Article
Building for Health: Peace of Mind
The Quintero family of Manchester, Connecticut is breathing much easier these days after the Building for Health initiative fixed hazards in their home and provided support for their daughter’s worsening asthma symptoms. Building for Health launched in 2019 to increase

Article
Care Coordination: Empowering Families to Support Kids
Ashley Burkman and her husband, Matt Chella, were thrilled to welcome their sons Calvin and Carter into the world in May 2019. The pregnancy showed no signs of anything abnormal for the twins. However, shortly after the boys’ birth at 38 weeks, Carter’s parents and doctors became

Article
Food is Medicine: The Essential Connection Between Food Security and Health
By Nancy Trout, MD:
By: Nancy Trout, MD, MPH For more than two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought devastating loss along with political, economic and social disruption to our nation. While we no longer see televised images of snaking lines of cars containing food insecure families lined up for

Article
Prioritizing Consistent Sleep To Support Mental Health
By Alyssa Nycz, MD:
By: Alyssa Nycz, MD The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends that children ages 6 to 12 receive between nine and 12 hours of sleep during a 24-hour period. Teenagers should regularly sleep eight to 10 hours per night. However, research finds that at least one

Article
Mental Health Crisis: We Must Address Root Causes
While mental health providers, policymakers and parents scramble to handle the escalating mental health crisis in children and youth, we must address the root causes through long-overdue systems-level changes in order to make an impact. That’s the message Paul H. Dworkin, MD

Article
Mentoring Program Fosters Career Development
By Luis Rivera:
By: Luis Rivera As part of Connecticut Children’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we are launching a new mentoring program as a pilot program to ensure team members who reside in Hartford have the support they need to succeed in their positions and advance their

Article
Help Me Grow Model: 25 Years of Service to Families
By Paul Dworkin, MD:
The Help Me Grow (HMG) Model is celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2022 – having spent the past 25 years helping children and families in Connecticut and across the country thrive. The HMG Model is an early childhood system building model that partners with families to

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Pediatric Meltdown: Parent-Led Health Care Transformation
As pediatricians face enormous challenges maintaining practices amid growing expectations, there is optimism that transformational change in pediatric primary care delivery could further support providers and bring about the often-elusive outcomes we have long sought. Paul

Who’s Who on Care Team
Attending Doctors Attending Doctors are in charge of your child’s care while he or she is in the hospital. These doctors have the most experience. They teach and supervise residents and medical students, and oversee the healthcare team. Doctors who perform surgery are also called
Article
Honoring a Trailblazer in Fight Against HIV and AIDS
Danielle Warren-Dias is a passionate advocate for women and children who are living with HIV and AIDS. In honor of World AIDS Day 2021, the Connecticut World AIDS Day Committee presented Warren-Dias with the 2021 Trailblazer Award during the virtual 2021 Connecticut World AIDS

Article
We Are Not the Center of the Universe
By Scott Orsey:
By: Scott Orsey Change is hard, especially where structure creates imbalance in perspectives, power and impact. When years of good intentions yield underwhelming results for children and families, it is time to question the approach. In this four-part blog series, Scott Orsey

Article
Can Math Teach Us to Strengthen Systems to Help Children and Families?
By Scott Orsey:
By: Scott Orsey Change is hard, especially where structure creates imbalance in perspectives, power and impact. When years of good intentions yield underwhelming results for children and families, it is time to question the approach. In this four-part blog series, Scott Orsey

Article
A Step Closer to Health and Well-being Transformation: Pediatrics Supporting Parents
By Scott Orsey:
By: Scott Orsey Three years ago, I wondered how close we were to the technological convergence that would radically transform the approach we take to health and well-being. At the time , I observed the high rate at which we were gaining knowledge of and the ability to influence

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At the Forefront of Newborn Screening
By Debbie Ellis, RN, BSN:
By: Debbie Ellis, RN, BSN It’s a tiny prick on a newborn baby’s heel, but it can have a huge impact on the rest of their life. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared newborn screening one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 21st century

Article
Happy Birthday, Medicaid!
By Emily Boushee:
By: Emily Boushee and Jane Baird Our nation’s Medicaid program has reached an important milestone. It just turned 56 years old! Medicaid continues to need our support to ensure children and families have the best opportunity to thrive.
