Parents, We Need Your Attention: Babies and Kids are Sick, Children’s Hospitals are Full, Wait Times are Long

Viral respiratory illnesses are spreading rapidly in our community. We are seeing higher numbers of both RSV and Flu than are usual this time of year. Plus Covid is still circulating, along with other viruses that typically cause cold-like symptoms. Babies are particularly at risk of serious illness from these viruses and we are asking parents to please pay attention!   Cincinnati Children’s, and our peer children’s hospitals in other areas are all bursting at the seams, plus Emergency and Urgent Care wait times are incredibly long.   Dr. Patty Manning-Courtney, Dr. Brad Sobolewski, and Dr. Felicia Scaggs-Huang are with us this week to explain the situation and provide guidance for parents whose kids are sick. They share prevention measures all families can take, and extra precautions parents of infants need to keep in mind, as RSV can quickly turn into bronchiolitis – a serious respiratory illness.  Please help us get this information to as many parents as possible, and we humbly ask for your patience as we are working hard every day to ensure kids have the care they need. 

The Power of Movement: Pediatric PT and the Magic of Be.Well

Watching your kids say yes to something new and challenging, is an incredibly rewarding moment as a parent. With the help of be.well, more kids in our area are able to experience those magical moments.   Today on Young & Healthy, pediatric PTs and be.well’s co-directors, Dr. Jennifer Angeli and Dr. Danny Meyer, join us to talk about the importance of movement for children and tell us more about the experiences they are making possible for their patients.   Spoiler alert: physical limitations become an afterthought and kids are finding new things they love to do! The origin story is a single patient and today there are hundreds who are learning new skills, meeting new people and becoming more confident in their bodies. Plus, there are opportunities to volunteer and support this work. This is a program you want to know more about!  To receive announcements on the be.well program, please text the characters “bewell” to the number 66866.   For more information on be.well: Wellness Programs   If you are interested in supporting be.well through active volunteerism, subscribe to our volunteer registry. 

Food Allergies: Oral Immunotherapy Treatment, Teal Pumpkin Project and More!

The holiday season is upon us, and this often means gatherings and celebrations with food. These gatherings and events can be stressful and dangerous for children who have food allergies. This week we we are pleased to welcome three food allergy experts.    First, Christa Mills, food allergy coordinator and Registered Nurse, shares how we can all take part in the teal pumpkin project and shares some tips for inclusivity around the holidays. Next, Dr. Amal Assa’ad answers all of our questions about food allergies, symptoms, and treatments. She also shares what parents should do if their child has an allergic reaction. Our final conversation is with Dr. Justin Schwartz, a pediatric allergist who is an expert in oral immunotherapy for food allergies. We dive into what is oral immunotherapy treatment, the benefits of OIT, and who would make a good candidate for this type of treatment.    To learn more about the Division of Allergy and Immunology, please visit https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/a/allergy-immunology   

Migraines in Children: Everything Parents Need to Know

Migraine – a disease with a strong genetic component – can affect as many as 10% of children and present as early as two years old. The headache is the most prevalent symptom of migraine, but there is a lot more to this disease than many people understand.     This week on Young & Healthy, experts from the Headache Center, Dr. Marielle Kabbouche Samaha and Dr. Shalonda Slater, join us to answer all of your questions about migraine. We discuss the difference between a migraine and a headache of a different origin, the types of migraines, the stages of migraine, and red flags that may indicate a headache is a symptom of something else. Dr. Kabbouche Samaha and Dr. Slater also share how children can adopt healthy habits to improve migraine frequency, treatments that are available for children, and what to do if a migraine starts while at school.    For more information on the Headache Center, please visit https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/h/headache-center.  

Pediatric Cancer Survivorship: Care for What’s Next

Reaching “survivorship” often feels like the finish line for families who experience a childhood cancer diagnosis, but it is so important to also have the right care after treatment has ended.   On this episode of Young & Healthy, Dr. Melissa Erickson, Medical Director of Cancer Survivorship as well as Oncology Primary Care at the University of Cincinnati, and Dr. Ellen Chang, Pediatric Oncologist here at Cincinnati Children’s join us to talk about how they think about care for cancer survivors. They discuss the impact cancer treatment can have throughout a patient’s lifetime, the importance of long-term follow up care, and the many ways family members can support survivors.   For more information on the Cancer Survivorship Center, please visit: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/c/cancer-survivor