Three top pediatric health organizations have declared a national state of emergency in children’s mental health, attributing it to the enormous toll the Covid-19 pandemic has taken on the nation’s youth and urging lawmakers to address the matter imm...

Twenty years ago this month, Cook Children’s took a new approach to the lacerations, burns, dog bites and other wounds seen in the Emergency Department (ED).That new approach, beginning in October 2001, pulled in the expertise of a plastic surgeon wh...

Cook Children’s Medical Center has something to smile about these days.Despite the toll of a lengthy pandemic, the hospital system hit two milestones since the inception of its Save a Smile program—it reached a 100,000-oral-screenings mark at the end...

A treatment now offered at Cook Children’s Medical Center is giving children with relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL)—the most common childhood cancer—a second chance for a cure. It’s called CAR T-cell therapy, or chimeric antigen re...

The oncology team at Cook Children’s had calculated a high probability that the chemotherapy Zechariah Silva needed to fight Hodgkin’s lymphoma would damage the cells in his reproductive organs.So before starting chemo, Zechariah underwent a quick su...

Physicians are sounding the alarm on yet another health concern that may be exacerbated by the pandemic. Within the past year doctors have noticed a dramatic increase in teens experiencing the sudden onset of tics, or involuntary and uncontrollable s...

Twenty in a series. A young girl who was recently seen by Cook Children’s C.A.R.E. (Child Advocacy Resource and Evaluation) Team sat sobbing on the exam room floor, distraught after receiving a series of immunization shots.Many of the children seen b...

It’s alarming but not uncommon these days in health care settings to see children and teens who gained a significant amount of weight in the past year … 20, 30, 40 or even 50 pounds.What played a role? In some cases, junk food and lack of exercise as...

Cook Children’s Health Plan has received its first-ever accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This coveted award represents service and clinical quality that meet or exceed NCQA’s rigorous requirements for consumer p...

By Justin Smith, M.D., aka The Doc SmittyOur kids are back to school!The beginning of a new school year has a ton of opportunity, some excitement and some nerves. And this year there’s probably a little extra floating around.And while we’re all think...

Due to a record number of patients, the Urgent Care Centers at Cook Children’s are making changes to accommodate our patient families and to ensure that their staff can continue providing excellent care.Beginning today, the following changes will tak...

An 11-year-old Abilene boy had been sleepy and lethargic since being diagnosed with COVID-19. Within a month, he was being treated in Cook Children’s intensive care unit for low blood pressure, facial swelling, rash and other symptoms. Doctors diagno...

Cook Children’s Health Care System announced today it’s raising the minimum wage for its workforce to $16 per hour, up from $13.25.The new minimum wage takes effect on Oct. 10 and directly impacts approximately 630 employees. This is the second time ...

Cook Children’s Health Care System is taking a swing at COVID-19 by requiring its workforce to be fully vaccinated by noon on Sept. 27.This means all employees, physicians, providers, credentialed staff, students, volunteers, contractors and on-site ...

Sixteen in a series. There is nothing more inspiring than seeing a child with a disability overcome the daily challenges they face. Their determination, strength and courage are what superheroes are made of. But, even superheroes sometimes need help ...

By Michelle Bailey, M.D. Getting ready to go back to school?Don’t forget to schedule your child’s well visit to make sure all concerns are addressed and all vaccines are up to date. Plus, your pediatrician can sign those sports physical forms at the ...

Cook Children’s Health Care System is proud to announce its Hyperinsulinism Center is now one of six Hyperinsulinism Centers of Excellence in the world. The designation, awarded by Congenital Hyperinsulinism International, recognizes centers that pro...

One of the most common questions our experts hear is, “Why do I need to get the COVID-19 vaccine if I’ve already had COVID?”It’s a good question and one that Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s und...

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...

Cook Children’s Health Care System is releasing a series of drowning prevention PSA videos ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.The videos, which are part of the Lifeguard Your Child initiative, feature simulations of some of the most common drowning ...

Carey Cribbs, M.D., is an emergency department (ED) physician at Cook Children’s Medical Center. Recently, she’s seen two cases of children swallowing water beads, a trendy toy for children.“We’ve had two toddlers come into the ED with the beads lodg...

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 ...

The family of Michael Stuyvesant knows he beat the odds on a hot June day six years ago when he survived being accidentally left in the mini-van parked outside their Garland home.Michael, 3 years old at the time, experienced brain swelling, seizures ...

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...

Over the last week, Cook Children’s Medical Center has seen 55 cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is typically seen in the fall and winter months, and experts are stumped about the reasoning for a summer outbreak. Mary Suzanne Whitworth,...

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...

At every exam with Dr. Jason Terk, the Cook Children’s pediatrician makes a point to ask his teenage and 12-year-old patients: Have you gotten your COVID-19 vaccination yet?Dr. Terk routinely addresses questions and concerns about the vaccination, wh...

When it comes to treating spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), time is of the essence. Every day that passes without treatment can lead to a lesser quality of life and, tragically, even death. But a new and simple screening for newborns has the potential t...