Images courtesy of patient family
In January 2016, I was at school in my seventh grade girl’s athletics period when I felt like I was going to pass out all of a sudden. I blinked my eyes through spotted vision and started to lose my coordination, stumbling on my feet. I remember feeling chest pain and dizziness, and my heart was racing rapidly. I was confused, as I was in excellent physical condition. I knew this wasn’t happening because I couldn’t handle the strenuous exercise.
I began connecting the dots when I recalled a handful of other unusual symptoms I was experiencing on a daily basis. This...
Images courtesy of Stephanie Tyner
If I could characterize our daughter’s journey to freedom from seizures, I’d call it a roller coaster of emotions. Thankfully, we felt safe and secure throughout the entire ride, all thanks to our phenomenal care team at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Lauryn – one of our twins – was a spunky, blue-eyed spirit with a completely average medical history, up until kindergarten at least. On a relaxing Sunday afternoon, I noticed Lauryn making strange noises – I couldn’t tell if she was grunting or laughing. We had no idea what was happening to her. For just a moment, I...
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I’m a pediatrician, so I definitely understand how a child’s natural inclination to move around and fidget during the day doesn’t exactly fit well with traditional learning methods in most schools. However, several studies actually prove that when kids move to learn, they do better in school.
I once had a middle school-aged patient, a boy whose parents were complaining of his constant fidgeting during homework time. They were always nagging at him to sit still and get...
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In this fast-paced world, adolescents are busier than ever, which can easily become overwhelming for them. I often find parents asking, “How can I help?” Consider the following tips as you help your child manage time, achieve balance and ultimately prepare for adulthood.
1. Give your children and adolescents your most important commodity – time
Buying your children and adolescents more things – more toys,...
Images courtesy of Paul Kuntz
Mark Ciesielski, father of patient
I adopted my daughter, Sara, when she was 18 months old. For most of her childhood Sara was a fairly healthy child. Then in late 2014, I noticed a few, small red spots (petechiae) on her upper body. Sara developed a series of spiked fevers. She seemed to recover quickly with overnight rest, but began to take more afternoon naps, which was unusual for her.
In early 2015, right before Sara’s 16th birthday, I received a phone call from the school nurse. Sara had a very high heart rate and was having difficulty breathing. I...