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Going back to school and back to the pediatrician
Since the start of school is right around the corner for families in central Florida, many of us will be taking our children to the pediatrician for an annual visit. Even if your child is completely healthy and hasn’t been sick in a very long time, it is still important to call and make that appointment with the pediatrician every year. I would recommend calling earlier in the summer to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician, since there are usually fewer sick children that come in over the summer, and more appointment times may be available. You will also avoid the big rush of patients trying to see the doctor for annual check-ups right before school starts in the fall.
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See Emily's open-heart surgery as it happens
We followed 3 year old Emily Stone through heart surgery to repair a heart defect called tricuspid atresia, meaning her heart only has one chamber. We captured her surgery through Instagram as it happened, posting updates and pictures every few minutes so that her story could be followed in real time. Below are the photos and a timeline of events throughout the surgery. Emily's surgery was successful and we wish her the best as she gets back to being a normal little girl again.
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Responding to the Sandy Hook shooting: How to cope with tragedy
In some ways, it seems impossible to write anything about the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and yet I want to reach out. What can anyone say about such a loss? I cannot imagine the feelings of the families whose children and loved ones have died. Or the feelings of the children, teachers and families who were traumatized even though they escaped physical harm.
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Grandparents may not be aware of current safety recommendations
Sending the kids over to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for the weekend isn’t just great for the kids, it’s a luxury for Mom and Dad, too. But, recent research indicates that grandparents may not be aware of current safety recommendations for children.
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What does health care reform mean for kids?
Just those three little words - health care reform - have the potential to give me a headache. That’s not because of my personal political views one way or the other, but because of the ongoing debate that continues to rage in the public forum. The sensational news headlines, the talking heads on television, the doomsday predictions: it’s simply too much. I don’t want to argue or hear others argue about it.
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The miraculous gift that saved Cameron's life
Caroline believes in miracles. She believes in miracles because her son, Cameron, is a living, breathing example of a miracle, and she cherishes him every, single day.
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Giving Back to the Place that Gave Them Hope: The NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital
It wasn’t the birth she had envisioned. Her husband wasn’t even in the room when she delivered her daughter. At 26 weeks of pregnancy, Melissa Harper gave birth to her “miracle,” Hattie, who weighed just one pound 13 ounces and measured only 14 inches long.
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How a donor milk bank helps save the lives of premature babies (and how you can, too)
Sometimes things just don’t go as planned. No one knows that better than parents whose child has been cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
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Know the hazards of a button battery
Written by Timothy Hadley, DO
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Why Teens Need the HPV Vaccine—Now
Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes at least 26,000 cases of cancer every year in the United States: about 18,000 in women and 8,000 in men. In 2006 a vaccine was licensed to prevent most of these cancers as well as venereal warts. First recommended for girls, the victims of more HPV-related cancers, the HPV vaccine was soon recommended for boys as well. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HPV immunization for all preteens between the ages of 11 and 12 years, prior to any risk of exposure.
The reality of HPV immunization in the U.S.
About 80% of us will contract HPV in our lives. Fortunately, most HPV infection is cleared by the immune system without long-term consequences. The unfortunate few go on to develop devastating disease. Sadly, the immunization rate of U.S. teens against HPV is very low. By 2013 less than half of all teens had received even one dose of an HPV vaccine. Currently, only 24% of preteens aged 11 to 12 years of age have begun the series.Why are vaccination rates so low?
HPV is difficult for parents to think about because it is mostly transmitted by some form of sexual contact. However, as much as we don’t want to think about our youngsters becoming sexual beings, they will. It is actually our goal as parents to have our children grow up and have families. Thus, acknowledging that our children may at some time in their lives contract HPV is our responsibility.