Chickenpox (varicella) may seem to be just an annoying illness, but all too often it can lead to severe complications and even death. Fortunately, we have an effective and safe vaccine.

Years ago, some parents would deliberately expose their children to other kids who had an active case of chickenpox, hoping that their own child would build immunity. Today, news outlets are reporting another …Continue reading this post

Recently there was a segment on the TODAY show about a young girl in Texas who was saved by the quick thinking of her teachers and the automated external defibrillator (AED) in the school. I encourage you to watch this interview with her parents about the rescue, caught on camera. …Continue reading this post

When I was 4, I was diagnosed with an ostium primum atrial defect, a hole in the area between the two upper chambers of my heart. I had open-heart surgery at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to repair the heart defect. My brother, Jim, passed away at age of 20 from complications of congenital heart disease, and my daughter, Cassie, 5, had open-heart surgery …Continue reading this post

Would you be surprised to know that 1 in 4 children in the U.S. is considered obese? So statistically speaking, if you have four children, one would be obese. How can you know for sure? During your child’s yearly physical his or her height and weight are taken. Something called body mass index (BMI) is determined by height and weight measurements. That information is plotted …Continue reading this post

Having a plan B can be a comfort when trying to navigate through life’s challenges. Children usually are pretty healthy, but when illness or injuries strike, hospitals like Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin are the safety nets for kids and families. Here, we care for kids and do our best to get them …Continue reading this post