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  • Answers to 4 Common Follow-Up Questions Parents Ask

    A parent often will be worried about their child’s sickness, even following a visit to the doctor’s office. They might wonder why they never received medication, for example, or why their condition seems to worsen before it gets better. These are valid concerns that we do not take lightly.

  • Does Heart Murmur Mean My Child Has a Heart Problem?

    A heart murmur is the sound the blood makes as it moves through the heart or blood vessel. It’s what your pediatrician hears when their stethoscope is on your child’s chest. A heart murmur isn’t necessarily bad. In fact, the majority of heart murmurs are classified as innocent — they are simply the result of blood flowing normally. Think of it like listening to water flowing through a garden hose. When the faucet is turned on, the water makes a sound as it moves through the hose. You can tell by that sound that everything is flowing normally, just like the sound of an innocent murmur. If there is a kink in the hose, however, the sound is different. The change in sound alerts your physician that there may be something wrong.

  • Protecting Kids with Asthma from COVID-19

    What doctors know about COVID-19 is still emerging, but experts consider children with asthma to be at-risk for more serious illness if infected than children without asthma. To help protect them, ensure your child regularly uses their preventive asthma therapies — such as an inhaler — and work hard to reduce triggers like exposure to pollen and stress. Doing so lowers your child’s risk of serious infection from COVID-19. 

  • How to Better Manage Your Child’s Asthma

    Watching your child struggle to breathe is a heart-wrenching and frightening situation for any parent. If your child has asthma, you may even live in fear of hearing your child cough or wheeze. But there are steps you can take to prevent frequent asthma attacks, as well as efficiently treat your child’s flare-ups when they do occur. By working with your doctor and taking proactive measures, no one should have to feel isolated. Here are several tips to consider in order to better manage your child’s asthma:

  • A Mother's Story: The Blessings That Come With Having a Child With Spina Bifida

    Just over nine years ago, I had never heard of a neural tube defect or spina bifida. In fact, nine years ago I would have told you spina bifida was one of the most horrible things to learn your baby would be born with. Spina bifida is a birth defect that makes you feel as though something so terrible is wrong with your baby.

  • How My Son’s Cancer Battle Has Shaped Our Family

    A couple months after Nathan’s second birthday, we noticed he was limping. At first, we thought he’d maybe hurt his leg while playing with his older brother. Still, he didn’t really complain of pain, so we didn’t think much of it. But one night while he was lying on my lap, I noticed a trail of lumps behind both his ears. The combination of symptoms led us to visit his pediatrician. Nathan’s X-rays came back normal, but later that afternoon, we returned to discuss his bloodwork results.

  • Ruby Makes a Difference with the Teen Leadership Council

    Having a chronic disease, with frequent hospital visits, is always challenging. Particularly for teenagers who can feel isolated from their peers during their illness. For Ruby, it was no different. At the age of 16, she came to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children with a diagnosis of gastroparesis and severe dysmotility of the GI tract. In other words, her digestive system didn’t properly move food from the stomach to the small intestine.

  • Recognizing and Treating Your Child’s Congenital Heart Defect

    Learning that your baby has a congenital heart defect can be scary, and while health challenges can exist, the outlook for most children is positive. Although congenital heart defects are serious, most types of the disease can be treated, allowing your child to live a productive and fulfilling life.

  • A Day in the Life of a Child Life Specialist

    For a child life specialist at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, no two days are the same. The Child Life Program offers

  • 5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Active in Bad Weather

    If you can’t take young children to a park or allow them to run around the neighborhood, consider coordinating with other nearby parents for playtime. Encouraging your children to have friends over can lead to indoor games of tag, hide and seek, and even more unique activities. Just make sure to take any screens away, which can diminish imaginative play.