Here's an edited Q&A from the conversation.

Q: What's one of the biggest misconceptions parents have about sports injury prevention?

Bass: Many parents focus on game day. They focus on when the whistle blows or when the competition starts. What often gets overlooked is everything that happens before that. Preparation, practice habits, warmups, conditioning and recovery all play an important role in helping reduce injury risk and improve performance.

Q: What does a good injury prevention routine look like before practice or a game?

Bass: It starts with a proper warmup. We want to warm up before we stretch, not stretch before we warm up. The goal is to create blood flow, get muscles and joints ready to perform, and make warmups a consistent part of every practice routine.

Sports are all about routines, and creating healthy routines can help reduce injury frequency.

Q: Does playing one sport year-round increase injury risk?

Bass: Research suggests that sports specialization can contribute to higher injury rates and burnout. Younger athletes should be encouraged to participate in multiple sports.

As young athletes grow and mature, their interests usually become clearer. In many cases, specialization happens naturally over time rather than needing to happen at a very young age.

The goal should be helping kids enjoy sports while developing a variety of skills.

Q: What are some signs that an athlete may be pushing too hard?

Bass: Parents and coaches should pay attention to changes in performance, soreness, swelling, stiffness and limping.

Athletes are often pleasers. They don't want to disappoint coaches, teammates or parents, and sometimes they don't immediately report that something is hurting.

That's why communication is so important. The earlier we identify a problem, the more options we have to help the athlete recover and continue participating safely.

Q: Why is it important for athletes to be honest about injuries?

Bass: Many athletes worry that reporting an injury will immediately take them out of competition. What I want them to understand is that athletic trainers and sports medicine professionals are advocates for the athlete.

Our goal is not to keep them from participating. Our goal is to help them recover, perform at their best and stay healthy over the long term.

Building trust helps athletes feel more comfortable speaking up when something doesn't feel right.

Q: What should parents know about concussions?

Bass: Concussions are medically classified as traumatic brain injuries, and they deserve serious attention.

One of the most important things parents need to know is that no two concussions are exactly alike. A concussion may look very different from athlete to athlete. Some athletes may experience headaches. Others may become sensitive to light or sound. Some may struggle with sleep, concentration or mood changes.

If symptoms develop after a collision, fall or impact, it's important to have the athlete evaluated by a medical professional.

Q: Can athletes drink too much water?

Bass: Parents ask that question quite a bit.

While it is technically possible to overhydrate under certain circumstances, most young athletes are much more likely to be under-hydrated than over-hydrated.

Hydration should be consistent throughout the day. Athletes should not wait until they feel thirsty to start drinking fluids, especially during practices and competitions in hot weather.

Q: Is heat illness preventable?

Bass: Heat illness is one of the most preventable sports injuries we see.

Proper hydration, acclimatization to heat, regular breaks and recognizing warning signs early can make a tremendous difference.

Parents should pay attention to symptoms like headaches, cramping, fatigue, dizziness and unusual behavior changes during or after physical activity in the heat.

When athletes begin experiencing heat-related symptoms, it's important to cool them down, rehydrate and seek medical attention when necessary.

Q: What's one thing every athlete should do before practice?

Bass: Say thank you.

Thank the parents, caregivers, coaches, teammates and everyone else who helps make it possible for you to participate.

Playing sports is a privilege, and gratitude is something every athlete can carry with them onto the field, court or track.

The Bottom Line

Preventing sports injuries isn't about one single technique or piece of equipment. It starts with consistent habits: proper warmups, good nutrition, hydration, recovery and honest communication when something doesn't feel right.

By helping young athletes build healthy routines and recognize warning signs early, parents can play an important role in keeping kids healthy, safe and in the game.

Parents are navigating conflicting opinions, social media discussions and misinformation. In the latest episode of For Kids' Sake, Alice Phillips, M.D., pediatrician and medical director for Ambulatory Quality at Cook Children's, discusses how families can find trustworthy information, understand immunization recommendations and feel confident asking questions and learn about the Cook Children’s Comfort Menu, a program designed to reduce fear and discomfort during vaccines and medical procedures.

Here's an edited Q&A version of the conversation.

Q: How should parents navigate all the information they're seeing about immunizations?

Dr. Phillips: First, please take a deep breath and pause and think, “who are my trusted sources?” and identify those. If something you read online sounds questionable, trust your instincts and bring those questions to your pediatrician. Parents don't have to sort through everything alone. We’ve been with you through sleepless newborn nights, potty training and maybe even scares at the hospital.

We’re here to help guide you through all of this information overload that we’re experiencing right now.

Q: Has anything changed about childhood immunization access?

Dr. Phillips: No. Families still have access to the same vaccines and should continue routine well-child visits. If your child is preparing for daycare, preschool or kindergarten, it's important to stay on track with those appointments and immunizations.

Q: What about delaying or spreading out immunizations?

Dr. Phillips: Parents have always had that option, but research has not shown delayed schedules to be safer. Delaying immunizations can create additional visits, increased costs and more stress for both children and families. If we did every shot separately, that is getting close to 30 or more visits for that child. That equals more time off work for families, trying to manage busy schedules, and a

Possibility that your child becomes scared of going to the doctor because they associate every visit with a shot.

Q: What is the Comfort Menu, and how can it help children who may struggle with shots or medical procedures?

Dr. Phillips: The Comfort Menu is a program developed by Cook Children's that helps children experience as little physical and emotional discomfort as possible during procedures like immunizations. We know shots can be scary, and we want to make the experience easier for both children and parents.

The Comfort Menu includes distraction techniques, toys, comfort positioning, parent involvement and tools that can help reduce discomfort. Sometimes parents naturally do some of these things themselves, like playing a child's favorite video during a shot. We also have other resources available, including numbing sprays and specialized comfort tools.

The program isn't limited to immunizations. It can also be used for IV starts, procedures and other situations where a child may feel anxious or afraid. For children who need additional support, we may involve Child Life specialists and other team members to help create a more positive experience.

The goal is simple: helping children feel as comfortable, supported and safe as possible during medical care.

Q: How are vaccines tested before they're approved?

Dr. Phillips: Vaccines go through extensive testing, including animal studies and three phases of human trials that evaluate safety and effectiveness. After FDA review, Cook Children's takes one step further and also conducts its own internal review process before adopting new vaccines. It's not a rubber stamp, we analyze all the evidence and research and a vaccine goes through these multiple steps before it’s ever introduced.

Q: You've shared that immunization is personal for you. Why?

Dr. Phillips: I’m very passionate about the pneumococcal vaccine because I’ve had two patients pass away from pneumococcal disease. Once it happens, it happens fast and it’s a hard bug to stop and it’s very powerful.

When the pneumococcal vaccine was first introduced, my own daughter was nine months old and received the very first dose given in my clinic. That's how strongly I believed then, and continue to believe today, in the protection vaccines provide.

I was willing to give my baby the first dose because it is an amazing thing, that we have these to save our kids. We aren’t just doctors, nurses or staff. We are moms too and in the end, we all want our kids to grow up happy and healthy and we have to focus on that.

*Additional information about the pneumococcal vaccine:
It protects against bacteria that can cause ear infections, pneumonia and other serious illnesses. The vaccine helps your immune system recognize and fight these germs before they can make you sick.

Q: Is it okay for parents to have questions?

Dr. Phillips: Absolutely! 100%. You ask questions about diapers, why wouldn’t you ask questions about vaccines?

Immunization science is complicated. Parents should feel comfortable asking questions and discussing concerns with their pediatrician. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Q: Is delaying immunization safer?

Dr. Phillips: No. Some diseases pose their highest risk during the first 12 months of life. Delaying immunization may leave children unprotected during their most vulnerable period.

Q: What's one of the biggest immunization myths?

Dr. Phillips: That vaccines are more dangerous than the diseases they prevent. Many vaccine-preventable illnesses can cause serious complications, and some can become life-threatening very quickly.

Q: Where should parents go for trustworthy information?

Dr. Phillips: Start with your pediatrician and evidence-based resources. If you see something online and aren't sure about it, bring it to your doctor and discuss it together.

Q: What would you say to a nervous parent?

Dr. Phillips: Every time I hear or read something new, I think, “Man. Parents must not just be nervous, they must be scared too.”

You're doing good work. You want what's best for your child. Keep asking questions and when you’re hearing something strange, lean on trusted medical professionals who can help you navigate those decisions.

Q: What is one thing parents should never feel embarrassed to ask?

Dr. Phillips: Anything. There are no bad questions.

And also flipping that on its head, parents should not be afraid to hear questions from us. When a family comes to me and they are worried about vaccines and don’t know what to do, I try to ask lots of questions about their worries and fears.

That is how we solve these problems and get to a solution that we’re all happy with.

Final Thoughts

Dr. Phillips: These are difficult times for many families. We understand that. Pediatricians and parents share the same goal: helping children grow up healthy and protected. We want families to know we're here to help.

Raising a child brings up endless questions, especially when it comes to their health and well-being. As back-to-school season approaches, immunizations may be top of mind for families, and searching for clear, honest answers about what goes into their child's body and why. With so much conflicting information online, sorting facts from fear can feel overwhelming. Cook Children’s Health Care System helps parents and caregivers cut through the noise with trusted guidance from medical experts who are parents themselves.

Among the recommended shots, the pertussis vaccine often raises questions.

Hospitalist Laura Romano, D.O., explains the key facts about pertussis (whooping cough) and the vaccine that prevents it.

What is pertussis?

Pertussis, a highly contagious bacterial infection, causes a severe, long-lasting cough which can sometimes end in a "whooping" sound when a child breathes in. The illness is also known as whooping cough or the “100-day cough.”

In older children and adults, pertussis typically causes only a low-grade fever and a prolonged cough. However, the disease can be fatal in infants. In babies, pertussis can cause difficulty breathing, apnea (when a baby stops breathing) due to coughing and respiratory failure. The infection can be fatal even when treated with antibiotics.

How can the disease be prevented?

Pertussis is very contagious. Vaccinating newborns is the best way to protect them. New parents, grandparents, or aunts and uncles should also receive a Tdap vaccine before welcoming a new baby home.

What would you like families to know about Pertussis or its vaccine?

As a medical community, we have watched pertussis vaccination rates steadily decline in recent years, leading to outbreaks in states like Kentucky. In that outbreak, three babies died from respiratory failure. Pertussis has proven to be fatal to at-risk infants and unvaccinated children.

RELATED STORIES:
Cook Children's Back to School Checklist
What Families Should Know About Hepatitis B
Back-to-School Breakdown: Preparing for Class with the MMR Vaccine
What Families Should Know about Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Resources and tips for finding immunizations for children:

Navigating vaccines can feel overwhelming. Talk to your pediatrician.

• Schedule an appointment through Cook Children's.
• Find your nearest Texas Department of State Health service clinic for information on clinics.
• Call 211 for help.
• Call Tarrant County Public Health at 817-248-6299 to make an appointment or to find a walk-in clinic.
• Check with your local school district for vaccine events.

Raising a child brings up endless questions, especially when it comes to their health and well-being. As back-to-school season approaches, immunizations may be top of mind for families, and searching for clear, honest answers about what goes into their child's body and why. With so much conflicting information online, sorting facts from fear can feel overwhelming. Cook Children’s Health Care System helps parents and caregivers cut through the noise with trusted guidance from medical experts who are parents themselves.

Among the recommended shots, the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine often raises questions.

Hospitalist Laura Romano, D.O., explains the key facts about HPV and the vaccine that prevents it.

What is HPV?

HPV is a viral infection that causes flesh-colored warts on certain mucous membranes, most commonly affecting the mouth, throat and genitals.

HPV infections can lead to cervical cancer in women, as well as head-and-neck and anal cancers in both men and women

Most people with HPV have no symptoms and don't realize they carry the virus, yet they can still pass it to others.

How can the disease be prevented?

Vaccinating older children and teenagers can provide lifelong protection against HPV and helps prevent several types of cancer as well.

What would you like families to know about the virus or the vaccine?

Vaccinating boys and girls offers lifelong protection against a virus that can cause warts but also against deadly cancers. The vaccine protects your child now and helps safeguard their future partners down the road.

Last year, for the first time, the United Kingdom announced zero deaths from cervical cancer among women under age 30. Australia and New Zealand have seen similar results alongside increased vaccination rates.

Other countries have also reported declines in cervical cancer among women, as well as head and neck cancer among men.

RELATED STORIES:
Cook Children's Back to School Checklist
What Families Should Know About Hepatitis B
Back-to-School Breakdown: Preparing for Class with the MMR Vaccine

For Kids’ Sake and its Spanish-language companion, Por Su Bienestar, debut today as extensions of Checkup Newsroom, Cook Children’s award-winning source for pediatric health news since 2014.

The podcasts bring Cook Children’s physicians, specialists and clinicians into conversations about the health topics families are talking about most. Guests will offer clear, balanced perspectives and understand the thoughtful decisions parents make every day.

"Our goal is to give caregivers trusted information directly from the people who care for children every day," said Chelsea Kretz Howell, director of Public Relations at Cook Children’s and host of For Kids’ Sake. "Families are constantly sorting through information online. These podcasts create a place where they can get clear answers to the questions that matter most."

The first episodes focus on back-to-school health and wellness, including immunizations, establishing healthy routines and helping children manage first-day anxiety. Future episodes will explore a wide range of pediatric topics, from seasonal illnesses and safety concerns to mental health, nutrition and emerging health trends.

Each episode features conversations with Cook Children’s experts who break down the latest pediatric health news and offer practical takeaways families can use at home. Episodes also include an "Asking for a Friend" segment, where clinicians answer listener-submitted questions and common concerns families may hesitate to ask.

"Providing trustworthy health information in both English and Spanish allows us to better serve the diverse families in our communities," said Lourdes Vazquez, multimedia storyteller at Cook Children’s and host of Por Su Bienestar. "We want parents and caregivers to feel informed, supported and confident when making decisions about their children's health."

New episodes of For Kids’ Sake will be released weekly, while Por Su Bienestar will publish new episodes every other week. Both podcasts will be available in video and audio formats.

Parents, grandparents, guardians and caregivers can watch full episodes on the Cook Children’s YouTube channel. The podcasts are currently available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, as well as through Checkup Newsroom. Follow Cook Children’s Instagram page @Cookchildrens, @ForKidsSake, @PorSuBienestar to submit questions to be addressed on the shows.

Media Contact

Chelsea Kretz Howell
Director, Public Relations
chelsea.kretz@cookchildrens.org

Resources and tips for finding immunizations for children:

Navigating vaccines can feel overwhelming. Talk to your pediatrician.

• Schedule an appointment through Cook Children's.
• Find your nearest Texas Department of State Health service clinic for information on clinics.
• Call 211 for help.
• Call Tarrant County Public Health at 817-248-6299 to make an appointment or to find a walk-in clinic.
• Check with your local school district for vaccine events.

Raising a child brings up endless questions, especially when it comes to their health and well-being. As back-to-school season approaches, immunizations may be top of mind for families, and searching for clear, honest answers about what goes into their child's body and why. With so much conflicting information online, sorting facts from fear can feel overwhelming. Cook Children’s Health Care System helps parents and caregivers cut through the noise with trusted guidance from medical experts who are parents themselves.

Among the required school shots, the Hepatitis B vaccine often raises the most questions, especially when it comes to why infants and young kids need protection so early.

Hospitalist Laura Romano, D.O., explains the key facts about hepatitis B and the vaccine that prevents it.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a serious liver disease that is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

In adults, hepatitis B is usually spread through blood or intimate contact. In young children, however, the virus usually spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. Transmission most commonly occurs during labor and delivery, but it can also happen through everyday activities, such as sharing a toothbrush or being bitten by a person who has the virus.

People infected with hepatitis B can spread the virus even if they show no symptoms. In fact, children often remain asymptomatic for years while still being contagious. This is especially concerning because infants and young children are more likely than adults to develop chronic, lifelong liver conditions, including permanent liver damage, cirrhosis (severe scarring), and liver cancer.

Treatment options for chronic hepatitis B are limited and focus primarily on halting the progression of liver damage rather than curing the virus itself. For severe cases where the liver has sustained significant damage, a liver transplant may ultimately be necessary.

How can the disease be prevented?

The most effective way to prevent hepatitis B is through vaccination. The vaccine is highly protective, offering about 95% effectiveness in preventing both acute and chronic infections. Since its routine inclusion in infant immunization schedules, rates of hepatitis B cases and associated liver cancer have steadily declined.

What would you like families to know about the hepatitis B vaccine and HBV?

• Hepatitis B is often misunderstood as a disease that only affects people engaging in high-risk or illegal behaviors. Anyone can contract the virus through everyday actions such as sharing a razor or toothbrush with someone who has the infection, even if that person shows no symptoms.
• Prenatal screening and maternal immunity testing alone are not enough to protect all children from hepatitis B. History has shown that targeting only 'high-risk' infants leaves gaps, leading to ongoing infections in both mothers and children that universal vaccination prevents.
• While some countries delay hepatitis B vaccination until children are older, their social and health care infrastructure differs significantly. Longer parental leave in those countries means children spend less time in daycare, where early exposure can occur. Also, universal health care access allows these countries to detect acute infections quickly and manage chronic cases more effectively.

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• Mindful Monday Medicine: Back to School Checklist

• Prioritizing Firearm Safety and Youth Well-being in Fort Worth

• Heat Safety for Kids: Hydration, Heat Illness Signs and Sun Protection Tips

Resources and tips for finding immunizations for children:

Navigating vaccines can feel overwhelming. Talk to your pediatrician.

• Schedule an appointment through Cook Children's.
• Find your nearest Texas Department of State Health Service Clinic.
• Call 211 for help.
• Call Tarrant County Public Health at 817-248-6299 to make an appointment or to find a walk-in clinic.
• Check with your local school district for vaccine events.

Just weeks before students return to the classroom, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued a health alert following four reported cases of measles in July. According to DSHS, all four cases occurred within a single family after a family member traveled out of state.

With back-to-school season underway, pediatricians at Cook Children’s Health Care System are sharing key information about how measles moves through communities and how families can protect their children.

Measles is highly contagious. One infected person can potentially infect 12 to 18 unvaccinated individuals. The virus spreads through infectious respiratory droplets and airborne transmission (from coughing or sneezing), where tiny droplets can remain suspended in the air.

Cook Children’s experts say the best way to prevent getting and spreading the virus is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The MMR vaccine is required by most school districts and Cook Children’s understands that navigating conflicting information about vaccines can feel overwhelming. Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Cook Children’s Infectious Diseases, explains the key facts about the measles and the MMR vaccine.

What is measles

Measles is a viral infection caused by the rubeola virus, which is not the same as rubella. The virus is very small, which makes it more contagious. It can remain in the air of a room for up to two hours after an infected patient leaves. Measles symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after infection.

Symptoms include:

• Rash
• Fever, sometimes over 104º Fahrenheit or 40 º Celsius
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Red, watery eyes
• Sore throat
• Tiredness

Complications can include ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia and, in rare cases, brain damage or death.

How can measles be prevented?

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles. The first dose of the MMR vaccine is typically given to children on their first birthday (12 months old), followed by a booster at age 4. Talk to your pediatrician about questions and concerns. Children traveling outside the United States may be able eligible to receive the vaccine before their first birthday.

Because measles remains airborne for up to two hours, if 10 unvaccinated children are in a room with one infected child, nine of them will likely contract the virus.

In addition to getting vaccinated, the spread of measles can be mitigated by proper hygiene. This includes:

• Handwashing
• Covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
• Avoid sharing drinks or eating utensils
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces

What would you like families to know about measles and the MMR vaccine?

Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000. However, measles immunization rates have declined in recent years due to missed checkups during the pandemic, parental concerns and vaccine misinformation.

