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  • My child has a heart murmur; what does that mean?

    As I finished taking care of my patients last week, I smiled at the relief that overcomes a parent when they learn that there is indeed nothing wrong with their child’s heart.

  • Welcome to Illuminate

    Living in Central Florida for the past 10 years, it has amazed me to see the different people and cultures from all over the world represented right here in my own backyard. Many of the people that call this area home have come from places I've only dreamed of. They speak different languages, have different cultural and religious values and have totally different perspectives on the world around them. I love to hear their stories, get a glimpse into their lives and see the world as they see it.

  • Helping teens make the leap into adulthood

    Yesterday, I met an 18-year-old young man who was coming in for his yearly physical for the first time. He had previously been followed by a general pediatrician, but he felt it was time to move out of the pediatric care setting into a health home that specializes in caring for adolescents and young adults. “Why?” I asked. To this he responded, "Because I felt it was time. I am not a child anymore."

  • Giving thanks and giving back

    Haley Kestory understands what it means to be truly thankful.

  • Have you had the "text" talk with your teen?

    I’ll admit something that I don’t often discuss; I’ve been in a car accident. Actually, I’ve caused a car accident. Make that several car accidents. I don’t like to discuss these accidents because I’m still fairly embarrassed about causing them. Although they were each minor, the reason for each accident was simple - I was distracted. Whether it was turning the radio station or a cell phone in my hands, something distracted me from focusing my full attention on the road.

  • Over-the-counter cough and cold medicine: what you don't know CAN hurt you

    Did you ever play tag when you were a kid? I remember running around the playground in a desperate panic to avoid whomever was “it”. I would run like my life was in jeopardy and strategize about how best to avoid the awful fate of being tagged.

  • Living life to the fullest despite being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis: Emily's story

    Emily is a vibrant, happy-go-lucky 10-year-old. With white-blonde hair, sparkly blue eyes and a contagious grin, she’s likely to steal your heart as soon as you meet her. To look at her, you’d never know that she has been fighting a serious illness her entire life.

  • Cutting and self-injury: what to do if someone you know is hurting themselves

    “Is it weird that I cut myself on purpose?”

  • A letter to other families battling childhood cancer

    Written by Colleen and JP Wright, parents of Ethan Wright, Ewing's Sarcoma Fighter and to date, SURVIVOR

  • Reading aloud to your kids affects literacy and school readiness

    Did you know that by the time your child reaches the 3rd grade, experts can reliably predict whether he will graduate high school?