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When you hear statistics like “1 in 3,000” or “only 104,000 in the U.S.,” it’s hard to feel like others understand what you’re going through with a rare condition such as arthrogryposis. So, imagine how wonderful it must have felt for the nearly 130 people who gathered for the Arthrogryposis Mini Meet-Up recently held at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del. A condition of the joints and muscles, arthrogryposis impairs children’s abilities to use their shoulders, wrists, fingers and lower extremities. There are many variations — some mild, some severe. There is no cure for arthrogryposis, but there are treatments that can help to maintain and maximize a child’s range of motion and function. The goal of the Mini Meet-Up was to bring together kids and adults with arthrogryposis so they could share their stories, their experiences and their support with each other. And, perhaps most important, […]

We don’t usually think of blood pressure as a matter of concern during childhood — and for most kids, it’s not. But blood pressure is an important vital sign and one that your child’s physician should be taking at every check-up. Babies’ blood pressure measurements are taken at birth as part of routine newborn screenings. After that, expert guidelines, including those of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), call for measurements to be taken at well-child visits and sick visits in the pediatrician’s office, starting at age 3. What’s Considered “Normal” Blood Pressure for Kids? Determining normal or optimal blood pressure for children is a bit complex because it depends on a number of factors including age, height and gender. A simplified approach is to use these thresholds: A child from 3 to 11 years should have blood pressure at or below 110/70. From age 12 upward, a measurement of […]

Dear Nemours Physician, THANK YOU! As our nation celebrates Doctor’s Day 2016, I am both honored and delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate each of you. Thank you for all that you do for the thousands of children and families who rely on you and Nemours for both hope and healing. It is more than fitting that this annual recognition celebrates the dedication and compassion of physicians in caring for their patients and alleviating human suffering. Fitting, because compassion and alleviating human suffering are the very foundation upon which our benefactor, Alfred I. duPont, envisioned what we know today as the Nemours Children’s Health System. Doctor’s Day is also a time to recognize our physicians for their contributions to the body of medical knowledge and the creation of tools necessary to win the unending battle against disease that leads to better outcomes for patients. Yet, beyond the wonder of […]

For children and families who are navigating serious medical concerns, visits to the hospital can be stressful and tedious – even a little scary. That’s why the Child Life and Social Work team at Nemours Children’s Hospital is dedicated to building a supportive, enriching and fun environment for the children in our care. It’s a mission the team embraces every day, but during the week of March 21st, the work of the Child Life and Social Work team took on extra importance as we celebrated National Child Life and Social Work Month. The team focused on the theme of Transformation, and celebrated with related activities each day. And it wasn’t just the patients who benefitted – staff from departments throughout Nemours Children’s Hospital got in on the festivities.  Associates from various departments supported their Child Life and Social Work colleagues through their attire, sharing stories of success and showering the […]

At Nemours Children’s Health System, we’re always looking for new ways to improve the well-being of all children and families, not just the ones we see in our clinics and hospitals. So, we’ve focused on building a conversation with parents throughout the country, to address the common (and not-so-common) health issues that so many of us face. We decided to do what any forward-thinking children’s health system would: we built a blog. Here, you’ll find wisdom, understanding and practical advice from our physicians and care teams. It’s all meant to address your everyday questions, and provide answers you can be confident in. We welcome your input, feedback and discussion, as well. It’s all part of what we’re here for. Get to know our doctors, browse a list of topics, and stop back often. We’ll post new insights on your child’s health every week. You may not always be able to call […]