All CHLA Blog Posts
Published on April 12, 2017
During the annual Dog Therapy Appreciation Day, where patients and families can meet, take photos and hang out with some of the many therapy dogs who visit Children's Hospital Los Angeles, one child and family came up to a therapy dog named Amber.
Amber's owner, Denice,... Read More
Published on April 7, 2017
Your baby will change a lot over the course of a year, developing motor, speech and social skills. Here are some of the major gross motor developmental milestones that you can expect throughout your child’s first year of life. Please note that these are meant to be... Read More
Published on March 28, 2017
There was a time, not so long ago, when 15-year-old softball standout Devin Waddell might have let a bad game get her down. When she’d sometimes head home upset if her pitches hadn’t hit their mark, or she’d had an 0-for-4 weekend at the plate.
But that was before she found... Read More
Published on March 24, 2017
Have you ever watched a 2 year old play with a smart phone? It’s fascinating to watch tiny little hands manipulate a phone or tablet so efficiently at such a young age. They are cleverer at it than many adults! They almost seem born to play this way. But our technology... Read More
Published on March 20, 2017
Our friend Jack Black stopped by CHLA to Make March Matter. As you’d expect, Jack had no problem joining in our music therapy sessions and was happy to visit with our kids, their families and even made himself available for CHLA staff. Thank you Jack, you rock... Read More
Published on March 20, 2017
The Food Pyramid that most of us learned about in school is now ancient history. That old guideline on food groups and servings has been replaced by MyPlate. The MyPlate concept was designed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote healthy eating... Read More
Published on March 13, 2017
Brian Hacker had never met anyone else with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a disease he was diagnosed with when he was just 2 weeks old. That is, not until he came back to visit the hospital that diagnosed him, to volunteer at a camp specifically designed for kids with the... Read More
Published on March 9, 2017
Thomas Hoag was 6 years old in 1967, and getting sicker by the day. As a little boy, he remembers being carted around from one doctor to the next. None of them could figure out what was wrong.
“My parents have told me that I didn’t want to play or do anything,” Hoag... Read More
Published on March 3, 2017
Growing up in Southern California and raising two children gets a little tricky sometimes with our great weather. I mean, what do we know about cold temperatures? Californians think it’s cold when it hits 50 degrees outside and when it drops to 40. Well, I am happy to say... Read More
Published on March 3, 2017
After 15 years as a respiratory therapist, 14 years of pediatric nursing and having raised two teenagers, I have become very familiar with decoding a cough. It’s always distressing to hear your little one cough, especially in the middle of the night. Still, as common as this... Read More
Published on February 23, 2017
In May 2011, at her grandmother’s birthday party, Viviana Flores did something nearly unheard of for a 6 year old: She turned down a piece of cake.
She and her mom, Diana Hernandez, had just come from the doctor’s office because Viviana had a stomachache. Her cousin... Read More
Published on February 21, 2017
Early on when my son started trying solid foods, he would eat everything I put in front of him and like it. I remember thinking to myself, “He’s going to be such a good eater.” (My husband and I like everything and eat a wide variety of foods.) Although he still is, since he... Read More
Published on February 21, 2017
I recently cared for a child who was admitted to our unit for iron deficiency anemia and worked with Sarah White, MD, to provide some family education on this very common anemia, what the cause is, the symptoms and the treatment. I am partnering with White again to discuss... Read More
Published on February 16, 2017
Brushing your child’s teeth is never easy. Let’s face it, for many of us it’s a stress-provoking task. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists recommends that children have their teeth brushed twice a day for two minutes. As parents, you try and follow all the rules to... Read More
Published on January 25, 2017
Written by Heather Ayers-Cluff, MSW, CPST; Jessica MacDonald, PT, CPST; Kathleen Palas, RN III, CPST; Mina Farag, MPH, CPSTI
Effective Jan. 1, 2017, Assembly Bill 53 requires all children under 2 years old to ride in a rear-facing car seat. The new law will NOT apply to... Read More
Published on January 23, 2017
Welcome to 2017 and National Blood Donor Month! Did you make a New Year’s resolution? I decided to make a resolution to save at least the life of one child in 2017. Here is why I made that choice and how you can join me.
My friend Joe was traveling in a remote part of... Read More
Published on January 20, 2017
A muscle disorder has frozen her body and impaired her speech, but with every academic achievement, the straight-A college freshman delivers a message to those who can't see past her disabilities.
You have to fight the inclination to ignore Connie Morales. Diminutive,... Read More
Published on January 20, 2017
Imagine a newborn so small you can hold her entire body in one hand. Then imagine the overwhelming concern and responsibility you would feel for her fragile life if this were your own child. For Nicole and Danny Castro, it doesn’t take any imagination; their daughter, Indi,... Read More
Published on January 19, 2017
In the U.S., food allergies affect 1 in 13 children. Among food allergies, peanut allergy is the leading cause of anaphylaxis. It is life threatening, and the economic and psychosocial burdens that come with it make life much more difficult for patients and their families.... Read More
Published on January 5, 2017
A group, known as the ‘6AM-ers,’ rise early in the morning and travel from as far away as Monrovia, Pasadena and Sylmar twice a month to donate blood and platelets at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ Blood Donor Center. Their special gift of life has been helping kids who are... Read More