As children head back to school, some families may encounter additional behavioral issues at school or in the home. Pediatricians are reminding parents that spanking is not an effective method of discipline. Spanking doesn’t work Spanking as a form of discipline is associated with poor health outcomes, such as mental health issues, substance abuse issues,…
Should my child get a flu vaccine? Can you get sick from the flu shot? Does the flu vaccine work? There are a lot of questions about the flu shot and the flu out there — and a lot of conflicting answers, depending on whom you ask. Let’s go through the myths to uncover the…
If your daughter is experiencing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and weight gain, it’s important to keep in mind that lifestyle changes, such as proper diet and exercise, can reduce the disease’s severity. Excessive weight gain is common in teens with PCOS. But without proper diagnosis and treatment, the condition can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart…
Shopping for school supplies, completing back-to-school checkups and meeting new teachers are all part of the back-to-school excitement. But for many families, one of the biggest challenges is getting back into a regular bedtime routine. Summer break often means more relaxed bedtime and wake-up schedules. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s guidelines for the recommended…
Children with diabetes have a higher risk of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes have five times the rate of depression than adolescents without Type 1 diabetes. Impacts of depression and diabetes Depression coupled with diabetes can cause more hospital visits and an increased risk for complications due to a…
When Nemr S. Eid, M.D., arrived in Louisville in 1988, he was the city’s only pediatric pulmonologist. For 10 years, he was on call around the clock, every day of the week, for children with asthma, cystic fibrosis or other lung conditions. His motto was “The patient remains first, always,” which meant his days started…
There is no cure for cystic fibrosis (CF), but breakthrough new drugs recently have been approved for children as young as 4 months, with more in the research stages that target the genetic mutations responsible for the disease. “This is a major development for our young cystic fibrosis patients,” said Ronald L. Morton, M.D., pulmonologist with Norton Children’s…
What is septic arthritis in children? Septic arthritis is a painful infection that occurs inside of a joint, including the joint fluid (synovial fluid) or surrounding joint tissues. “Septic arthritis in children is caused by bacteria that enters the bloodstream through another part of the body, typically after an injury that breaks the skin, or…
Methotrexate and vincristine are complex words for most, but 7-year-old Beckham Goodale knows them and can pronounce them just as well as any doctor. They’re words no child should know, but this is the reality of pediatric cancer. Methotrexate and vincristine are Beckham’s chemotherapy treatments. He’s been battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia since December 2020. In…
It’s not a matter of how much heart you have, but how much heart you give. That is true for Johnathan Young. He was born with half of a working heart. Johnathan, age 11, is the youngest of Greg and Jill Young’s three children. When Jill had her 20-week pregnancy ultrasound, the clinician noticed something…
Thirty-nine years ago, Diane Burnett, APRN, wasn’t sure she was cut out to care for kids with cancer and blood disorders. Give it a year, she figured. “I didn’t know if I would be a good fit for that,” Diane said. As it turned out, she was, and Diane’s job became a passion. One year…
With Kentucky still outpacing the nation in instances of child abuse, state officials and Norton Children’s announced $6 million from the Kentucky General Assembly aimed at reducing the number of child deaths and injuries related to abuse. An additional $2 million has been committed to the initiative by the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation thanks to…