If you want proof, read this diverse list of our most popular stories of 2016. We hope you enjoy our look back:

10. 7 Ear Infection Myths Every Parent Should Know. Parents flocked to this blog from Doc Smitty. Can your child go swimming with an ear infection? Do all ear infections need antibiotics? If your child gets ear tubes, will the infections stop?  All this and more was answered in this blog.

9. 7 Online Challenges This ER Doctor Warns Could Be Deadly Oh the Internet. Where kids do all kinds of things to get noticed and maybe go to hospital in the process. We asked our medical director of the Emergency Department to look at seven really silly, really dangerous dares that kids (or grownups for that matter) shouldn't try at home. 

8. Almond Milk: A Nutty Fad or Healthy Alternative. Almond milk sales have gone through the roof over the past decade. But is it the right drink for your child? Doc Smitty gave the answer in this informative piece. 

7. The Death of Ethan: A Life of Chronic Pain Ends in Tragedy. This is the most recent entrant in our list of top 10 stories. Only the fact that it was published in December kept this story out of the top five. We were so honored that Ethan's parents shared their son's story of a life filled with chronic pain. They want you to read it to learn about their son and hopefully help other children who may be suffering as well.

6. New Hope In Fight Against Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba. The Lewis family holds a special place in the hearts of everyone involed in the Checkup Newsroom. Following the tragic death of their son Kyle to a brain infection caused by a water-born amoeba, Jeremy and Julie Lewis created Kyle Cares. Read their inspiring story as they fought to bring a drug to Cook Children's and other hospitals around the nation that may save children's lives.

5. 11 Tips That Could Save Your Daughter's Life.  In Janaury 2016, Rylie Whitten made national headlines after suffering one of the worst cases of toxic shock syndrome (TSS)  that her doctors had ever seen. Rylie's story moved us to run this informative piece on TSS that we hope every parent of a daughter reads.

4. A Sign From Heaven: Family Travels Across U.S. For Care at Cook Children's. A family's desperate search for answers on Google led them to Cook Children's. Read the fascinating story of what led this family to travel from Detroit, Mich. to Fort Worth, Texas, to be treated for a rare condition called hyperinsulinism.

3. The Most Common Rash You Never Knew About. Ever heard of molluscum contagiosum? We hadn't when Dr. Diane Arnaout wrote this blog for the newsroom. Dr. Diane's informative blog "that will save you and your child pain, money, time and anxiety" went viral quickly and became our third most read story of the year.

2. RSV On The Rise: 6 Things Every Parent Should Know. Here we are at the beginning of 2017 and we have been lucky in that we haven't seen much flu yet at Cook Children's. But we have seen plenty of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which explains the popularity of this great blog from Dr. Lizy Varughese.

1. Let's Learn Something: Bouncers, Jumpers and Walkers. Dr. Diane Arnaout's "Let's Learn Something" series was a big hit this year and none were bigger than this tale of caution. Dr. Diane's blog on how baby bumpers, bouncers and activity centers could play a role in your baby's motor delays is our most read new story of 2017. You've probably read this blog. But if you aren't one of the more than 117,000 readers who took a look, now's the time. And if you have read it, feel free to click again.

Well, that's it for 2016. Thank you all for reading. We'll be back with plenty more stories to tell in 2017.

The story of Rylie Whitten has recently made national headlines. Her doctors say she suffered one of the worst cases of toxic shock syndrome they had ever seen. For nearly two weeks Rylie was unconscious but she is currently off life support and giving doctors hope of recovery from this rare syndrome that affects only about 1 in 100,000 people.

Still, parents may want to uses Rylie’s story as a cautionary tale for their own daughter.

What is toxic shock syndrome?

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a group of symptoms throughout the body. This illness can progress rapidly and lead to a failure of multiple body systems. Toxic shock syndrome can be fatal. It’s caused by two types of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus (often called staph) and Streptococcus pyogenes (often called strep). These bacteria can produce toxins. In some people whose bodies can't fight these toxins, the immune system reacts.

What causes TSS?

Factors that can increase your risks of TSS include chickenpox, skin lesions such as burns and HIV infection.

But what’s mostly associated with the cause of TSS is tampon use. The earliest cases date back to the late 1970s and were caused by super-absorbent tampons. Research produced better, safer tampons and better habits, such as changing them more often, caused a significant decrease. Today, about half of all TSS cases are linked to menstruation.

Other causes include two types of birth control methods – the contraceptive sponge and the diaphragm.

What should your daughter do to decrease the risk of menstrual-associated TSS?

Your daughter should only use low absorbency tampons and change them often.

Risk of menstrual-associated TSS can be lowered with the following steps:

1. Do not use tampons continuously when menstruating.
2. Alternate using a tampon with a sanitary pad.
3. Switch to sanitary pads at night.
4. Do not use super absorbency tampons.
5. Change tampons frequently during the day (every 4-8 hours).
6. Store tampons in a clean, dry place.
7. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using a tampon.
8. Use a lower absorbency tampon if you find the tampon is irritating or hard to remove.
9. Use tampons only during menstruation.
10. Seek medical care for infected wounds.
11. If you have had TSS, do not use tampons or place birth control devices in your vagina.

Resources:

• Toxic Shock Syndrome
• Toxic Shock Syndrome Information Sheet

*Photo from Spectrum Heath "Heath Beat"/ Courtesy of the Whitten family

It started with body aches that we thought was a result of riding one too many rollercoasters. I deteriorated quickly. After two trips to our local ER, I was admitted. That Wednesday, my physician had the grace to admit he didn’t know what was wrong and arranged for me to be airlifted by Teddy Bear Transport to Cook Children’s. I remember the intensity of my family and the staff as they tried to stabilize me to be airlifted. I remember three angels in blue jump suits, Cindy, Darren, and Gerald. I don’t remember much of the flight but will never forget being wheeled off the plane and seeing the pilots with hats over their hearts. As incoherent as I had been – it was at that moment I realized that I was really sick and might die.

I don’t remember much of what happened to me after I arrived at Cooks. I was taken to the ICU in a medically induced coma on a ventilator for the next 5 days. My family was told to prepare for the worst and it was during that time that I had what most people would call a near death experience. It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of waking up and realizing you’ve literally missed days of your life. At some point, I had been given an arterial line and had a board on my wrist to keep it steady. I was still in a lot of pain and very confused. I was diagnosed with TSS caused by a strep infection.

I was able to move out of the ICU the following day with a long recovery ahead of me. I was released from the hospital on September 15^th – exactly two weeks after my symptoms began. Although I was excited to be home, I was far from back to normal. I was still in immense pain. Every lymph node in my body was swollen and one eventually had to be drained. I lost my hair, my skin, and my nails. My muscles deteriorated; I had to participate in physical therapy. I was not able to return to school for two months because my immune system had been wiped out.

Even though it’s been nearly 20 years, it is still difficult for me to talk about what happened. As terrible as the experience was, I am incredibly blessed. Non-menstrual TSS still has a high mortality rate. I have no doubt in my mind that had I not been transferred to Cook I would not have survived. I look at my scars and I am forever grateful for the compassion and knowledge of the many people that took care of me. They saved my life.