Measles also remains common in many parts of the world. Most recent U.S. cases stemmed from unvaccinated travelers returning from abroad. This drop in vaccination coverage makes communities vulnerable to disease resurgence.

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• Mindful Monday Medicine: Back-to-School Checklist

• Top 10 Questions Parents Ask About Vaccines

• Measles Mythbusting with Laura Romano, D.O.

As pediatric experts, Cook Children’s Health Care System know that protecting a child's health is about preventing emergency room visits just as much as treating illness. Ahead of the major soccer tournament, the system launched "World Cup Wednesday," a weekly healthcare series providing local and international visitors with essential resources on injury prevention, heat safety, water safety and guidance on when to utilize urgent care versus the emergency department.

The hottest time of the year in Texas is here, with temperatures regularly ranging from 80-100 degrees between June and August. Medical experts from Cook Children’s Health Care System advise caregivers and parents on what to know before attending outdoor activities or fan watch parties.

“Children can't cool off the body as well as adults,” said Monica Herrera, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Windhaven, “it's important that we keep them hydrated.”

Dr. Herrera emphasizes that hydration is key during these months, as well as protecting children's skin from the sun and mosquitoes.

Learn the signs of heat-related illnesses

Spending too much time in the heat without proper hydration can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Dr. Herrera said learning the signs for heat-related illness is important, so caregivers know when to seek medical attention.

Symptoms include:

• Feeling faint or confused: A child may begin acting disoriented.
• Walking unsteadily and losing coordination.
• Headache
• Abnormally warm skin: Feels hot to the touch.
• Lack of urination: No wet diapers or bathroom use in eight hours.
• Nauseous and vomiting
• Shallow breathes: The body uses shallow breathing to try to shed excess heat.
• Muscle cramps: A child may complain that their legs hurt.
• Numbness

If a child exhibits these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.

Preparedness is the number one way to avoid heat-related illness and Dr. Herrera says it starts with hydration.

Hydration Tips

Babies under 6 months old should generally be kept indoors. However, if an infant is outside, Dr. Herrera recommends they stay hydrated with formula or breastmilk. Babies under 6 months should not be given water.

“The breast milk has everything that the baby needs as does formula,” said Dr. Herrera. “If you're outside for a prolonged period they really need to be drinking every 20 minutes.”

As children get older water becomes the priority for hydration, but there are other tricks if your little one isn’t fond of H20. While water is best, other caffeine-free fluids and water-rich foods can help count toward hydration.

“Fluids don’t always come in the form of liquid,” said Dr. Herrera.

Alternative hydration sources:

• Ice cream
• Popsicles
• Snow cones
• Crushed Ice
• Fruits (Watermelon, grapes and cantaloupe) are an excellent source of hydration
• Soft liquids (such as yogurt, applesauce)

How do you know if your child is hydrated?

Check their urine. Urine is the best indicator of hydration status for both children and adults. A well-hydrated child's or adult’s urine should be clear to a light yellow, similar to a light lemonade color. If the urine is dark yellow or tea-colored, dark orange, more fluids are needed.

Sun protection

While hydration is critical, protecting a child’s skin is a close second. Dr. Herrera explained that children’s skin is sensitive and can burn when exposed to the sun for a prolonged period. While sunblock Sun Protection Factor (SPF) ratings range in coverage from SPF 10 to 80, Dr. Herrera recommends choosing products with two active ingredients: zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and use a sunblock of SPF 30.

Babies under 6 months of age should not have sunblock applied. Instead, keep them in the shade and dress them in a wide-brimmed hat.

Sunblock recommendations for 6 months and older:

• Choose a mineral-based sunscreen.
• Use SPF 30
• Apply 15 to 30 minutes prior to going outside.
• Reapply every two hours.
• Avoid sunscreens containing oxybenzone.
• Choose lotions over aerosol sprays to ensure total skin coverage.

Staying Cool in the Sun

• Dress children in light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• Choose breathable, absorbent materials.
• Avoid sitting directly in the sun. Seek shade when possible.
• Use cool mist sprays for quick relief.

Mosquitos

Summer heat in Texas also brings mosquitoes, which thrive around stagnant water and in hot, humid climates.

“Mosquitoes, as we know, can carry viruses which can cause severe infections and serious complications,” said Dr. Herrera. “We want to avoid mosquito bites if at all possible.”

The most effective line of defense is insect repellent.

Finding the best repellent:

• DEET is the most effective option.
• For infants up to 2 years of age, use a maximum of 10% DEET.
• For children older than 2, a maximum of 30% DEET.
• Apply repellent only to exposed skin or on top of clothing. Do not apply it underneath clothing.
• If concerned about applying directly on the skin, apply repellent on clothing instead.

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Recalled Product Description

The recall affects Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula sold nationwide through Target stores, Target.com and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026. Recalled products include:

• Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, powdered infant formula
• Products sold in retail stores and online through Target and Nara Organics
• All lot codes and all expiration dates

The Symptoms of Botulism

Infant botulism is a rare but serious illness that can occur when babies ingest Clostridium botulinum spores or toxins that attack the nervous system. Symptoms may include:

• Constipation
• Change in facial expression
• Ptosis
• Loss of head control
• Drooping eyelids
• Generalized weakness
• Difficulty swallowing, poor feeding
• In severe cases, respiratory failure 

Cook Children’s Expert Recommendation

Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Cook Children’s Infectious Diseases, previously advised parents to seek medical attention right away if an infant develops symptoms of botulism. Symptoms can take days or even weeks to appear after exposure. Families with concerns about recalled products or possible symptoms should contact their pediatrician for guidance and evaluation. If the infant is having trouble breathing or severe weakness, it’s best to call 911 immediately or proceed to the nearest emergency department.

The FDA recommends keeping any remaining formula away from children and other food products. Families who purchased the recalled formula may be eligible for a refund through Nara Organics or Target.

For more information about infant botulism and symptoms to watch for, read our previous coverage on infant botulism and formula safety.

In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General recognized firearm violence as a critical public health crisis in the United States. Nationwide, firearms have risen to become the number one cause of mortality among children. Data from the CCHSC revealed that between 2024 and 2026, the hospital encountered 121 unintentional firearm injuries, alongside five pediatric fatalities stemming directly from firearm trauma.

The forum focused on community-driven solutions. A recurring consensus emerged among the panelists: sustainable intervention requires bringing the youth into the conversation, acknowledging and resolving the compounding personal traumas they carry before those crises escalate into violence.

Panelist Rodney McIntosh, Pastor and Director of the non-profit organization Violence Intervention and Prevention Fort Worth (VIPFW), urged community members to actively integrate young people into the safety dialogue, equipping them with foundational tools in social-emotional learning and actionable conflict de-escalation tactics.

Daniel Guzman, M.D., an emergency room physician and program director for Cook Children’s Aim for Safety program, brought a frontline medical perspective, illustrating the realities of firearm accidents in the home and emphasizing that responsible storage and education can reduce injury.

The evening closed with a powerful challenge to the audience:

“We challenge you to do something,” said Eric Gonzalez, Program Manager for Injury Prevention at the Center for Community Health at Cook Children’s Health Care System. “Ask your community, schools, family: why wait to have a conversation when we can do this right now?”

Fort Worth leaders urge parents, educators, and neighbors to initiate open, judgment-free discussions about firearm safety within their homes and community. Keep guns secured. Protect your children. Lock up all firearms.

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The recall includes select lots of Up & Up Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes and Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes sold nationwide.

Here is a list of the recalled products including their UPC codes:

Up & Up Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes

• 20 Count: UPC 085239265956
• 72 Count: UPC 085239265949
• 216 Count: UPC 085239265963
• 800 Count: UPC 085239266137
• 1200 Count: UPC 085239266090

Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes

• 72 Count: UPC 085239265970
• 216 Count: UPC 085239265994
• 800 Count: UPC 085239265987

Health Risks and Symptoms

While healthy people may experience mild symptoms such as skin irritation or rashes, Bcc can lead to more serious infections including pneumonia or sepsis in newborns, premature infants and immuno-compromised patients.

Cook Children’s Infectious Diseases specialists encourage families to stop using the recalled wipes immediately and monitor children for symptoms.

“Early warning signs may include redness, tenderness, warmth or swelling on the skin, especially around cuts or abrasions cleaned with the wipes,” said Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s. “Infants and young children may also develop fever, poor feeding, irritability or lethargy.”

Families should contact their child’s primary care physician or seek care at one of Cook Children’s Urgent Care Center or Emergency Department if a child develops symptoms or appears ill after exposure to the wipes.

At this time, Cook Children’s infectious disease team has not evaluated any confirmed patient cases linked to the recalled wipes.

What Should Consumers Do?

The FDA advises consumers to stop using the products immediately and return them to any Target store for full refund. More information available on the FDA website.

The Cook Children's Fostering Health Program serves more than 2,000 children from across North Texas and as far west as Stephenville. In March, the Clinic helped more than 200 children, a record number for the program.

“Our clinic functions as a primary care medical home and offers complete health care for children in foster care through age 21,” said Brittany Schoonover, pediatric nurse practitioner for the Fostering Health Program.

It begins with trauma-informed care.

“We recognize when a child is removed from a home that in itself is trauma,” explained Keirsten Velez, LMSW, a social worker for the Fostering Health Program. “Sometimes we see the child the day after it happens, so our goal is to empower the child.”

That empowerment includes involving children in their own health journey while helping caregivers navigate the foster care system.

“There are a lot of nuances that come with providing medical care for a kiddo in foster care,” said Velez. “For example, most agencies require the foster parent to have a nine-page form completely filled out and signed at the end of every medical visit.”

Even before the first exam, the team works to fill the gaps in a child’s medical history by tracking down records from schools, hospitals and previous pediatricians.

“Often times we find fragmented care where the child had initial medical exams but often not follow up care,” explained Schoonover. “Our clinic is helpful to connect the dots and put the puzzle pieces together to be able to provide the best care for the child.”

Velez noted often placements occur with limited time or funds for foster parents to prepare for the child’s arrival. The team strives to address immediate needs, providing patients with essentials such as clothes, toys, and diapers, while also serving as a bridge to long-term support through Cook Children’s and community support.

“We try to make navigating the system easier for the caregivers,” said Velez, “We're kind of advocating alongside of them for what they may need.”

The support does not end when a child’s case closes. Schoonover and the team ensure continuity of care by providing families with information about new pediatricians and specialists.

“We’ll send over whatever they need to the new doctor, we want to keep the continuity of care that they have had here in their medical home,” said Velez.

When it comes to accessing pediatric specialty care, the more appointment options, the better- especially for busy families caring for a child with complex medical needs. Beginning May 4, families living in the Plano area have another close-to-home location for connecting with Cook Children’s Health Care System and its vast network of pediatric specialty physicians.

Conveniently located just off the Sam Rayburn Tollway between Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney brimming with young families, Cook Children’s new multispecialty clinic gives patients increased access to pediatric physicians specializing in neurology, endocrinology, pediatric surgery, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, urology, plastic surgery and orthopedics. Cook Children’s physician specialists from the Prosper Specialty clinics will rotate through the clinic regularly, giving parents more choice and flexibility in scheduling appointments at a location most convenient to them.

“Patients requiring specialty care often need to see their specialist multiple times, and those with complex medical conditions may see multiple specialists across several departments regularly, said Teresa Baker, Cook Children’s vice president of Primary and Specialty Services. “In addition to the convenience of closer-to-home care, the new clinic increases appointment availability so busy families have more options when scheduling visits. The new location also provides additional space to add more physicians and advanced practice practitioners to meet the needs of families in the fast-growing communities of the region.”

This will be Cook Children’s seventh multispecialty clinic in the Metroplex. Others are located in Alliance, Denton, Hurst, Mansfield, Southlake and Walsh Ranch. The Plano clinic offers 10 exam rooms, including one that will flex as a procedure room, as well as an X-ray unit. While Cook Children’s physicians will rotate through the clinic, it will have full-time, on-site clinical staff, an X-ray technician and front desk personnel.

Damian Campbell, D.O., a Cook Children’s pediatric neurologist, will see patients at the new Plano clinic on Thursdays. He’ll have the ability to offer many of the same evaluations in Plano as in his primary office at Cook Children’s Pediatric Specialties Clinic in Prosper, with the exception of electroencephalograms (EEGs) and some concussion evaluations.

"We’re aiming to be available for patient families every week right from the start of this new project,” Dr. Campbell said. “We know that life gets busy, and juggling work and school can make finding time for appointments a bit tricky. Having more availability close to home is designed to help make that easier. Our goal is for this new venture to help make sure families have more access to the high-quality care and attention that Cook Children’s is known for.”

This new addition to the health system’s network is one more example of Cook Children’s keeping its Promise to the children and families in the communities it serves, says Kevin Greene, president of Cook Children’s – Prosper.

“Our Promise is to improve the health of every child in our care and our communities,” Greene said. “By opening this new specialty clinic in Plano, we are bringing that Promise to the doorsteps of the families we serve. We are no longer asking parents and caregivers to endure long commutes for specialized care. Instead, we are meeting them where they live, work, and go to school—ensuring every child has access to high-quality pediatric care and the opportunity to grow up healthy, regardless of their zip code.”

Tina Manshadi, M.D. from Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Plano) shared this mother’s experience from a recent newborn class session:

“I remember a mom who came to class looking really worried about whether her baby would be getting enough milk in those early days,” Dr. Manshadi explained. “She kept saying, ‘How will I know?’ So, we sat together and walked through all the little clues we look for, such as how a baby feeds, how they’re gaining weight, monitoring diapers, and the signs that her milk supply was coming in just fine. As we talked, you could see her shoulders relax. By the end, we had a plan that matched her goals, and she knew she wouldn’t be figuring it all out alone. We were a team, and that made all the difference.”

The ‘team’ approach is how the pediatricians at Cook Children’s view newborn care. Below, four of our pediatricians leading these classes answer some of the big questions and help prepare parents for the classes.

Beyond the basics, what is the primary benefit parents gain from attending this class?

“It is a great chance to understand what to expect from a pediatrician’s office and to get a sense of the doctor who might be seeing you a whole bunch those first several years,” says Alison Hsu, M.D., from Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Parkwood). “There are no dumb questions,” she emphasizes.

Amy Stockhausen, M.D. from Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Carrollton) says “expectant parents who attend this class have the chance to really communicate with and get to know the physician teaching the class.” “They have the opportunity to ask questions they are particularly worried about and get answers from a physician instead of online,” Dr. Stockhausen continues.

For a new parent arriving feeling unsure or worried, what does a typical newborn class look like? What can they do to prepare beforehand?

Dr. Hsu encourages that since “these tend to be smaller classes; it can be structured in the way that works best for the parents attending.” “We have a presentation we can go over if you’re not sure what to ask or expect, but we can also spend extra time on topics of interest, skip past things that aren’t of interest, and have free and open discussion. To prepare, parents can certainly come with specific questions or considerations for their situation.”

What is one essential topic you cover that surprises parents the most, and why is it so critical for those first few weeks?

“One thing that always surprises parents is just how normal so many newborn behaviors really are,” says Dr. Manshadi. “Frequent feeding, quirky sleep patterns, sneezing, hiccups, and plenty of crying are all part of healthy development. Once parents learn this, you can almost see the relief—they realize their baby isn’t ‘difficult,’ they’re simply being a newborn. That reassurance can make those first few weeks feel a whole lot lighter,” she encourages.

What do you hope is the single biggest takeaway every parent carries home with them after their class?

Dr. Stockhausen reminds parents “that they have good instincts, even if they have little experience in caring for babies.” “There is a lot of information from friends, neighbors, family and the internet; I hope families learn that they are the best source of knowledge about what is right for their baby and their family. We are here to support them with education and scientific advice whenever they need us!”

“I want every parent to walk away knowing they’re never on this journey alone,” encourages Dr. Manshadi. “Welcoming a new baby is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming—and that’s exactly why we’re here. Whether it’s a big worry or a small question that pops up, I want parents to feel comfortable reaching out anytime.”

How do these classes provide support for the parents as they navigate life with a newborn?

Diana Nguyen, D.O. from Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Parkwood) says “attending a class will give parents an introduction to the clinic and a chance to meet with the pediatrician. You may also get to meet and chat with other parents who are experiencing the same things you are or have the same questions as you do.”

The "team" approach doesn't end when the class is over; it’s the beginning of a lifelong partnership in your child’s health. If you’re expecting or have recently welcomed a newborn, we invite you to join us at one of our participating locations.

Below is a list of all clinics offering these newborn classes and the links to sign up. We look forward to being a part of your journey!

• Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Aubrey)
• Cook Children's Pediatrics (Collin County)
• Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Keller Parkway)
• Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Lake Worth)
• Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Parkwood)
• Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Plano)
• Cook Children’s Pediatrics (Windhaven)

For one North Texas family, that resilience is embodied in their little boy, Gabriel “Thor” Munoz. Not because life has been easy, but because from the very beginning, he has faced it with a strength that is impossible to ignore.

The Origin Story: The Birth of a Superhero

It regularly takes 40 weeks for a baby to be born, but not for a superhero. For Thor, it only took 24 weeks and three days, weighing just one pound and seven ounces. His parents, Michael and Mary Munoz, stood by Thor’s side while he spent his first six months fighting, and winning, every battle his tiny body faced.

Thor encountered one of his hardest battles at just a few weeks old when he was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious gastrointestinal condition typically seen in premature infants. NEC left Thor with only a 2% chance of surviving corrective surgery. Despite the daunting odds, Michael and Mary chose to take the risk, clinging to that small window of hope for their son’s future.

On the day of the surgery, Cook Children’s surgeon Marty Knott, DO, Ph.D., arrived wearing a surgical cap covered in superheroes, including the well-known god of thunder, Thor. As soon as Michael and Mary saw the cap, they took it as a sign that their little boy was in the right hands.

Three years later, Dr. Knott and Thor’s family reunited to reflect on the profound bond they formed during those vulnerable early days. To honor Thor's journey, Dr. Knott presented the family with the surgical cap he wore during the life-saving procedure, a symbolic reminder that their child not only carries a superhero’s name, but he is also the true hero of his own story.

The Discovery: A Different Kind of Superpower

Arriving into the world prematurely wasn’t the only challenge Thor and his family would endure. As he kept growing, his family noticed irregular behaviors that concerned them, such as totally refusing solid foods and banging his head against hard surfaces. These behaviors disrupted his health and made it difficult for him to communicate with the world around him.

Seeking answers, his parents pushed for a medical evaluation. At just three years old, Thor was officially diagnosed with autism. For his family, this wasn't just a label; it was the key to unlocking the specialized help he needed.

His mother, Mary, said acting fast made all the difference. "To me, the earlier you diagnose, the more help you can get and the better the outcome," she said.

The Adaptation Process: A Superhero in Training

When Thor arrived at Cook Children’s, his symptoms were so complex that other applied behavior analysis (ABA) clinics had previously refused to treat him. However, the team at Child Study Center accepted the challenge, using ABA techniques to address his severe behavioral hurdles. Duy D. Le, MS, BCBA, Manager of Applied Behavior Analysis, explained that the program is designed to build essential life skills: "ABA therapy techniques can help decrease problem behavior, and increase desirable behavior, including tolerance of hygiene tasks... and expand the number of foods a child is willing to eat,” Le said. By breaking down these daunting tasks into small, rewarding steps, ABA therapy provided Thor with a structured roadmap to navigate a world that often felt overwhelming.

The specialized training focused on replacing Thor’s most difficult struggles with functional communication. Cheyenne Matson, the Lead Program Specialist for the Behavior Disorders Clinic at Child Study Center, who worked directly with Thor, noted that the program was visibly effective when Thor was given a way to be heard.

