baby’s First Check-Up By Laura Nowacki, MD: Your baby will see their pediatrician a lot during their first year of life – and that begins with their very first well-baby visit, just a few days after coming home from the hospital. The primary care providers in Connecticut Children’s Care Network lead these kinds of visits
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Meet Christine Rader: Pediatric Surgeon By Christine Rader, MD, FACS: Christine Rader, MD, FACS, is a pediatric surgeon who consults with and treats patients in Danbury, Westport and Hartford. Get to know more about her in this Q&A.
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More than 60 Children Screened for Heart Abnormalities at “Check Your Beat: Kids EKG” Event in Westport Westport, CT (February 8, 2025) – Connecticut Children’s and the Hearts in Harmony Foundation hosted a successful Check Your Beat: Kids EKG event today at the Westport Specialty Care Center. This community event raised awareness about Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), a life-threatening Article
Growing Up Smiling: How Oral Health Shapes a Child's Future By Laura Marin-Ruiz: A child's oral health forms the foundation for their overall growth and development. From their first tooth to their teenage years, caring for their teeth and gums is about more than just preventing cavities—it’s about creating habits that support lifelong health. In recognition
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2.5 Million Gift Establishes the Chase-Bear-Dyer Family Cafe in Connecticut Children’s Tower Expansion Hartford, CT—Connecticut Children’s, the state’s only healthcare system dedicated exclusively to the care of children, has received a $2.5 million gift from Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear and their family to support the hospital’s new eight-story clinical tower, set to open in Article
4 Warning Signs to Recognize Teen Dating Violence By Susan DiVietro, PhD: Teen dating should be a time of growth and joy, but for some, it becomes a source of fear and harm. Recognizing the warning signs is crucial in protecting teens from unhealthy relationships. Connecticut Children's Office for Community Child Health, home to the Injury Prevention
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North Hartford Ascend's Approach to Strengthening Families By Jacquelyn Rose, MPH: This is the first blog in a three blog series regarding North Hartford Ascend’s Inaugural Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework Community of Practice. In September of 2024, Childhood Prosperity Lab (the Lab) led the inaugural North Hartford Ascend Strengthening
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Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Linked to Heart Problems Like Myocarditis and Pericarditis in Young People? By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: This post was last updated on December 16, 2021. During the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the CDC has kept a close eye on rare reports of heart problems in vaccinated young people. In addition to being rare, almost all of the cases have been mild. And COVID-19 infection remains a
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When Should My Child See a Pediatric Cardiologist? By Raymond P. Lorenzoni, III, MD: As a parent, hearing your child may have a heart problem can be alarming. While many heart murmurs and irregularities are not cause for concern, some symptoms or conditions may require your child to be under the care of a pediatric heart team. A pediatric cardiologist is a doctor
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Strengthening Families: Insights from Alexander Yanlawk Chiu of United Way By Annika Anderson: This is the second 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 . Alexander Yanlawk Chiu, Education Initiatives Manager at the United Way