Connecticut Children's Blog

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-threatening condition called duodenal atresia. Just like that, […]

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 even practice how to respond. […]

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 about what happened, and how […]

To solve a life-threatening heart defect, Ellis Schwartz-Mosca’s care team at Connecticut Children’s had to think big – by thinking small. On Oct. 27, Connecticut Children’s pediatric cardiac surgeons successfully implanted the world’s tiniest mechanical heart valve into Ellis’ heart. He was just 2 months old, and weighed only 7 pounds 9 ounces. Until recently, […]

Ear tube surgery is the most common surgery for children in the United States – in fact, about half a million kids have the procedure every year. Kids (and adults) can get ear tubes at any age, but it’s especially common for very young children, under the age of 3. To explain more, Connecticut Children’s […]

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 that kids reach for. Small children are known for popping random items in […]

By: Amy Adolfo Signore, PhD, MPH and Emily Wakefield, PsyD The holidays are always full of surprises. This year, as we wait to learn more about the Omicron variant, families are dealing with more uncertainty than usual. Whether you’re rethinking travel, opting for a smaller gathering, or dealing with a family member’s COVID-19 exposure right […]

You ask, we answer. In each edition of “Ask a Pediatrician,” Connecticut Children’s pediatric experts respond to a question from our community. This week, infectious disease pediatrician John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH, tackles a popular topic this cold and flu season, especially with the new threat of the Omicron variant. My child has a runny nose but no […]

By: John R. Schreiber, MD, MPH, and Beth Natt, 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 […]

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 every day. Laura […]