"When Thor started treatment, we introduced the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to teach Thor a functional form of communication rather than banging his head," Matson explained. As Thor learned to use images to express his needs, his head-banging diminished. This clinical expertise allowed Thor to move past his most severe symptoms, turning high-intensity struggles into a series of manageable victories.

Thor’s progress is now evidenced by milestones that once seemed out of reach. He has successfully transitioned to eating solid foods, adding six new foods to his diet, and his self-injurious behavior dropped to 0% by the end of his treatment. His parents note that while the journey is ongoing, the resilience he displays at Cook Children’s is truly heroic as he continues to bridge the gap between his inner world and the community around him.

The Power Source: Love and Braveness

Although Thor has proven to be a resilient child, he is a superhero with a unique source of power: the unwavering devotion of his loving parents. While Michael and Mary faced a maze of obstacles, they refused to let the search for answers exhaust their hope.

“You just have to keep fighting for what you know your kid needs,” Mary said. “There are people out there who truly care and want to help for the right reasons.”

Thor’s parents now hope to raise awareness and advocate not only for children diagnosed with ASD, but also for the caregivers walking a similar path in search of the right treatment for their children.

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“We are seeing either children are taking the medication in an inappropriate amount intentionally or accidentally ingesting it,” said Stephanie Felton, D.O., associate medical director for the emergency department at the medical center in Fort Worth. 

The trend mirrors a similar spike seen at Cook Children’s in 2020. During that year, patients reported getting the idea from TikTok videos claiming users could hallucinate by taking a dozen or more allergy pills. While that trend eventually faded through education and public awareness, a recent resurgence has prompted medical experts to issue a new alert for parents and caregivers.

“These are heartbreaking cases because these are usually normal, healthy, fully-functioning children that can have dire effects because of this choice,” said Dr. Felton.

She adds that these incidents often bring to light underlying issues, including bullying or psychiatric illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

The Power of Open Dialogue

Medical experts say open communication is the first line of defense in preventing an overdose. Dr. Felton acknowledges these can be difficult conversations, however, she emphasizes it can make a potentially life-saving difference.

“Be aware of what they're dealing with, their environments, what they're looking at, what they're watching,” explained Dr. Felton. “Ask them questions, direct questions.” 

Because Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an over-the-counter medication, it is easily accessible to children and teens. Experts say it is important to communicate that consuming any medication improperly can be detrimental to a person's health in both the short and long term. 

“There is specific per age, per weight, how much you can take of a medication, if you go outside of that you can cause harm to your body,” said Dr. Felton.

Recognizing an overdose

While it may seem trivial because it is an over-the-counter medication, Dr. Felton explains that an overdose can have lifelong effects. This includes heart arrhythmias, electrolyte abnormalities, or urinary retention that can impact the kidneys. Hallucinations can also affect the brain.

Monitor for these symptoms of an overdose:

• Hot but not with a fever
• Pupillary size
• Heart arrhythmias
• Seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Hallucination

Tips for Poison Prevention: 

Safe Medication Dosing 

• Follow the dosing directions listed on the medication by using the appropriate measuring items, such as a medicine cup or oral syringe.
• Double dosing is NOT twice as effective, and in many instances can cause internal damage.
• Adult medications may be too strong for children and should not be given in half doses. Only give medicine to your child that is intended for children.
• Print the medication schedule to keep the right dosage for your family. 

Safe Storage 

• Many people leave medications on bathroom and kitchen counters as well as bedroom nightstands as a visual reminder to take them. Avoid unintentional injury and store medication up high, locked, and out of reach.
• Hang purses and personal bags up high so children cannot reach prescriptions, vitamins, or other regularly used medications.
• Remember, when visiting friends and family, it is ok to have an open discussion about safe storage. 

Safe Disposal 

• DEA Drug Take Back Day is on April 25th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Visit a medication drop box at a local pharmacy. For more information on poison prevention, visit www.meddropbox.org.
• The best disposal option is to find a drug take-back location, which may be found in retail, hospital, pharmacies, and/or law enforcement facilities.
• Removing any unused or expired medication in the home can reduce the risk of access. 

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In the eight counties served by Cook Children’s Health Care System in North Texas, approximately 237,000 children between the ages of 6 and 17 have received a mental health diagnosis. According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), ADHD remains one of the most reported conditions, affecting children’s educational and social development. 

Yet behind those numbers is a troubling reality: not all children have equal access to diagnosis and care. Data provided by the CHNA shows that 18% of Hispanic children and 16% of White children have been diagnosed with ADHD, while only 10% of Black children and 6% of Asian children have received a diagnosis.

“Many parents hesitate to seek therapy or mental health services due to feelings of stigma or guilt. Mental health challenges are common and treatable medical conditions—not a reflection of parental failure,” said Cook Children’s psychiatrist Akemi Watkins, M.D. “Early intervention improves outcomes and many families benefit from the additional support offered through the mental health system.”

Debunking Common Myths 

Early diagnosis is crucial to a child’s well-being and overall health. Debunking myths about ADHD and viewing therapy as a proactive strategy are important first steps toward providing children with the care they need, while also making parenting a child with ADHD a bit more manageable.

Some of the most common myths are:

• Myth: “It’s bad parenting.”
  Fact: ADHD is not the result of poor discipline; it is caused by differences in brain development and brain activity that affect how children focus, sit still, and behave.
   
• Myth: “It’s just hyperactivity.”
  Fact: While many children are naturally active, ADHD is diagnosed when behaviors significantly impact daily functioning at home and at school. 
   
• Myth: “They’ll grow out of it.”
  Fact: ADHD symptoms don’t simply disappear over time. Without support, they can lead to anxiety, academic struggles, and low self-esteem.

Why Early Intervention Matters 

An early diagnosis can give children with ADHD the tools they need to succeed academically and socially.

Untreated ADHD is not just a childhood phase that children will “grow out of it”. Without proper support, they may face long-term consequences including higher rates of school absenteeism, grade retention, an increased risk of substance abuse, involvement with the criminal justice system and potential self-harm or suicide.

Early intervention can significantly improve outcomes and provide families with the resources they need to support their child’s well-being.

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• Beyond the Emergency Room: Cook Children's Takes a Stand for Suicide Prevention - Cook Children's Takes a Stand for Suicide Prevention

Since its founding in 2005, Community Link has tackled innovative ways to alleviate hunger and food scarcity for Tarrant County families. In the areas served by Community Link, 30% of children are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to sufficient, nutritious food. Through online food ordering, a drive-thru food pantry and partnerships with local farmers markets, they provided nearly 23,000 families with food last year alone.

But like many food programs, the group has faced obstacles to providing people with fresh produce. Donated fruits and veggies go bad quickly and don’t always make it to families. In March 2025, Community Link found a way to deliver vegetables to families almost as soon as they were harvested: freight farms.

Freight farms are vertical farms built inside of repurposed shipping containers. They utilize hydroponic farming, in which plants are grown without soil and instead grow inside water-based solutions. The farms can be placed virtually anywhere and grow year-round because of their self-contained climate. The result is a high-yield farm that requires far less space than a traditional garden.

Community Link obtained its first freight farm in 2025 and Fresh Link Farms was born. By September, they had their first harvest. Since then, they’ve grown 21,000 plants: romaine lettuce, kale, collard greens, bok choy and other veggies. There has been a spirit of excitement about this project from the community and clients, said Whitney Berry, Community Link’s Director of Markets and Local Food.

“The enthusiasm from our clients and volunteers says it all—Fresh Link Farms is creating meaningful connections to fresh, healthy food,” Berry said. “Our freight farm is not just growing produce, it’s growing engagement, education, and opportunity.”

Once a week, volunteers are able to harvest and distribute produce directly to clients through Community Link’s food pantry. The nonprofit also transports veggies down the road to the Community Caring Center in Azle. 

A Collaborative Effort for Community Health

On Saturday, the nonprofit hosted its official grand opening at the freight farm, dubbed the Lettuce Shack. The event took place at the Azle’s Farmer’s Market, which Community Link also runs, at 225 Church St, Azle, TX 76020. Attendees toured the Lettuce Shack, self-harvested some of the plants and learned more about hydroponic farming.

Saturday's event was also a celebration of Fresh Link Farm’s collaboration with Cook Children’s Center for Community Health, the American Heart Association and other supporters. 

Cook Children’s and the American Heart Association have been supporters of the freight farm project and are providing financial support for the ongoing costs of managing the Lettuce Shack. On April 25, Cook Children’s will also host a container gardening workshop at the Saginaw Farmers Market in partnership with the American Heart Association. During the session, families will learn how to grow their own food, receive the supplies needed to start a container garden at home, and take home fresh ingredients to prepare a healthy recipe together.

“Access to nutritious foods plays an essential role in heart health,” said Jenny Eyer, vice president of community impact for the American Heart Association in North Texas. “This freight farm will help improve access to fresh, locally grown produce for thousands in our Azle community starting today and strengthening health outcomes for years to come.”

Cook Children’s also hopes to offer at least four educational sessions, led by Cook Children’s Center for Community Health, focused on nutrition and healthy habits at home.

“By combining education, access, and hands-on support, this partnership aims to create lasting impacts on family health and nutrition, while also laying the foundation for future opportunities to expand and deepen its reach within the community,” said Emily Epperson, Program Manager of Community Health.

The partnership is a perfect fit for Cook Children’s as part of its mission to advance nutrition security across the region. As the largest food pantry in Northwest Tarrant County, Community Link plays a vital role in serving families in need. Through the introduction of a freight farm, this collaboration will significantly increase access to fresh, healthy produce — ensuring more neighbors have the resources they need to support healthier lives.

Berry said the collaboration allows Community Link to have a broader reach to community members and pursue even bigger dreams.

“How we maintain anything as a nonprofit is through collaboration and our community,” she said. “We are a small nonprofit, so having the support of these organizations means the world to us.”

When Fresh Link is able to grow, harvest and give produce to community members, the result is a full circle moment for volunteers and clients, Berry said. Volunteers are able to harvest produce on Wednesday and hand it directly to someone on Thursday, saying, “Hey, I grew this, it grew in Azle just down the street, we picked it yesterday, and it's for your family.”

In the three months after its first harvest in September 2025, Fresh Link Farms provided its fresh, locally grown produce to more than 14,000 people. With its new partnership, the nonprofit hopes to provide nutritious produce to thousands more families.

Each of the 1,528 pinwheels represents a visit with Cook Children’s Child Advocacy Resource and Evaluation (C.A.R.E) team due to suspected child abuse in 2025. In Prosper, 1,287 pinwheels illustrate the victims of child abuse in Denton County in 2025.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The pinwheels help draw attention to the issue and remind caregivers, families and parents they are not alone. Each pinwheel isn’t just a case or a number, it represents a child.

“We see kids who are referred to us from other medical providers, law enforcement, or CPS,” explained Erica Bohmer, M.D., a physician with the C.A.R.E. Team. “Anytime there's a concern for any kind of abuse or neglect they are referred to us.”

Dr. Bohmer clarifies that a referral to the C.A.R.E team does not automatically mean abuse is confirmed. In 2024, less than half of the children referred were substantiated.

Protecting the Child, Supporting the Caregiver

The C.A.R.E. Team consists of social workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors and medical assistants who focus not only on the physical well-being of the child but also the family’s holistic care.

“We know that kids are most at risk (for child abuse) when their caregivers are going through really stressful or traumatic times in their own life, and they have a lower threshold of tolerance for being frustrated or they just don't have the right resources,” said Dr. Bohmer. “By providing help to caregivers we can have the biggest impact in preventing child abuse and neglect.”

Dr. Bohmer says abuse is usually identified during physical exams. The C.A.R.E. team most commonly receives outpatient referrals due to sexual abuse and most evaluations from inpatient referrals is due to physical abuse. Across the health care system and nationwide child neglect is often the biggest form of child abuse. The C.A.R.E team also performs neglect evaluations when there are concerns for illicit drug exposure.

A majority of referrals to the C.A.R.E team for suspected child abuse are due maltreatment and concerns for drug exposure.

Child abuse is preventable with the right tools and resources. The C.A.R.E. team understands the stresses of everyday life can take a toll, but it’s important for caregivers to know there is help available.

“We try to help identify resources that we can help families with, whether it's connecting them with food banks or if they need help filling out applications for a WIC or touching base with local, advocacy centers or even clothing, transportation, just anything that we can do to help the families, even down to working with electricity and water companies,” said Carla Davis, RN, nurse manager for the C.A.R.E. team

 In Texas any person who suspects child abuse or neglect must report it to law enforcement or the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Abuse Hotline. Health care professionals are mandated reporters who must report suspicions of abuse within 24 hours. 

“We care about protecting the children and the entire family,” said Davis, “We want to try to support and help as best we can so that it can be a successful situation where the families can stay together.” 

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Since he was 2 years old, Gaites Fisher has had trouble breathing. In addition to severe asthma, Gaites has a condition in which his right aortic arch compresses his trachea, making it difficult for him to breathe. His mom, Angelaka Johnson, tried everything to help; she bought an air purifier, tried to track what triggered his attacks and researched endlessly for solutions to his asthma attacks.

But despite her best efforts, Gaites still ended up being hospitalized six times between the ages of 2 and 5. Allergies or a cold would sometimes trigger the attacks, and she would quickly find child care for her other two children and rush Gaites to the hospital.

“(I felt) like I failed as a mom because I couldn't get his asthma under control. And I didn't know how to help him more,” she said. “And I always felt so defeated having to go to the hospital, knowing we’ll probably end up staying overnight.”

In June 2025, after another hospital stay at Cook Children’s, Angelaka got a phone call about a program that aimed to help her and her son with his asthma.

“I didn’t know what to expect. I thought we would just be on the phone and she would give me info that I already had; that it would be more redundant,’ she said. “And it ended up being a lot more helpful than that.”

The Cook Children's Healthy Homes Program, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary in January, provides free resources, support and education for families and children with severe asthma. Since its inception in 2016, staff have served 1,556 children across the eight-county service area. The goal of the program is to identify and manage the source of kids’ asthma - like dust, dander or mold - and keep families from getting to the point where they need emergency care.

Marquietta Jones was formerly a Healthy Homes program coordinator for eight years and was recently promoted to care coordination supervisor.

She explained how families are brought into the program. Community health workers reach out to families who have had multiple asthma-related emergency department or urgent care visits in the previous six months. The staff reach out to the family and schedule either an over-the-phone or in-person assessment and questionnaire about their home environment and asthma history.

Over three months, families get free one-on-one support by a community health worker to identify home environmental triggers, secure supplies and services and, if needed, obtain referrals to social and medical support.

Angelaka says she was a little skeptical when Community Health Worker Cristina Cantu took her through the assessment, but she quickly realized Healthy Homes didn’t just talk about resources and support; they followed through.

“Usually when you do these things where people say they aren’t going to charge you, they make you jump through hoops to get the things you need, or it wasn’t the things you need. Where in this case, they kind of over delivered. I was surprised,” she said.

The most common triggers for asthma are respiratory infections, weather changes, pollen and dust, but it can be difficult to narrow down what factors in a home exacerbate those triggers. For example, dirty A/C vents, dusty ceiling fans and leaky sinks are all commonly overlooked household issues that can make asthma worse. A large part of the Healthy Homes program is educating families on how to identify and clean those problem areas.

Angelaka had done plenty of research on her own about how to help her son’s asthma, but he still often had flare-ups that sometimes led to hospital visits. The mother of three is a full-time graduate school student, and Gaites’ asthma and hospitalization were hard for the entire family.

To help with Gaites’ breathing, Angelaka bought an air purifier, cleaned the house frequently, monitored his time outside when the weather changed and tried to track his triggers. So when Cantu from Healthy Homes called to talk to her about asthma, Angelaka wondered what the community health worker could tell her that she hadn’t already looked into herself.

But Cantu did not just dump information on Angelaka; she asked her questions. Through the program’s opening assessment, Cantu and Angelaka were able to figure out what she was already doing and what other resources could help further. Then, Healthy Homes provided those resources.

For example, Cantu taught Angelaka how to make her own cleaning solution that seems to be healthier for Gaites. Angelaka used to clean with a standard, store-bought cleaner and assumed any kind of dust removal was helpful for her son. But when she switched to the other cleaner made with Castille soap, vinegar, baking soda and hot water, she noticed he seemed to be coughing less.

Similarly, Angelaka didn’t realize that not all air purifiers clean the air in the way her son needs; Jones recommended an air purifier that has both a carbon and a HEPA filter. Healthy Homes gave Angelaka this more powerful air purifier, which she said has made the biggest change.

“I can’t explain enough the difference the air purifier makes,” she said. “It has definitely made a difference to me. When he’s in here, he’s playing, he’s not coughing, not sneezing. When he comes in from playing in the backyard, the air is clean in here.”

The Healthy Homes’ website includes a plethora of information and tips on identifying and managing asthma triggers. 

Perhaps most importantly, Cantu gave Angelaka emotional support. Gaites is on the autism spectrum, and Cantu showed Angelaka a Facebook group for moms of children with autism. She checks in with the family about once a week and sends Angelaka info on community resources. She and Angelaka created a binder with all of Gaites’ medical information, triggers, and emergency plans that Angelaka gave to family members, babysitters and Gaites’ school.

The binder of emergency information has made Angelaka more confident that Gaites’ teachers or school nurses will be able to help him if he has a flare up. That sense of security has made it easier for her to focus in classes, because she’s not constantly worried about him.

“When you’ve exhausted all your other resources that you may know on your own to do, it's good to have a program like this that helps you find resources…so that you can be more proactive instead of reactive with those asthma symptoms,” Angelaka said.

Healthy Homes is intentional about providing that all-encompassing support for families, Jones said. Aside from providing families with supplies, the program can provide resources for financial support and other basic needs. Community health workers give parents information about all kinds of community resources, not just those related to asthma. And with monthly check-ins throughout the three-month program, community health workers help families feel less isolated.

Beyond the initial improvement in child’s asthma, community health workers want families to be empowered to continue that care for the rest of their lives.

“We encourage our parents to be advocates for their child,” Jones said. “We want to be able to empower those parents to find ways to eliminate those triggers and to make sure everyone that's in contact with that child is on one accord.”

About 9% of the children in Cook Children’s eight-county service area have asthma. While serious, asthma is manageable.

For families who don’t qualify for the full program, Healthy Homes mails out information that includes a link to the Healthy Homes website. The website has videos on common asthma triggers and medication methods, as well as downloadable booklets available in nine languages.

For families like Angelaka's, the Healthy Homes program can mean all the difference for kids with asthma. On average, families who go through the Healthy Homes program have a 75% decrease in the number of emergency room visits, according to Healthy Homes’ data. In the six months since Gaites completed the program, he has not been to the emergency room at all.

This is a change, his mom said, from the two visits per year he has had since he was 2 years old.

Angelaka said she’s glad that Gaites and his siblings can focus on just being kids instead of worrying about being sick.

“Because he likes to run, he likes to run and he likes to jump. And that means a lot to me for him to just be happy and to just play without worrying,” she said.

If your child has asthma, you can check out Healthy Homes website for resources on identifying and managing asthma triggers.

More Than Just A Day

"The Cook Children’s NICU annual reunion is so much more than a date on the calendar for our family, it's stepping back into the place that forever shaped our story.

As first-time parents, we expected a typical delivery and the joy of bringing home a healthy baby. After a normal pregnancy, we were stunned when our son was born with severe congenital complications and immediately rushed to Cook Children’s for specialized care. In a matter of moments, our world had shifted. What we thought would be a brief hospital stay became 110 days of uncertainty, growth, and learning how to parent in ways we never imagined.

During that time, the NICU became our second home. The nurses, physicians, and therapists were more than caregivers. They became our steady support in the darkest days. They taught us how to care for our fragile baby, encouraged us through setbacks, and rejoiced with us over every bit of progress. We never felt alone, they were there when we felt like we couldn’t do it on our own.

