This article was updated on Sunday, March 22, 2020, to reflect the latest statistics and an additional quote from Dr. Coffman. ...

With a situation as fluid as COVID-19, we are making changes every day to protect our patients, families and health care workers. These changes touch every aspect of our health care system from our primary care offices to urgent care, specialty care ...

With everything happening regarding COVID-19, a lot of parents understandably have questions. One of the most common questions we’re receiving is why we’re not testing every child for COVID-19 upon a parent’s request. The answer is we simply don’t...

Due to concerns regarding COVID-19, Cook Children’s Medical Center is enacting a new visitation policy to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus on campus. Beginning Monday, March 16, a maximum of two primary caregivers will be allowed per patient...

With breaking news of three confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Texas, many parents may be wondering what to do if they suspect their child has contracted the new strain of coronavirus. The most important thing to remember is not to panic. Based on ...

By now, you may have been one of the more than 350,000 people across the country who watched the video featuring Joey Belles, a Cook Children's Hematology and Oncology patient, complete his version of a marathon last month. If not, you can still watc...

I understand the concern about the coronavirus most of us have right now. After all, it’s dominating the headlines and probably your work and home conversation. But as a pediatrician, let’s talk first about what’s most important to me and you: our...

Walking into 13-year-old Joey Belles’ hospital room, it’s hard to miss the abundance of sloths. There are stuffed sloths on tables and sloth stickers on the walls. The sloth is Joey’s spirit animal, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at him now. ...

Several Cook Children’s primary care offices offer ear piercings at their location. Here is an updated list: Cook Children’s Pediatrics Arlington 3131 S. Center St., Arlington, Texas 76104 817-375-1413 Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cook Chil...

Antibiotics have been one of the most amazing advances in medicine, preventing countless deaths and relieving suffering for conditions that historically had no treatment. While antibiotics are critically necessary in particular infections, doctors...

After waking up in a hospital bed at Cook Children’s Medical Center the day after his fifth open-heart surgery, Garrett Martin wondered if he made the right choice. “I had my chest bone ripped open. It’s going to hurt,” Martin, 21 years old, said....

Special Note: Our Genetics team, Cook Children's Clinical and Metabolic Genetics Center, does not routinely schedule patients for genetic evaluation due to MTHFR concerns, as there are two polymorphisms that are common in this gene which are not usua...

A mom reached out to us, asking about the way her child stored food in their mouth. The stuffed cheeks reminded us of a chipmunk. And honestly, it sounded kind of cute. Until, we discussed the issue with one of our experts. The licensed psychologi...

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of your television turning on, something crashing to the ground and your front door opening. You walk hesitantly out of the bedroom to find it’s not an intruder, but something that may find...

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the beautiful process of a fever. Yes, I’m a mega-dork for the functions of the human body ... and yes, I think fever is a great thing in most settings. Fever has been recognized as being around for thousands of y...

Newborns aren't able to manage their body temperature like adults can. So, as the thermostat dips, the way you handle outings with little ones needs to change.  Know your babies' limits and plan ahead when making a trip outside so you can keep the...

Bitterly cold weather is making its way into North Texas as we speak. By Tuesday morning, the temperature in Fort Worth is expected to be in the 20’s. To keep your family safe and warm through this first taste of winter, here are a few things to reme...

That snowflake on the forecast came out of nowhere...but it brought some freezing rain and snow. Because we're not used to cold, winter weather in our area and we particularly get out of practice with weeks of mild temperatures...here are 5 winter we...

“Make sure your hair is dry. “Wear shoes outside.” “Put on your hat.” Does any of this really matter? Is any of it true? Between well-meaning friends and family members and the wealth of websites devoted to health, parents are bombarded w...

Most of us know someone who has had cancer. That’s because we are all at risk for developing the disease. Usually it’s by chance. But in some cases, cancer develops because of our genetics and that means some of us are predisposed to developing diffe...

By Diane Arnaout, M.D. When I first met little Pierce a few days after he came home from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, I noted two things: Pierce was a tough little guy, a real fighter, and his parents were two of the most caring, loving and e...

Seasonal illnesses are in full swing and hitting Cook Children’s at an unusually high rate. The medical center is under a ‘Facility Alert’ due to an extremely high census. On Monday, Nov. 18, our staff saw 567 patients in the emergency room, which...

For 10 years I’ve been walking into hospital rooms and entering someone else’s story. For 10 years, I’ve made eye contact with the precious kiddo on the bed and told them that I was there to make sure they understood everything that was happening to ...

Your child’s throat is sore, has a headache and a fever. Is it strep or the flu? Maybe, both? Strep and flu are two very different things, although they may have similar symptoms at times. First, let’s distinguish between the two. The flu...

Six-year-old Raven Goff never met a stranger. If she didn’t know your name, she’d simply call you ‘friend.’ Her family recalls her generosity, always more worried about others than herself. Sometimes, that generosity meant several trips to Target to ...

"What happens if my child eats all of my adult vitamins?" We received this question recently. Let's discuss. Just like any adult medication, vitamins should be locked away so that kids can't get to them. Vitamins are particularly risky because,...

"Why is the school nurse calling me?" "Your child is here with a sore throat. I know they haven’t had a fever, but strep has been going around." Whelp, there goes your day. Cancel all your meetings. Call your pediatrician's office. Get an appoi...

Weather forecasters say an active weather pattern could bring with it a "strong storm system approaching North Texas," which could include tornadoes, 2-inch hail, damaging winds and flooding. The National Weather  Service Storm Prediction Center i...

“I went to the hospital on a warm summer day with fear in my heart, I felt some dismay. The registrar said, with a smile on her face, ‘Let me show you your room, it’s a very nice place.’” For most of her 20 years, Shanley Stuteville has been a pat...

“What do I do when my pre-teen or teenager starts to pull away?” Man…this is a tough one. Remember when your child was a toddler, and you taught them to poop on the potty? It was all leading up to this moment. Everything we have taught them alo...