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All About Walking Pneumonia (Mycoplasma Pneumonia) in Kids

Between colds, the flu, and other viruses, lots of kids get sick in the fall. This year it could be due to a lung infection called walking pneumonia that’s becoming more common, especially in young children. It’s also known as mycoplasma pneumonia since it’s often caused by the bacteria mycoplasma pneumoniae. While usually mild, it can still make kids uncomfortable and cause breathing problems. Here’s what you need to know about this rising health issue. What is walking pneumonia? Walking pneumonia is a kind of bacterial infection that affects the lungs. It tends to cause milder symptoms than other forms of pneumonia, so children who have it feel well enough to walk around instead of staying in bed. This is why it’s called “walking pneumonia.” How common is walking pneumonia in kids? Each year, about 2 million people get walking pneumonia. Since spring, the infection has been more common than […]

From Diagnosis to Triumph: Ny’Jour’s Journey

From diagnosis to triumph, Ny’Jour’s complex medical journey involving heterotaxy and heart complexities received compassionate care from Nemours Cardiac and Maternal-Fetal Medicine teams.

Scoliosis Awareness Month: Kalani’s Story

Under the expert care of our dedicated team in Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, Kalani embarked on a path of treatment for juvenile idiopathic scoliosis and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) at 6 years old. Her journey began in July 2023 when her mother, Monica, noticed a slight curvature in Kalani’s back. Concerned, they sought answers from orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Lovejoy at Nemours Children’s. “An X-ray confirmed that her back had a curvature and an MRI was ordered out of caution to make sure there was not an underlying issue causing the curve,” shares Monica. “The MRI showed she had lesions/tumors believed to be caused by NF1. Following the MRI results, Dr. Lovejoy referred Kalani to oncology and genetics to confirm the diagnosis and begin treatment. When we had a follow-up with Dr. Lovejoy at the end of October 2023, an X-ray showed the curve in Kalani’s spine had gotten worse […]

RCDP Awareness Day: Elias’s Story

Brittany and John found themselves navigating uncharted waters when their son, Elias, was diagnosed with rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP) type 1. RCDP is a rare skeletal dysplasia that affects the body’s ability to produce plasmalogens which are essential for cell structure and nervous system function. Their journey began with the unexpected—low amniotic fluid during Brittany’s induction with Elias at 37 weeks. What followed were suspicions of cerebral palsy, only to discover skeletal differences and cataracts as well. It wasn’t until Elias was ten months old that the diagnosis of RCDP was confirmed. Before Nemours Children’s Health, life for Brittany and John was a whirlwind of uncertainties and challenges. “Our main struggle before diagnosis & coming Nemours was feeding issues,” share Brittany and John. “First, we didn’t realize Elias had a rare form of dwarfism, so we weren’t sure why he wasn’t gaining weight. Second, he developed a bottle aversion at […]

A Heart to Remember: Brayden’s Heart Transplant Story

When Brayden was born, he was premature and was having a hard time gaining weight. His family took him to weekly weight checks with little to no change taking place. After a change of pediatricians, they were told he had a heart murmur. Brayden and his family were referred to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware for further evaluation with the cardiac team. Brayden was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, requiring the initiation of medication to observe his response. With additional testing, the diagnosis of Barth Syndrome was confirmed. Barth Syndrome is a rare condition that causes an enlarged and weakened heart, weakness in muscles, frequent infections, and more. Due to his inability to gain weight, a G-tube, otherwise known as a  Mickey button, was placed to provide extra calories and nutrition to Brayden which overnight feeds. Brayden received yearly cardiac catheterizations to monitor the function of his heart. In December 2014, when […]

Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month: Annika’s Story

Annika’s path to a cerebral palsy diagnosis began at a young age. Born prematurely at 29 weeks and five days, Annika’s mother, Jessica, noticed subtle differences in her development around six months. When Annika’s twin began reaching certain milestones, such as rolling over, ahead of her, Annika’s family became concerned. “That was my first clue that something was not exactly typical,” says Jessica. “I mentioned it to her local pediatrician; however, Annika did a lot of other things typical and well, so she didn’t seem worried. I just knew deep down that something was off, and asked if, based on her prematurity, she could qualify for early childhood physical therapy. Annika began her first physical therapy when she was 7 months old.” Jessica’s persistence led Annika to early intervention therapies, and when Annika was 11 months old, she asked that the pediatrician refer her to a local pediatric neurologist. Despite […]

Arianna’s Journey with Bilateral Retinoblastoma (In Mom’s Words)

Para leer este blog en español, haz clic aquí! It all began when Arianna was just one year old. We noticed that one of her eyes was red and had a strange white spot in her pupil. Worried, we took her to her pediatrician, who immediately sensed that something was not right. We were referred to an ophthalmologist and then to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a large mass in her eye. This mass was pushing her eye outward, so an emergency surgery was performed that same day to remove it. The surgery was successful, or so we thought. However, a few days later, the pathology results delivered the most devastating news: the mass was malignant. It was cancer. Arianna began chemotherapy treatment, going through six exhausting sessions. After that, she was discharged, but unfortunately, proper follow-up was not done to evaluate her other eye. Three years later, […]

Olivia’s Amblyopia Journey

Follow Olivia’s inspiring journey through amblyopia treatment, where patching and glasses restored her vision to 20/20. Discover valuable insights into pediatric eye care and research at Nemours Children’s Health.

Keeping it in the Nemours Children’s Family (In Eileen’s Words)

As an infant, I had gross motor delays. I did not sit up until I was a year old or walk until I was two years. I was placed in a developmental preschool in my township in Maple Shade, New Jersey. When I was four years old, the physical therapist through that program felt that I needed a hip X-ray, as she thought I might have hip dysplasia. It was recommended that I be taken to Dr. Bowen at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. Dr. Bowen diagnosed me with Bilateral Congenital Hip Dysplasia. Because my Hip Dysplasia diagnosis was caught so much later in life (normally diagnosed in infancy), I had to have multiple surgeries, when I was around four and eight years old, to reconstruct my hip sockets. I was in a body cast after each set of surgeries. Later, when I was 14 years old, I developed […]

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