As the sun shines brighter and outdoor adventures continue to beckon, summer’s extreme heat can turn into a health hazard if we’re not careful. While the season offers endless opportunities for fun in the sun, it’s not just the sunburns we need to watch out for — hidden dangers like poison ivy lurking in the underbrush can also put an itchy damper on our plans. By recognizing these risks and taking a few simple precautions, we can make the most of the warm days still ahead. Learn to identify, prevent, and treat summer ailments like sunburn, heat illness, dehydration, and poison ivy to keep your family healthy this summer. Sunburn When kids are outdoors, it’s important to protect their skin from too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV rays), which can put an immediate stop to summer (and winter) fun with painful sunburn and skin damage, as well […]

Adolescents are at a point in their lives where everything is (or simply feels like) it’s changing all around them. They’re gaining new skills as they learn and grow; they’re taking on new responsibilities as they gain more independence; and they’re navigating new social challenges — within their families, at school, and among friends as their peer group members also mature and grow. Meanwhile, their bodies are undergoing rapid physical, mental, and emotional development. When you put it all together, this can often lead to that feeling of uncertainty that most of us experienced growing up. This adolescent uncertainty leads to three core questions that almost every teenager goes to bed wondering: These questions are fundamental to an adolescent’s development and health, which is why there are differences in pediatric and adolescent medicine. Pediatrician checkups begin to change to include more questions about mental, emotional, and social well-being. Our goal […]

As summer heats up, many of us flock to pools, lakes, and beaches to cool off. But beneath the fun and relaxation lies a serious risk: accidental drowning is a leading cause of injury-related death in children, especially among toddlers and adolescents. Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 years and for children and adults with autism, according to the American Red Cross. Learn how to prevent drowning and stay safe in the water with your family this summer. Preparation is Key Before you get to the pool, lake, pond, or ocean: Safety in the Water While you’re in the water: From Avoiding Risks to Understanding “Dry Drowning” Water safety matters everywhere and keeping it top of mind helps you manage the risks. Drowning Statistics and Why They Matter Drowning deaths are on the rise in the United States, following decades of decline, […]

In February, our daughter Annistyn broke her humerus when she fell off a snowmobile in New York. After a visit to a local urgent care and an X-ray, we were referred to Nemours Children’s Health, Lakeland—and from that moment on, everything was handled with such care and compassion. From the very first phone call, Nemours made us feel supported. They confirmed directions, sent all documents ahead of time, and ensured our arrival and appointment were seamless and right on schedule. We were met by smiles and kind staff from the very first interaction to the last. Every person we encountered treated Annistyn like she was their own—with warmth, patience, and expertise. Under the care of Kevin Osborne, PA-C, Annistyn was put in a sling for immobilization. One thing that truly stood out to me as a parent was how they spoke directly to Annistyn about her care. They didn’t just […]

Ticks might look like insects, but they’re not. They’re part of the arachnid family, which includes spiders. When a tick bites, it attaches itself to the skin and sucks blood. Most tick bites are harmless and don’t need medical treatment. But some ticks (like the deer tick) can carry harmful germs that cause illnesses like Lyme disease. How can I prevent tick bites and Lyme disease? While enjoying the outdoors, it’s important to remember that there are hundreds of kinds of ticks, and not all ticks carry Lyme disease. Here are some tips to help protect your family from the risk of a tick bite before heading out, and what to do after a day of exploring nature: Ticks removed within 36 hours are less likely to spread diseases. So, if you pluck the tick off right away, your child can’t be infected. Because ticks (especially deer ticks) are tiny, they may be hard to […]

When Carrie Benyo’s femur broke at just eight weeks old, her family wasn’t surprised. Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) ran in their family, and Carrie quickly became familiar with the challenges that came with it—multiple fractures and the need for specialized care. So when her daughter, Vaeda, was born, Carrie didn’t wait for the first fracture to seek answers. Through cord blood testing at birth, Vaeda was diagnosed with OI Type 1 when the results came back just four weeks later. Determined to find the best care for her daughter, Carrie discovered Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, a nationally recognized leader in OI treatment. “I wanted the best specialists I could find for her,” shares Carrie. What started as a search for Vaeda’s care soon became a turning point for Carrie, too. “When they said they could treat me too I started seeing them as well. Before that I did not have routine […]