Behavioral-Mental Health, Norton Childrens Medical Group

How to talk to kids about the stresses in their lives

To guide a child’s understanding of difficult issues, parents can talk to kids by initiating discussions and welcoming their child’s questions, according to Katy Hopkins, Ph.D., pediatric psychologist with Norton Children’s Medical Group. Avoiding talking to your kid may backfire if the child draws faulty conclusions on their own or seeks information from untrustworthy sources….

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COVID19, Norton Childrens Medical Group

Skip the waiting room, follow-ups by video call: Medical care resumes with safeguards

Appointments with your child’s health care providers are changing, and new options may be around long after the coronavirus threat has passed. For Madeleine Wardell, APRN, pediatric nurse practitioner, the waiting room at Norton Children’s Medical Group – Crestwood isn’t used much. Parents check their child in for their appointment from their cars and go…

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News, Norton Childrens Hospital, Norton Childrens Medical Group, Teens

Norton Children’s Medical Group adding prescriptive food pantry to more locations

Many families in Louisville and Southern Indiana struggle to provide healthy meals for children. This is due to many factors, including cost, living in a “food desert” — an area where it’s difficult to find affordable fresh food — and being unable to travel to a grocery. Food insecurity has negative effects for a child’s…

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COVID19, Norton Childrens Medical Group

Questions and answers about pediatrician’s office visits

Phase 1 of Kentucky’s Healthy at Work plan called for the reopening of nonurgent/nonemergency health care services, diagnostic radiology and laboratory services on April 27. The plan also recommends that telehealth appointments should be used whenever possible, rather than in-person visits. Your pediatric health care provider will review your child’s situation to assess whether a…

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Norton Childrens Medical Group

How to help a constipated baby

Constipation in infants is something parents often ask their child’s pediatrician about. Is their child having a bowel movement often enough? What does constipation look like in an infant? Here’s how you can help a constipated baby — and when to seek care. What is constipation? Many believe that constipation is defined by regularity, or…

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Infectious Disease, Norton Childrens Medical Group

Schools are making reopening plans — don’t put off vaccinations

Some students are already back in classrooms, while others are preparing to go back to in-person learning after months online during the pandemic. No matter what their school attendance calendar looks like, students are required to be up to date on their vaccinations. According to Jill S. Howell-Berg, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Clarksville, required…

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Norton Childrens Medical Group, Prevention & Wellness

Daylight saving time and kids: Tips to ease the lost hour

We all know the drill — twice a year we change our clocks to account for daylight saving time. Daylight time starts this Sunday, March 8, when we will “spring forward” by one hour. (Remember to set your clocks forward on Saturday night.) Whether you like the idea of longer days with more sunlight or…

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Norton Childrens Medical Group, Prevention & Wellness

Antibiotics: Why your pediatrician may not prescribe them

Your child is in the pediatrician’s office with a fever, and you find yourself asking why the doctor didn’t prescribe an antibiotic. Or, you wonder what’s the harm in trying an antibiotic? Antibiotics are just one of the many treatments available for kids’ illnesses, but their appropriate use is at the discretion of the provider….

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Norton Childrens Medical Group

Pediatricians carry on legacy of mentorship and patient care

The two pediatricians at Norton Children’s Medical Group – Windy Hills have known each other since long before one of them was a doctor. When they met, one was one was a college student trying to figure out her future career, while the other was already a pediatrician who understood the value of having — and…

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ENT-Audiology, Flu, Norton Childrens Medical Group

What to do about a toddler coughing at night

Qué hacer con un niño pequeño que tose por la noche A toddler coughs when lying down? Maybe didn’t cough at all during the day, or not cough much, but started coughing at night? The reason is that mucus from the sinuses drains into the throat while your toddler is horizontal, triggering the cough. Asthma…

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Norton Childrens Medical Group, Prevention & Wellness

How long does the cold virus live on surfaces?

Cold viruses can survive on indoor surfaces for up to seven days, but are infectious only for about 24 hours. Generally, they last longer on hard, nonporous surfaces such as plastic or stainless steel. The virus is less likely to live as long on soft, porous surfaces such as tissues. You’re more likely to catch…

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Anesthesiology, Norton Childrens Hospital, Norton Childrens Medical Group, Norton Womens & Childrens Hospital

Avoiding anesthesia complications for kids

Using general anesthesia in a child has its risks, but there are steps you and your physician can take to make this part of a child’s medical procedure safer. Most side effects of anesthesia are minor and include nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, muscle soreness and sore throat. Rare but more serious complications include adverse reactions that…

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