NICU, Norton Childrens Hospital, Norton Womens & Childrens Hospital

What is a neonatologist?

A neonatologist is a specially-trained pediatrician who cares for preterm babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 10 babies in the U.S. are born prematurely. Premature births, also called preterm births, happen when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy….

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Heart, Heart Failure, Marfan Syndrome

Chest pain in children: When to take it seriously

More often than not, a child complaining of chest pain doesn’t suggest a serious problem. Children, young ones especially, aren’t very reliable when it comes to describing their own pain. “Most of the time, chest pain in children is not caused by a heart problem,” said Brian J. Holland, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist with Norton…

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Back to School, Prevention & Wellness

How to avoid school-related illnesses and injuries, and when to see your pediatrician for them

Parents and kids are back to morning routines and nightly homework. Yet for many, the school year can come with unwelcome health issues. Shared classroom supplies, seasonal viruses and close contact on the playground can lead to illnesses, injuries and other conditions. Libby W. Mims, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Shepherdsville, highlights several…

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Back to School, Norton Childrens Medical Group, Prevention & Wellness

School readiness starts at birth

An American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report in the August 2019 edition of Pediatrics says that too many U.S. children start kindergarten without adequate social, emotional, cognitive and physical development critical to school success. The article “School Readiness” features rapidly expanding research that shows how these gaps can be lowered or eliminated. Providing developmentally sound…

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Norton Childrens Medical Group, Prevention & Wellness

Be prepared if your college student gets sick or injured away from home

If you have a college freshman heading off to campus, you know it is an exciting time, full of promise. When you think of this time in your child’s life, the phrase “estate planning” doesn’t exactly come to mind. However, an advance directive could help your child should he or she experience a health crisis…

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Gynecology

Time to graduate to an adult OB/GYN

Turning 18 comes with a lot of milestones and new beginnings: graduating high school, becoming a legal adult and embarking on college or a career. One milestone young women should consider soon after they turn 18 is graduating from pediatric gynecological care to find a new OB/GYN provider who works with adults. Why find a…

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Rheumatology

Pediatric rheumatologists can help kids with pediatric rheumatic disease

Rheumatologists diagnose and treat autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that affect muscles, joints and connective tissues. These conditions in children are called by a broad term known as pediatric rheumatic diseases. A well-known pediatric rheumatic disease is juvenile idiopathic arthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, pediatric rheumatic diseases affect nearly 300,000 children in the United States….

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Behavioral-Mental Health, Newsjacking, Norton Childrens Hospital, Norton Childrens Medical Group

Tips on talking to your kids about tragedy from Norton Children’s experts

The Rev. Rick Forest, chaplain and bereavement care coordinator at Norton Children’s Hospital, and Bryan D. Carter, Ph.D., clinical pediatric psychologist at Norton Children’s Hospital and University of Louisville Physicians offer thoughts on how to talk to kids about mass shootings. For younger children especially, find out what they already know. That way you know where they’re…

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Cancer

Helping kids with cancer find a new purpose in music

Not much rattles Joseph M. Flynn, D.O., MPH, FACP, chief administrative officer for Norton Medical Group and physician-in-chief for Norton Cancer Institute. Yet, he admits to having butterflies last May as he stood backstage with his guitar at Chili’s® Clip for Kids. He was excited — yet also a bit terrified — to perform with…

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Cancer, Dermatology, Prevention & Wellness

Sunscreen ingredients like oxybenzone are less risky for kids than skin cancer

A recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA has prompted worries about sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone that can be absorbed into the bloodstream, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop protecting your family’s skin from ultraviolet rays. Indeed, the risks of skin cancer and other effects of overexposure to…

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Cancer, Cord Blood Banking, Lymphoma

Umbilical cord blood can help children with cancer and blood disorders

July is Cord Blood Awareness Month. Did you know that umbilical cord blood can be used to treat more than 70 diseases, including blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma? If you’re expecting a baby, you have several options regarding the cord blood that can help treat blood cancers and other life-threatening diseases. Unless you choose…

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Infectious Disease, Norton Childrens Medical Group

AFM virus symptoms to watch for as the seasonal illness appears ready to return

Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) made local headlines last year as Norton Children’s Hospital treated three children for the polio-like disease. The rare and mysterious illness typically pops up in late summer and early fall, but more than a dozen cases have already been reported nationwide this year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control…

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