The University of Vermont Medical Center HealthSource blog is your leading source for children’s health articles and news from industry experts. Read through a collection of children’s health articles and tips on a variety of topics such as mental health, behavioral issues, nutrition, safety, development and more. The HealthSource children’s health blog features an array of regular authors and contributors from the medical world including doctors, nutritionists, nurse practitioners and healthcare experts.
During the first three weeks of 2018, poison control centers across the country reported 86 intentional exposures to single-use laundry detergent packets by teenagers. The “Tide Pod Challenge,” which spurred young people to post videos of themselves eating the toxic pods, had gone viral. Though not always national news, risky and sometimes deadly social media […]
Rebecca Bell, MD, is a pediatric intensivist at UVM Children’s Hospital caring for critically ill infants, children and adolescents in Vermont’s only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). She is also President of the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP-VT) and the mother of two children. It’s August, which means that a summer of uncertainty […]
Finding a backpack that makes the grade when it comes to their child’s comfort and safety is an important first assignment for parents. Lewis First, MD, Chief of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine , offers his advice for avoiding injury by picking – […]
With back-to-school season right around the corner, some parents of 5-year-olds wonder whether their child is ready to enter kindergarten. The decision is best made based upon a child’s developmental readiness. Lewis First, MD, Chief of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine , offers […]
Jess Lukas, Director of Aquatics at the Greater Burlington YMCA, offers water safety advice in partnership with the University of Vermont Medical Center and UVM Children’s Hospital. We often say at the YMCA, “The world may be 71 percent water, but children are 100 percent curious.” That’s why, it’s never too early to talk safety. […]
Did you know that in the US, excessive heat is the leading weather-related killer, averaging over 100 deaths a year, according to the National Weather Service? Although heatstroke death and injury might seem unlikely in New York’s North Country and Vermont, there have been five in-vehicle child heatstroke fatalities in upstate New York since 2007, […]
COVID-19 may be changing commutes and limiting travel, but when you do hit the road it’s still important for your child to be riding in a vehicle safely. In a crash, everyone is safest when we are kept inside the vehicle and away from its interior surfaces. A car seat spreads crash forces over a […]
Kitchens are often referred to as the heart of a home. A kitchen is where families (or housemates) can gather to cook, eat and share what is going on in their lives. Many of us are spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and with favorite restaurants now closed or limited to outdoor […]
While available evidence indicates that most children are not at higher risk for COVID-19, there are plenty of challenges facing parents and families during the pandemic – from concerns about how to keep children healthy, to helping them stay active and get the social interactions that are part of a healthy and fulfilling life as […]
As educators and children return to school during COVID-19, there are new anxiety-inducing concerns facing families. While much of the discussion has focused on what happens inside school, it’s important to consider safety precautions when traveling to and from school. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has a great article addressing Return to School During COVID-19 focused on physical distancing, wearing masks, handwashing and cleaning surfaces, and temperature checks, but below are some new, and some more […]
