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While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19 and suffered complications from the virus, very few have been hospitalized, and adults still make up most of the known cases to date. However, there are still many unknowns about the virus and new information unfolds every day. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (commonly known as MIS-C or PMIS) is a serious condition that has occurred in some children who have contracted COVID-19. This complication causes a significant inflammatory response in a child’s body that can cause a fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and signs of shock. MIS-C typically presents several weeks after a COVID-19 exposure or infection. Know the Signs of COVID-19 The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in children and adults. However, children with confirmed COVID-19 have generally shown mild symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath and cough. Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and headache have […]

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 […]

The pandemic has affected our lives for almost a year and many of us have become used to wearing a mask and social distancing. We must keep doing everything we can, and that means staying six — not four — feet apart and wearing a mask properly at all times. We should also encourage others to do the same so we can eventually have a life without the fear of COVID-19. The only way we can get through this is together, but six feet apart, of course!

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 […]

SARS COV2 PCR: DETECTED! This is a lab result no one wants to get. If teens test positive for COVID-19, whatever semblance of normality they may have, such as in-person school or after-school sports, vanishes instantly. For typical teenagers, “temporary” is not in their mindset. Their adolescent brains are still developing and they may still believe that what happens today will last forever. Teens may feel that being forced to quarantine is punishment. Teens may not recognize that they have COVID-19 since symptoms may be mild or absent. If they do have symptoms, they may not tell anyone as they do not want to face the consequences of a positive test. Some teens may choose not to reveal their contacts; contact tracing could result in family, coaches, teachers, and peers also requiring testing and possible quarantining. In the November issue of Pediatric News, Margaret Thew, DNP, FNP-BC stated that some […]

Sleep quality is central to our physical and emotional well-being. Not getting enough sleep negatively influences physical health and performance, learning, development, and emotional regulation.  During quarantine, many kids – especially those with developmental concerns – have been thrown off their routines, and sleep has been impacted. If children are not sleeping well, they don’t think as well, learn as well, or behave as well. Further, poor sleep quality makes children more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.  And anxiety is a major cause of sleeplessness. So it can become a vicious cycle. The bottom line is that the body needs to rest, rejuvenate and restore its physical and chemical properties in order to function well. Prioritizing sleep quality is essential to health. It’s just as important as diet and exercise. Give your family the opportunity to sleep by providing an environment and a bedtime routine that is sleep-promoting. Keep the […]