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, […]

Recent studies show an alarming increase in the number of teens vaping marijuana (“dabbing”). About a third of high school seniors and half of college students report using marijuana in the past year. And the vast majority are vaping it. This is not the marijuana of the past. It is much stronger and can cause serious emotional and physical problems.   If you are a parent of a teen, you don’t need the studies to tell you that vaping is on the rise. You are hearing about it in the media, have probably heard your kids talk about it, and may even be dealing with your own child vaping. It’s a whole new world for parents to learn about, but by learning the facts you can start a conversation with your child or teen and keep it going as they grow.   Here is some information about the marijuana of […]

Rocco started his freshman year in September 2021, excited to be in high school and ready for a new school year. Two weeks into the school year, Rocco and his family went to their favorite skate park. Rocco fell off his skateboard and injured his leg. His parents took him to the emergency room, where they found out he fractured his right ankle. During his workup in the emergency room, the care team noticed that Rocco’s blood pressure was high. Stacey, Rocco’s mom, initially did not think much of it, considering he had just broken his ankle. But the ER nurse was very insistent that they make a follow up appointment with Rocco’s pediatrician. Stacey took note and monitored Rocco’s blood pressure over the next few days. When Rocco’s blood pressure did not return to normal, Stacey immediately made an appointment with their pediatrician. At the pediatrician’s office, Stacey made […]

The pandemic has put many children behind on swim lessons. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) is alerting parents that swim lessons for children over 1 year are an important part of the layers of protection that can help prevent drownings. So, schedule those swim lessons for your kids and use all these layers of protection to help prevent drownings: Water Watcher There should always be an adult water watcher while children are in and around a pool. For young children and beginner swimmers, the water watcher should be within arm’s length. For older children who can swim, the water watcher should have their eyes on the children at all times. The water watcher should not be using a cellphone, socializing, drinking alcohol, or doing anything else that might be distracting. At a party, have adults take turns as water watcher. Even if a lifeguard is on duty, a water […]

Many parents are breathing a sigh of relief that they can finally get their babies, toddlers, and preschoolers vaccinated against COVID-19. Two brands of the vaccine have now been authorized for children as young as 6 months old, so the little ones can now join the ranks of people ages 5 and up who have helped protect themselves. So does your young child really need a COVID-19 vaccine? After all, younger children often have milder illness when they get infected. The answer is a resounding “yes,” since many young children have had serious symptoms requiring hospitalization, and some have even died. Small children can even develop long COVID, with symptoms that bother them for a long time. Parents might also wonder why it took so long for the vaccines to be authorized for this age group. It took a long time to get the vaccines authorized for young children because […]

Contributed by Alexis. At the age of twelve when I hit puberty, my back started bothering me a lot. I made an appointment with my pediatrician, where I learned I was developing scoliosis. She referred me to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, where I met with pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Suken Shah for further examination. After an x-ray, we found that I had two curves measuring 22 and 23 degrees. A few months later, I received a brace to prevent my spine from getting worse. My scoliosis made my hips so off-balance that it affected my legs. I was also given a lift to wear in my shoe because my left leg was about an inch shorter than my right leg. I was supposed to wear the brace at least 18 hours a day, but I usually wore it for about 23 hours a day. I ended up wearing the brace […]