Pregnant or planning? Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s offer high-quality care for you and your baby. NortonBaby.com Though there won’t be any trick-or-treating, babies at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are ready for their first Halloween. Infants showed off their little costumes in front of family and friends. “Dressing babies…
The idea of surgery can be frightening and overwhelming for any child. As a parent, you’re probably worried too. Fortunately, a little preparation can help reduce everyone’s fears and improve the experience. “Having a plan and knowledge of the situation can help kids and parents feel less anxious about anesthesia and surgery, and get through…
The most talked-about danger for trick-or-treaters is getting hit by a car. But many injuries on Halloween night involve falls. The culprit: costumes. “Each year thousands of kids spend Halloween night in emergency rooms — and many times it’s because of an issue with their costumes,” said Erika Janes, R.N., child safety advocate for Norton Children’s Prevention…
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect families across the nation. Flu season is upon us, and pediatricians are reminding families that there is still time to get kids a flu shot. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends children receive their flu vaccinations by the end of October. This includes all eligible kids 6 months and…
Take a free tour of the Norton Children’s Hospital Home & BMW Raffle house at 10934 Monkshood Drive, Prospect, Kentucky. Come to an open house, held every Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 11, noon to 6 p.m., and Nov. 17, noon to 3 p.m. You can purchase a raffle ticket at the house and register…
Several outbreaks of AFM — acute flaccid myelitis — have been reported in children in recent weeks, including three in the Louisville and Southern Indiana area. The mysterious polio-like disease causes weakness in the arms or legs and is extremely rare, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AFM affects a person’s…
Youth soccer in the United States has exploded in popularity since it emerged decades ago. But as the number of players has increased, knee injuries and other ailments have soared as well. According to a 2016 study in the journal Pediatrics, the annual injury rate for young soccer players jumped by 111 percent since 1990. More…
With a new school year solidly underway, more kids are bringing home “the wrong kind of friends.” No, we aren’t talking about their fellow classmates — we’re talking about head lice. “As children come in close contact during the school day, it’s common to see more instances of head lice,” said Rachel Alexander, APRN, nurse practitioner…
An estimated one in three children suffers from constipation at some point. In fact, constipation in kids is the cause of thousands of pediatrician visits every year, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Constipation is even more common in children with neurogenic bowel dysfunction, a condition in which the nerves that control bowel function…
What’s red with oozing blisters and a honey-colored crust? Impetigo. Pronounced im-peh-tie-go, this common childhood skin infection often starts with a cut, scratch or bug bite. It sounds truly awful, but don’t despair. “The infection can be itchy and painful, but it is very treatable and can even disappear on its own,” said April R….
More local children aren’t making it to their first birthday. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 23,000 infants died in the United States in 2016. Indiana had 620 infant deaths, while Kentucky had 370 — both higher infant mortality rates than the national average. The five leading causes of infant…
Kent L. Walker, D.O., pediatric orthopedic surgeon, has joined Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville. Dr. Walker earned his undergraduate degree from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and medical degree from Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tennessee. He completed his residency at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tennessee, and a…