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In this video, recorded on June 2, 2021, Kenneth Alexander, MD, PhD, Division Chief, Infectious Diseases at Nemours Children’s Hospital, and April Novotny, RN, MSN, CEN, CENP, Chief Nurse Executive and Vice President of Clinical Services at Lakeland Regional Health, share the latest updates on the COVID-19 vaccine for kids, as well as insights on how COVID-19 has been impacting children and what parents can do to help their children have a safe summer and a successful return to school in the fall. Learn more about: How COVID-19 is impacting kids today How to talk with your teen about the COVID-19 vaccine Why your child shouldn’t get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as routine vaccines Tips for safely rejoining society after being vaccinated If you have a question for Dr. Alexander, post it in the comments section on Facebook. If my child already had covid, do they still need the […]

When Erin Pitts faced spinal surgery as a teen, she never imagined it would impact her life in other ways. Diagnosed with scoliosis at a young age, initially the care plan for the Jacksonville, Fla., resident was to pursue a non-surgical approach to correct the curves in her spine using a back brace. When her complex scoliosis proved resistant to treatment, however, surgery became the best option for long-term results. The experience ended up changing not only her health, but also her career trajectory. Pitts first learned of her condition in the sixth grade, when she began experiencing intense lower back pain. As her condition gradually began limiting her daily activities, her mom made an appointment with her pediatrician. He referred her to Nemours for an orthopedic assessment, where she became a patient of Eric Loveless, MD, department chair of orthopedics at Nemours and a board-certified pediatric surgeon who performs […]

In this Q&A, pediatric ENT physician Steven Andreoli, MD, and pediatric interventional radiologist, Craig Johnson, DO, discuss and answer parents’ questions about vascular anomalies. The experts begin by discussing common types of vascular anomalies. An infantile hemangioma is a type of birthmark that happens when a tangled group of blood vessels grows in or under a baby’s skin. Infantile hemangiomas become visible in the first few days to weeks after a baby is born. Hemangiomas that are visible at birth are called congenital hemangiomas. They grow differently and are treated differently. Infantile hemangiomas are much more common than congenital hemangiomas. There are two main types of infantile hemangiomas: infantile and deep. A lymphatic malformation is a clump of abnormal lymph vessels that form a growing, disorganized, spongy cluster of cysts. Lymphatic malformations appear as masses (unusual growths), but they are benign (not cancerous). A venous malformation is a place in the body where veins haven’t developed in the usual […]

During this Q&A session, pediatric otolaryngologists, sometimes called ENTs (ear, nose, and throat specialists), Nicole Aaronson, MD, and Steven Andreoli, MD, discuss sleep apnea. Q: Are there any connections between sleep apnea and heart conditions? A: Some of the rare complications of long-term sleep apnea can impact the heart. Children with congenital heart diseases are monitored very closely for sleep apnea symptoms to avoid extra strain on the heart during sleep. A child that is showing signs of heavy breathing, disordered or irregular breathing, should have a sleep study.  Q: How do I know if my child needs a sleep study? A: If your child is younger than 2 years old and shows signs of sleep apnea symptoms, they should have a sleep study. Also, obese kids might need a sleep study.  Q: Are there any differences between adult and children’s sleep apnea? A: There is some crossover there, but […]

During this Q&A session, Kathleen Miller-Skomorucha, occupational therapist, and Carrie Sewell Roberts, social worker, answer questions about maximizing the potential of your child with cerebral palsy (CP) by working with your care team to set goals. Carrie is a social worker and mom to a 13-year-old daughter with CP. Throughout this discussion, she shares with us different examples of what has worked for her family, but also a plethora of resources families can use for their own means. When you’re thinking about setting goals for your child’s future, an important first step is to set a framework. For example, there’s a structure called “Person-Centered Future Planning.” She talks about ways families can use resources like the ones below to work with their child and care team to create shared goals. Kathleen is an occupational therapist who treats patients with CP. She shares her unique perspective as a therapist, discussing goals for therapy. It’s important […]

During this Q&A session, pediatric cardiologists Gul Dadlani, MD, and Deepika Thacker, MD, answer questions from parents about kids and COVID-19. While COVID-19 transmission rates in children have been lower than adults, it can still be significant for your child. Symptoms are typically milder in children, and children can also be asymptomatic. Q: How will the COVID-19 variants affect children? A: Multiple variants of the virus are circulating globally. The UK variant (B.1.1.7) is reported to be more contagious and serious. Cases caused by the South African variant (B.1.351) and Brazilian variant (P.1) were reported in January 2021. There have been no signs of more serious disease in children caused by these variants yet, but only time will tell. Visit cdc.gov to stay up to date on the latest information about variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Q: Why are the rates rising in kids? A: As rates of COVID-19 cases […]