ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Health Conditions

On May 30th, 2021, Chloe was having a typical night playing with her toys. She was smiling and giggling like always, and suddenly she stopped her energetic pacing between toys and randomly fell to the floor. She became limp and stopped breathing. Her lips and feet turned purple right before she became conscious again. No one knew why this happened because she’d never experienced anything like it before. An ambulance arrived, and Chloe was taken to Nemours, where she was diagnosed with epilepsy following a second episode that occurred in the hospital. Despite a quick diagnosis, there was still a long road ahead to gain seizure control. Chloe’s days went from cheerful playing and adventures to constant seizures, which made her feel sick and exhausted. She was unmotivated to do anything. Her toys were barely touched, and she couldn’t sleep through the night without multiple seizures. Eating food became a […]

You’ve probably heard about respiratory syncytial virus or RSV a lot lately. That’s because cases of this illness have increased since last year. RSV mainly causes cold symptoms, and most people who get it get better on their own. But when babies or toddlers get RSV, it can turn into something more serious called bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis causes the lung’s tiny airways (bronchioles) to swell and fill with mucus. This makes it hard to breathe. Bronchiolitis usually gets better on its own, but sometimes kids need treatment in the hospital. With the winter season upon us, it’s good to know what to look for — and when to get help — the next time your child comes down with a nasty cold. Why are RSV cases on the rise?  Doctors aren’t exactly sure why, but it may be because fewer people are wearing masks now. RSV is a common childhood illness, […]

My name is Michael Shucoski. I’m 12 years old and am starting the 7th grade. I really love baseball and my favorite positions are pitcher and first base. This past spring, I developed a sharp pain in my elbow that would not go away. It was very irritating, and I couldn’t even throw the ball without pain.   My mom took me to Nemours Children’s Health, Deptford for treatment, where I met Dr. William Emanuele (Dr. Bill), a sports medicine specialist. After he performed tests and took x-rays, my diagnosis was medial elbow apophysitis, otherwise known as “little league elbow.” It’s an inflammation of the growth plate that occurs in young baseball players from the constant throwing motion. It’s fairly common in pitchers like myself. The treatment was a rehab program consisting of targeted strengthening and stretches as well as six weeks of rest, which meant no throwing, but for me, […]

Your family’s fall calendar may be packed with sports activities, pumpkin picking, and school events, but don’t forget to make time for one very important appointment: your child’s flu vaccine. Experts say now is the best time to get the flu vaccine. Getting it at the start of flu season — which runs from October to May — gives the body a chance to make antibodies that protect from the flu. For the last couple of years, flu rates have been lower than usual, in part due to the precautions taken to prevent COVID-19. But now kids are returning to school with fewer precautions and resuming pre-pandemic activities. The flu will start to spread again, which is why families should get their flu shots as soon as possible. Why Is the Flu Vaccine Recommended? While the flu vaccine isn’t 100% effective, it still greatly lowers a person’s chances of catching […]

This blog was originally published by The Philadelphia Inquirer  A 15-year-old girl was brought to the emergency department because she was not acting like herself at lacrosse practice. The coach called her mother to pick her up early from practice because she was having trouble walking and could not answer such simple questions as “What is your name?” and “Where are you?”  When they arrived at the emergency department, the teen’s skin was red, hot, and dry. She was leaning on her mother for support. She looked so ill that the nurse brought her into the triage room before other waiting patients. She had an extremely high fever of 104.6 degrees and a fast heart rate (tachycardia) of 130 beats per minute, and appeared to be going in and out of consciousness. She was rushed to a treatment room, where doctors and nurses began resuscitation.  Our patient exhibited altered mental […]

It may feel like viruses are in the news a lot these days. And perhaps you just heard about parechovirus (puh-REH-ko-veye-rus). Well, it turns out that parechovirus isn’t new! What Is Parechovirus? Parechovirus is a virus that’s been around for many years. Parechovirus infection is pretty common, especially in kids. Did you know that most kids get a parechovirus infection by the time they turn five years old? You probably weren’t even aware if your child has had a parechovirus infection. That’s because kids usually have no symptoms or just mild ones.  Parechovirus can spread when someone comes in contact with infected poop or infected droplets of saliva or mucus that come out in a cough or sneeze. It can also spread when someone touches a contaminated surface or object. Symptoms of parechovirus infection are like symptoms that come with other cold viruses, such as a sore throat, runny nose, […]