Urgent Care for your Child? Making the Choice During COVID-19
Children get sick or hurt every day, even during a pandemic. Parents may be hesitant to use Urgent Care facilities during this trying time, but health and safety is what we do!
The Art of Showing up for a Holiday During a Pandemic
If there’s one thing we know about COVID-19, it’s that long holiday weekends lead to COVID-19 spikes. Winter holidays could lead to even bigger spikes, as people gather indoors during the cold weather.
Preparing Kids for COVID-19 Swabs
These days, more and more children are being tested for COVID-19. The swab is different from anything many of us have ever experienced, and advance preparation can help make the test less scary for kids. Here are some tips for parents.
Safe Ways to Celebrate Halloween During COVID-19
There’s a new spooky character this Halloween that we’re all trying to avoid – COVID-19. The CDC and AAP aren’t recommending traditional trick-or-treating, and some communities may even discourage it, so it’s time to get a little creative.
Are Kids with Congenital Heart Disease at Higher Risk for COVID-19?
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, occurring in about 1 in every 100 births. If adults with underlying heart conditions are at increased risk for COVID-19, researchers wondered if the same would hold true for children.
COVID-19 and Sleep: Is Your Child Getting Enough Rest?
Getting a good night’s sleep is so important to our mental and physical health. Like so many things recently, COVID-19 has significantly disrupted the sleep of children and adolescents. So what can we do to get back to a healthy sleep routine?
COVID-19 and Special Education: Back to School with IEPs and 504 Plans
For children with special education needs, school is far more than learning in a classroom; it’s a place where they receive important physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapies, socialize with peers, and have a daily routine.
Kids and COVID-19: Back to School During a Pandemic
While more research is still needed to better understand COVID-19 in children and adolescents, a couple of recent studies offer some helpful insights. Here are a few important things to keep in mind as we head toward the school year.
Be a COVID-19 Hero: Your Actions Can Save Lives
Why should we follow the recommendations to wear masks, wash our hands, use hand sanitizer, practice physical distancing and stay home if we are sick or have had contact with someone who is sick? Because preventing even one transmission can dramatically change an outbreak.
Preparing Kids for an Unconventional School Year
For many families, the coming school year will be different than any other. No matter what type of learning environment children experience, there will be adjustment to new expectations, routines, and procedures.
COVID-19 and Breastfeeding: What Parents Need to Know
This year, World Breastfeeding Week feels different, overshadowed by so many other things that demand center stage. As Medical Director for Lactation Services, I have heard concerns from staff and parents about COVID-19 and breastfeeding.
7 Ways to Help Kids Cope Through Changing Times
For better or worse, change has become the new normal, creating feelings of stress in both children and adults. As we adjust to important changes, we can find ourselves weighed down by worry and uncertainty. How do we cope in an ever-changing world?
5 Things to Know Before Taking Your Kids to the Doctor During COVID-19
These tips can help parents make informed decisions along with your children’s medical provider about how and when to resume in-person care. There are also ways you can help prepare your child for a visit.
COVID-19 and Kids: Managing Chronic Pain at Home
Chronic pain is a condition that impacts many children and adolescents. However, given recent changes in our daily lives due to COVID-19, many families face the task of managing pain symptoms at home.
Is Being Too Close Physically Making Your Child Emotionally Distant?
As a result of COVID-19, some families are physically closer than ever before. This may cause conflict for some; however, many more may find themselves distancing emotionally. Here are some tips to help your family emotionally thrive during this uncertain time.
Masks and New Routines: Helping Children with Special Needs During COVID-19
Adjusting to wearing masks or social distancing can be especially challenging for children who have rigid routines or have heightened sensitivity to change. Here are some recommendations to help with communication, understanding and coping for these children.
Helping Kids Get Used to Seeing and Wearing Masks
In response to CDC recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many hospitals and businesses are requiring face coverings or masks for anyone over the age of 2 years old. Some children may have difficulty adjusting to seeing others wearing face coverings and wearing them appropriately themselves.
