It might seem like only yesterday that you stepped into the pediatrician’s office for your child’s very first visit. And you might have been a little nervous as you got to know the person who’d be caring for your little one. But after years of interaction (complete with late-night phone …
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When Your Child’s in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
It can be stressful whenever kids are in the hospital — and even more so when they’re admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). But a basic understanding of the people and equipment in the PICU can help you feel better prepared to help your child recover. What’s the …
Who’s Who in the Hospital
Having a child in the hospital is a stressful time. And questions about the people who are providing care and their roles can add to the confusion. Here’s a guide to those who take care of kids in the hospital: Medical student: Medical students usually spend the first 2 years of medical …
Finding Respite Care for Your Child With Special Needs
As a parent raising a child with a disability, you might find that “me time” is more fantasy than reality. Sure, you’d love some time to yourself, or one-on-one time with a spouse, partner, friend, or another child. But how can you find that perfect person to care for your …
Giving Teens a Voice in Health Care Decisions
Since your child’s miraculous entry into the world, you’ve been responsible for most — if not all — of the decisions made regarding his or her health care. You scheduled the early-morning doctor’s visits, arranged for X-rays and other diagnostic tests, ordered prescriptions from pharmacies, asked the right questions, and …
If Your Child Has a Heart Defect
About Congenital Heart Defects It can be frightening to learn that your child has a congenital heart defect. But these are relatively common, affecting almost 1 in every 100 newborns in the United States. Advances in medical knowledge and diagnostic technologies can provide very detailed information regarding structural heart abnormalities. …
Is My Child Too Sick to Go to School?
I’m usually a pretty good judge of when my kids are too sick to go to school or daycare, but other times — like when my youngest seems to be dragging but has no fever — I’m just not sure. How can I tell when they’re well enough to go …
Is a Clinical Trial Right for Your Child?
If your son or daughter is struggling with a serious illness like cancer or has a chronic condition like asthma, your doctor might talk to you about enrolling your child in a clinical trial. About Clinical Trials A clinical trial is a research study that follows a predefined protocol, or plan of …
Managing Home Health Care
Intensive Health Care at Home Kids can need intensive health care at home after they have been in the hospital for many different reasons. Medical equipment and devices can: function as a monitor provide nutrition provide oxygen help with breathing be needed for giving certain medicines In each case, it’s vital …
Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome
Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS) is a relatively rare form of child abuse that involves the exaggeration or fabrication of illnesses or symptoms by a primary caretaker. Also known as “medical child abuse,” MBPS was named after Baron von Munchausen, an 18th-century German dignitary known for making up stories about his …