Nineteen in a series.If ever there was an image that captures how many of us are feeling at this point in the pandemic it’s that of a splooting squirrel. Squirrels lay spread eagle—or sploot—on a cool surface to lower their body temperature.Annie Ste...

“I just felt like I was coming home and I had full confidence everything was going to be okay,” Amber Bartek said with tears in her eyes.Home is many things for different people, but where most people feel ‘at home’ usually comes with a sense of safe...

On Wednesday, four Cook Children’s experts, who have been on the frontlines for the last 18 months, addressed journalists regarding the state of Cook Children’s Health Care System.They shared how Cook Children’s is currently being impacted by a surge...

What does the FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine mean?Today’s announcement means the public can be very confident that this vaccine is safe, effective and meets the highest standards for manufacturing quality. Since becoming avail...

Shanna Combs, M.D., pediatric gynecologist, answers your questions.As parents, we want to make the best decisions for our baby. We’ve been asked a lot lately if it’s safe for pregnant women, or women planning on becoming pregnant, to get the COVID-19...

The Cook Children’s Emergency Department (ED) has seen a big influx of parents bringing in children who have been exposed to COVID-19 but show no symptoms. Children who aren’t critically-injured or ill should go instead to their pediatrician or a COV...

By Marc Mazade, M.D., medical director of Infection Control and Prevention at Cook Children’s Medical Center. Staring up at this totally massive wave of COVID-19Δ, upper classmen and student leaders need to take charge of their own future. To keep sc...

By Lanna McClain, M.D.We all know that Mary Poppins was great with kids, and she had a magic carpetbag full of thrills and fun for her two small friends. She even had magic syrup to help Michael and Jane take their medicine. But as parents and pediat...

By Marc Mazade, M.D., medical director of Infection Control and Prevention at Cook Children’s Medical Center1. Make sure all children are up to date on the routine childhood vaccinations needed for school entry. Access to medical offices, fear of lea...

Eric Hubli, M.D., FACS, FAAP, is officially the first person to hold the title ‘Surgeon-in-Chief’ at Cook Children’s Health Care System. In his new role, Dr. Hubli will act as the presiding administrative leader over all surgery and procedure-related...

Cook Children’s Medical Center has lowered the number of opioid pain medication prescriptions to its patients by more than half since its Safe and Sound stewardship program began three years ago. The program was put in place in response to a national...

Cook Children’s Health Care System is among 33 hospitals in the world to receive the coveted Lantern Award from the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). The group recognized Cook Children’s Emergency Department (ED) for demonstrating exceptional and i...

By Celina D. Cepeda, M.D.It’s summer! That magical time of the year when school is out, and kids can be more active. It also brings sweltering temperatures, which leads to sweaty, thirsty children that can become dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to n...

A new webinar series called “What’s Driving Your Decision?” takes on the myths and fears about the COVID-19 vaccine in an effort to spread accurate, understandable information.The Center for Children’s Health, led by Cook Children’s, developed the se...

With the summer heat rising in Texas, many families are making their way to area lakes to cool off. And if they don’t already have a life jacket -- a new Lifeguard Your Child initiative aims to make sure they are protected in and around the water.The...

“I feel like my child has been sick for 3 months.”“When will this cough ever go away?”These and similar questions have been the topic of the last month at my practice.And while I know parents are annoyed and I’m annoyed and the kids are annoyed - eve...

Twelve in a series. Imagine living through a tornado. The wind howling over the sound of sirens. Lightning illuminates your home. Then, you hear it - the roar. You watch the ceiling start to give way. Fear turns to panic. Running on adrenaline, your ...

Every time competitive dancer Kambri Gaut takes the stage—whether hip-hop dancing, tapping or clogging—she transforms into a silent warrior.The audience can’t see the battle that may be raging inside her as she moves to the music. At any given moment...

By Diane ArnaoutThis is my friend Van.Van is at my pool. Since all of us parents are now COVID-vaccinated, we are feeling more comfortable with outdoor playdates. And our new pool has been a great escape from the heat!We parents have loved to see eac...

Eleven in a series. Bullying is an age-old issue. Generations old and new are familiar with the power plays of those that intentionally try to hurt another. It happens on the playground, in the classroom, by the locker, at the lunch table, on the bus...

By Ramon Kinloch, M.D.Well, that’s not really the question. But is there an amount of Vitamin D that a breastfeeding mom can take in order for the breast milk to contain recommended levels of Vitamin D for her baby?There have been numerous studies co...

By Michelle Bailey, M.D.I own a 70-pound pitbull/boxer rescue dog. He is a giant baby, a cuddle bug, and a momma’s boy. He is scared of thunderstorms, the ice cream truck, new people and places. He loves doggie daycare and salmon jerky. As precious a...

It looks like the rain in North Texas is finally going to stop for a while.But, driving to work the last few weeks and seeing all the standing water already starts to make my skin itch. Mosquitos are on the way. And I suspect it’s going to be a terri...

Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. Because lupus affects many parts of the body, it can cause a lot of different symptoms and no two cases are exactly alike. Pediatric nephrologist Ce...

Seven in a series. Sometimes the first step toward saving the world begins in your own backyard.That’s the hope for Frances Wampler and Blair Williams, two staffers at the Center for Children’s Health led by Cook Children’s, who are part of a team ex...

Fever blisters are the worst.Now that that’s out of the way.They’re painful, not fun to look at and just all around annoying, for everyone, but especially for teenagers.Which is why it’s important that parents and teens know what they are and what tr...

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are common in children and teens. Many factors can cause a UTI and the infection can impact every child differently. Pediatric gynecologist Shanna M. Combs, M.D., FACOG, and Hannah Chong, M.D., FAAP, a pediatrician wit...

By Bianka Soria-Olmos, D.O. & Lee Mason, Ph.D.April is Autism Awareness Month and our experts are answering questions about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). From signs to treatment, Bianka Soria-Olmos, M.D. and Lee Mason, Ph.D. share what parents need...

By Michelle Bailey, M.D.NEED:Onesies. Resist the urge to register for dozens of cute outfits. While adorable, they are not practical on a day-to-day basis. So pick a few especially cute ones for pictures, and opt for dozens of easy to change onesies ...

By Rebecca Olvera, M.D. and Natalia Hanson, M.D.Dr. Olvera and Dr. Hanson have been piercing ears as part of their clinical practice within the Cook Children’s Network since 2016. They both use a medical ear piercing system only available to pediatri...