Health + Wellness + Safety

Led by an elite team of board-certified orthodontists, Imagine Orthodontic Studio strives to provide our patients with a fast, fun and affordable experience in an energetic, boutique-style environment. Imagine serves patients in Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, Lakeland and Orlando, and we’re dedicated to providing exceptional care and beautiful results. We cater to each patient’s unique…

St Joseph’s Women’s Hospital Proves its Commitment to Top-Notch Care for Mothers-to-Be For the expert doctors, nurses, technicians and all the other unsung heroes who deliver babies at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, this news did not come as a surprise: The facility just attained the highest level of certification in Maternal Care by The Joint…

Dive into the world of water safety with High 5, Inc.’s Water Warriors program. Empowering Hillsborough County’s youth with life-saving skills, this initiative offers free swimming lessons and crucial safety education for families, ensuring every splash leads to a safer tomorrow.

Navigating the challenges of pregnancy and postpartum life can be overwhelming, but you’re not alone. Understanding perinatal mental health is crucial for both moms and their families, offering a pathway to support, healing, and stronger connections with your little one.

National Nurses Week is recognized each year on May 6th–12th to illuminate nurses’ critically important role in our communities.  Evan Kansorka, R.N., is a dedicated clinical team leader in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. He leads the nursing team in the daily operations of the CVICU, providing care…

When your child faces an emergency, knowing where to turn is crucial. Discover the top 5 reasons why a pediatric emergency center, with its specialized care and child-friendly approach, can make all the difference during those critical moments.

Discover how the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County uses community collaboration to get families the help they need to create strong communities where every child can flourish.

Dr. Ortiz with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Sleep Center shares 5 common pediatric sleep disorders and what you can do about them.

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

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.

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?…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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.