Because of that, coming back each year means everything. We reconnect with the staff who once worked patiently with him, and now they get to see him walking, running, and talking. Watching their reactions to the little boy he has become is something we treasure deeply. The place that once held so much fear now holds overwhelming gratitude.

We are grateful for the opportunity to return each year to not only celebrate how far our son, and so many other children and parents have come, but also to honor the incredible work the NICU staff does to help children like McLane. We cannot thank the NICU team enough." 

- The Randolph Family (Parker, Isabella and McLane)

NICU Reunion 2026

This year, the reunion will be on Sunday, May 3rd from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the outside lawn in front of Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth. If you have any questions about the reunion, please reach out to Lauren Austin at nicureunion@cookchildrens.org.

Blue and green slime took center stage at Cook Children’s as employees, volunteers, patients and families gathered to give their doctors a messy “thank you.”  Based on votes from peers and patient families, participants braved 37 buckets and more than 10 gallons of slime. The “green-slimed” winners walked to the pully to celebrate being named the “People’s Choice” and received an extra bucket of slime.

More than 25 participants across eight categories - including family support services, doctors, nurses, child life specialists, social workers, advanced practice providers, volunteers, and members of our administrative team - donned their best outfits to find out who would be the “People’s Choice” for a green-slime bath. 

Congratulations to the winners:

Family Support Services:

Katie Campbell, Director of Family Support Services

Nurses:

Aly Anthony MSN, RN, CPN

Advanced Practice Providers:

Dani Harrington, MSN, APRN, CPNP

Administrative Staff:

Matthew Carroll, M.D., Vice President, Associate Chief Quality Officer

Volunteers:

Ted Taylor

Social Workers:

Christina Reed, Director, Neighborhood Health Centers & Out-patient Psychiatry

Wild Card:

Bryan Pyrc, Physical Therapist, DPT

Physicians:

Taha Muntajibuddin, M.D., Cook Children's Hematology and Oncology Center

Following treatment, children experienced fewer seizures and demonstrated improved communication and other developmental skills – outcomes not generally possible with typical antiseizure medications.

Researchers at Cook Children’s played a key role in the clinical trials that led to these findings, which were published in a March 2026 article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Pediatric epileptologist M. Scott Perry, M.D., head of Neurosciences and director of the Justin Institute at Cook Children’s, co-authored the article and served as the lead investigator for one of the pivotal studies.

Dravet syndrome affects about 20,000 people in the United States. It causes seizures and problems with speech, sleep, development, intellectual abilities and more. About 100-125 patients from across the country come to Fort Worth seeking out Cook Children’s nationally recognized expertise in Dravet syndrome care.

Two initial studies – called MONARCH and ADMIRAL – enrolled 81 patients at multiple sites, including four patients at Cook Children’s. Two extension studies – SWALLOWTAIL and LONGWING – enrolled 75 patients. Dr. Perry served as lead investigator of SWALLOWTAIL.

The primary purpose of the studies was to assess the safety of zorevunersen, a medication administered via spinal tap. Participants received different amounts to help determine an optimal dosage that works safely and effectively.

The results are exciting, Dr. Perry said, because they indicate zorevunersen modifies Dravet syndrome by targeting the root cause. Study participants had fewer seizures and improvement in decision making, social interaction, communication, motor skills and other adaptive behaviors. 

“We have a treatment which at least in early phase studies shows the potential to address the underlying genetic reason for the condition and as a result bring about improvements in the symptoms and frankly change the course of the condition for the patient, which is a considerable advancement over what we currently have available,” Dr. Perry said. 

Adverse side effects were mostly mild or moderate, including elevated protein in the cerebrospinal fluid and pain after the spinal tap procedure.

Understanding Dravet

Most people diagnosed with Dravet syndrome have a mutation in the SCN1A gene that disrupts the production of normally functioning sodium channel proteins in the brain. The sodium channel is essential for neurons to fire appropriately. Seizures occur when the electrical flow misfires.

Antiseizure medication is currently the standard of care. But antiseizure medications don’t always control the seizures. And even when the frequency of seizures drops off, the patient’s cognitive delays and other symptoms don’t necessarily improve. 

“Dravet is a condition called a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, which means the seizures themselves cause problems, but the underlying reasons for the seizures also cause problems,” Dr. Perry said. “This drug aims to address that by treating the actual genetic abnormality. And when you correct the gene that causes the problem, now you can improve seizures and the nonseizure symptoms that come with it.”

While one copy of the gene produces good proteins, Dr. Perry explained, the mutated version found in Dravet makes proteins that don’t function effectively. Zorevunersen is a precision medicine that capitalizes on the healthy copy of SCN1A.

How does it work? Ribosomes are the part of the cells that read messenger RNA (mRNA), which Dr. Perry described as the recipe that forms the sodium channel. Zorevunersen prompts the ribosomes to skip over the portion of mRNA that discards both healthy and unhealthy copies of the gene. No longer discarded, more healthy copies are available to create more functioning sodium channel proteins.  

Methods and Findings

Patients with Dravet syndrome from ages 2-18 years participated in the MONARCH, ADMIRAL, SWALLOWTAIL and LONGWING trials beginning in June 2020. Eighty-one percent of participants were taking three or more antiseizure medications prior to their first dose of zorevunersen.

The main objective was evaluating the safety of the trial therapy. Patients received one or more doses ranging from 10 milligrams to 70 mg. Data showed a reduction in seizures compared to the patients’ baseline numbers.  

“What we determine from these studies is that initial doses of 70 mg performed better than any of the lower doses,” Dr. Perry said. “People who got multiple doses of 70 mg did better than people who got single doses. People who got two doses of 70 mg did similarly to people who got three. That’s why we’ve chosen two 70 mg doses as the loading dose for the ongoing phase 3 clinical trial.” 

Participants in the extension studies followed up by receiving doses up to 45 mg every four months. At that level, they continued to maintain the similar reduction in seizures, he said.

Changes in adaptive behaviors and quality of life were measured by various scales based on impressions from clinicians and caregivers. Improvements were reported across the board. 

Biotechnology company Stoke Therapeutics, Inc. opened the next phase of the trial, called EMPEROR, in August 2025. Participants will receive either zorevunersen or no treatment in four spinal taps over a 52-week period.

Dr. Perry said inclusion in the NEJM article shows Cook Children’s is making a significant contribution to a big advancement in Dravet syndrome care. By joining clinical trials, research sites help find solutions and hope for patients with complex conditions.

“Cook Children’s does meaningful research. This is clinical trial work developing novel new therapies for devastating diseases,” he said. “Cook Children’s played a key role in the development of this treatment, and the NEJM is an incredibly prestigious journal. It’s a big deal for Cook Children’s to be a major contributor to such a huge contribution to science.”

RELATED STORIES:
Groundbreaking trial targets genetic cause of epilepsy
Precision medicine: Clinical trial treats rare type of epilepsy

Drowning is the leading cause of injury, with children between the ages 1 to 4 at the highest risk. According to the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment, Cook Children’s Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper treated 224 drowning-related injuries from 2021 to 2023. These incidents occurred in bathtubs, open water (lakes, rivers, and ponds), and pools or hot tubs.  

“Spring break is really our kind of entry point of getting back into the water,” said Jillian Mitchell, program coordinator for the injury prevention team at the Center for Community Health. 

Cook Children’s Loaner Life Jacket Station provide five different sizes of U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets, ranging from infant to adult, that can be borrowed and returned. The goal is to make sure no child or adult drowns at a public lake because they didn’t have access to a life jacket. In 2025 more than 1,800 U.S. Coast Guard life jackets to area lakes in Tarrant, Denton, Rockwall, and Stephens counties.  

Mitchell encourages families and caregivers to make a plan before heading to the water. The “Lifeguard Your Child” program teaches parents how to create a safety plan for children anytime they are around water. 

According to data from the Community Health Needs Assessment, 85% of drowning-related injuries were pool-or hot tub-related. Of those 8% were fatal, with most fatalities occurring with children ages 0 to 4. 

While many public and community pools are not yet open, families may travel to lakes, rivers, or oceans.  

“Open water behaves differently than in a pool,” explained Mitchell, “It's dark. It's deep, it's murky. Anyone that is on a lake or a river or in the ocean should wear a life jacket all the time because it is an unpredictable water source.” 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids begin swim lessons as young as 1 year old. 

Mitchell shares these tips for families heading to the water for their spring break: 

• Learn about the flag system when you go out to the beach. 

• Sit near a lifeguard if there is one present.
• Look for a life jacket that's approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Spring break is a great time to pull out those life jackets from last year. You may find that your child has outgrown the life jacket.
• Make sure that your children know they should always ask permission before going to the water. 

Related Stories:  

• Expert Tips for a Safe Spring Break: Aim for Safety
• Lifeguard Your Child: 6 Tips for Keeping Bathtime Safe in Every Season
• The Power of Prevention: Cook Children's Reports a Drop in Drownings
• Lifeguard Your Child: 5 Water Safety Tips for Parents 

“We all do better with regular schedules, since our bodies have internal rhythms for so many things. Eating, energy levels, and sleep are set by patterns. Most of these human activities are influenced by hormones. Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted at the start of evening/night, to help the body prepare for sleep… So going to bed at the same time each night helps your body learn to sleep at the same time each night. You may notice this when you are able to awaken just a few minutes before your alarm goes off- you have “trained” your body to sleep at certain hours,” said Dr. Pearson.

Children's bodies grow best when they have predictable sleep routines. When bedtime shifts constantly, whether due to daylight saving time or a busy family calendar, children’s sleep quality suffers. Over time, these poor habits can take a toll on how a child learns, behaves, and grows. On the other hand, a consistent, well-structured bedtime routine acts as a foundation for healthy brain development, steady emotions, and physical growth.

Mental and Physical Effects

Sleep is the fuel for a child's memory and concentration. Without consistent rest, children often struggle to focus in class or remember what they've learned, which directly impacts their academic performance. In contrast, a steady bedtime helps kids develop stronger focus and self-control, the exact brain power skills they will need to succeed in their future professional careers.

A lack of sleep is also closely tied to mood swings and behavioral issues.

Dr. Pearson states “Immediately parents and teachers may notice changes in behavior. Some kids will be sleepy, and unable to stay awake. Some kids will be hyperactive in response to their sleepiness. Others will have trouble with emotional control, so they will cry more, or be more oppositional. [Also], less sleep is associated with anxiety and depression symptoms, especially in teenagers.”

When children are overtired, they have a harder time managing their emotions.

Quality sleep is just as vital for a child’s physical growth. As Dr. Pearson notes, children’s immune systems do not function as well when they are sleep-deprived, making it harder to fight off playground germs. Without enough rest, children are at more risk for health issues later in life like high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity. Setting healthy sleep patterns now creates a foundation for a healthy weight and a lower risk of other diseases in their adulthood.

Long-Term Consequences

The sleep habits children form today, often follow them through their teenage years and into adulthood. When children grow up without a structured bedtime routine, they are much more likely to struggle adapting to a healthy sleep routine as adults. Establishing a strong routine early on, like turning off screens an hour before bed and sticking to a consistent schedule, helps train the brain for rest.

“Parents that teach their children to think about sleep (what time to go to bed, how much sleep in hours to plan for, what a healthy sleep environment looks like) are helping them for their entire lives. Certainly, everyone goes through times where they sleep less, or their sleep is not of good quality, [specially] when going through normal periods of stress, but a child who knows how to get back to ‘good sleep’ is in a better position to stay healthy for the long run,” said Dr. Pearson.

Maintaining these healthy habits as an adult is just as critical for long-term wellness. Quality sleep acts as a “nightly cleanup” for the brain and body. As advised by Dr. Pearson, poor sleep could increase the risk of serious chronic conditions. By prioritizing sleep now, parents not only protect their own long-term health but also model the vital self-care skills their children will need for a healthy future.

Healthy Sleep Habits

According to Dr. Pearson, due to the different sleep sensitivity each child has, it might be slightly harder for some to adjust to daylight savings time. On average, it could take up to 3 weeks for a child to become accustomed to the time change.

Parents can effectively help their children build a fun and beneficial sleep routine at a very young age by choosing a consistent bedtime and following the same steps each night. A healthy bedtime routine may include a bath or shower, brushing teeth, putting on pajamas and reading a book or another quiet activity.

Here are some key elements to remember when building a bedtime routine:

• Going to bed at the same time each night
• Limiting screen time at least an hour prior to bedtime
• Keeping bedrooms quiet and dark
• Following calming bedtime routines such as reading

Good Night Cook Children’s

At Cook Children’s, all staff members, from clinicians to administrators, believe in leading through action. For this reason, a new Child Life Zone (CLZ) TV show called Good Night Cook Children’s, is set to launch this late Spring as an effort designed to support Cook Children’s mission of improving the well-being of every patient. Every evening, an administrator with Cook Children’s Health Care System, will be providing patients with a comforting bedtime story video that will air on CLZ-TV.

“Is exciting to have the administrative team come in and read” said Katie Campbell, director of Family Support Services.

Cook Children’s hopes to create moments of connection and normalcy while also strengthening the employee community around a new and exciting tradition: reading a favorite book from childhood on Good Night Cook Children’s.

“I think bringing that tradition where kids expect to hear ‘Good Night Cook Children’s’ while they are staying at the hospital, will bring that sense of normalcy” said Claire Taetz, associate broadcast producer at CLZ-TV.

To watch a full episode of Good Night Cook Children's click here.

Building strong sleep routines at an early age can help protect children’s health in the long term. Even small changes in bedtime habits can improve sleep quality and overall well-being.

Related Stories:

• Spring Forward: Best Ways to Prepare Your Kids for Daylight Saving
• How to Help Your Children get Back Into a Sleep Routine for School
• Parents, Don't Send Zombies Off to School: Work on Sleep Schedules Now

Most 18-year-olds are focused on graduation, prom, college, and new beginnings. For Madison “Maddie” Hoffman, the future is bright, and her journey there has required a level of strength most people won’t face in a lifetime. Born with

Diagnosed at birth, Maddie’s family, friends and Cook Children’s care teams have been impressed with her continuous resilience in facing prejudice, bullying, mental health challenges, pain and hospitalizations due to skin infections. Maddie says she feels empowered to raise awareness of skin conditions and rare diseases.

“God has been so good to me and that resilience comes through because my mentality is ‘OK, it could be worse. How can I make it better?” Maddie said. “How can I make somebody else’s life better?”

There are more than 30 distinct types of ichthyosis, which are rare, mostly genetic disorders. The type Maddie has, epidermolytic ichthyosis, occurs in approximately 1 in 200,000 individuals, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. Maddie wants to let other children with rare diseases and disabilities know they aren’t alone.

“I can’t change (my condition), so I might as well use my disability as something really powerful,” Maddie said. “Don’t count us out in this world. We will always 1,000% surprise you. We are empowering people. I believe people with rare diseases can change this world. I believe I can change this world.”

Cook Children’s dermatologist, Heather Volkman, D.O., says Maddie’s form of ichthyosis makes her skin barrier very fragile and more susceptible to infections. Imagine if you had an open blister at all times. If Maddie acquires bacteria on her skin, such as methicillin-resistant Staph aureus (MRSA), which can be resistant to many antibiotics, it can be difficult to treat the infection and sometimes require hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics. Her hands and feet are predominantly affected.

“I get frustrated sometimes because of what (bacteria) goes into my body, especially when it comes to infections,” Maddie said. “You just have to remember that you can get through this if you have the right resources, a hospital, and I have my mom. It comes down to your mentality and how you take care of yourself.”

Journey & Resources at Cook Children’s

Maddie graduated from Aledo High School a year early and completed her junior and senior years in three months. She currently works in child care and hopes to become a Child Life Specialist to give back to Cook Children’s and support patients.

“Cook Children’s has definitely given me the resources, the tools and the education,” Maddie said. “I want to give back. The amazing nurses and doctors, Dr. Volkman, have changed my life. They’ve given me this new life I wouldn’t have without Cook Children’s.”

Maddie regularly sees Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), wound care, infectious disease, pain management and dermatology teams at Cook Children’s.

Patients with rare diseases often face limited access to new medications because clinical trials, which are essential for the Federal Drug Administration to approve a drug and for it to be covered by health insurance, often have small patient populations. Dr. Volkman commends Maddie and her parents for being determined to find new medications to help patients with ichthyosis.

Maddie has faced four to five major skin infections that required hospital stays at Cook Children’s. She had two hospital stays in December 2025.

“I was so defeated because of this infection and it was a hard time for me,” Maddie said. “The nurses and doctors just keep you motivated. They’re so interactive and they truly get to know you. It truly makes a difference.”

Maddie said her favorite moments were seeing the Cook Children’s holiday light display and watching the Cook Children’s Radiothon.

“It’s the holidays and it’s the last place you want to be, but they do the little things like that. It was so cool,” Maddie said.

Maddie’s Mentality

Dr. Volkman says Maddie is a very strong young woman because she faces symptoms like pain and itching, but also quality-of-life issues with having a visual condition. She notes that some people incorrectly believe ichthyosis is contagious, but it is not.

Maddie’s mother, Emily Preston, recalls how it broke her heart when Maddie was bullied as a young girl and in her teenage years.

“People can be so cruel and not inclusive,” Emily said. “I instilled in her, for as long as I can remember, that those are not the kind of people that you want in your life and in your circle.”

Maddie says mental health is not talked about enough, so she is open about her own journey. She relates to other people with disabilities that she meets because it can be isolating to live with a condition or disability.

“I’m learning how to be proud of everything because it’s not something that’s wrong with me,” Maddie said. “I can use this anxiety and depression to inspire other kids or other people because you’re not alone in these battles.”

When Maddie was in elementary school, Cook Children’s Child Life Specialist Kat Davitt visited her school to present a program on ichthyosis to build empathy among classmates, help prevent teasing, and help her feel more confident about returning to school. It also helped educate her classmates about how ichthyosis affected Maddie. All these years later, Emily said it was a game-changer. When Maddie was at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth in December, she and her family ran into Davitt.

“Maddie was such a strong child from the beginning and I can remember when we kind of passed the torch and she got comfortable talking about it,” Davitt said. “A school program can give words to the patient themselves. As they grow up, they feel more comfortable talking to their friends. It was lovely to see her and that we were able to give her the support she needed.”

Taking Care of Herself: Skincare Routine

Maddie came into this world fighting -- she was born seven weeks early and her mother says she looked like she was burnt because her skin was extremely red, dry and peeling off. They knew she had ichthyosis. Her care team kept Maddie’s skin hydrated and infection-free until she was ready to go home.

Emily also has ichthyosis. By the time Maddie was in pre-K, kindergarten and elementary school, Maddie’s skincare routine took two hours every morning. As Maddie grew older, Emily empowered her to understand the importance of caring for her skin.

Maddie applies Aquaphor on her face, neck and back in the morning and uses Vaseline at night. Her skin requires constant monitoring because it can change from one hour to the next, and it’s important to note these changes to catch infections as early as possible.

Spreading Awarenes

Maddie wants to help others by raising awareness of this rare condition and what life with it looks like.

Maddie remembers when she realized how rare her condition was and that other kids weren’t at doctor’s appointments all the time. She encourages people to be kind.

“You see other kids getting better and you’re asking God, ‘Why am I not getting better?’ but I am,” Maddie said. “I strongly believe that I’m being used to go out in this world and educate and be that light, because there’s so much darkness in this world.”

Play is the Best Medicine

When pain is managed effectively, kids can get back to doing what they do best—being kids. They’re able to be mobile, participate in recovery activities such as physical therapy, and get more sleep, all of which leads to quicker recovery. Pain control also reduces anxiety and emotional distress. It instills confidence among caregivers and patients, and fosters long-term positive perceptions of health, well-being and medical care. Less pain means shorter and fewer hospital stays, and more days building forts, playing tag with friends, dressing up like a princess, exploring the park, riding bikes, climbing trees and getting lost in a book. 

