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Explore Griffin’s inspiring journey with complex medical conditions and how his family found hope at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware.

All About Walking Pneumonia (Mycoplasma Pneumonia) in Kids

Between colds, the flu, and other viruses, lots of kids get sick in the fall. This year it could be due to a lung infection called walking pneumonia that’s becoming more common, especially in young children. It’s also known as mycoplasma pneumonia since it’s often caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae. While usually mild, it can still make kids uncomfortable and cause breathing problems. Here’s what you need to know about this rising health issue. What is walking pneumonia? Walking pneumonia is a kind of bacterial infection that affects the lungs. It tends to cause milder symptoms than other forms of pneumonia, so children who have it feel well enough to walk around instead of staying in bed. This is why it’s called “walking pneumonia.” How common is walking pneumonia in kids? Each year, about 2 million people get walking pneumonia. Since spring, the infection has been more common than […]

Marcella’s Story: In Mom’s Words

Marcella was born prematurely at another hospital in May of 2023. She had a fairly uneventful first month, until she developed Necrotizing Enterocolitis at 4 weeks. She had her feeds stopped, was put on the ventilator because her stomach was so swollen it was affecting her breathing, and IV antibiotics were started. But the disease had already progressed too far, and she continued to go downhill fast. Two days after the diagnosis she was transferred to the Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware NICU, and the following afternoon she had her first exploratory laparotomy. Things were looking very bleak after this first surgery. Her intestines were put into a silo, basically a clear bag that held them outside of her body so doctors could visualize what the tissue looked like. Based on what they saw, it was very likely that she would not survive as all the tissue appeared to be dead. That […]

A New Beginning: Aubri’s Story

Aubri’s journey at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, is a testament to her resilience and the impact of specialized care. Aubri struggled for over a year with severe gastrointestinal issues, unable to keep food down. Her condition was so dire that she relied on feeding tubes to survive. “Aubri had an emergency tube placed in her nose and later in her stomach directly,” shares her mother, Alanda. “That was her only source of food for so long! It was awful! She was in so much pain and nauseous all the time, everything was hard.” The situation was grim, and their local hospitals seemed unable to provide the answers or care that Aubri desperately needed. The turning point came when Alanda learned about Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida and Dr. Poulos. “It was an absolute Godsend,” she says. A friend, who had glowing experiences with Nemours Children’s, inspired Alanda to seek out the […]

Amazingly Resilient: Addison’s Story

Meaghan remembers the early days of her daughter Addison’s life vividly. Diagnosed with a cleft palate just days after birth, Addison’s journey began with a challenge. “She was having a very difficult time breastfeeding and just didn’t seem interested in eating,” recalls Meaghan. Suspecting a possible lip tie, she asked a nurse to check Addison’s mouth. Instead, the nurse discovered a cleft palate. From that moment, Meaghan began the process of feeding Addison using a bottle with a valve. The cleft palate diagnosis impacted the Addison’s family’s daily routine significantly. With a 3-year-old son already keeping them busy, adjusting to Addison’s needs meant slowing down their usually fast-paced days. “In the very beginning, it would take about 45 minutes to an hour for one feeding,” says Meaghan. “With Addison struggling to eat, we had to take each day at a time.” However, with perseverance and patience, Addison began to improve […]

Urology Awareness Month: Kieva’s Story

10-year-old Kieva has faced many challenges in her young life. At the age of 3, she was diagnosed with bilateral vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), a condition that brought frequent UTIs and fevers. Kieva’s journey with VUR began after a series of high fevers and recurring UTIs left her parents, Tara and Tim, searching for answers. “The constant worry about whether a fever was another UTI and the potential damage being done to Kieva was overwhelming,” shares Tara, Kieva’s mom. “Each instance left us questioning if we had sought medical help in time and how this condition might impact her future.” Kieva’s condition led them to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, where they found the care and support they needed. Referred by Kieva’s primary care doctors at Nemours Children’s Health, Media, the family met with Dr. Figueroa, who quickly became a pillar of Kieva’s care. From the very first visit, Tara knew they […]

teenage girl having psychotherapy session at psychologist's office

Finding Hope: Leah’s Journey with Dialectical Behavior Therapy

When Leah was 16, she couldn’t think of a single reason to live. Leah was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes the previous summer, and since then, she and her parents had been constantly fighting about what she ate, her diabetes care, and how she spent her time. Leah started cutting herself to cope with the stress of her diagnosis and her relationship with her parents. Things only seemed to get worse. She felt like she couldn’t really trust the few friends that she had, and she seemed to always be fighting with her peers and teachers. When her girlfriend broke up with her, she decided she was “done.” Leah was hospitalized after an overdose, but during her inpatient stay, she was introduced to a psychologist from Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. This psychologist suggested that Leah might benefit from participating in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, one of the few interventions proven helpful […]

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