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Who to Contact When Your Child Needs Behavioral Health Support Anxiety. Eating disorders. Suicidal thoughts. Uncontrollable aggression. No matter what your child or family may be dealing with, it’s important to remember that you are not alone – and that there are resources to help. Here’s who to contact for information and support. Article
7 Tips for Keeping the Calm at Home During Times of Transition By Preeti Sandhu, PsyD: Transitions can be hard – from minor ones, like getting everyone out the door before the bus drives by, to major ones, like a cross-country move. But there are ways to keep your family feeling (relatively) calm, even amid change. Connecticut Children’s pediatric psychologist
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Grow Energetic: Guthrie’s Story Guthrie Martin, age 7, is the oldest of three brothers, an aspiring zookeeper, and a big fan of jumping –onto, off of, and over just about anything. “I like to jump over my little brothers,” says Guthrie. “And on my bed. And the ottoman and chairs. Also off the couch, the big
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Calm During Uncertainty: Delilah’s Story Diana and Jarrod Perry remember sitting in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Connecticut Children’s, hearing that their newborn daughter needed open-heart surgery – and that her condition was so unique, specialists from the Divisions of Cardiac Surgery , Cardiology
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Meal Prep Made Easy: How to Make Cooking at Home Easier, Healthier and More Fun for Kids By Stacy Chandna, MS, CIP: Prevent the last minute scramble! With a little preparation, you can take the stress out of cooking – and put extra family time back into your day. Haley Duscha, a pediatric dietitian in the Division of Obesity & Weight Management , and Stacy Chandna, co-director of Kohl’s Start Article
6 Questions with Chinyere Okoronkwo, Pediatrician As part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey, Connecticut Children’s celebrates Black History Month , which honors the culture and contributions of Black Americans in the United States. As part of our organization’s recognition of this month and other culture months, we
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Is Your Child Online? Follow 6 Steps for Social Media Safety By Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA: Children turn to social media to stay connected with friends – through messaging and video chats, sharing photos and videos, and playing video games. For many, this is happening at a younger age than their parents originally planned. That can be okay, since it’s important for
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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
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How to Keep Kids Safe from Cyberbullying By Preeti Sandhu, PsyD: Social media, message boards, instant messaging, texting, blogging and video—all of these are here to stay. While they can be beneficial, they also carry the risk of cyberbullying. Anyone who regularly uses digital platform opens the door for the possibility of cyberbullying
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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. Article
Support Beyond Imagination: JJ’s Story Connecticut Children’s new Westport Specialty Care Center already has a happy family. John B. Jr. — “JJ” to his family — is a giggly, boisterous 16-month-old from Stratford. Every couple months, he’ll visit the Neurosurgery team at the new Westport center, which opened its doors
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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
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Beyond Imagination: This NICU Grad Is Defying Expectations When 7-year-old Kendrick Saylor runs, he does what his parents call “the Superman lean.” He puts his head down, squares his shoulders, and takes off. Due to a complication at birth, his vision is impaired. Bending forward helps him avoid objects on the ground. But he’s also
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What to Do If Your Child Swallows or Ingests a Button Battery By Christopher Grindle, MD: Last updated in December 2023. Do you have button batteries in your home? The answer is almost certainly yes. These tiny batteries are used in all kinds of electronic devices, from key fobs to your child’s favorite toys. Unfortunately, they’re also the sort of small, shiny object
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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…