While the formal ChildKind certification process typically takes 9 to 12 months once an institution is “application‑ready,” Cook Children's has spent years developing policies, education, interdisciplinary structures, and quality‑improvement processes to meet ChildKind’s five principles. To be certified, a health care facility must demonstrate an institution-wide commitment to pain prevention and treatment; provide ongoing education and awareness of pain; use evidence informed and developmentally appropriate processes for acute and chronic pain assessment; implement policies and protocols for pain prevention and treatment that includes pharmacological, psychological and physical methods; and participate in self-monitoring and continuous quality improvement initiatives. 

The Tools of Comfort

Cook Children’s has a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive pain program that includes inpatient pain consultation services, an outpatient pain management clinic, an inpatient rehabilitation program, a procedural pain management program and an opioid stewardship committee. Two of Cook Children’s most notable pain management services include the Comfort Menu Program and Comfort Ability® Program. 

Cook Children’s Comfort Menu is a visual tool showcasing available pain management resources, such as breastfeeding, nonnutritive sucking, swaddling and sucrose administration for neonates, and distraction techniques and topical anesthetics for infants and older children. The menu helps engage patients, families and medical providers in conversations about pain and fear surrounding medical care so that they can collaborate to create an individualized comfort plan during hospital stays, medical procedures and even vaccinations. One of the resources showcased on the menu is the Comfort Kit, a box full of fun and creative items such as bubbles, balls and toys that help distract kids from the poke of a needle or the fear of a procedure. 

The Comfort Ability® Program utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy to equip children with proven, non-medical coping strategies to reduce their attention to their pain. For example, patients learn how to calm their nervous system with belly breathing, guided imagery, art therapy, mindfulness, aroma therapy, and biofeedback therapy. 

In addition to these resources, Cook Children’s offers a number of non-pharmacological and integrative pain management techniques for both inpatients and outpatients. They include everything from aromatherapy, massage therapy and acupuncture to virtual reality, music, art and so much more. But perhaps the most loveable resources of all are Brienne, Cayenne, Margo, Neely, Steve and Zuni, all cute and cuddly canine members of Cook Children’s Sit…Stay…Play facility dog program. These pups and their trained Child Life specialist handlers work all throughout the medical center bringing warm and fuzzy interactions that reduce stress and anxiety and promote physical, mental and emotional comfort and healing. 

Together these resources and techniques contribute to lowering opioid use for pain control, which is the goal of Cook Children’s opioid stewardship committee. This multidisciplinary committee consists of physicians, surgeons, nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, social workers, clinical educators, and administrators led by the medical director of the Pain Management Program. Their mission is to improve patient safety and reduce the risk for potential child addiction, ingestion, misuse, overdose or death from opioid medications while promoting best practices through the safe and sound management of pain. In its site review report, the ChildKind certification committee noted Cook Children’s opioid stewardship and its efforts to effectively treat pain while reducing the risk of opioid exposure. 

“At Cook Children’s, we partner closely with our patients, their families, support systems, health care teams and each other because we are wholeheartedly committed to caring for every child’s comfort and easing their pain,” says Chansey Pullen, Pain Management Services coordinator. “We’ve all heard the saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ That same spirit of collaboration, which is one of our core values and woven into the fabric of our culture, is key to preventing, treating, and managing pediatric pain, no matter our role, as we strive to fulfill Our Promise. We have an incredible range of resources to support children in pain and their families, and achieving ChildKind certification is a tremendous honor that reflects our shared commitment to providing compassionate and comprehensive pediatric pain management.” 
 

Hunter Ezernack, an 11-year-old from Louisiana, comes to Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth for health care … and for haircuts. Hunter is nonverbal and diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder. At other hair salons, he tends to kick and scream. But Jasmine Villarreal, manager and stylist at Cook Children’s Mirror Mirror, knows how to put Hunter at ease. Jasmine has some tricks up her sleeve – shielding his wheelchair with a plastic drape, giving Hunter combs to play with, and soothing him with the hum of the hair dryer. Jasmine says appointments for kids like Hunter might take a little longer than normal. But it’s fulfilling when stylists can make children feel safe and a little pampered.

“I want them to be able to come here and feel special,” Jasmine said. “We see kids with all different situations. We’re not scared. We welcome them.” 

Groundbreaking Technique Offers Breathing Relief to Athletes

Despite being in great shape, a 13-year-old athlete experienced chest pain and trouble catching her breath during exercise. Pulmonologist John Robertson, M.D. and his colleagues at the Cook Children’s Exercise Respiratory Center in Prosper put Jessye Tout on a treadmill to find out whether it was her voice box or her windpipe causing the discomfort. With a camera through Jessye’s nose and her feet pounding the treadmill, the team was able to take an in-depth look at her breathing capabilities while the symptoms occurred.

That technique performed in Prosper is believed to be the world's first continuous bronchoscopy during exercise (CBE) on a pediatric patient. “The groundbreaking part of our CBE is that it was done in a pediatric patient. So far, all of the published medical literature on the subject has been done in adults,” Dr. Robertson said.

The findings? Jessye needed speech therapy to help prevent her voice box from closing while she exercised. Jessye could get back to playing the sports she loves.

The Cook Children’s Promise Begins Before Birth

The critical mission of the Cook Children’s Health Plan (CCPN) and its 400 dedicated employees drew statewide attention in the spring. CCPN serves 125,000 children in North Texas, along with pregnant women who are CCPN members. Under the health plan, each high-risk pregnancy is assigned a maternity case manager like Chrystal Bryant. Chrystal checks in regularly to make sure her clients have prenatal care, nutrition, transportation to appointments and other resources.

“Cook Children’s Health Plan is committed to ensuring that all children in our community are safe and healthy, and that begins at conception,” Chrystal said.

"She's concerned about the baby, but she's also concerned about me," said first-time mom Shaquerial Evans.

When the two women met in person for the first time, after speaking over the phone for months, they hugged and talked like old friends. For Shaquerial, Chrystal was a source of encouragement and a shoulder to lean on. 

Let the Sunshine In: Cook Children's Advances Legacy of Healing and Hope with New Patient Tower

Several patients and Peaks the Dragon helped shovel dirt in May when Cook Children’s broke ground on a 760,000-square-foot tower at Medical Center – Fort Worth. Construction is expected to take five years on what’s being called, for now, the West Tower. Planning the West Tower is a collaboration involving staff, patients and the design and construction teams. The addition will include two dedicated cardiovascular operating rooms, paving the way for heart transplants. The West Tower also will create more space for medical research and expansion of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

“This groundbreaking of the West Tower is not just the laying of concrete and steel. It is a powerful continuation of the pioneering spirit,” said Rick Merrill, president and CEO of Cook Children’s Health Care System. “It is a tangible manifestation of our enduring commitment to the future, a bold step driven by the same courage and vision that defined Fort Worth from its earliest days.”

Here’s to the generous investment and forward thinking that ensures Cook Children’s will continue to meet the needs of our growing population in the Metroplex.  

Nelson Ku High Risk Asthma Clinic Provides Hope and Help to Families

Before an asthma attack gets severe enough to require a trip to the hospital or Urgent Care, there’s a multidisciplinary team at Cook Children’s taking proactive steps to prevent asthma from flaring up. Cook Children’s opened the Nelson Ku High Risk Asthma Clinic in May to address needs in a clinical setting and through community education. Upon referral, patients come in for evaluation by respiratory therapists and pulmonology clinicians. Child Life specialists introduce patients to the doll Asthma Abby to demonstrate how the lungs work. The goal is to reduce hospitalizations by helping patients recognize their asthma triggers so that families can manage the symptoms before they escalate.

“Sometimes a patient is in the hospital a lot because they have bad asthma, but sometimes it's because they don’t have access to their medications for a variety of reasons, or they don’t understand why they need their medications or how to use them correctly,” said Kate DeVore, LCSW, Case Management Social Work Team Lead.

A New Beginning Takes Flight: Inside the Landmark Collaboration Bringing Las Vegas Trail a One-of-a-Kind Community Health Care Hub

A partnership like none other launched this summer, bringing a comprehensive infusion of safety, health and nutrition resources to the residents of Las Vegas Trail (LVT) in west Fort Worth. The neighborhood health center serving the LVT area officially opened its doors in August with a ribbon cutting that included high school band members and cheerleaders. The center is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between JPS Health Network, Cook Children’s Health Care System, the City of Fort Worth, LVTRise and WestAid. Cook Children’s provides well-child checks, sick care, childhood immunizations, pediatric behavioral health care, food and nutrition education, and assistance navigating the health care system and community resources. Visitors can also find workforce development, a food bank, demonstration kitchen and police storefront on site. 

“This project represents a major strategic investment in the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, demonstrating our commitment to this vital part of our community,” said Mayor Mattie Parker. “We are establishing a best practice here, and Fort Worth’s innovative approach will be a model for other cities.”

More than just a clinic, this health care hub connects individuals and families to conveniently located services that support every facet of well-being, from safety and medical care to food security, financial stability and strong family foundations. 

Creative Community: Neighbors Pitch in to Paint Mural at Neighborhood Health Center in Las Vegas Trail

Giant butterflies, flowers and children’s handprints embellish the outdoor mural that greets visitors to the neighborhood health hub serving the Las Vegas Trail community. Kids and adults who live nearby were invited to help paint the mural, giving them a sense of ownership in the project and a way to make their mark on the 3.7-acre campus. In the planning stages, Cook Children’s asked local children for input on the mural design and the art inside the building. Those voices were heard. Las Vegas Trail families can proudly say they helped create a beautiful and vibrant work of art, fostering a sense of belonging and community engagement in the process.

“In everything we do, we put the patient first,” said Veronica Tolley, vice president of Cook Children’s Primary Care & Specialty Services. “This is another example of that, by kids bringing their imagination to a project that’s already been very innovative.”

The mural, which measures 50 feet long and 11 feet high, gives a friendly welcome to guests who pull into the parking lot. It stands as a giant symbol of hope and making connections to one another.

Community Health Team Connects Residents to Resources

Fifty-five families that once struggled with homelessness now live at a Fort Worth affordable housing complex where the Cook Children’s Center for Community Health sets them up to thrive. Casa de los Sueños offers residents much more than a roof over their heads. When they moved in, the center welcomed residents with cookware, air purifiers, pack ‘n plays and other items geared to prevent injury and promote health. To help meet ongoing needs in a pinch, families have access to a diaper closet and emergency food pantry. The center even provided toys that foster child development, sparking joy for the kids. 

“We continue to support these families on their climb out of the situation that they were previously in,” said Lenee Bassham, MSSW director of Child Safety in the Center for Community Health. “We want to surround them with the resources they need to succeed.”

Tackling big challenges like homelessness takes an ongoing commitment to build relationships and trust. Initiatives and generous donations at Casa de los Sueños hit the target for practical solutions and respect for the dignity of residents.

CCMC- Prosper opens NICU

Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper opened a state-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in September, bringing specialized care to the smallest and most vulnerable babies. The Prosper NICU marks a milestone because it’s the first NICU contained in a children’s hospital in the rapidly growing region of North Texas around Prosper. Patients in the new NICU receive expert care from multidisciplinary pediatric experts, led by neurologists. Comfort, privacy and convenience of families were considered in every aspect of the design. For instance, the oversized NICU rooms are built thoughtfully with features like extra cabinetry for storage and sleep spaces for parents when they want to stay overnight. A bedside camera system allows parents to see their babies via an app when they’re away.

"Our new NICU is a promise to families that their children will receive expert, compassionate care without having to leave their community," said Kevin Greene, President of Cook Children's Medical Center - Prosper. "With each investment we make into our medical center and in our outpatient clinics, we are building a foundation for exceptional pediatric care close to home."

Home Health Goes the Extra Mile

Cook Children’s Home Health celebrated its 25^th anniversary in September, marking a quarter century of care for patients in their own homes.  What started as a single location in Fort Worth has grown to satellite sites in Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. Services include nursing, rehab, respiratory therapy, pharmacy infusion and injectable services, custom mobility, orthotics and prosthetics as well as durable medical equipment and supply services. Our Home Health team brings life-changing care directly to patients like Vivianna Madera, whose new robotic arm improves her mobility and independence.

“My favorite part of working at Home Health is getting to be creative within my position and seeing the results firsthand how our Custom Mobility department helps the families that we serve,” said Joel Murray, custom mobility technician. “The Assisted Technology Professionals and technicians on our team are incredible human beings who are here to help people have better lives.”  

Brother's Bone Marrow Cures Sister's Sickle Cell Disease

The Johnson family, who live in Killeen, found kindness and the skilled care Anyah needed at the Cook Children’s Sickle Cell Program. Now Anyah and her brother Cobus share a unique bond: identical blood and immune systems. That’s because doctors at Cook Children’s infused a small portion of Cobus’ bone marrow into Anyah so that she could make healthy red blood cells. That stem cell transplant cured her sickle cell disease. As the matched sibling donor, Cobus felt supported too.

Gretchen Eames, M.D., Medical Director of the Cook Children’s Stem Cell Transplant Program, said the team looks out for the entire family during the transplant process. “It’s a very big deal, very serious therapy, but the success rate is very high,” Dr. Eames said. “And if we can get a patient to be pain free, not needing transfusions, now they have a healthy outlook for the rest of their life.”

Cook Children's Medical Center Fort Worth Achieves Fifth Magnet Designation

Congratulations to the nurses at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth, which celebrated its fifth consecutive Magnet® designation from the American Nursing Credentialing Center. Earning that designation for a fifth time puts our Fort Worth medical center in the elite company of fewer than 2% of hospitals in the nation. When the announcement was made in November, we learned that our medical center actually exceeded the benchmarks to achieve Magnet with Distinction^TM. The Magnet® Recognition Program is the gold standard in nursing excellence and validation of high-quality patient outcomes.

“Nurses are the number one care providers at the bedside in the nation and certainly at Cook Children’s,” said Kaylan Branson, Director of Nursing Quality & Magnet Designation. “It feels great to recognize the nurses who do this day in and day out. This recognition is a validation of their hard work.”

Bravo to the Magnet Champion Team who spent months preparing for a site visit so that appraisers could see examples of nursing excellence, innovation, leadership and compassion across all units and departments.

Sharon Evans, trauma injury prevention manager for Cook Children's Health Care System, explains that, while these may seem like gifts without much concern, it is important to understand they are vehicles. She offers families tips on how to help their children safely enjoy e-bikes and e-scooters. 

“Always wear a helmet,” emphasizes Evans.

• Always wear a helmet: Make sure you have the right helmet. For e-bikes/e-scooters that go up to 20 mph, a bike helmet is sufficient, but parents may want to invest in a stronger helmet to better protect their children.
• Perform a safety check before each ride:
  • Check the tires. Ensure they are inflated to the recommended pressure on the sidewall.
  • Check brake levers. Squeeze them while rolling the bike forward and backward to ensure the brakes engage and stop the e-bike/e-scooter.
  • Inspect your e-bike/e-scooter for loose nuts or anything that looks abnormal.
• Follow the rules of the road:
  • Always ride on the right, in the same direction as traffic. Use the bike lane if available.
  • top and look both ways before entering a street or crossing an intersection.
  • Stop at all intersections.
  • Obey all traffic lights and traffic signs.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Do not talk on the phone or text. Do not wear earbuds; you cannot hear what is happening around you.
• Night rides: Make sure you wear bright, reflective clothing. Ensure your e-bike/e-scooter has a light and reflectors.

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The medical center didn’t just hit the benchmarks, but exceeded them, to achieve Magnet with Distinction^TM. Fewer than 2% of the nation’s 6,093 hospitals have achieved Magnet® designation at least five times, according to data from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and fewer than five children’s hospitals in the world have received the recognition five times in a row.

“Nurses are the number one care providers at the bedside in the nation and certainly at Cook Children’s,” Kaylan Branson, Director of Nursing Quality & Magnet Designation, said. “It feels great to recognize the nurses who do this day in and day out. This recognition is a validation of their hard work.”

The Magnet® Recognition Program is the gold standard in nursing excellence and validation of high-quality patient outcomes. Research shows Magnet® hospitals have increased patient satisfaction, decreased length of hospitalizations, and lower mortality rates, as well as above average nurse-satisfaction and retention rates.

Only a select few hospitals are granted the designation “with distinction.” According to ANCC, these hospitals “serve as exemplary role models for nursing excellence and for creating an environment of care that improves patient outcomes.”

“Everything that goes into magnet designation is recognizing nursing excellence; and a huge part of that is patient outcomes,” Nursing Excellence and Wellbeing Manager Ora Asheton said. “So, everything we’re being recognized for is about the outcomes we have for patients and patient families.”

Consideration for Magnet® designation is a rigorous process, which includes providing more than 100 examples of nursing excellence, participation from nursing staff across nearly 70 departments and an onsite visit. Cook Children’s submitted 3,000 pages of evidence that it not only meets the designation’s criteria, but surpasses them.

Hospitals must re-apply for the designation every four years, and Cook Children’s has been recognized consistently since 2006. The requirements become more strenuous each time, Cheryl Petersen, Chief Nursing Officer said, meaning Cook Children’s has to showcase how it has grown, evolved and improved.

“To stand there and hear from the commissioner is anticipation and excitement, it's like waiting for lottery numbers to be drawn. Except you have more belief that your numbers will come up because of all the work you’ve put in,” Peterson said.

The designation is a powerful testament to Cook Children’s excellence, but Peterson said Cook Children’s is not content with simply reaching that summit; it's committed to continue exceeding all expectations.

Every year, approximately 2,000 seemingly healthy people under the age of 25 die from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a tragic statistic that Cook Children's Health Care System is working to change.

In recognition of National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month this October, Cook Children's is highlighting its year-round commitment to ensure schools and communities are prepared for such a medical emergency through its Project ADAM program, which provides life-saving training and resources.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs when the heart stops beating, which leads to loss of breath or irregular breathing and prevents blood flow to the brain and other vital organs.

“With the proper training, anyone can do CPR and use an AED, and with enough of us trained and empowered to do so, we have the ability to potentially save someone’s life,” said Sarah Thieroff, Project Adam Program Coordinator.

Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory) is a program named after 17-year-old Adam Lemel. In 1999, while playing high school basketball, Lemel collapsed and went into Sudden Cardiac Arrest. His family learned that he could have been saved with the right preparation and equipment. An automated external defibrillator (AED) was not available. His parents helped start the Project ADAM program at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in his memory. Cook Children’s was the first in Texas and is now one of 52 hospitals and program sites to provide free cardiac resources, including training and AED devices. 

Thieroff recalled the motivating force behind the program's founding: "What we learned now is that Adam could have had a chance. I was faced with a choice. I couldn't save my son, but maybe I can save yours," Adam's father said.

More than 780 schools and 28 school districts are recognized to be Heart Safe. A designated Heart Safe school and district have completed a quality AED training program that includes a CPR/AED trained emergency team, an emergency plan for their AED and required AED drills.

“Knowledge of what to do, and muscle memory from practicing the appropriate steps may correspond to earlier action and in turn lead to a more successful outcome,” said Danielle Moyé, M.D., at Cook Children’s Heart Center.

Beginning the 2026-2027 school year under Senate Bill 865, also known as the Landon Payton Act, public and private schools will be required to implement a cardiac emergency response plan, mandate CPR and AED certification for specific school employees and volunteers, and require drills to test their emergency response.

“With the SB 865 bill, we have legislative support to encourage schools to act now and prepare,” said Dr. Moyé. “And we are ready to help them. We are here and happy to walk through what this looks like and ease some of the burden from the school’s administration, nursing team, and district.”

