Nemours Blog

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Nemours Launches “Do Gooders” Program

Each year associates at Nemours Children’s Health participate in Nemours Cares Week, proudly supporting the communities in which we live, work, heal, and play. Nemours associates from across our many locations donate their time, resources, and funds to help those in our communities who need it most. This year, even with COVID restrictions firmly in place, we were still able to package 1,600 pounds of food and over 2,600 essential items, all donated by Nemours associates. We sent more than 600 bags of items to our community partners and raised money through virtual food drives, providing over 12,000 meals to help fill the needs gap. New this year, Nemours launched the “Do Gooders” Program, which aims to support children who want to give back to their communities while also supporting self-esteem and creative thinking. Two incredibly creative young ladies were chosen this year, who saw their civic project come to life! […]

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

From Pediatric Cancer Survivor to Aspiring Pediatric Oncologist: Dr. Manny Gonzales’ Comeback Story

At 15, avid runner Manny Gonzales was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Inspired by his physicians, he was determined to not only beat cancer, but to become a pediatric oncologist and devote his life to fight childhood cancer. He’s now in his first year of residency at the same hospital where his life was saved 10 years ago.

CORONAVIRUS

This Year’s Back-to-School Fashion Includes a Face Mask

Kids wear a lot of things to stay safe at school … shoes to protect their feet, sunscreen to protect their skin on late summer days and a jacket to protect against the fall chill. This school year, wearing a face mask has been added to the list. Wondering how you can help your child get used to wearing a mask? Just follow these six tips! Explain Why kids and adults are wearing a mask. Keep the explanation simple: “I wear a mask to keep you safe. You wear a mask to keep me safe.” Normalize wearing a mask by helping your child see other people are wearing masks too. Play a game when you’re out: do you see a person with a green shirt wearing a mask? Do you see a person with blue sneakers wearing a mask? Be a good role model by wearing a mask whenever you […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Food Prep During Extended Stays at Home

As the country tries to re-open amidst this global pandemic, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is still encouraging people to stay home to help minimize the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Are you struggling to keep your pantry and fridge stocked? It’s easy to make the most of your grocery store orders, whether shopping at the store or ordering online, it just takes a bit of planning and meal preparation in some form. This may mean simply stocking up on food essentials on taking the time to plan family meals. Stock Your Shelves, But Do Not Hoard No matter what works best for your family, what is important is that you do what you can to have about two weeks’ worth of food at home (per U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommendation). Below are some tips for food shopping during this unusual time. Check what you already have. […]

CORONAVIRUS

9 Tips for Returning to Sports Safely

As states slowly and cautiously remove stay-at-home orders during this global pandemic, and people ease into what is being called the new normal, kids are more than anxious to get back to the sports they love. While restrictions and guidelines differ depending on your state, what should be consistent across the board is the desire to return to “game shape” safely. Back in mid-March of 2020 everything came grinding to a halt. Kids went from 60 to zero as their sports and school activities were canceled en masse. I think it’s fair to say many kids, including my own, became much more sedentary, even joining classes and doing school work right from their own bed in the comfort of their PJs! As the hot weather approaches, and our kids return to sports — whether to emerge on the ball field, jump in the pool, hop on the track, or enter […]

CORONAVIRUS

Summer Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kids are kids: they’re going to fall, crash, and slip and get lots of bumps and bruises. With an outbreak like we’ve experienced in 2020, there are even more risks to the health and safety of your children, especially during an unusual summer holiday. There are actions we can all take to ensure that children have fun this summer while avoiding serious injuries and illnesses. A compilation of resources is below to keep your kids safe this summer and all year long. Safety in Your Home We typically think of our homes as safe space for our children to play, spend time with the family, and relax; however, your home contains multiple objects that can cause injuries to your kids and lead to anything from falls to suffocation. Here are steps that you can take to prevent accidents in your home: Home Safety Checklist Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Broken […]

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Peaceful Protests

With the current social unrest over police brutality related to the death of George Floyd and others, your children may ask questions about the protests that are happening nationwide. Here are some tips on how to respond to kids on what can be a divisive topic. State the facts I recommend that parents respond to tough questions from their kids with a simple statement of facts, followed by questions of their own. If a child asks, “What are these protests all about?” you might respond: “Many people are protesting the deaths of unarmed black women and men by police and others.” You might follow up by asking questions about what your child thinks about the protests, what they have heard (from friends, media, etc.) and what parts are confusing to them. Asking questions first will likely lead to a better conversation with your child. As you respond, try to help […]

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Joy Like Jude

We found hope at Nemours. This is where we learned how to fight. The doctors at Nemours explained the realities of this difficult diagnosis, but they did it in a way that was also filled with hope. They told us that Jude would write his own story. They taught us how to fight for him, care for him and advocate for him. We drive from Charlotte to Wilmington, Delaware for Jude to receive his medical care at Nemours with the incredible team there.

PARENT SUPPORT

Home Learning Projects

There are exciting “extracurricular” projects that we should be completing with our kids to help stimulate their creativity and keep them engaged with the learning process. We put together a list of educational activities that will also help teach your young ones basic life skills.

HEALTH ISSUES

Trouble Breathing During Exercise — It’s Not Always Asthma

What Is Vocal Cord Dysfunction? When a pre-teen or teenager experiences trouble breathing while exercising or playing a sport, many doctors and parents are quick to diagnose the child with asthma. But in some cases, it’s not asthma at all — it’s vocal cord dysfunction, a condition that occurs when the vocal cords do not open correctly. The symptoms of the condition are very similar to asthma, with a child experiencing difficulty breathing or coughing and wheezing. The difference, however, is that vocal cord dysfunction doesn’t improve with a rescue inhaler or a prescription steroid. And for some children, the condition is never diagnosed because, frustrated and distressed, the child quits the activity. But the good news is that vocal cord dysfunction can be diagnosed and treated with the correct therapy. Understanding the Symptoms “Children with vocal cord dysfunction often describe tightness as you’d find in asthma, but opposed to […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Vegetarian and Vegan Diets: Are They Safe for Kids?

What is the difference between vegetarian and vegan diets? Vegan and vegetarian diets are primarily plant-based, meaning all meals consist mostly of plant foods including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, with little to no animal products. A person following a vegetarian diet may consume limited types of animal products. There are many types of vegetarian diets: Lacto-vegetarian: consumes dairy; does not eat meat, poultry, eggs or fish Ovo-vegetarian: consumes eggs; does not eat meat, poultry, dairy or fish Lacto-ovo vegetarian: consumes dairy and eggs; does not eat meat, poultry or fish Pescatarian: consumes fish; does not eat meat, poultry, dairy, or eggs A person following a vegan diet does not consume any animal products including meats, dairy, eggs, and seafood. This diet sometimes excludes honey and gelatin as well, depending on the individual’s decision. Why do people choose to follow plant-based diets? There are several reasons why someone may […]

HEALTH ISSUES

PICU Basics and Preventing Post Intensive Care Syndrome

If your child is seriously ill and needs a very high level of medical care, they may be sent to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The PICU is different from other parts of the hospital; it is designed for intensive nursing care and helps for constant monitoring of things like your child’s heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. PICU Basics Your child may be put into the PICU for the following reasons: Severe breathing problems from asthma Serious infections Certain types of heart conditions Complications of diabetes Post care for major surgery Experienced a serious accident While in the PICU, you and your child will meet many different members of their medical team. This care team includes: Doctors (often called Attending Physicians), Residents, Fellows and Medical students Nurses Respiratory, Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapists Pharmacists Nutritionists Social Workers, Child Life Specialists, Psychologists and Psychiatrists Children in the PICU will […]