Archive for Katie Paradis
Returning to holiday chaos: Preventing anxiety in kids
After taking last year “off,” many families are preparing to dive back into holiday busyness, and with it, holiday stress. But what has the time away from crowds, travel, and extended family done to kids’ abilities to enjoy the yuletide cheer? Here, psychologist Dr. Lauren DiLullo with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, answers ... Read More about Returning to holiday chaos: Preventing anxiety in kids
Help kids fight the “Selfie Effect” and build self-esteem instead
It may be hard to imagine now, but there was a time not too long ago when social media didn’t exist and we didn’t have cameras on our phones. But today, some of the most widely used social media platforms influence not only how we communicate with the world, but how we think the world ... Read More about Help kids fight the “Selfie Effect” and build self-esteem instead
The great mask debate: how to deal with bullying over face masks in school
As the war against COVID-19 rages on, so do the battles about the best ways to stop the spread. And, as some families are finding, these battles include backlash over the decision of whether to send their children to school in masks. “Like many aspects of the pandemic, masks have become a polarizing issue, and ... Read More about The great mask debate: how to deal with bullying over face masks in school
Dealing with peer pressure: How to empower your teen
With every coming of age almost inevitably comes changing friendships, relationships, and social pressures. But gone are the days when it was considered best practice to tell young people to ignore their peers’ bad behavior or troubling situations. So what should you do? Here, social worker Nanci Ginty Butler, director of mental health services in ... Read More about Dealing with peer pressure: How to empower your teen
Navigating friendships and vaccines
With kids finally back at school and other activities after more than a year, many families now find themselves facing yet another chapter of the COVID-19 pandemic: contending with those who don’t share their views on getting vaccinated. We spoke with Erica Lee, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children’s Hospital, about navigating ... Read More about Navigating friendships and vaccines
A kiss from their sister: A family’s journey with cleft lip care
Kelly and Ben’s experience with cleft lip care at Boston Children’s Hospital spans multiple years and multiple children. Two of their daughters, Molly and Annie — five years apart in age — were born with an incomplete unilateral cleft lip. The couple won’t shy from admitting that receiving the diagnosis doesn’t get easier. “It’s a ... Read More about A kiss from their sister: A family’s journey with cleft lip care
Taming reentry anxiety: How to prepare kids for a back-to-school like no other
After more than a year and a half of remote, hybrid, and home-schooling, it’s time to gear up for a return to full-time, in-person school. But for many kids, this “return to normal” comes with a unique set of concerns. Here, Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, answers questions ... Read More about Taming reentry anxiety: How to prepare kids for a back-to-school like no other
A legend for Zora: How genomic testing provides answers in the face of grief
So often after a perinatal loss, parents are left with uncertainty about what caused their baby’s death and the haunting question, “what if.” To help grieving families find answers to these questions, Dr. Monica Wojcik and her colleagues in the Division of Newborn Medicine are conducting genomic autopsies to learn if and what genetic factors ... Read More about A legend for Zora: How genomic testing provides answers in the face of grief
I tried the keto diet to help my epilepsy and it changed my life
My name is Dennis. I’m 15 years old and live in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Two years ago, I started the keto diet to help my epilepsy and it changed my life. Here’s my story… I was 7 when I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I was too young to know what that really meant or ... Read More about I tried the keto diet to help my epilepsy and it changed my life
A taste of childhood: One family’s journey to an IV-free diet
Children with short bowel syndrome often miss out on childhood’s simple and delicious pleasures, like birthday cake, pizza, and ice cream. But Dr. Lissette Jimenez and the team at the Center for Advanced Intestinal Rehabilitation (CAIR) at Boston Children’s Hospital are working to change that. Short bowel syndrome is caused by the loss or lack of function of the small intestine, ... Read More about A taste of childhood: One family’s journey to an IV-free diet