An AED is supported by the FDA to detect ventricular fibrillation. It has been designed and tested in both children and adults. Cardiac arrest is reversible in most victims if it is treated within a few minutes with an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat. This process is called defibrillation. A shock delivered by an AED within 3-5 minutes can save a life and for every minute that passes, survival rates drop by 10%.

Through the Cook Children’s Project ADAM program, anyone can be trained. The program provides schools across Texas with the necessary tools and education to plan and develop their public access defibrillation (PAD) program.

“The expectation is that schools will be prepared for if it happens, not just putting it off or waiting to establish an emergency team, plan and/or drill if/when it happens,” explained Thieroff.

Signs and Symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest

• Not breathing or irregular breathing (i.e. agonal gasps)
• Unresponsive and/or sometimes there are “seizure-like” movements.
• If someone witnesses a collapse:
  • Check for responsiveness.
  • Tap/lightly shake the person and ask if they’re okay, then if they’re not responsive, call for help/have someone call 911 immediately
  • Send someone to get the AED. If they’re unsure where the AED is, when they call 911, the 911 dispatcher should tell them the location of the nearest registered AED in the area.

Cook Children’s provides free Hands Only CPR/AED training, cardiac emergency response planning, and AED drill assistance to any school in Texas. Call 682-885-6755 or email ProjectAdamTexas@cookchildrens.org. For more information on free resources on the local Project ADAM program, visit www.projectadamtexas.org or the national Project ADAM page at www.projectadam.com

• Pediatric Behavioral Health – Top 50
• Pediatric Cancer - #41 in the nation
• Pediatric Endocrinology - #35 in the nation
• Pediatric Neurology and Neurosurgery - #33 in the nation
• Pediatric Orthopedics - #49 in the nation
• Pediatric Pulmonology - #48 in the nation 

Cook Children’s Neurology and Neurosurgery programs jumped an impressive 12 spots in the rankings, from No. 45 in 2024-2025 to No. 33 in 2025-2026. 

“For 18 consecutive years, the Cook Children’s Neurology and Neurosurgery programs have been recognized for the high quality of care we provide each and every day. We established the Jane and John Institute for Mind Health to further strengthen our ability to provide comprehensive, coordinated and innovative care ensuring better outcomes for the children in our community and beyond,” Cynthia Keator, M.D., medical director of Neurology and Scott Perry, M.D., head of Neurosciences at the Justin Institute, jointly stated. “This year’s ranking recognizes those investments and is only a glimpse of what the future holds.” 

Cook Children’s Diabetes and Endocrinology programs moved up nine spots in the rankings, from No. 44 last year to No. 35. 

“Our team is dedicated to improving the quality of care and the patient experience for our children with diabetes and endocrine diseases,” said Paul Thornton, M.D., medical director of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Cook Children’s. “Our department has been recognized nationally and internationally for our Centers of Excellence and we are delighted that this has translated into this honor by the U.S. News & World Report.”
 
U.S. News & World Report evaluated children’s hospitals based on a variety of factors, including quality of care, clinical research programs, services and surgeries performed patient and family involvement and access to resources, staff dedication, recognition as a Nurse Magnet Hospital, and more. 

For Cook Children's Health Care System as a whole, the rankings highlight longstanding excellence in a variety of areas.

“For over a century, Cook Children’s has been committed to providing the best possible care and improving the well-being of every child,” said Rick W. Merrill, President and CEO of Cook Children’s. “Being honored once again by U.S. News & World Report validates the exceptional dedication of our entire staff in fulfilling our Promise.”
 

Free car seat checks

Texas law requires kids to ride in a safety seat that fits by weight and height until age 8 or at least 57 inches tall.

The Injury Prevention Collaborative offers events where you can make an appointment with a certified technician. We offer FREE car seat checks and assistance to families who may need a car seat.

Click the link or call 682-885-2634 to book your appointment. Those without appointments will be seen on a first-come/first-serve basis. You MUST have your child with you, unless you are an expectant parent.

In 2023, 43% of children killed in car crashes were unrestrained, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Texas law requires children under the age of 8 and those under 4 feet 9 inches to be in a child safety seat. Failure to properly restrain a child can result in a ticket of up to $250.  Despite these laws, NHTSA data shows that 46% of car seats are installed incorrectly.

 A Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) can help ensure a child is safely and correctly secured in their car seat. Cook Children’s Health Care System has 66 CPSTs across North Texas.  

CPSTs at Cook Children's work with patients and their families to ensure a safe discharge from the hospital. Nurses screen patients during admission to confirm they are in the correct car seat or booster. If a family needs a car seat, it is provided free of charge, and a CPST then educates them on its proper use and installation.

“We also provide special needs seats to patients who may have a spica cast and cannot sit up for their conventional car seat, or car beds for premature infants or those that need to lie flat at discharge,” said Sharon Evans, trauma injury prevention manager.

NHTSA data shows more than 300 children under the age of five have been saved due to their car seat.

Texas has only three special needs CPST instructors, and one of them is here at Cook Children's. The hospital also has 24 CPSTs with special needs training. These specialists assess children and families’ needs and order the correct special needs car seat for safe transport upon discharge.

In addition to those efforts, Cook Children’s Center for Community Health hosts events throughout the year. At these fitting stations, caregivers make an appointment to have their car seat checked, or if they need a car seat, it is provided free of charge. 

“The caregivers learn at these events how to correctly install and use their car seat to ensure the child’s safety,” explained Evans.

To become a nationally certified CPST, an individual must attend a four-day CPST course and pass both written exams and a hands-on skills assessment.

“These employees take on extra job responsibilities above and beyond their normal job description just to ensure the children are transported safely,” said Evans.

Know the Four Stages of Car Seats

Trauma Injury Prevention and the Center for Community Health share some tips on keeping your little one safe.

1. Rear-facing

Rear-facing car seats are the first stage of restraint for children ranging from newborns to preschoolers. This stage supports their head, neck, and back while riding in a vehicle until they meet the maximum weight OR height of their car seat. According to Evans, it is highly recommended by experts to keep your child in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, as it is the safest option available.

2. Forward-facing

Forward-facing is the second stage of car seats for preschoolers through school-age kids. Children should remain in a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness until they meet the maximum weight OR height before moving to a booster seat.

3. Booster

Children must be at least four years old before transitioning into a booster seat. The booster seat stage is crucial for children who have outgrown a harnessed car seat, but do not yet fit safely behind a lap-shoulder belt. Still, booster seats are skipped over all too often. Evans said many kids between the ages of 4 and 8 get seriously injured due to being put in seat belts too soon.

4. Seat Belt

A seat belt is the final stage of restraint. The safest time to transition to a seat belt is when your child is at least 4’ 9”, or 57 inches tall. Though the law states children can transition to seatbelts at eight years old, Evans cautions that many children won’t reach 57 inches of height—and should therefore remain in a booster seat—until closer to 10 or 12.

Stay Vigilant for Counterfeits and Fakes

As you are shopping for car seats, keep in mind that many popular brands are being knocked off to create counterfeits. These knockoffs are often cheaper than their legitimate counterparts, but are significantly less likely to protect your child in the event of a car crash.

• Make sure you buy it directly from the manufacturer or a reputable retail store.
• Call the seat’s manufacturer. They can help you determine if it’s a knockoff and will sometimes ask you to submit photos.
• Take your car seat to be checked by a certified child passenger safety technician. They are trained to help determine if it’s fake. 

Electronic scooters are often considered vehicles and must adhere to traffic regulations and local ordinances. Some cities have adopted ordinances specific to e-bikes and e-scooters.

Sharon Evans, trauma injury prevention manager, offers parents tips on how families can safely enjoy their e-bikes and e-scooters.

• Always wear a helmet: Make sure you have the right helmet. For e-bikes/e-scooters that go up to 20 mph, a bike helmet is sufficient, but parents may want to invest in a stronger helmet to protect their children better.
• Perform a safety check before each ride:
  • Check the tires. Ensure they are inflated to the recommended pressure on the sidewall.
  • Check brake levers. Squeeze them while rolling the bike forward and backward to ensure the brakes engage and stop the e-bike/e-scooter.
  • Inspect your e-bike/e-scooter for loose nuts or anything that looks abnormal.
• Follow the rules of the road:
  • Always ride on the right, in the same direction as traffic. Use the bike lane if available.
  • top and look both ways before entering a street or crossing an intersection.
  • Stop at all intersections.
  • Obey all traffic lights and traffic signs.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Do not talk on the phone or text. Do not wear earbuds; you cannot hear what is happening around you.
• Night rides: Make sure you wear bright, reflective clothing. Ensure your e-bike/e-scooter has a light and reflectors.

"Our new NICU is a promise to families that their children will receive expert, compassionate care without having to leave their community," said Kevin Greene, President of Cook Children's Medical Center - Prosper. "With each investment we make into our medical center and in our outpatient clinics, we are building a foundation for exceptional pediatric care close to home."

With more than 46,000 new residents moving to Prosper and surrounding cities each year, many of them young families, Cook Children's NICU ensures that even the smallest and most vulnerable patients have access to specialized pediatric care close to home.

“Unlike NICUs in adult hospitals, every physician, nurse and clinical team member here is exclusively trained in pediatrics,” said Jonathan Nedrelow, M.D., neonatologist and Chief Medical Officer at Cook Children’s Health Care System. “This means newborns benefit from care designed specifically for babies and children, backed by the full resources of Cook Children’s nationally recognized pediatric subspecialties.”

We can provide a consultation from a pediatric specialist in more than a dozen subspecialties, onsite. This significantly reduces the need for families to endure stressful transfers to other facilities, likely an hour away in Dallas or Fort Worth.

In the event a baby needs the highest level of medical care, they can be seen via telehealth by physicians at the Level IV NICU at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth, and quickly transferred by Teddy Bear Transport, if necessary.

 We are a multidisciplinary, holistic care team led by Neonatologists. Cook Children's is committed to growing the NICU in both size and capabilities, and currently, our NICU features:

• 10 rooms, including a room for twins (11 beds total)
• Single rooms with bathrooms, breast pumps, milk warmers and refrigerators
• Dedicated nutrition lab and formula mixing
• Bedside camera system so parents can see their babies via an app when they’re away

Designed with families in mind, every detail of the NICU is crafted to support both patients and their loved ones. Bright, whimsical colors and geometric shapes create an uplifting and calming environment, while bold polka dots and playful floor designs serve as a thoughtful wayfinding system, helping parents and visitors navigate the space with ease.

 Every feature, from the oversized rooms that allow for more family members to gather to the extra cabinetry for personal storage, prioritizes comfort, privacy and convenience during what can be a stressful time. Each room provides dedicated sleep spaces for parents, ensuring loved ones can remain close to their baby at all times.

“The opening of this NICU reflects Cook Children’s continued mission to improve the well-being of every child in our care and strengthen the health of our communities,” said Sheralyn Hartline, DNP, RN, CENP, RNC-NIC, Vice President, Nursing and Patient Care at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper. “We’re looking forward to growing further to meet the needs of families.”

However, Cook Children’s School-Based Virtual Health Program is helping school nurses and parents ease some of that chaos.

“I see the benefit for my own family,” said Erwin, an LVN, IBCLC, and virtual health nurse coordinator with Cook Children’s.

Nurses in the Celina Independent School District now join 14 other school districts in offering virtual health appointments, with no upfront cost, through the school nurse’s office. A parent or legal guardian must register and consent before the visit.

The virtual health services can help diagnose:

• Earaches
• Fevers
• Coughs and colds
• Skin rashes
• Minor skin infections
• Abrasions/cuts/scrapes
• Sore throats
• Flu-like symptoms
• Pink eye
• Head lice

Autumn Morris, an APRN CPNP-PC and a virtual health nurse practitioner, met with Celina ISD nurses to train them on the program before the school year. Each campus nurse is provided with a stethoscope and an otoscope to use during virtual visits to help with diagnoses. Each item plugs into a laptop, allowing Morris to see inside a child’s ear and listen to their heartbeat, for example. In addition, each campus nurse is trained and certified to administer a flu and strep test if needed during the visit.

“It’s nice because then we can get the results right there,” said Allycia Cundiff, Celina ISD lead nurse.

Cundiff looks forward to the partnership and the impact it will have on the community. Morris will be able to determine if a child needs to be sent home or if they can stay in class, helping reduce absences.

Erwin says program data shows 65% of visits are due to a sore throat.

“We meet you where you're at because a lot of times it's really hard to get off work when your kid is sick,” said Morris.

Parents can choose to attend the virtual visit. Following the appointment, Morris will contact parents with information about the visit and post-care instructions. If a child must be sent home, an excuse note is sent directly to the school. A copy of the visit is also provided to the child’s pediatrician. 

Erwin explains that the virtual appointment does not replace a child’s primary care pediatrician but is a collaborative effort. Morris says the line of communication with the pediatrician can help determine if a child may need to see a specialist. 

“We want them to have a primary care physician (PCP) placement, and if they don't have that, we work hard to find them one with Cook Children's,” said Erwin.

Once the visit is completed, Cook Children’s will bill the parent’s insurance provider.

A visit to the nurse’s office

“Kids like it, too, because they think the technology is cool,” said Erwin. “They get to come in, they get to see Autumn on the screen and they get to talk.”

Morris works with more than 100 schools, providing care to them. She and Erwin lead the training with all district nurses in the program.

“I want them to know that I'm not just the provider who's seeing that kid at that moment, but I'm a resource to them (nurses) so they can reach out to me if there are any issues or concerns,” said Morris.

The program has been in place for eight years. Morris describes the partnership as the school nurses being her "hands" as she diagnoses a child's illness. If additional testing or care is required, she is able to refer the child to a Cook Children's Urgent Care or Cook Children's Medical Center Prosper, just a short drive from Celina.

“We always say, you don't just get me, you get a giant hospital system attached to me,” said Morris. “We are passionate employees of the system but we are passionate parents who love our kids.”

It is that confidence and reassurance that makes Cundiff excited for the partnership, not just as a nurse but as a parent herself.

 “We have a lot of parents that work for the district and it is really hard to leave work, especially if you're a teacher,” explained Cundiff.

Anatomy of a visit

A typical visit can last anywhere from two minutes to five minutes. Children will present themselves at the school nurse’s office, and a nurse will determine if a virtual visit may be helpful. If so:

• A parent or legal guardian is contacted for consent.
• The nurse will request a visit with Morris.
• The campus nurse will collect vitals.
• Virtual visit begins

Celina ISD began school on August 13. Parents can register for the program online.

August is a chaotic month for any busy parent. Between back-to-school preparations and the last days of summer, it's easy to get overwhelmed. On top of that, August is also National Immunization Awareness Month—a perfect time to make sure your children are up-to-date on their vaccinations.

When people learn that I’m a pediatrician they often ask if my own two children are vaccinated and I always reply with a resounding yes. My children are vaccinated for several reasons: 

Vaccines are safe! 

• Every vaccine that is currently in use has gone through a rigorous testing phase to make sure that the vaccine is safe. Side effects and potential reactions are closely reviewed by multiple agencies at the federal level. Even after the vaccine has been approved, the Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System (VAERS) continues to monitor for additional side effects. 
• Millions upon millions of vaccines will be administered this year with minimal side effects. The most common side effects are low-grade fever, redness around the injection site or maybe some mild muscle aches. 

Vaccines are effective! 

• Vaccines have led to the eradication of previously fatal diseases like Smallpox. 

Vaccines save lives!

• Vaccines have saved the lives of nearly 200 million people in the past century. Many of those lives saved are of young children and babies. 
• Vaccines prevent diseases and illnesses that have serious consequences, even in healthy children. 
• Vaccines prevent diseases that can lead to hospitalizations, pneumonia, potential hearing loss, potential loss of an arm or a leg, brain damage, and even death. 

Vaccines do not cause autism. 

• Decades of research has shown again and again and again that there is no link between vaccines and autism. 

The ingredients in vaccines are safe. 

• Just as the individual vaccine is studied, the ingredients in vaccines are also rigorously studied. 
• Some vaccines contain ingredients like aluminum, which can be found in fruits and vegetables. Aluminum helps the body produce an immune response and is perfectly safe. 
• Vaccines can be preserved with very small amounts of formaldehyde, so small that it is not harmful at all. 
• These ingredients are like baking powder when you’re making cookies. By itself, baking powder does not taste good but in small amounts, it’s needed for your cookies to come out looking and tasting great! 

Vaccines are recommended by my children’s doctors.

• My kids’ pediatrician - along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Infectious Disease Society of America, the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the American Nurses Association - all support routine childhood immunizations. 

Vaccines help keep my community safe. 

• My children are vaccinated because doing so protects them and our community. 
• Vaccines can help prevent your child from spreading illnesses to at-risk individuals such as your parents who have diabetes, your child’s classmate who has a newborn at home, your neighbor who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, your co-worker who just received a kidney transplant, or the cashier in the grocery store who has an autoimmune condition. 
• We rely on everyone to get their vaccines to keep the community safe. 

And the most important reason to me is that I want to protect my dad. My dad has type 1 diabetes and is immunocompromised. My kids will always get their flu vaccines every year so we can give him the BIGGEST hug without worrying about making him sick. 

So, this month, in between back-to-school shopping, meet the teacher nights and the ever-exciting first day of school, please call your child’s pediatrician and make sure that they are up-to-date on their vaccines. We would love to talk to you more and answer all of your questions and concerns! 

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The mural’s vibrant colors and lively design – painted with the help of kids and adults who live nearby – give a friendly welcome to guests who pull into the parking lot. The image depicts joy, growth and a bright future for the Las Vegas Trail (LVT) area of west Fort Worth.

Local residents were eager to make their mark on the 3.7-acre campus, where health care providers, social service agencies and local governments are teaming up to transform the LVT vicinity. The center serves as a hub for improved access to medical care, nutritious food, job skills, safety and other support.

Cook Children’s Health Care System offers pediatric services in the newly built 40,000-square-foot facility. Additional partners include JPS Health Network, the City of Fort Worth, LVTRise, WestAid, a local food pantry, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, Tarrant County College, and more.

“I got to meet new people and serve my community while making everything look beautiful at the same time,” said 12-year-old Elena Hernandez, one of the mural volunteers. Elena said she painted her heart out – and she was grateful that community members were invited to be part of the process.

Jill Koss, MS, CCLS, director of Cook Children’s Family Support Services, said the mural theme captures kids’ love for playing outside and exploring nature. Words of optimism – “lovely,” “strong,” “chosen,” “unique” – embellish the swirling landscape. Some of the painters went freestyle by adding polka dots, a random cat and an enthusiastic “best day!”  

To give neighbors a feeling of ownership in the project, Cook Children’s in the planning stages asked local children for input on the mural design and art inside the building. Their feedback? Bright colors, butterflies and flowers. Those voices were heard.  

“It really creates emotional safety. It allows kids to feel like ‘This is a place for me,’” Koss said.

Community engagement was a step toward building relationships with families the center will serve, said Veronica Tolley, vice president of Cook Children’s Primary Care & Specialty Services. Asking residents to put their own touches on the mural fostered a sense of belonging, she pointed out. 

“In everything we do, we put the patient first,” Tolley said. “This is another example of that, by kids bringing their imagination to a project that’s already been very innovative.”

People of all ages had messy fun on mural painting day. They chose colors to fill in outlines drawn on the wall by artist Calina “Cal” Mishay Mejia. Event organizers wanted the day’s cheerful atmosphere to help neighbors feel at ease coming to the center for health care or other services.

Magic of Art

Cal used shading and highlights to incorporate the individuality that young painters brought to the mural, which measures 50 feet long and 11 feet high. She likes that the children expressed their personalities by adding the cat and other whimsical features to her original design.  

In her professional experience, Cal has learned that murals help people connect with one another.

