Karalyn first came to Nemours after she was suffering from some abdominal pain, which led to a visit at an ER in their hometown of Titusville. Something didn’t satisfy her parents about that visit, and they were concerned that something else was wrong.   They immediately sought help at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida. There, an ultrasound found a tumor associated with a genetic disease called Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) that was in her adrenal gland. In 2020, the 8-year-old she had an 8-hour surgery and stayed for a few days afterward for observation.   It turned out Karalyn was the first one in her family to be diagnosed with VHL. Later, younger brother Westin had a similar issue when he was 6, and also required surgery with the same surgeon at Nemours. Then, dad got a diagnosis, but had to have an adult surgeon at a hospital for adults, lamented mom. […]

As back to school mode goes into full swing, purchasing school meals is a great way to help you save time and money. It’s also a great way for kids to get the nutrients they need. According to the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program website, about 60 percent of schoolchildren in the U.S. receive school-provided meals each day through these programs. (1) With the majority of kids buying school meals, let’s talk more about what goes into them followed by specific tips and tricks you can use to promote healthy eating at school. About School Meals School meals have to meet specific nutritional guidelines. Both breakfast and lunch are required to have fruits and/or vegetables and one cup of fat-free or 1% milk. Half of grains provided must be whole grains, and there are limits on certain nutrients, such as sodium (salt). Lunches must include a protein source (called […]

Jay loves wakeboarding—in fact, he’s a wakeboarding national champion! But when he fractured his right femur in June 2020 during a wakeboarding accident, he was brought emergently to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida to see Dr. Zachary Stinson, who specializes in pediatric orthopedic trauma and sports medicine surgery. Jay had his femur surgically repaired with a metal rod, and he began the gradual journey to walking, running, and wakeboarding again.  Following his surgery, Jay was determined every single day in therapy, and he was cleared to start running just months following surgery, and eventually to full wakeboarding activities by six months!  Jay had the metal rod removed 18 months following his initial surgery, and he was completely cleared by Dr. Stinson a few weeks later.   Jay’s mom Ashley credits Nemours doctors, physical therapists, and nurses for being comforting not only to their patients, but also patient families. “The nurses and doctors explained treatments to Jay and me,” she said. “They would also […]

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 […]

Caring for critically ill infants with congenital heart defects using an app Greyson was born at 39 weeks on August 3, 2020, and just 24 hours later arrived home to meet his two, very excited older siblings.  A week later, Greyson wouldn’t eat. His parents, sensing something was wrong, brought him to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware where he was admitted to the intensive care unit and put on oxygen.  At first, doctors thought it was a viral infection, but an echo of Greyson’s heart revealed that he was in heart failure.  The diagnosis was hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a severe congenital heart defect, requiring a series of three highly complex surgeries to correct it.  With Greyson just 10 days old, Dr. Christian Pizarro performed the first surgery. All went well.  Greyson spent the next 7 weeks recovering in the hospital and as discharge planning began, acute care pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Erica Del Grippo cautioned his parents that the […]

The Ketogenic “keto” Diet has become popular over the last few years, growing in its popularity as a weight loss diet. The keto diet works by switching the body’s primary energy source from carbohydrates to fat. When enough fat is used for energy in the body, our bodies enter what is known as “ketosis.” There are many misconceptions about the ketogenic diet that we hope to debunk! Myth 1: The Keto Diet is for Weight Loss The keto diet has been used for weight loss in recent years. The common understanding of why this works is through increased satiety from eating a higher fat diet (and less simple carbohydrates) and the breakdown of stored fats in the body from lower calorie intake. While weight loss is possible when following a keto diet, it should be monitored by a knowledgeable registered dietitian and physician to make sure you stay healthy while […]