Mononucleosis, often known as ‘mono,’ is a contagious disease primarily caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Commonly affecting teenagers and young adults, mono is notorious for its fatigue-inducing capabilities, alongside other symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and occasionally, an enlarged spleen. Understanding mono’s transmission methods, symptoms, treatment options, and preventive measures…
Learn more about all of the different swim programs available at the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA for everyone in the family to have fun and learn to stay safe in the water.
As we dive into March, we embark on a journey of awareness and understanding, shining a light on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. It’s a time when we come together to celebrate every child’s unique abilities and talents and to ensure that families have the support they need to navigate any challenges along the way. At…
When Ashlyn Strathman had surgery as a high schooler, it was a member of the hospital’s Child Life team who eased her nerves by giving the teen a hospital tour and teaching her relaxation techniques. Today, with a master’s degree in Child Life Studies, Strathman works at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in a role that…
There’s a new way to get your steps in at ZooTampa and it’s wild!
Dubbed “the mayor” for his outgoing personality and winning ways, Levi, 7, has spent more time in the hospital than many people do in a lifetime. While you might think that experience would lead to a dislike of medical facilities, in Levi’s case it’s just the opposite. “He loves Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital,” says his…
Patricia and Chris were ecstatic to tell family and friends that they were expecting. What they did not expect however, were concerns after their baby’s 18-week anatomy scan. “When they came in and told us something was wrong with his heart, we were just completely shocked,” Patricia recalls. Doctors referred Patricia to Courtney Wein, D.O., a pediatric…
As we get ready to step into a new year, a time when many of us look to reset, we’re introducing you to a local mom who has been right where you are—smack dab in the middle of burnout. Jess Massey not only found her way out, but she developed a planner and system to help other women find their path to a more “peacefully productive” life.
How about a New Year’s resolution you can actually keep? How about the first step to leading a healthy life as a habit? As we approach the new year, the Tampa YMCA is excited to announce the introduction of our state-of-the-art InBody machines. The InBody Fitness Test: A Complete Body Composition Analysis The InBody test…
As we welcome 2024, many of us are filled with exciting new resolutions: To eat healthy, to save money, to exercise. BayCare Kids Wellness and Safety Specialist Michelle Sterling has one other resolution that each one of us can make. The good news is that it’s quick, inexpensive, and can potentially save your life: to change the…
Pediatric surgeon Paul Danielson, M.D., at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, has often been called in the middle of the night to perform lifesaving surgery. But when Andres was born in 2022, it was a surgical scenario that Danielson had never experienced in his medical career. Andres had gastroschisis, a birth defect that occurs when…
Alex Kulzer stacks hundreds of toys in bins and pushes them proudly through the entrance of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. “I’m giving back to my community in a place that I grew up in,” says lifelong patient, 18-year-old Alex. “You never want to say, ‘I grew up in a hospital getting tests done,’ but…
If you had the power to protect your children from depression and anxiety, would you? Even though any parent would answer “yes” to that question, a valuable weapon in their arsenal often goes unused: the word “no.” Psychotherapist and author Thomas Kersting makes the case for prohibiting or limiting children’s screentime in “Disconnected,” which lays out…
Start warming up and check out the awesome list of Tampa Bay races for 2024 including the Gasparilla Distance Classic in February and MORE!!
We’re showing you how to get four free COVID tests beginning Sept. 25 and where to go for low-cost or free COVID-19 tests in Tampa Bay.
Three-year-old Knight is a joyful ball of energy as he runs from the family’s living room to dining room to kitchen. He loves this little game, and for most 3-year-olds, this wouldn’t be an extraordinary feat. But, for this child, it is remarkable. What is Sturge-Weber Syndrome? Knight was born with Sturge-Weber Syndrome, a genetic…
Here’s a sobering statistic: During the past three years since the pandemic, the number of kids visiting the Emergency Room at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital for children’s mental health disorders has increased by 300 percent. That’s a three-fold increase. Here’s another number: When it comes to available mental health resources, Florida (one of the most…
We’re catching up again with Dr. John Prpich, BayCare Kids Pediatric Pulmonologist and Medical Director of Pediatric Respiratory Care at St Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, to learn more about RSV and a groundbreaking new medicine just approved for use in all infants to prevent RSV infection.