“It’s the one thing I feel like that brings people from all different walks of life, and they have a moment to have a common ground and share time with each other and just create something that’s bigger than them,” she said.  

She hopes that the LVT neighbors who helped paint the mural take pride in their work. Show your friends, Cal urged. Check out the details up close.  

When life gets hard or chaotic, she said, the sight of nature’s beauty helps people feel grounded. Butterfly décor is carried out across the center, including the shape of butterflies imprinted in the sidewalks and floor. It’s also a nod to Fort Worth’s location on a migratory flyway for monarch butterflies. 

The crew of painters included Fort Worth City Council member Michael D. Crain, who represents the LVT area. Crain said he participated because the mural stands for concern and care for the most vulnerable. Those include an estimated 20,000 children ages 0-14 who live in the struggling neighborhood.

“The health center overall is a game changer for this community,” he said. “People don’t have to go miles and miles to get health care. They can come here.”

Many of the residents lack transportation, but the facility puts medical expertise, education and food assistance within their reach. Convenient resources are key to the revitalization of LVT, Crain said.

The flurry of activity around the mural drew praise from Barry Hudson, president of the Western Hills North Neighborhood Association.

“It’s good to see the children here, different age groups,” Hudson said. “It’s good to see the intention of making this a unique project to serve LVT and surrounding area residents.”  

Hudson and others shared their excitement about Cook Children’s and JPS bringing health care where it’s desperately needed.

“We’re so much more than a crime rate. We’re so much more than all the negative stories you hear,” said Paige Charbonnet, executive director of the LVTRise advocacy organization. “We’re families, and we’re kids, and we’re here to help better ourselves. And we’re so excited to have a clinic in the neighborhood that will help fill a gap that we’ve had for a long time.”

More about LVT

Las Vegas Trail in its heyday was a bustling community centered around Carswell Air Force Base. Closure of the base in 1993 gutted the neighborhood of jobs and economic stability. Without vital infrastructure, LVT fell on hard times. The city took a step to help start the neighborhood’s resurgence by converting the former Westside YMCA into the Rise Community Center.

In November 2023, Cook Children’s and its collaborators started construction on the new neighborhood health center at the corner of Calmont Avenue and Cherry Lane. The idea was to take a teamwork approach to providing key resources close to home for an underserved population.

Cook Children’s providers will start seeing patients at the new location starting July 23, and appointments can be scheduled now.  Services from other partners include adult health care, job training, food pantry, nutrition education and a police storefront.

“Bringing the neighborhood clinic directly into the community will be life-changing,” Charbonnet said. “Cook Children’s has involved the community in the entire process.”

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Our hearts go out to the children and families affected by the recent floods in Central Texas, especially those at Camp Mystic and beyond. We understand many parents and loved ones are struggling to find the right words to explain this tragedy and console their children during this difficult time.

Kristen Pyrc, M.D., a mother and medical director of outpatient psychiatry at Cook Children’s, feels the weight of this weekend’s events both as a mother and as a psychiatrist. Dr. Pyrc shares her wisdom on how to navigate these difficult, heavy conversations with your children.

By Kristen Pyrc, M.D., medical director of outpatient psychiatry at Cook Children’s and mom of two sweet daughters

Yesterday was hard. I dropped off my daughter, Linden, at sleepaway camp with her bravest cousin, Evelyn. In light of the tragedy at Camp Mystic, there were many conversations and tears about whether to attend camp this week. Ultimately, both girls decided to attend. I am so proud of their strength and courage. I would have been equally proud of their self-awareness & honesty if they decided not to go. Many parents will have to navigate difficult conversations with our kids in the coming days so I put together some tips that will hopefully lighten your load a bit.

If you are concerned about how they will take the news, you should tell them. Other kids will be talking about it, and you want your kids to learn the news at home where they are safe to cry if they need to and ask questions. It is also important to impress upon them the sensitive nature of the matter. Encourage them to talk to an adult and not another child if they need to chat when they are away from you.

• Be factual when explaining what happened but shield them from harrowing details, wall-to-wall news coverage, or imagining what the kids went through. Their minds may go there on their own though.
• Survivor’s guilt is sneaky. Lots of kids will wonder about why this happened to other children and not them. Younger kids sometimes think they did something wrong to cause a tragedy to happen. In a few weeks, it may be good to check in about it (“Sometimes kids wonder why this happened to other kids and not them. Have you been thinking about that?”). Hopefully, it hasn’t come up for them, but it would be good to talk through if it has.
•  If they are grieving, give them something to do with their grief. I know this helps me. Could they pray, raise money, write letters, etc?
• Watch out for nightmares & intrusive thoughts. Sometimes kids tell me they can’t get thoughts out of their head, and it is very distressing to them.
• Reach out early to your pediatrician or mental health professional if you notice your kid is having trouble sleeping, not experiencing joy, spending a lot of time in their room, or just can’t turn their brain off. It is so incredibly hard to watch our babies suffer. I promise we want to help.
• I wish I had some magic words to take away our kids’ worries and sadness, but I don’t. The important thing is they have you, a parent who loves them beyond comprehension & is trying their best. I promise you that is good enough.

For the last week, Cook Children’s Center for Community Health provided mindfulness games and stress-relief techniques for kids, job training and oral health tips with free dental-care kits and cavity-prevention demostrations. KERA shared their family resources with children and parents. JPS shared QPR training, workforce development and lactation education. Friday focused on vehicle safety with Cook Children’s Center for Community Health, JPS Community Outreach & Education and JPS Trauma Injury Prevention. There was booster seat education and sign-ups for free car seat checks, car seat education and installation with a certified child passenger safety technician and motor vehicle crash prevention.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for these past 30 days! Keep an eye out for more events to come in the future!

This fourth week of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail was full of fun!

Cook Children’s Center for Community Health shared activity dice games and easy 5210+ lessons. JPS stopped by to give lactation education and a behavioral health overview. Cook Children’s, JPS Health Network, TCC, and Workforce Solutions provided on-site job training information, registration, and answered any questions. The Demo Kitchen held its second nutrition class with practical meal ideas for picky eaters and growing appetites. We had more guided walk-throughs of the facility for local agencies to learn how to collaborate for community care. The week ended with JPS’s Connection Program Engagement and Cook Children’s Health Plan Engagement Table.

We had lots of smiling faces at our third week of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail!

To kick off the week, The Parenting Center shared tips on discipline, positive communication and stress management while KERA Family Resources offered their services for kids and parents. JPS Connections program explained their financial resources and JPS Women’s Services provided support for breastfeeding families. The American Heart Association stopped by with lifestyle coaching to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health brought fun fitness stations for every age and ability. Wednesday focused on poison prevention with Cook Children’s Center for Community Health and poison education with North Texas Poison Center. Jacob’s Journey stopped by to distribute naloxone as well. The Demonstration Kitchen hosted its first infant nutrition class alongside Mother’s Milk Bank.

The week wrapped up with CHAMP Texas having peer-led discussions and referral information. Cook Children’s, JPS Health Network, TCC, and Workforce Solutions had on-site job training information, registration, and answered questions. JPS Community Outreach provided information on behavioral health service lines, programs, and clinic locations. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health had several nutrition booths providing information on growing healthy foods, making healthy snacks, and promoting healthy development in your family.

We loved having our second week of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail! It was the first full week of events and we were thrilled to see so many new faces stop by.

To celebrate the first week of school, the NHC Demo Kitchen invited kids to create quick, nutritious treats they can make at home for an after school snack. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health had multiple events throughout the week covering various topics such as asthma action plan basics for kids, safe sleep education, infant resources and parenting tools for communication, routines and resilience. JPS also hosted several events about their Connection Program, behavioral health services, diabetes education as well as lactation education. My Health My Resources (MHMR)  shared early-childhood development screening and support referrals. Lastly, Cook Children’s had art projects that teach kids to identify and express emotions and support coping skills.

This week kicked off the first few days of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail! Volunteers from the Parent Pass phone app stopped by to explain how to navigate the app and share about all the local events and opportunities in the area. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health’s “Aim for Safety” initiative leaders and the JPS Trauma department shared hands-on firearm safety knowledge and safe storage resources. The Fort Worth Police Department demonstrated child-proofing essentials and gave tips to secure your home. It was a successful first three days and we are looking forward to more!

Join us for a full month of free wellness activities, education and family-friendly celebrations designed to help our community thrive. Every weekday (Aug. 6 - Sept. 5), you’ll find hands-on demos, health screenings, safety workshops, nutrition classes and more, all hosted by Cook Children’s and trusted local partners. No registration is required unless noted.

When: Aug. 6 – Sept. 5, 2025
Where: The neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail
2800 S. Cherry Lane, Suite 100
Fort Worth, TX 76116

Leannyvette Hernandez, the first patient to undergo weight loss surgery at Cook Children’s Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program, dropped more than 50 pounds and improved her health within three months.

Fifteen-year-old Leannyvette had struggled with obesity since age 4, when her extra pounds already raised concerns about potential diabetes and fatty liver disease. Starting in preschool, other kids bullied her. As a teen, she needed increasing doses of medications to treat several conditions related to obesity.

Since her surgery, her body mass index (BMI) has decreased 10 points to a healthier range, and she takes less medication. She’s sleeping better and more active in gym class. She eats more vegetables and smaller portions without feeling hungry.  

When the Cook Children’s Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program opened in April 2024, Leannyvette eagerly joined on a referral from her endocrinologist. She traveled from her home in Fort Worth for six monthly appointments that included evaluation, education, nutrition counseling and other services at the clinic, located at Cook Children’s Pediatric Specialties Prosper.

The program offers customized support and resources for patients ages 13-18. Each monthly appointment provides one hour of intensive health behavior and lifestyle therapy to set patients and their families up for success. It provides hope and results.

On Nov. 18, 2024, Leannyvette made Cook Children’s history by becoming the first patient in the program to undergo gastric sleeve surgery, which removed about 70 percent of her stomach. Three months after that landmark surgery, she was still losing weight due to her smaller stomach capacity and reduced appetite.

“It feels good,” said Leannyvette, reporting improvements in her energy and mood, too.

Leannyvette wants to share her experience so that she can help inform and inspire young people who suffer from obesity, a chronic disease that affects an estimated 14.4 million children and teens in the United States. She remembers heading into surgery with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Her mom, Mayra Gonzalez, sent a simple text message on that November morning: “Her new life will start today.” 

Building Blocks: Nutrition and Education

There’s a genetic component to obesity, and it runs in Leannyvette’s family.  Over the years, Leannyvette tried exercising and cutting calories to lose weight, but nothing worked. She was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that obesity can contribute to. She had trouble sleeping, which can also be linked to obesity. Doctors treated her PCOS and insomnia with medication.

Another problem? Leannyvette couldn’t find clothes she liked in her size. And she felt self-conscious.

“Sometimes I’m scared to go out because I feel like everybody’s looking at me or judging me,” she said prior to surgery. “At school, I don’t like to put myself out there. I just tend to block everything out because I don’t like hearing people’s opinions.”

When Cook Children’s endocrinologist Teena Thomas, M.D. suggested the Cook Children’s Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program, Leannyvette was on board. During the six-month course of the program, she kept a food journal and worked with a dietitian who taught her to make nutritious food choices in correct serving sizes.  

In those six months of preparation, Leannyvette adjusted her eating habits. She increased her protein and water intake. She gradually cut out fast food and sodas. To her surprise, she discovered she likes broccoli and salmon.

Pediatric surgeon Kanika Bowen-Jallow, M.D., medical director of the bariatric program, described Leannyvette as a “shooting star” who eagerly collaborated every step along the way.

“We have the kids who come back every month with their whole food journal. They’re ready to show somebody how detailed they’ve been. That’s not every kid, but that is definitely Leann,” Dr. Bowen-Jallow said.  

Her mother, Mayra, said everyone at the clinic was encouraging. They made Leannyvette feel comfortable discussing her obesity challenges. They made sure she understood she’d be on liquids and then a restricted diet for a period after surgery.  

Mayra advised parents of teens to be open-minded about the procedure. Although a little scary, she said, the choice to go through with surgery gave Leannyvette hope for more opportunities, more activities and less medication. 

“People might think that surgery is the easy way out for obesity, but it’s not,” Mayra said. “The kids have to learn how to eat again. They have to learn to make better choices. It’s not just before the surgery or during the process, it’s for their whole life if they want to stay within the limit of the BMI.”

Surgery and Recovery

The gastric-sleeve procedure took place at Cook Children’s Medical Center -- Prosper, where Dr. Bowen-Jallow stapled Leannyevette’s stomach into two sections. The larger section of the stomach was removed through a small incision.

Leannyvette remembers waking up with no pain. She stood up and walked without help from the nurses. Her biggest post-op challenge was nausea, but a prescription medication eased the nausea after two weeks. 

Her clear liquid diet gradually progressed to protein shakes and yogurt and then a diet of soft solids. She drank 64 ounces of water a day, walked around the house every two hours and did breathing exercises and leg exercises to prevent blood clots.

Because Leannyvette’s surgery occurred just before Thanksgiving, she was still on a limited diet during the holidays. She admitted it was hard to show self-control when some people around her were eating foods she craved.

At her three-month checkup, she was cleared to eat a regular diet. Leannyvette had dropped from a size 20 to a 14 by then. Her face and abdomen were slimmer. She was able to stop taking one of her meds. Bottom line for Leannyvette: The end result was worth the sacrifices.

“I would honestly say if they feel like doing the surgery, to trust their instinct and just do it,” she said in advice to teens with obesity. 

Mayra is proud of her daughter’s self-discipline and progress on a path to better health. Not everyone understood why Leannyvette chose the surgery option, said Mayra, who underwent bariatric surgery herself earlier in 2024.

“Some people told me, ‘Don’t do it. She’s too young. She can just go on a diet.’ I was like, “No, we’ve tried everything and we weren’t successful. I know this was the best decision for her.”

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Cook Children's Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program Marks First Anniversary

Cook Children's Adolescent Bariatric Program Welcomes First Patients

Teens with severe obesity are losing weight, making healthier food choices and gaining self-confidence thanks to the Cook Children’s Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program.

Since seeing the first patients in April 2024, the bariatric program in its debut year treated 158 teens who struggle with the complex and chronic disease of obesity.

The program – located at Cook Children’s Pediatric Specialties Prosper -- is designed as a series of appointments for evaluation, education, nutrition counseling and other services. In consultation with their parents and the medical team, patients may choose to undergo gastric sleeve surgery six months into the program.

It’s an evidence-based approach in a clinical setting that applies expertise and sensitivity to the physical and emotional challenges of obesity. 

“Families feel an immense sense of relief during their visits with us,” said pediatric surgeon Kanika Bowen-Jallow, M.D., the program’s medical director. “They deeply appreciate being in a safe, supportive environment where they can openly discuss their child’s weight loss journey and explore options without fear, judgment or shame.”

In the year since its launch, the program enrolled patients whose average age was 15-16 years old. Their average weight was 293 pounds, with an average initial BMI of 46.6. 

Board-certified obesity medicine director Lily Han, M.D. provides medical management of obesity and any comorbidities. Comorbidities are conditions that commonly occur together with obesity, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome, depression and sleep apnea.

Getting specialized care for obesity can help those teens cut back on or eliminate the medications they’ve been taking for related conditions. 

“It’s changing their future while improving both their physical and mental health,” Dr. Han said.

The program hit a milestone on Nov. 18, 2024, when the first gastric sleeve procedure at Cook Children’s was performed. Dr. Bowen-Jallow removed about 70 percent of the patient’s stomach through tiny incisions. At her three-month checkup after surgery, the patient had lost 50 pounds.  

To celebrate the program’s first anniversary, we wanted to share its key points and successes. Here’s an overview.  

Getting Started

Cook Children’s Adolescent Bariatric Program offers customized support and resources for patients ages 13-18. Participants should be referred by their primary care provider or physician from a specialty such as endocrinology or adolescent gynecology. They can access the referral form online.

In order to qualify, candidates must have:

• BMI of 40 or higher, or
• BMI of 35 or higher, along with a comorbidity

The program follows obesity treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Each monthly appointment provides one hour of intensive health behavior and lifestyle therapy. Family partnership plays an important role in all aspects of treatment. 

It’s common for patients to feel timid at first. But they gradually open up. Dr. Bowen-Jallow says the teens in bariatric care often tell her they want to lose weight so that they can ride rollercoasters and find fashionable clothes that fit.

“Many of them dreaded doctor’s appointments and have faced severe bullying from peers at school,” Dr. Bowen-Jallow said. “Here, they find a welcoming space where they can ask questions, feel supported and learn how to build healthier habits.”

Participants meet each month with a dietitian who teaches strategies for moderate portion size and healthy snacking. They’re asked to keep a food journal to track what they’re eating. They set goals for exercise.

Dr. Han helps patients reduce their adipose tissue, also called body fat, while maintaining muscle mass. She can run genetic tests or prescribe medications for weight loss as needed. Patients who take medication are closely monitored for side effects.

Obesity affects an estimated 14.4 million children and teens in the United States. It’s caused by genetics and other factors. The program at Cook Children’s gives hope and results.

“The community-wide response and enthusiasm from near and far has been amazing,” Dr. Han said. “I didn’t realize the reach our program would have with patients driving up to five hours for a visit.”

Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Not everyone in the program chooses to do bariatric surgery, but it’s an option. Dr. Bowen-Jallow performed gastric sleeve surgery on 15 teens in the program’s first year. It’s a laparoscopic procedure, meaning Dr. Bowen-Jallow uses a camera inside the abdomen. Patients typically go home from the hospital the next day.

“It’s an incredibly safe operation, and our entire goal is to have patients live the healthy, long life that they deserve,” said Dr. Bowen-Jallow, chair of the American Pediatric Surgical Association committee on Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.  

Bariatric surgery takes place at Cook Children’s Medical Center -- Prosper. Dr. Bowen-Jallow makes five incisions ranging from 5-12 millimeters in length; then she vertically staples the stomach into two sections. The larger section of the stomach comes out through an incision opening. The process takes about an hour and a half.

Recovery and Follow-up

Nausea is typically the biggest challenge just after surgery. Solid foods are phased in slowly to avoid bloating or discomfort.

“The main thing we stress after surgery is hydration,” Dr. Bowen-Jallow said. “We teach them to always drink before they eat. We stress water. We have a whole script we follow to make sure that they’re meeting their hydration and protein goals.”

Dr. Bowen-Jallow said patients should expect some discomfort initially. But they can return to school within a week. No heavy backpacks at first, due to lifting restrictions. 

Following surgery, patients return to the clinic for checkups after two weeks, four weeks, three months, six months and each year for four years. They will continue to have access to the dietitian and all the program’s resources.

Patients can expect to see a 30% reduction in BMI over the first year after surgery. Weight comes off because of a smaller stomach capacity and less of the hormones that cause hunger cues.

It’s rewarding, Dr. Bowen-Jallow said, to watch the patients’ transformation.

“Their self-confidence soars, they feel healthier, and many experience a significant reduction in their medications,” she reported. “Their health and long-term outlook are completely renewed.”

Heading into its second year, the Cook Children’s bariatric program anticipates greater demand for services and a fuller slate of scheduled surgeries. 

“Growth at our current location is accelerating, and I do not see it slowing down any time soon,” Dr. Bowen-Jallow said.

It was May 7, 2024 when Natalie and Carlos Bendana Sr. learned their son, Carlos, had leukemia. He was just 3 years old and had been feeling sick off and on for a few months.

Leukemia Diagnosis

With navigating Carlos’ regular treatment, caring for two other children and working full-time jobs, Natalie and Carlos Sr.’s lives were turned upside down.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster,” Natalie said.

Their local family support system had also tragically passed away just two months before Carlos’ diagnosis with pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or pre-B ALL.

Leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer and can be a result of genetic risk factors although the exact cause is often unknown. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the leukemia usually starts from the lymphoid cells in the bone marrow.