Safety First: How We're Caring for Our Patients and Visitors During COVID-19
Health and safety of patients, families and staff have always been our top priorities and this hasn’t changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While we paused some of our elective services and clinics as we learned more about COVID-19, we have remained committed to providing essential care.
COVID-19 and Kawasaki Disease: What Parents Need to Know
Within a few weeks, clusters of sick kids with, what is being called, "Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome," started to appear in New York City and several other states. Some of these cases resembled a rare inflammatory illness called Kawasaki Disease.
6 Tips to Be a Supportive Stepparent
Taking two families and making them one is no doubt a challenging task. Using these tools below can help you and your family navigate the transition and help you be the best stepparent you can be.
Single-Parenting and COVID-19: Best Practices to Keep Your Family Safe
Covid-19 and social distancing has brought a lot of change and establishing a “new normal” can be challenging for all of us. Several single parents and caregivers shared their unique challenges and ways they have successfully navigated them. These are some of their tips.
What to Do If Your High School Senior Is Struggling Through the COVID-19 Pandemic
Many students are struggling emotionally during this time of uncertainty. If you have a high school senior in your life you are likely confused about where to start to help and support them. Here are some feelings and thoughts many high school seniors might experience.
Stress Management for Parents: Tips for Getting Through Tough Times
With many aspects of life being turned upside down and day-to-day routines falling by the wayside, it’s more important than ever to take extra care of our mental health. How is that possible at a time like this? Creativity is the answer.
Adjusting to Life at Home: Keeping Kids Safe From Burns
Parents and families continue to adjust to new routines caused by COVID-19 as stay at home orders remain in place for our community. The increase in the amount of time spent in the home setting makes home safety even more important for children and their families.
The Benefits of Exercise in the Midst of a Global Pandemic
There are many ways kids can continue to exercise safely during the current pandemic while sports have been cancelled and there are limitations on groups of people. Here are a few ideas for you do along with your child.
Reasonable Expectations for Parents and Children During a Pandemic
In this time, we need to take a step back, acknowledge the impact of the stressful times and have reasonable expectations for our children and ourselves.
8 Tips for Managing Routines in Uncertain Times
In a time when life feels out of control, routines can give us all a sense of stability and comfort and an opportunity for our families to thrive. If you are struggling with your current routine or want to look at putting some in place here are a few ideas.
Mask Safety 101: Why You Shouldn’t Mask a Baby
As the coronavirus pandemic evolves, so do the recommendations. One of the most recent recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is to wear “cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.”
Distance Learning: Best Practices to Support Your Student
Since schools have been closed due to COVID-19, many parents have had to become more hands-on in their children’s daily learning than ever before. Supporting their students at home has been just as much of a learning process for these parents as it is for kids.
Telehealth: Providing Best Outcomes for Children During COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change the way we live our daily lives, one thing remains true – Nationwide Children’s Hospital is adapting and innovating so you/your child receives uninterrupted care. We’re doing this through telehealth visits.
COVID-19: How to Keep Kids Busy and Connected
In these uncertain times, parents have the added stress of keeping their children busy and connected with friends and family, all while staying home to slow the spread of coronavirus. We did some crowdsourcing to get some great ideas for younger and older kids.
Things to Do If Your Child Has a Sibling in the Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic
For children who have a brother or sister admitted this could raise questions: Is my sibling okay? When will they come home? Why can’t I visit them? What happens at the hospital? Will I get sick?
COVID-19: How to Help Kids Deal With School Closings and Cancelled Plans
Schools around the country are being closed to try to slow down the spreading of COVID-19. At first, this may sound exciting, but these closings present us with lots of challenges. Here are a few tips to handle the next few weeks.
How to Talk to Your Kids About COVID-19
Kids pay attention to the news when hot topics dominate it, and they are often curious enough to ask questions. If your children want answers about COVID-19, we suggest a multi-layered approach.
What Parents Need to Know About Coronavirus
COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus, is a global pandemic. Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about COVID-19.