Guest Contributor, Author at Nemours Blog | Expert Advice on Children’s Health & Wellness - Page 31 of 33

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Cancer During COVID: David's Story

David’s Story: Battling Cancer During COVID-19

David came into our life on March 12, 2019. A beautiful baby boy, David was the perfect addition to our family of now four. In the first months, everything was normal. David was growing fine and hitting each of his milestones. Until one November week, when David wasn’t his normal cheerful 8-month-old self. At first, we blamed it on the antibiotics he had just started a few days prior to treating a “scalp infection” we thought he had. My gut kept telling me something was wrong; this was not the side effect of the antibiotics. David was pale, his stomach was bloated and he refused to eat. We rushed him to the nearest emergency room where they ran blood tests, ultrasounds, X-rays, etc. It was after all the tests came back that the emergency doctor came in to tell us his blood test results. “Your son has cancer.” How did […]

Expert Question and Answer

Expert Q&A: Ear Tubes

Dr. Steven Andreoli and Dr. Gary Josephson discuss and answer viewers’ questions about ear tubes.

Summer Safety During COVID-19 Pandemic

Summer Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kids are kids: they’re going to fall, crash, and slip and get lots of bumps and bruises. With an outbreak like we’ve experienced in 2020, there are even more risks to the health and safety of your children, especially during an unusual summer holiday. There are actions we can all take to ensure that children have fun this summer while avoiding serious injuries and illnesses. A compilation of resources is below to keep your kids safe this summer and all year long. Safety in Your Home We typically think of our homes as safe space for our children to play, spend time with the family, and relax; however, your home contains multiple objects that can cause injuries to your kids and lead to anything from falls to suffocation. Here are steps that you can take to prevent accidents in your home: Home Safety Checklist Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Broken […]

Mother holding smiling baby Jude up

Joy Like Jude

We found hope at Nemours. This is where we learned how to fight. The doctors at Nemours explained the realities of this difficult diagnosis, but they did it in a way that was also filled with hope. They told us that Jude would write his own story. They taught us how to fight for him, care for him and advocate for him. We drive from Charlotte to Wilmington, Delaware for Jude to receive his medical care at Nemours with the incredible team there.

A mother with two children, walking their dog on a trail, wearing masks.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Preparing for a New Normal

Remember back in March when we thought COVID-19 would keep us home for a couple of weeks, then we’d get back to normal? We’ve learned a lot about the coronavirus since then. We now know that protecting ourselves and our families means creating a new normal. Here are tips on avoiding COVID-19 as you venture back into the world.

A boy pretends to be an airplane while his dad lifts him in the air.

Keeping Your Kids Busy During Social Distancing

Healthy Ways to Avoid Crowds and Keep Kids Engaged during the Coronavirus Pandemic The COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic has changed Americans’ daily lives due to cancellations and closures just as many parents and kids prepared for spring break. Schools and other organizations are now closed for at least two weeks in an effort to reduce the spread of the virus. Kids are thrilled, but parents are… well, not. Here are some things parents can do with kids while avoiding crowds, and coronavirus, and keeping some level of sanity. Make a nature bracelet.When I was little, my grandmother took me on “nature walks” in her neighborhood. She made a bracelet for me out of tape, turned sticky side out, and I would pick flower petals, leaves, blades of grass, and other items from nature to “decorate” my bracelet. Put on a show with homemade puppets.We’ve all created puppets out of cotton […]

What to Tell Your Kids About Coronavirus (COVID-19)

What to Tell Your Kids About Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Help Kids Understand What it Is COVID-19 is a new disease that is caused by a coronavirus. Coronaviruses cause a number of different illnesses, from colds to more serious respiratory tract infections. Because this is a new illness, we’re still learning about it. But we do know that COVID-19 causes a fever, cough and trouble breathing. We also know that it spreads very easily when people who have it cough or sneeze, sending tiny droplets into the air. That’s why it’s important to do things to stop it from spreading, like washing our hands a lot and staying away from other people if we feel sick. For most people, the illness is not serious. People might feel a bit like they have the flu and can recover at home with rest and fluids. Some people do get very sick, though. These people can get help and expert advice from their […]