Leukemia Care with Cook Children’s

Carlos has received leukemia care with Cook Children’s Prosper from the start. Soon after Natalie had taken him back to the hospital for more testing, Lauren Akers, D.O., hematologist at Cook Children’s Hematology and Oncology Prosper, told her that Carlos had leukemia.

“The directness and honesty from Dr. Akers helped me prepare,” Natalie said. “I felt a mix of emotions the day she diagnosed Carlitos with leukemia.”

Natalie felt like she could process it better when Dr. Akers determined that it was type B leukemia.

“Pre-B ALL is a curable form of leukemia,” Dr. Akers said. “There are ups and downs throughout treatment. Our goal is to support kids and ensure they stay as healthy as possible through treatment. Carlos has a very good chance of being cured.”

When Dr. Akers explained how the first 10 months would be the hardest, Natalie and Carlos Sr. were so grateful for Carlos’ care with Cook Children’s. He had surgery, a blood transfusion and started chemotherapy right away.

“All the hospital staff have been amazing! Everyone even knows Carlitos’ name,” Natalie said. “He has four nurses and they laugh together and walk around with him. They always go above and beyond to make him feel comfortable and that he’s able to trust them.”

Carlos is being treated close to home at the Cook Children’s Infusion Center in Prosper. The specialist team does everything they can to make it comfortable for kids.

“They even call the infusion center the playroom!” Dr. Akers said. "Carlos is a sweet little boy and has become much more talkative.”

Carlos turned 4 years old in February and will have to go through treatment for 2.5 years, currently scheduled to end on Sept. 2, 2026. Natalie feels hopeful, but scared with still having a long way to go.

“Luckily, we caught Carlitos’ stage of leukemia at a time where he didn't need a bone marrow transplant and it’s not hereditary,” Natalie said. “We hold onto hope knowing that treatment and medication can help decrease chances of any form of leukemia returning.”

Enduring Challenges

Natalie and her family do everything they can to keep Carlos from getting a fever so they don’t have to bring him to the hospital. Like millions of people sheltered during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve had to keep Carlos living in lockdown.

Carlos is currently in a stage of being at a higher risk for infection and if he has a fever and his white blood cell count is low then he would need to be admitted. Once Carlos gets into the treatment level known as “maintenance” it will be easier. 

“The most important thing is to just treat them like normal kids,” Dr. Akers said. “It’s a long road, but our goal is to provide care throughout treatment and encourage the parent to treat their child like normal as much as possible.”

Finding Comfort

Natalie makes an effort to take things one day at a time. She also keeps her sanity by refraining from doing too much research about leukemia online.

“I checked Facebook and was overwhelmed with other people’s lives,” Natalie said. “I started thinking ahead of myself and that wasn’t what my son was going through. My husband says, ‘Live the day,’ and some days are better than others.”

She makes sure to stay focused on Carlos’ care and what Dr. Akers advises. Carlos Sr.’s uncle and his wife also help them whenever they can.

“I can’t think ahead and you have to have a lot of faith to get through this because it isn’t easy,” Natalie said. “Anyone going through this needs a support system.”

Often, parents blame themselves when their child gets sick. Dr. Akers finds this to be one of the most common ways she gives parents advice.

“Most of the time we don’t know why leukemia happens, but luckily we have excellent treatment options available and most children with ALL are able to be cured,” Dr. Akers said. “It’s also important for parents to take care of themselves and make time for themselves, in order for them to be able to give the best care and support to their child. I think it’s essential to make sure parents understand that it isn’t their fault.”

Pediatricians at Cook Children’s advise families not to wait until August to come in for a sports physical or the routine vaccines that incoming kindergarteners and seventh-graders need.

“Getting those updated physicals, immunization records and forms ready ahead of time is a good idea so that nothing is delayed,” said Bhavana Babber, M.D., who sees patients at Cook Children’s Pediatrics North Frisco.

Pediatrician offices can be jammed with students squeezing in their health checklist right before school starts. Dr. Babber compared it to the April frenzy for accountants.

“I like to refer to it as our tax season,” she said. “We 100% encourage early summertime appointments because we want to accommodate every single patient. Scheduling ahead of time can avoid that rush and give you time with your pediatrician to address any concerns.”

Doing a well-child visit earlier in the summer is a great chance for the pediatrician to measure growth and developmental milestones, Dr. Babber said. And if your child has an action plan for food allergy or asthma emergencies at school, that plan could be reviewed and modified during the visit.

Kid’s calendars can fill up quickly with camps, trips to the pool and other summer activities. That’s why Cook Children’s encourages families to make appointments as soon as possible – for a healthy start to the summer, and a less hectic August. Here’s what you need to know.

Pre-participation Physicals

UIL requires an evaluation prior to participation in sports, cheerleading, drill team and marching band. The goal is to identify any issues -- such as irregular heartbeat, vision problems, spine curvature or uncontrolled asthma – that might make workouts or competition hazardous. The form contains two parts:

1.    Medical history – a list of yes/no questions about headaches, dizziness, chest pain, seizures, allergies and more. This portion must be filled out every year by the student and parent or guardian.

2.    Physical exam – performed by a health care professional to check the student’s lungs, joints, vision, weight, heart rate, blood pressure and more. UIL requires the physical exam before the 7th, 9th and 11^th grades. Some school districts require it annually.

Dr. Babber has detected heart murmurs and high blood pressure while examining teens as part of their required physical. Follow-ups with a specialist are sometimes needed, she said.   

The UIL form asks the provider to check one of three options: cleared for participation, cleared after completing additional evaluation or rehabilitation, or not cleared due to concerns.

Immunizations

The 2025-2026 Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements chart, available in English and Spanish, lists the number of vaccine doses required to attend a K-12 school in the state. It’s the same as the 2024-2025 standards. 

Parents should know that the required immunizations are safe and proven to stop the spread of contagious diseases, Dr. Babber said.

“Vaccines go through rigorous testing and monitoring for safety and effectiveness,” she said. “Side effects are typically mild and temporary, such as a sore arm or mild fever.”

Incoming kindergarteners should be up-to-date on: MMR (measles, mumps and rubella); DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis); IPV (inactivated poliovirus); Varicella (chickenpox); Hepatitis A; and Hepatitis B.  

For students entering seventh grade, additional boosters are due for MCV4 (meningitis) and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis).   

As the mom of two young children, Dr. Babber recommends telling your child what to expect ahead of their shots. She emphasizes family-centered care in her practice, encouraging her patients and their parents to ask questions. Knowledge is key.

Dr. Babber pointed out that vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles can cause severe complications, hospitalization and even death.

“Vaccines help the immune system recognize and fight off infections in children before they’re ever exposed,” she explained. “These vaccines are incredibly important for the health of your own child as well as the community.”

Sites across Cook Children’s offer a Comfort Menu to help patients relax and feel less of a pinch when the needle goes in. Items include cold spray and a buzzy tool on the skin for comfort and distraction. 

Sunscreen, Swimming and Snacks

Here are a few more important safeguards from Dr. Babber for families to practice during the summer months:

• Use sunscreen and wear a hat to prevent sunburn
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
• Be vigilant around water to prevent drownings
• Choose fruits, vegetables, yogurt and other nutritious snacks
• Stay active and get outdoors
• Get good sleep
• Visit the dentist or eye doctor, if needed

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“Hiding a gun under a mattress, in the closet, or on a high shelf is not safe storage,” Gonzalez explains. “Guns must be stored unloaded and locked away outside the reach of a child or teen.”

Gonzalez adds that safe storage can greatly contribute to reducing unauthorized use of firearms and gun violence among our youth.   

Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth treated 40 gun-related injuries in fiscal year 2025 (October–September). During the fiscal year 2024, Cook Children treated 62 gun-related injuries.

June 6 marks National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the beginning of Wear Orange Weekend, a time dedicated to raising awareness about gun violence prevention and honoring victims.

“Summer especially is a great time to practice the 3 T’s of gun safety: Talk, Teach, and Take Action,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and Dan Guzman, M.D., a pediatric emergency medicine physician and Medical Director of the Aim For Safety® program, work together to educate the community, primarily focusing on preventing unintentional gun injuries by encouraging safe gun storage. Dr. Guzman has seen and treated an unfortunate number of children injured or killed due to firearms. As a gun owner and parent, he understands the importance of safely securing firearms.

“I don't want to watch another child die as a result of a firearm,” Dr. Guzman said.

He emphasizes that the initiative is not about advocating for or against gun ownership; the focus is on providing people with the tools and resources to be safe around guns.

The Aim For Safety® program has provided education and resources to thousands across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

“We highlight how safe storage greatly reduces the risk of unintentional injuries, as well as how it contributes to keeping children safe during mental health crises and reducing the risk of use for gun violence,” Gonzalez said.

Between October 2024 and April 2025 alone, the program provided 252 gun safes and 206 gun cable locks to the community. This is in addition to almost 1,000 gun cable locks provided to families in the emergency department over the last year.

“That’s a total of 458 families which now have tools to keep their families safe,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez explains that safety extends beyond firearms such as handguns and also includes air-powered guns such as BB, pellet, and paintball guns.

“Guns should never be used without a guardian’s permission and should only be used while an adult is supervising,” Gonzalez said.

Open Dialogue: Talking to Other Parents about Gun Safety

• Keep the conversation focused on safety, not on whether someone should or should not own a gun.
• Simply ask if there are firearms in the home and if so, are they properly stored (unloaded and locked with a cable lock or in a gun safe).
  • If not, visit the Cook Children’s Aim For Safety website for tips on how to keep guns safely stored or for resources that we can offer to assist in safely storing the gun.

Aim for Safety in the Community

Aim for Safety will be out in the community throughout the summer:

• Defenderpalooza on July 12
• Fort Worth’s Premier Gun Show on August 23-24
• Scheels Great Outdoor Expo September 6-7
• If anyone is interested in a presentation, please reach out to  eric.gonzalez@cookchildrens.org

Lives Impacted by Gun-Related Injuries and Prevention Efforts at Cook Children's

• In FY 2025, Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth has treated 40 gun-related injuries
• In FY 2024, Cook Children’s Medical Center-Fort Worth treated 62 gun-related injuries
• Most non-fatal injuries were caused by air-powered guns (BB guns, airsoft guns, paintball guns, etc.), while most severe or fatal injuries were caused by handguns.
• Between October 2024 and April 2025 alone, we provided 252 gun safes and 206 gun cable locks to the community through various events.

Sophia Price, with Cook Children's Trauma and Injury Prevention says Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth reported its first snakebites of the season in late April and early May, including its first copperhead bite in May. In 2024, the Cook Children's Health Care System treated 30 snakebites, with the first reported in March.

Jay Pearson, P.A., a physician assistant with Cook Children’s Trauma Services, offers crucial advice for parents on keeping children safe from snakebites. Price recommends avoiding walking in tall grass and wearing protective boots. She also warns that at night, snakes may rest on warm surfaces like driveways or sidewalks. Price emphasizes that individuals should never attempt to touch or handle a snake, even if it appears dead.

North Texas is home to three species of pit vipers:

• Copperheads
• Cottonmouths (also known as water moccasins)
• Rattlesnakes

A snakebite can cause localized pain and swelling that may spread as venom progresses. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, and an increased heart rate. In severe cases, patients may experience difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, or bleeding disorders.

If a snake bites a child, seek immediate medical attention at the closest emergency department.

What to do if bitten by a snake:

• Do not try to capture, photograph, or kill the snake.
• Do not apply ice, tourniquets, or attempt to suck out venom.
• Immobilize the affected limb and keep it at heart level if possible.

How snakebites are treated at Cook Children's:

Once at the hospital, patients with moderate to severe envenomation may receive antivenom, which is readily available at Cook Children’s Medical Center.

Patients are closely monitored for symptom progression and may require hospital admission for observation and supportive care. 

Smith is now a teacher and coach at Commerce ISD Middle School, where he is driven by a desire to educate his students and athletes about the importance of giving back. And what better way to do that than through donating PrayerBears?

"I like to teach kids about more than just school subjects," Smith explained. "We talk about philanthropy and what these bears mean to the children who receive them. This is just a small way I can involve others in giving back to such a wonderful cause."

The PrayerBear Program at Cook Children's gives admitted patients soft teddy bears for them to hold and cuddle. These bears offer a sense of comfort. They’re a gentle reminder that provides warmth and companionship during a difficult time. Smith specifically remembers the first two PrayerBears he received. These initial bears were handmade by a local church group, and he still has these two bears to this day. Having experienced the comfort of these bears, Smith has a strong appreciation for them. Holding a PrayerBear brings patients peace and reassurance that they are not alone.

Robin Brazell, interfaith ministry specialist and PrayerBear Program coordinator, was deeply touched and incredibly grateful for Smith’s donation. Brazell says this donation is extra special. The PrayerBear program would not exist without donors like Smith.

”What Adam has done is choose to give back following his own experience as a Cook Children's patient,” said Brazell.

Fernando Acosta Jr., M.D., neurologist and associate medical director of Movement Disorders at Cook Children’s, was Smith’s doctor who he credits for saving his life. The two now have a close friendship. 

“I've loved watching him grow over the years, and I'm privileged that, I'm a part of it,” Dr. Acosta said. “I can't imagine I could be any more proud of him if he was my own son.”

Thank you Adam Smith and Commerce ISD for this generous donation! 

As the vibrant colors of spring bloom across North Texas, so too does a unique partnership that cultivates more than just plants. At Prosper ISD’s Prepare to Prosper transitional services, students are digging their hands into the soil, nurturing not only vegetables but also valuable life skills, thanks to the support of Cook Children’s Center for Community Health.

Gardening is an engaging activity that helps students spend time outdoors and promotes physical activity. It also shows them how to grow healthy foods and teaches a sense of responsibility. The garden at Prepare to Prosper has already been a success earlier this year by producing more than 17 pounds of sweet potatoes, 4 pounds of snacking peppers and jalapenos, 5 pounds of arugula, and almost 9 pounds of tromboncino squash. Now the garden is exploding with sage, lavender, mint and squash.

“For my students, the garden is a chance to get outside and get some fresh air and sunshine, which is so important!” said teacher Tanya Barrios.

While the prospect of maintaining a thriving garden might seem like a significant undertaking, the dedicated individuals at Prepare to Prosper are not alone. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health works with community partners to provide comprehensive support to these gardens, including educational resources, regular on-site visits, and insightful yearly workshops, ensuring the garden flourishes alongside the students. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health supports 24 gardens in our service area.

Beyond the walls of our medical center in Prosper, Cook Children’s is deeply invested in fostering a healthier community. More than just a fun activity, the garden serves as a living classroom, embodying the principles of Cook Children’s Center for Community Health’s 5210+ Every Day initiative. This vital program promotes healthy habits across our eight-county North Texas region, reminding families that every day should include: five servings of fruits and vegetables, no more than two hours of fun screen time, at least one hour of physical activity, zero sugary drinks and + means the importance of getting plenty of quality sleep. The hands-on experience of growing their own produce directly reinforces the “five fruits and vegetables” component in a tangible and engaging way.

The students at Prepare to Prosper have already discovered the delicious rewards of their labor, transforming the microgreens they cultivate into nutritious smoothies – a tasty example of incorporating those vital daily fruits and vegetables.

Students have created wholesome dishes like sweet potato and lentil soup from their sweet potatoes, refreshing carrot salad, simply baked sweet potatoes, flavorful ranch sweet potatoes, and surprisingly delicious air-fried radishes. These experiences not only teach them about healthy eating but also valuable life skills in the kitchen.

“My students get to take part in nurturing the plants and seeing them grow and bear fruits and vegetables, which we eat. If they grow it, they are more likely to try it,” Mrs. Barrios said. “In addition, we help our friends and neighbors by sharing whatever we can't use. This past year, we grew lots and lots of arugula. It was more than we could use so we shared it with the ladies in the office. One of them is from Egypt and she said it tasted like the arugula she ate back home.”

Center for Community Health Programs

• Gardening
• 5210+ Every Day

The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) provides valuable insights from parents, caregivers, and community leaders across our eight-county service region: Collin, Denton, Grayson, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant, and Wise Counties.

More than a hundred leaders from North Texas community organizations tuned in on May 6 for the first session of the two-part summit, during which Cook Children’s explained the methodology of the survey and outlined key findings. It is important to share these results because community organizations and leaders can use this data to inform their strategies for continuing to improve children’s health in their communities.

The key focuses of part one were overall health and well-being, asthma, and healthy lifestyles. The full assessment can be found here, and offers more detailed information on each data collection method used. See more tools for result breakdowns at the interactive data dashboard.

Additional findings specific to caregiver support, injury prevention, mental health, and oral health will be shared on June 3.

Main concerns

The assessment included 6,877 parents/caregivers' responses over the last three years and 239 survey responses from community leaders such as representatives from health departments, nonprofits, schools, and faith-based groups.

The most pressing concerns for many families in our area are related to financial stressors.

As costs have risen over the last few years, 45% of community leaders flagged inflation and poverty as a serious problem in their community.

These struggles directly impact kids’ and families’ physical and mental health. One caregiver said in a survey that they worry about paying for medical visits in addition to other household expenses. Community leaders noted that they help many working families with food, clothes, and other needs.

Housing affordability, food insecurity, and childcare costs are increasing problems for our communities. More than half of community leaders said access to affordable, nutritious food was a serious problem.

Overall health and well-being

Insurance coverage came up repeatedly in interviews with caregivers and parents. While the majority of children (88%) had continuous health insurance in the last year, 5% (about 54,700), had a coverage gap, and 7% (about 81,400) are currently uninsured. Children experiencing homelessness were three times more likely to be uninsured.

Caregivers shared that the lack of coverage was mostly due to affordability, respondents said. Families who did not speak English or Spanish said the language barrier was another obstacle to insurance coverage, and they did not always know how to renew or update their insurance.

Vaccination rates have decreased in our eight-county area - 89% of parents and caregivers reported their child had received all up-to-date vaccines, which is about an 8% decrease since the 2021 CHNA.

Asthma

One in ten children in the service area has asthma, and it is one of the most common health conditions in kids. While asthma is manageable, 19% of those children did not have an asthma action plan. This shows a need for more education, training, and support for caregivers of children with asthma, including daycare providers, schools, and aftercare programs.

Healthy lifestyles

A healthy lifestyle for children includes a healthy weight, physical activity, nutritious food, and adequate sleep. Only 35% of children in our area eat fresh fruits and veggies at the recommended amount, and the majority of children (94%) are spending more than two hours on entertainment screen time every day.

While living a healthy lifestyle benefits overall health, many children and families face obstacles to doing so. Not everyone can access nutritious food in their neighborhood, and 1 in 7 children do not live in an area that has sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, or recreation centers.

In the eight-county service area, approximately 34% of children (about 390,100) live in households that cannot always afford to eat good, nutritious meals and 21% of children (about 236,400) live in a household that reported receiving food stamps or SNAP benefits in the past year.

SNAP gives families financial help to buy nutritious food, but cuts in this program have made it harder for families to get those benefits. The reduction of SNAP emergency allotments also places additional strain on local food banks and community organizations to bridge the gap left by the reduced benefits.

Reduced benefits may lead to increased food insecurity, limiting access to nutritious meals and negatively affecting the health of families and children, ultimately exacerbating social and economic inequalities.

Calls to action

Based on the findings, Cook Children’s Center for Community Health identified crucial next steps to improving children’s health in our communities. One of those tactics is to foster more partnerships focused on non-medical drivers of health, such as food security, economic stability, and housing.

Cook Children’s also plans to strengthen collaborations to create more community outreach for families, advocate for strategies that benefit our communities, and improve access to community resources for children.

More detailed strategy plans can be found on Cook Children's community outreach page.

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