Spending time outdoors in the summer means there’s a risk for ticks. Jameel T. Clark, M.D., with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Dixie notes that you may not notice a tick bite right away. But that doesn’t mean you should start worrying once you notice a bite. While ticks sometimes spread diseases, merely getting a…
On Nov. 6, 2008, Norton Healthcare employee Casey Phillips got the call no parent ever wants to receive. It was his father-in-law telling him he needed to get to the Shelbyville emergency room as fast as he could. His 14-year-old had tried to hang himself. “My heart stopped,” Phillips said. “As I was walking out…
It’s not uncommon for a wild child to turn into a couch potato teen, but a new study finds the slowdown in activity happens long before the onset of puberty. The British Journal of Sports Medicine reports that sedentary behaviors start to develop at the ripe old age of 7. The researchers studied 400 kids…
Our kids argue about everything we ask them to do. But earlier this month, when my wife and I asked if they wanted to go to the local high school track, they were in the car before we had even changed clothes. We went with a plan to run and they went to have fun,…
Whip this breakfast favorite up and add a fruity twist to the pancake batter. It’s a family favorite. Pancake-coated apple rings Makes 6 servings (about 18 rings) 3 large apples, cored and sliced into about 6 rings 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour 1/4 cup quick oats 2 tablespoons milled flaxseed 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons…
In 1986, Robbie Cardin became Norton Children’s and Kentucky’s first pediatric heart transplant patient. As you can imagine, his plight was covered by the media. Robbie was referred to as “Baby Calvin” to protect his family’s privacy. Robbie was born by cesarean section at Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Doctors knew right away something…
January and February are typically times when pediatrician offices are swamped with calls: Children have caught some kind of bug or the flu that is causing vomiting. As a parent, what do you do? Most of the time, vomiting just needs to run its course. During that time, you can help your child stay hydrated…
As a mother of two girls who have very different body sizes, I noticed friends and family, even strangers, admiring my younger girl’s chubby cheeks and thick legs, while my first-born was often the subject of worrisome comments like, “Oh my, she’s so tiny.” Aside from the comedic effect of “little” sis seeming bigger in…
Vibrant and bouncing, Wells Whitaker is a ball of energy. The 2-year-old bundle of long golden curls and bright laughter seems to have an endless supply of energy. His parents, Leslee and Matt, remember just months before, Wells was a very different toddler. “He has two older siblings,” Matt said. “He would try to keep…
While a runny nose is a common sinus infection symptom, the color of the mucus shouldn’t be used as a guide for when an antibiotic is called for. A runny nose is the body’s way of clearing the germs out of the nose and sinuses. Even once the mucus turns yellowish after a couple of…
Dynamic and vivacious, 11-year-old twin sisters Lauren and Madison are every bit as charming as they are spirited. However, while the girls are matched in character, they differ in physical development. Older by 30 minutes, Lauren is noticeably taller than Madison, who was born with a congenital heart defect. Halfway through her pregnancy, their mother,…
We’ve all heard it: “Mommy, I don’t feel good. Can’t we just stay home?” For many parents, staying home isn’t an option. But it does pose the question of when is a child too sick for day care? Sure-fire signs that you need to keep your child home from day care include: Other signs can…