Trouble Breathing During Exercise -- It’s Not Always Asthma, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

Trouble Breathing During Exercise — It’s Not Always Asthma

What Is Vocal Cord Dysfunction? When a pre-teen or teenager experiences trouble breathing while exercising or playing a sport, many doctors and parents are quick to diagnose the child with asthma. But in some cases, it’s not asthma at all — it’s vocal cord dysfunction, a condition that occurs when the vocal cords do not open correctly. The symptoms of the condition are very similar to asthma, with a child experiencing difficulty breathing or coughing and wheezing. The difference, however, is that vocal cord dysfunction doesn’t improve with a rescue inhaler or a prescription steroid. And for some children, the condition is never diagnosed because, frustrated and distressed, the child quits the activity. But the good news is that vocal cord dysfunction can be diagnosed and treated with the correct therapy. Understanding the Symptoms “Children with vocal cord dysfunction often describe tightness as you’d find in asthma, but opposed to […]

7 Flu Myths, Debunked

7 Common Flu Myths, Debunked

When flu season hits, what usually follows is a barrage of flu myths and misinformation. The flu, which is often accompanied by a fever, a cough, a sore throat and congestion, is a severe illness that kills between 20,000 and 30,000 Americans each year — including children. “Some people feel that it’s not a big deal and they can tough it out, but some kids are hospitalized due to pneumonia because of the flu, and others die every year because of it,” said Dr. Jonathan Miller, general pediatrician and Medical Director of Value-Based Care at Nemours Children’s Health System. “It’s a very serious disease.” The flu can lead to pneumonia, inflammation of the heart or brain, organ failure, or sepsis, all of which can result in death. That’s why it’s so important to take proper precautions against catching or spreading the flu, including getting the influenza vaccine and staying home […]

Talking to Kids About Death and Grief

Talking to Kids About Death and Grief

Almost every child will experience the death of a loved one at some point during their childhood. Whether it’s an immediate family member, a friend or a classmate, it’s important for parents to know how to talk to their kids about death and grief. Be Honest The key is to be honest and use age-appropriate language to make the concept as easy as possible to grasp. “Depending on your child’s age, you want to give them the right amount of information and be straightforward,” said Dr. Meghan Walls, a pediatric psychologist Nemours duPont Hospital for Children. “Some parents will say, ‘Grandma is in a better place,’ but that’s confusing to kids. What does that mean? Instead, they should say, ‘I have to tell you something. Grandma died last night.’ It’s better than saying she passed away. You want to be very clear.” Most elementary-age children don’t understand what death means. […]

How to identify and treat eye emergencies in children, powered by Nemours Children's Health System

How to Identify and Treat Eye Emergencies in Children

Sports, toys and everyday household items have one thing in common: they can cause eye injuries in children. And in some cases, these injuries can become eye emergencies — situations that require immediate medical attention. The best way to treat eye emergencies is by preventing them in the first place. Be sure your kids use protective eyewear when engaging in sports, play only with age-appropriate toys and don’t have access to household chemicals and utensils. Still, even after you’ve taken these precautions, eye emergencies can happen. Here’s what to look for and what to do if your child experiences trauma to one or both eyes. Chemical exposure Dangerous chemicals are in nearly every area of our home, and if they’re not kept out of a child’s reach, they can cause permanent eye damage. One particularly dangerous culprit: detergent pods, whose bright colors are appealing to kids. “Children may try to […]

Anthony’s Scoliosis Journey

This post was written by Anthony’s mom, Debbie.  “Something was Different” Anthony was about six months old when I started to notice something was different about his back. He would roll over and try to sit up and there was an obvious bulge/curvature in his spine. I took him to my pediatrician who told me there wasn’t anything to worry about. He informed me that some children take a bit longer to sit up on their own. At this time, I had two-year-old twins at home and was very aware that children progress differently, but there was no overlooking the curve of his spine. Unhappy with that visit, I scheduled an appointment with a specialist at a hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Finally a Diagnosis Anthony was about a year old when he was diagnosed with infantile scoliosis. My family was with me in the room when the doctor put his […]

Page 31 of 33

Page 31 of 33

Page 31 of 33