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20 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Mood During a COVID-19 Quarantine By Christine Chew, PhD: Everyone is feeling burnt out from pandemic restrictions, and kids are no exception. It’s hard to limit activities and stay away from friends! It’s even harder when it feels like you’re the only one. So if your child has to quarantine due to COVID-19, and is stuck home while

Norovirus is Spiking: What Parents Need to Know By Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAAP: People call norovirus the “stomach flu,” but it’s not related to influenza at all. Most children will brave the storm and recover quickly—though it’s not fun—but some may need emergency care. Get answers from the ones parents trust for answers to common questions about norovirus

Why Talking Openly About Cancer is Important By Kelly Muccino: When a family faces a cancer diagnosis, life changes. What does today look like? What about tomorrow? This begs another question for many parents and caregivers: how do you talk to kids about cancer? We called upon Connecticut Children’s Child Life team – experts in providing

8 Common Questions About Asthma in Kids By Jessica Hollenbach, PhD: According to the Connecticut State Department of Public Health, an astonishing 370,000 people in Connecticut have asthma—71,900 of which are children. That’s 1 in every 8 children in the state. It’s the most common chronic illness in kids and there are many causes. Many of us

Is the Tripledemic Causing a Medicine Shortage? By Joanna Young: Respiratory viral infections continue to spread across Connecticut and the rest of the country. With RSV slowing down, and flu and COVID-19 surging in its place, many parents are having trouble finding children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen on the shelf—and other medications that

Fevers: to Worry, or Not to Worry By Saima N. Jafri, DO: Maybe you’re a first-time parent or maybe this isn’t your first rodeo. Either way, many of us parents still “fear the fever.” Do we need to be worried when our kids spike a low- or high-grade fever? Dr. Saima Jafri, pediatrician with Connecticut Children’s Care Network, lays out

How to Talk to Kids About Their Own Cancer Diagnosis By Kelly Muccino: When it comes to teaching children about their own cancer diagnosis, a step-by-step approach can be helpful. Talk to your child about each step of the treatment process as it’s happening. Connecticut Children’s Child Life team explains…

Make Social Media Work: Safety Features for Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok By Jeanie Naja: Have you ever looked up from your phone and noticed everyone (your spouse, your kids, yourself, that stranger sitting across from you) is doing the exact same thing- on their phone scrolling through social media? And then you wonder what your kids are seeing and how much time

Helping Kids Through a Sibling's Cancer Diagnosis By Kelly Muccino: When a child learns their sibling has cancer, they may have many questions, or want to know how to help. Connecticut Children's Child Life Specialist, Kelly Muccino, tackles challenges you might encounter, and ways to solve them, if you are ever in this position.

Free, Confidential Support for Families Experiencing Domestic Violence By Ashley Starr Frechette: Ashley Starr Frechette, the director of health professional outreach at Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Susan DiVietro, PhD, a research scientist with Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center, share an important message about both child abuse and

Level Up Your Video Game Knowledge: An Interview with a Child Life Gaming & Technology Specialist By Annie Goldsnider: The world of video gaming offers so much! Did you know Connecticut Children’s Child Life team works with families during hospital stays to encourage therapeutic video game play? That’s because, with the support of Child’s Play Charity, we have a Gaming & Technology Specialist

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

Is Your Teen Stressed, Sad or Angry? They May Be Feeling Grief By Kelly Ann Maynes, PsyD: Pediatric psychologists Kelly Maynes, PsyD, and Lauren K. Ayr-Volta, PhD, join the blog to help parents support teens who are going through grief and loss.

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.

Omicron FAQs: Is the New Variant More of a Risk to Infants and Toddlers? What About Vaccinated Kids? By John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH: This post was last updated January 19, 2022. Right around the time your family was celebrating Thanksgiving, you probably heard news about a new variant in the COVID-19 pandemic. The Omicron variant is now surging around the world, including in the U.S. Scientists are racing to