December 23, 2020

Helping Children Find Meaning in a Pandemic: Questions for a Holiday Reflection

by Willough Jenkins, MD As the year turns over to 2021, it is a time for natural reflection, and I suspect many families will be having conversations about the COVID-19 pandemic. It is tempting when discussing the hardships of the pandemic to immediately jump to encouraging children to “look on the bright side” or remind…

Parenting tips
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December 15, 2020

Getting to Know: Hikosuke Leon, Environmental Services Attendant and Relief Lead

Photo taken before COVID-19 pandemic Keeping Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego’s hundreds of rooms and plentiful hallways clean is no small task, but the EVS team handles it like the professionals they are. Following specialized training and using specific chemical and disinfecting procedures (they even have a manual outlining steps and products), team members help to…

Rady Children's Staff
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December 11, 2020

Rady Children’s Expert is the Lead Author of Global-Reaching Position Paper on Weight and Nutrition in Childhood and Adolescence

Maya Kumar, MD, FAAP, FRCPC, a board-certified adolescent and young adult medicine pediatrician with Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego and an assistant clinical professor with University of California San Diego School of Medicine, is on a mission. Along with nine colleagues from the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, for which she chairs the Nutrition Committee,…

Nutrition
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December 10, 2020

How Gratitude Can Influence Kids’ Well-Being

Even if our lives are largely fulfilling, it’s not unusual to have moments where it’s tough to feel that way — and the same goes for kids, too. However, studies show that expressing gratitude can have benefits such as supporting physical and mental well-being, boosting self-esteem, and enhancing sleep quality; all of which contribute to…

Behavioral Health
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October 13, 2020

Fun, Kid-Friendly Fall Recipes

San Diego may be a bit behind in terms of temperature, but fall is officially here! This year, while some favorite seasonal activities can safely continue (pumpkin patch visit, anyone?), many families are opting to keep celebrations within their own homes. Whether you’re craving a comforting meal or the beloved taste of pumpkin spice, or…

Nutrition
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September 14, 2020

Collaborating Against COVID-19

The world has learned a great deal about COVID-19 since the pandemic began, but a significant gap remains between what we know and what we need to know to fully prevent, treat and work to defeat this newfound viral foe. Medical and scientific research is the driving force behind progress, and experts from Rady Children’s…

Research and Innovation
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August 19, 2020

Screen Time Smarts

Between working, striving to maintain routines and staying social, most of us are spending more time with our digital devices than ever. As school ramps up for the year in a largely online environment, kids and teens are no exception. Along with a different take on education, this approach to learning is introducing something else…

Ophthalmology
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August 11, 2020

Sleep in Times of Uncertainty

by Willough Jenkins, MD When our children’s typical lives are disrupted, it is important to return to basics to create structure and a sense of control. Even if younger children may not be directly aware of the details of the pandemic or the movement against racial injustice, these instances have influenced day-to-day routines for many,…

Sleep
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August 3, 2020

At-Home Activities to Help Kids Cope with COVID-19 Isolation (While They Also Have Fun)

by Maggie Mayo, CCLS, and Carissa Menard, CCLS  As we move forward and continue to embrace these difficult times thought the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping our minds occupied and our emotional well-being attended to can be challenging for all of us, including kiddos. As child life specialists, our job is to make the hospital experience less…

Parenting tips
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June 19, 2020

Fun and Motivating Ways to Keep Kids Moving

by Danni Leonard, CCLS; Marie Osthimer, CCLS; and Joseph Remaley, LCSW While we’re all at home more than we’re used to, it’s more important than ever to keep your kids engaged and active. There are many benefits to exercise, including amplifying concentration, lowering stress and improving health.  Below, we’ve outlined a few activities that are…

Parenting tips
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May 29, 2020

Take the Compassion, Connection and Control Challenge

by Desiree Shapiro, MD  COVID-19 has affected all of our lives and challenged us in various ways. How do we support one another and cultivate our resilience amidst the chaos? Here are three C’s to consider incorporating into your daily routine and sharing with your children and family today. Compassion This is a time to…

Behavioral Health
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May 26, 2020

Structuring Time Spent at Home for Children of All Ages

by Erin Carpenter, CCLS; Aislinn Mooney, CCLS; and Madeline Zinngrabe, CCLS It can be challenging to keep a schedule and routine at home during this uncertain time. You may see regressive or withdrawn behavior when your child is trying to adapt and manage their feelings and changes to their routine. Keeping your child’s environment structured…

Parenting tips
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May 15, 2020

Supporting Whole-Family Mental Health During COVID-19

Whether you’re 5, 35 or 95, sheltering in place and social distancing can be challenging. With consistent feelings of uncertainty, interruptions to routines and activities, and limitations on seeing friends and family, it’s no wonder reports of effects on mental well-being are on the rise. Recent surveys indicated young adults are feeling more anxious and…

Behavioral Health
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April 6, 2020

A Valuable New Tool for Patients on the Autism Spectrum

Imagine being a child checking into a hospital for a major surgery or standing by for an appointment in a physician’s busy waiting room. Pretty overwhelming, right? Now, imagine that environmental stimuli such as bright lights, loud sounds and bustling crowds cause you significant distress, or that you’re unable to speak to ask questions about…

Autism Discovery Institute, Parenting tips, Safety
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March 18, 2020

Talking to Preschool-Age Children About COVID-19

by Lorri Bauer, MS, and Natalie Elms, MA The novel coronavirus pandemic is an unprecedented and unsettling event for people of all ages, and for small children, its ever-changing nature and intense media coverage can be hard to comprehend — and even scary. Below are a few guidelines to help keep preschool-age kids calm, informed…

Infectious Diseases
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March 2, 2020

Getting to Know: Carlos Morfin, Action Station Chef

It’s been said that a good meal feeds the soul as well as the stomach, and for Carlos Morfin, one of the chefs behind the action stations in the Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego cafeteria, that sentiment drives everything he does on the job. While our clinical staff get lots of (well-deserved) recognition for their contributions…

Rady Children's Staff
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February 3, 2020

Fire Drill: Rady Children’s-Based Research Team Explores the Effects of Wildfires on Pediatric Respiratory Health

Around the world, and even more so in climates such as California’s, wildfires are an unfortunate reality. Along with threatening human and animal lives and wreaking havoc on communities, fires spew high levels of particulate matter — inhalable pollution from sources including dirt, soot and smoke — into the air. Influxes in particulate matter can…

Safety
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January 16, 2020

Understanding Birth Defects, Risks, and Screening and Prevention Options

Whether a woman is expecting her first baby or has welcomed multiple children into the world, her pregnancy involves many considerations, from the light — such as picking a name and plotting out the perfect nursery — to the serious — such as getting recommended care and screening for birth defects. “Even with something that…

Neonatology
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January 7, 2020

True Blue: Is Blue Light Really Bad for Eyes?

Blue light is a color-tinged form of light that comes from many sources, including sunlight. With that said, in day-to-day life, it’s everywhere. But recently, you may have noticed increased attention on the blue light that comes from our beloved digital devices — think smartphones, tablets, TVs, computers and e-readers — and its potential to…

Ophthalmology
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