Overuse of antibiotics is a worldwide problem, reducing the drug’s effectiveness and making serious bacterial infections resistant to treatment. For its efforts to improve antibiotic prescribing, Norton Children’s Hospital has been named an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence. The Infectious Diseases Society of America awards the distinction to hospitals that effectively prescribe antibiotics and combat…
There are a lot of different roles that make up a child’s care team when he or she is in a children’s hospital. A child can see nurses, nurse practitioners and any number of physician specialists. You may know what a cardiologist, surgeon or orthopedic surgeon does — but do you know what a pediatric…
It’s fun to play with fireworks — until it’s not. Emergency departments across the country see an increase in burns and hand injuries around the July Fourth holiday. Charity S. Burke, M.D., hand surgeon with Norton Louisville Arm & Hand, has treated such fireworks injuries. Norton Louisville Arm & Hand The skilled surgeons with Norton…
Eleanor Westenhofer, an 8-year-old heart transplant patient, led a delegation to Washington. Eleanor, along with a team from Norton Children’s Hospital, met with lawmakers to make sure they keep sick kids in mind as they work on health care legislation. She took part in Speak Now for Kids 2019 Family Advocacy Day. Eleanor shared this about…
Motorized scooters are becoming more popular in Louisville and major cities across the United States. But this new transportation fad comes with a potential serious health risk. According to a study in the American Journal of Otolaryngology, facial and head injuries from electric scooter accidents have tripled during the past decade. During that time, researchers estimated…
Scoliosis affects about 7 million people in the U.S. Scoliosis describes an abnormal curve in the spine, which can vary in severity. Scoliosis can develop in infancy or early childhood, and many children are diagnosed with scoliosis from around ages 10 to 15. For children who need treatment, options range from physical therapy, such as…
Your child has an accident and your pediatrician’s office is closed; or maybe you’re traveling. When your child needs emergency care, it’s tempting to go to the closest hospital or immediate care center so he or she can find relief as quickly as possible. However, hospitals and urgent care centers that serve adults may not…
I remember very clearly the day that my son Cooper was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I was sitting with my husband and Cooper in the emergency department waiting to see the endocrinologist. As we were waiting, the nurse checked his one-hour blood sugar from his glucose test, read me that result plus what his…
Every summer, children are lost or suffer long-term disabilities related to submersion injuries. Submersion injuries include drowning and near-drowning incidents. Frightening stories about “dry drowning” go viral on social media. You may scroll past them, thinking dry drowning is not a real threat. But it is. And it can be life-threatening. Nonfatal dry drowning refers…
Two-thirds of all drownings happen between May and August, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. The Norton Children’s Hospital emergency department typically sees an average of 19 drowning victims a year in these months. Sadly, most drownings are completely preventable. Know the signs of drowning. “There are some safety precautions you can take to prevent drowning,…
The number of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) cases fell by more than half in Kentucky from 2016 to 2018, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health. In 2016, 103 SUID cases were recorded in Kentucky. The number dropped to 84 in 2017 and 48 last year. Expectant parent classes “Childbirth 101,” infant care…
The typical scoliosis screening age starts about age 10, as the screening is most helpful during an adolescent’s growth spurt. If your health care provider detects a curve in the spine that needs treatment, a brace will often correct the condition at this age and can prevent the need for surgery later in life. Girls…