All CHLA Blog Posts
Published on June 21, 2018
A quartet of teenage siblings makes CHLA happier, one song at a time
By Matt Villano
To many, they’re The Runaway Hamsters—a talented band of child musicians who sing country pop and strive to help those in need.
To Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, however, the four... Read More
Published on June 7, 2018
Written by Kohl's Safety and Injury Prevent Program
While drivers must obey traffic lights and be alert of people on the road, pedestrians too must be just as cautious – to always walk safely and remain visible. However, some things are out of our control as... Read More
Published on June 7, 2018
Written by Kohl's Safety and Injury Prevention Program
It is in every parent’s interest to keep his or her children safe at all times. We tend to associate safety with areas in which we are most familiar, like our home, but did you know that about 4.5 million children are... Read More
Published on June 5, 2018
On Saturday, June 2, 2018, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles hosted its first inaugural joint Walk and Play L.A. Last year, both events were held separately and the first of its kind for CHLA.
The community event, which was held at the Los Angeles Memorial... Read More
Published on May 31, 2018
Andrew Cole, ORT/L, BCP, Occupational Therapist on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Diana Hanley, MA, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist and Co-Director of Handy Heroes Therapy Camp Elizabeth Kpachavi, OTD, MA, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist
The inability to use one side of your... Read More
Published on May 24, 2018
In the wake of the first anniversary of his newborn son’s passing, a father finds solace in skydiving and triathlon training, making sure to never be far from the loss.
By Jeff Weinstock
“Have you ever jumped out of an airplane?”
You got the wrong guy, buddy... Read More
Published on May 17, 2018
By Katie Sweeney
Twelve-year-old Justin Ybarra likes to joke around, and he likes to have fun. Very rarely does he take life too seriously—even though there have been plenty of things in his life that have been plenty serious.
So when you ask him why he got along so... Read More
Published on May 11, 2018
Many parents are hesitant to use signs with their babies because they fear it will delay their child’s verbal growth. However, research supports the use of symbolic gestures to foster language skills and verbal development.
A typically developing child’s first words occur... Read More
Published on May 11, 2018
When tragic or violent events occur, parents may wonder about how to help their kids understand the graphic images and emotional video footage that they may see. Stephanie Marcy, PhD, psychologist at Children's Hospital Los angeles suggests a few guidelines to keep in... Read More
Published on April 27, 2018
The Trauma Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is collaborating with the American College of Surgeons Committee to lead a hands-on, community class called Stop the Bleed.
Following the tragedy that happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, a group of... Read More
Published on April 26, 2018
Katie Hawley was a rising young soccer star when cancer hit at age 9. Now she balances a desire to be a “typical” teenager with the challenges of a life-threatening disease.
By Candace Pearson
At 18, Katie Hawley is such an expert at blending life as a teenager and... Read More
Published on April 19, 2018
Even before Angelique Garcia was born, doctors at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles knew she had a severe form of congenital heart disease called complete atrioventricular canal defect (CAVC), thanks to a prenatal echocardiogram by CHLA cardiologist Jay Pruetz, MD.
In a... Read More
Published on April 16, 2018
If you are a parent who has been awakened from slumber with a child crying in pain, you can understand my distress at watching my son wake up in pain night after night. My son started having “growing pains” early in toddlerhood—18 months old was the first episode that I can... Read More
Published on April 12, 2018
In a previous blog, I worked with a central venous catheter (CVC) specialist to discuss proper care and hygiene of a central line, and how to troubleshoot problems that can occur. I now want to share what I have learned from caregivers who work with central lines. In... Read More
Published on April 6, 2018
A rare, polio-like illness called acute flaccid myelitis appeared on the national radar in 2014 and may be on track to return this summer and fall. Here is one family’s story, and a look at CHLA’s innovative, multidisciplinary approach.
By Candace Pearson
Like many parents... Read More
Published on April 3, 2018
If you have school-age children in your house I am sure you are familiar with the homemade slime craze. Many parents love the idea of making slime and why not? It’s a rare chance for kids to be technology-free, and encourages them to express their creativity by adding... Read More
Published on March 30, 2018
Robert Adler, MD, MSEd, doesn’t remember a time when he didn’t want to be a pediatrician. “It never gets boring, because every family is different,” he says. “Every family has different aspirations and goals for their kids.” After 40 years in the field, his enthusiasm is... Read More
Published on March 20, 2018
My name is Grace Rose and I’m 15 years old. I was born with cystic fibrosis, which is a life-threatening disease that attacks my lungs and digestive system. I need to be watched carefully and treated often.
I’ve been going to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles since I was... Read More
Published on March 15, 2018
One of the most exciting milestones for parents is their child’s first steps. They will film it, post it on social media, and tell all their friends about that exciting day. So it is no surprise that as a physical therapist to children with special needs, I am often asked, “... Read More
Published on March 14, 2018
In addition to providing world-class care for children diagnosed with biliary atresia, physicians in the Liver Transplant Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are trying to understand biliary atresia and find better ways to treat it.
What is biliary atresia?
Biliary... Read More