As child abuse rates in Kentucky remain higher than the national average, keeping children healthy and safe is every person’s priority. If you’re raising kids, are a caregiver for kids or spend time around kids — make a plan for how to deal with challenging times that are bound to happen. Here’s what you can…
How to help your teen quit smoking or vaping If your teen is smoking or vaping, there are ways to help them quit. Smoking and vaping are popular among young people; teens don’t assess risks the same as adults. They’re also more impressionable when it comes to peer pressure — resulting in many teens currently…
When your child is between the ages of 3 and 6, the routines of well-child visits with your pediatrician can fall off the calendar. They aren’t toddlers or babies anymore, and they haven’t started school. Sometimes life takes over. But these are important years for well-child visits. Critical developmental milestones should be met during these…
Despite dropping for the third consecutive year, Kentucky’s rate of child abuse victims continues to outpace the national average. The “Child Maltreatment 2021” report released this year by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Children’s Bureau found Kentucky’s rate of child abuse victims in 2021 was 14.7 per 1,000 children. That means about…
Even though anorexia nervosa can be life-threatening, adolescents with an eating disorder often feel being skinny makes them healthy, according to Brittany K. Badal, M.D., an adolescent medicine physician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Novak Center. We live in a society where there is social stigma around weight, with teasing and bullying, and social media…
Before you begin to learn how to potty train your toddler, consider when to start toilet training. The child having dry diapers and the ability to pull up and down their pants are some key starting points. Waiting until your toddler is ready will make the “how” of potty training go more smoothly. “Some kids are…
When your child has newly obtained their driver’s license, handing over the keys can be anxiety inducing for parents. While a new driver can be excited to gain additional freedom and responsibilities, parents are often more aware of the risks of the road, especially when it comes to teen distracted driving. What is distracted driving?…
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…
Typically, a drop in the number of calls to child protective services would be cause for great celebration and taken as a sign of less child abuse and neglect. Not this time. You see, we know that child abuse and neglect increase during times of economic downturn, financial stress/poverty, and social isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic…
In many cases, preventing heart disease in children can be accomplished with lifestyle changes. Preventable heart disease in children is increasing, likely tied to a widespread increase in childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 children ages 6 to 19 is obese. Children in the U.S. typically…
Although babies can go outside when it’s cold, their bodies aren’t equipped to handle the extreme temperatures yet. They shouldn’t be out in the elements for very long, and there are some precautions to take when dressing babies for cold weather. “Parents should keep in mind that babies aren’t able to regulate their body temperatures…
Kids getting flu shots goes beyond keeping the children healthy and helps keep their grandparents healthy, according to Gary S. Marshall, M.D., infectious diseases physician with Norton Children’s Infectious Diseases, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. Dr. Marshall is also a professor of pediatrics and chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at…