The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreak of 2021 brought unprecedented summertime levels of the infection to states like Kentucky, raising some concerns about the traditional cold-weather season for RSV. At Norton Children’s, health care providers are seeing some children infected with both RSV and COVID-19, said Kristina A. Bryant, M.D., physician with Norton Children’s Infectious…
Sometimes known as a “PKU test,” a genetic screening for newborns actually checks for a wide range of genetic disorders. PKU, an abbreviation for phenylketonuria, is a rare inherited disorder that causes the phenylalanine amino acid to build up in the body and can lead to brain damage. It’s caused by a genetic defect that…
Flu and COVID-19 symptoms can be the same, leading to confusion and anxiety for parents with children feeling under the weather. If your child experiences symptoms such as a fever and cough — or if you do — here are some steps to help prevent the spread: Stay home except to get medical care. Get…
Tests to diagnose muscular dystrophy generally look for genes associated with inherited muscle diseases and include measures of muscle strength and neurological tests along with other examinations to rule out other causes of symptoms. Before any complex tests are conducted, your pediatrician or specialist physician will ask about your child’s symptoms and whether any other…
Christa Taylor was born with Ebstein anomaly, pulmonary atresia and pulmonary stenosis, all forms of congenital heart disease (CHD). She manages her adult congenital heart disease with care from Norton Children’s Heart Institute — the same team and hospital where she had her heart care for more than 30 years. Growing up with congenital heart…
On Valentine’s Day, 2020, Angel Florian received a 6-foot-tall plush rose from her boyfriend. It was a substitute for the real flowers he wanted to give her but couldn’t because her weakened immune system made it too risky. It was a year earlier, just after her 17th birthday, that Angel received a diagnosis of myelodysplastic…
When Alex and Kaylee Sutton’s son was born at 25 weeks, his new parents were scared their 1-pound, 9-ounce baby, born on the cusp of viability, wouldn’t make it. They’d arrived at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital at midnight, expecting to find out that Kaylee’s contractions were false labor pains. Instead, they learned Kaylee was…
Roddy D. McDowell, M.D., and Delwyn E. McOmber, M.D., are making their Pediatric HeartCare Partners practice a part of Norton Children’s Heart Institute. In addition to adding two skilled pediatric cardiologists to the Norton Children’s heart team, Pediatric HeartCare Partners will add five Southern Indiana locations and three Louisville offices, improving access for patients and…
Migraine headaches can start at any age, affecting babies and toddlers. There are many differences in symptoms children and adults. What can parents do to spot a migraine and get your child relief? What ages do migraine headaches appear in children? Although migraine headaches most commonly occur in teens and young adults, the attacks can…
Jennifer Pascual, like most teens, has many interests. The 13-year-old, who lives in Southern Indiana, enjoys spending time with her large family. She loves animals and has many pets. She likes to draw and paint, play music and sing. “I’m learning to play the ukulele,” she said. “It’s really fun.” Unlike most teens, however, Jennifer…
Meredith Zuhars and her husband, Dave, were totally surprised by her pregnancy with their son, Zachary. They were raising a teen and preteen at the time, and both working, Meredith as a nurse. They were not even entertaining the idea of another child. Their “surprise baby” had another surprise: Zachary was born Aug. 5, nearly…
The mixture of emotions that emerges with a new childhood cancer diagnosis can cause overwhelming feelings in both the child and the family. Childhood cancer treatment has evolved from a sole focus on medical treatment and survival to also encompass the emotional and behavioral support that children and families need. What can families expect after…