The 2023 flu season is expected to arrive earlier than usual with an uptick in cases already occurring in September. We may also see a tricky RSV season and an upward trend in COVID as a new variant is circulating. The Flu, COVID, or RSV: What is causing my symptoms? It may be challenging to…
Each October, in honor of Bullying Awareness Month, Hillsborough County’s Anti-Bullying Awareness Committee recognizes a student or students who have gone above and beyond to make a difference in our community. This year, it wasn’t just one person who stood out, but a local elementary school student and a group of students who are taking…
Bullying is when a person or group repeatedly tries to harm someone who is weaker or who they think is weaker, and there is some type of power differential in place. This can take a psychological toll on the child being bullied, sometimes lasting a lifetime. October is Bullying Prevention Month Below are answers to…
As parents, we naturally worry about our children. Whether we’re trying to protect them from mishaps as toddlers or shelter them from high-risk behaviors as teens, safety is always at the top of our minds. So how do you keep up when potential risks and dangers look so very different at every age and stage?…
Your pelvic floor probably doesn’t come up in routine conversations with friends and family. However, if you’re pregnant or have had a baby, you’ve probably either thought about it or felt the impacts post-partum, even years after childbirth.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is teaming up with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital to offer free parenting classes at CMA with classes that focus on different developmental milestones including speech, feeding, and reading for children from birth to 5-years-old.
Tampa General is ranked top 10 in the nation for Obstetrics and Gynecology by U.S. News & World Report for 2023-2024
This is the story of two friends who found each other. Four-year-old Bjorn and 5-year-old Ryan had never met. But in August of 2021, both were taken to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital with troubling symptoms. Pediatric Cancer Diagnosis Within the same week, both received the same devastating diagnosis: acute myeloid leukemia. “The moment I was told…
September is all about back-to-school, but it’s also the month set aside for a more sobering “b” word—boo boos. National Childhood Injury Prevention Month is underway No one sees more injuries than the people who work at hospitals. BayCare Kids Wellness and Safety Specialist Michelle Sterling shares the four top injuries health care workers see…
How much sleep do your kids actually need? Bobbi Hopkins, MD, a sleep expert and medical director of the Sleep Center at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital answers.
The nightmare began with a simple shopping-mall pretzel. But thankfully for a Tampa Bay middle-schooler named Isabella, a scary and painful ordeal ended with the help of the Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Children’s Hospital’s acclaimed pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) program in collaboration with the sole academic GI program in Tampa Bay, USF Health Pediatric Gastroenterology. Tampa…
Backpacks are a back-to-school staple and necessity, but they tend to get heavier each year as students get older, which can be concerning for parents. Ryan Fitzgerald, M.D., a fellowship-trained pediatric orthopaedic surgeon with Children’s Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates (COSSA), treats patients at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He shares backpack safety tips to…
Safe Kids provides free and low-cost car seat inspections in the Tampa Bay area. You might want to book one because most parents are doing it wrong.
Dr. Jennifer Katzenstein, Ph.D, talks about how to teach kids smart social media behavior and how to find a healthy balance.
No one wants to find themselves in a situation where their child has to be admitted to a hospital. But if your family does have to do so, at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, you can rest easy knowing that your child is in the hands of some of the country’s most sought-after, highly trained professionals….
July is National Cleft Lip and Palate Craniofacial Awareness Month. Five-year-old Bree Brown is very special. So special, in fact, that she is literally one in a million. “Bree wasn’t breathing when she was born,” reflects an emotional Areen, Bree’s mom. During Areen’s pregnancy, Bree wasn’t measuring properly on sonograms. It was discovered that she…
Katie Krimitsos knows what moms need to hear to relax. Her podcasts (recorded in her closet) have been downloaded more than 100 million times.
