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Heading to the hospital with your child? Maybe they need an IV placed or need to stay as an inpatient for a few days? Both you and your child are probably pretty stressed about the whole thing. But help is on the way! Our Children's Medical Center has certified child life specialists to help your family cope with a potentially stressful health care experience. 

So … what is a child life specialist? According to the Association of Child Life Professionals, these heroes among us help infants, children, youth, and families cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness, injury, trauma, disability

Is it possible to make an upcoming vaccine or blood draw easier for your child? Yes! Needle sticks, whether they be for vaccines or a blood test, can cause fear and pain for both you and your child. But there is help, and the Children’s Medical Center is spreading the word about ways to make pokes easier. 

Your role as the parent is to help advocate to lessen the physical pain, reduce the fear or stress your child is having, and be a voice for your child. Try some of these simple tools to make the needle stick experience better. 

Download our Making Pokes Hurt Less sheet.

Numb the Skin to Lessen

TikTok. The social media platform that’s all the rage with tweens, high schoolers and college kids. It can be fun and make you laugh. But it can also interfere with brain development and have a negative impact on mental health. 

We asked Jessica Griffin, PsyD, Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Clinical Psychologist, and Executive Director of Lifeline for Kids, to answer some questions about the impact TikTok and other social platforms are having.

TikTok, Children and the Brain

What impact is TikTok having on children's attention span and ability to focus? 

We need more research in

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” is a common response from parents when they find out their newborn is infected with cytomegalovirus or CMV. CMV is the leading infectious cause of birth defects and neurodevelopmental disabilities in the U.S., but few states screen infants for it.

What Is Cytomegalovirus?

CMV is in the herpes virus family along with the viruses that cause mono, cold sores and chicken pox. It commonly passes by contact between people of all ages and within communities such as households, daycare centers, or schools, and usually causes mild or even no symptoms. More seriously, CMV can

Being a child or teen seems not nearly as fun as it used to be. Who’s posting what on social media, worries about getting good grades, relationships at school, home environment and peer pressure have today’s kids feeling the stress to perform, fit in and stand out. When it comes to stress and children, know how to identify signs and find solutions.

According to an article published in JAMA Pediatrics, youngsters in 2020 experienced considerably more stress and depression than in 2016. The report states that anxiety rose from 7.1% to 9.2% (a 29% increase), and that the rate of depression went

Some of the most common environmental health risks can impact a child’s health and development. These household poisons include carbon monoxide poisoning, mercury poisoning, household chemicals and pesticides, polluted water and lead poisoning. Each of these dangers could be present in your home. You can improve safety by controlling the amount of household poisons that your child is exposed to by putting a few preventative measures in place.

Poison Safety Tips

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Don’t leave cars or lawn equipment running in the garage.
• Never use gas ovens or burners for heating your home.
• I

Mental health, mood changes, and anxiety or anxiety-related conditions are very common during pregnancy and in the year after giving birth. One in five birthing people, during pregnancy or postpartum (after birth), experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), frightening thoughts, or other mental health conditions or symptoms. Getting help is the best thing you can do for you and your baby.

Facts About Maternal Mental Health

• Untreated mental health conditions can affect you, your health and your baby’s health.
• They do not mean you are failing as a parent.
• They are medical