With youth sports returning to action with precautions amid the coronavirus pandemic, pediatricians are conducting yearly sports physicals to make sure kids are healthy and fit to engage in physical activity. A sports exam includes a health history questionnaire and a check of vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and respiration. “As…
Washing your hands is the easiest way to keep yourself and others from getting sick. Think of it as a do-it-yourself vaccine: Hand hygiene helps prevent diarrhea, strep throat, the flu and many other illnesses caused by various germs like bacteria and viruses. We teach kids how to wash their hands –– but do they…
Kentucky already has had more drownings this year than all of 2019, even while public pools are closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus. So far this year, there have been 33 drownings in Kentucky’s lakes, reservoirs and streams. Nearly half of them — 14 — have occurred since May 23, the Saturday before…
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), there is a gun in 1 out of 3 homes with children, and nearly 1.7 million children live in a home with a loaded, unlocked gun. Every year, thousands of children are killed or injured because of a gun accident at home, what is referred to as…
It doesn’t have to be a hot summer day for a hot car-related injury or death to occur. It can get up to 50 degrees higher than the outside air temperature inside a car, and if a child is left in a hot car for even a short time, the consequences can be deadly. Already…
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….
The official start to summer is coming soon; however, the temperatures and humidity levels already have arrived. As we brace for heat waves during the summer, medical experts encourage parents to heed the warning and know the signs of heat exhaustion. “Heat exhaustion and heat-related illnesses can be detrimental in children,” said Sandra M. Herr,…
Wearing a mask (when age-appropriate) is a way for people to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep children and families safer during the COVID-19 outbreak. Norton Children’s wants every child to be a “Super Kid.” Super Kids help keep themselves and their friends and family healthier by completing healthy actions. Being a Norton…
Trent Robinson was rushed to Norton Children’s Hospital by ambulance from a nearby hospital just after being delivered by emergency cesarean section in March 2018. “He was turning blue. I got to see him for a split second as I was lying on the operating table,” said Brooklynn Robinson, Trent’s mother. Trent was diagnosed with…
Norton Children’s Hospital is home to the region’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, meaning it is equipped to provide the highest level of trauma care. Mary E. Fallat, M.D., is one of the main reasons why. When Dr. Fallat, pediatric surgeon with Norton Children’s Surgery and the Hirikati S. Nagaraj, M.D. Endowed Chair in…
Summer is the biggest time for bicycle accidents. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, injuries from wheeled sports sent 426,000 kids — more than 50 children every hour — to U.S. emergency rooms last year. During that same period, Norton Children’s Hospital treated hundreds of kids for bike-related injuries, including concussion, traumatic brain injury, also called…
Growing up in today’s world presents different challenges than even a couple of decades ago. However, some things don’t change: It is important for parents and guardians to start conversations about puberty and sexual health early. Discussions should be relaxed and informal; any awkwardness will subside if you are confident and straightforward, and if you…