Modern day Brady Bunch families really do exist, just ask Luis Rodriguez, M.D., M.A.S., and his wife Lisa Moore, M.S.N., M.H.A, R.N., who both work at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Dr. Luis Rodriguez is a neurosurgeon and Moore can be found in the cardiovascular ICU. This Father’s Day, Dr. Rodriguez reflects on his work as a…
Water is part of the allure of living in Florida, but few realize that drowning is the leading cause of death among Florida children ages 1-4. Water Safety to Prevent Drownings One family is incredibly grateful to have averted such a tragedy. Having recently moved from Washington State to Venice, Florida, the family of five…
Michelle Sterling, Senior Wellness and Safety Specialist at BayCare Kids Wellness and Safety Center, shares important tips every caregiver needs to know to keep kids safe around water this summer.
We’re getting to know Alicia Schulhof, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital’s first female president.
The YMCA offers a variety of water safety classes.
Dr. Lilly Chang, with the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Maternal, Fetal & Neonatal Institute shares the many benefits of practicing kangaroo care with your baby.
A high-risk pregnancy can be stressful, but Karen Raimer, M. D. , has helped calm nerves and provide answers for expectant mothers for more than 30 years.
Samantha Barlow’s mother, Julie, was the first to see that something was clouding her newborn baby’s beautiful deep blue eyes. When Julie held her daughter for the first time, Barlow looked up at her mother but seemed unable to really meet her adoring gaze. Julie wouldn’t let it go. A flurry of doctors and specialists…
The Center for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, led by David Kays, M.D., was founded as the country’s first inpatient CDH unit with surgeons, nurses and other team members solely focused on CDH care.
Married, mother of two, Dr. Clark untangles why raising humans with strong senses of self is underpinned by parents’ self-care.
April is Occupational Therapy Month. It’s a time to recognize the achievements of patients like 13-year-old Jaden who recovered from a serious accident, thanks, in part, to the efforts of occupational therapist Rachael Thibeau and other experts at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Jaden had gone for a ride on his friend’s pontoon boat on…
Brea (Bray-UH), the first-ever facility dog at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, brings smiles and a friendly distraction for hospitalized kids.
The Maternal Fetal Medicine program and Fetal Care Center at Tampa General earned a spot on Newsweek’s List of Best Maternity Hospitals in 2022 and was named highest ranked in Florida for Obstetrics & Gynecology by U.S. News & World Report for 2022-2023.
In December, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital rolled out the AngelEye camera system to help parent-preemie bonding in the NICU.
Acne affects nearly 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 24. Advent Health Dermatologist, Dr. Graham, talks causes, types and treatments.
When we have the right tools to address our child’s unwanted behaviors, difficult situations become easier to handle and our confidence as parents grows. Behave Your Best explores two common unwanted behaviors and what you can do to stop them.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common virus in young children and, while it is usually not serious, it is very contagious.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is usually seen in adults, but pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists are seeing this more often in children. Higher blood pressure means the pressure in the blood vessels is increased, causing the heart and other organs to work harder. This can put people at a higher risk for chronic illnesses…
Learn how a cardiologist at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital helped a local teen avoid another open-heart surgery using brand new technology!
For many, the Y represents positive childhood memories. For the Tichenor family, it represents generational support and holistic wellness.
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital helps an adorable local toddler with a rare condition, CHAREGE Syndrome. Her Mother shares their story.
The holiday season isn’t always merry for kids so we’re turning to a local expert for advice and top tips.
The holidays can be chaotic. Check out these tips to stay safe and healthy this season, when ordinary rules can fall through the cracks.
When Logan was born with a complete bilateral cleft lip and palate, they sought help from Alex Rottgers, MD, a highly skilled pediatric plastic surgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.
Mental health took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns, quarantines and distancing meant that outside activities like youth sports were put on hold. For some kids, sports were their outlet, their stress release and their social circle. Taking all of that away at once can certainly have a huge impact—especially at such a young…
