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Do you know any of the leading causes of death among children? In the United States, unintentional injury from motor vehicle (car) crashes makes the top of the list. In 2015, approximately 1,346 children under the age of 15 were killed in motor vehicle crashes. That’s more than three children per day.
To make matters more heartbreaking – many of these deaths are completely preventable. In fact, securing children in age- and size-appropriate car seats and using seat belts cuts their chances of serious...
Images courtesy of Maya Cooper
I’m Kennedy Cooper and I have sickle cell disease, or SCD. It hasn’t always been easy, and it hasn’t always been fun, but my job is to tell you everything.
Do you know what SCD is? Let me explain before we get started. To put it simply, SCD is a group of inherited disorders where the red blood cells are sickle-shaped and broken down. SCD can’t be developed, and it’s not contagious. These cells are inflexible and can easily cause clotting. This can bring pain and complications...
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We’re truly living in remarkable times. Our world has changed dramatically in the past 100 years, and advancements in medicine and technology have not only exceeded our expectations, but also shifted our culture. In 1900, it was commonplace for children to die unexpectedly. In fact, 1 in 3 children died before their first birthday. The leading causes contributing to overall death at the time were pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis and diarrhea-related illnesses, and 40 percent of these deaths occurred in the most...
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If you’re making a home safe for infants or children, you should always sweat the small things – sharp corners, chemicals under the sink, electrical outlets and even laundry detergent pods are potential hazards for little ones. Forgetting anything? I didn’t mention a common household item that might not be top-of-mind for most: the small button batteries inside many of our electronic devices.
Every three hours, a child will visit an emergency department after consuming a battery. In fact, button battery...
Images courtesy of Denise Carter
Caitlin Carter, bone marrow recipient
When my pediatrician recommended a complete blood count (CBC) during one of my annual appointments, I was angry because it wasn’t a requirement. I wasn’t any happier when we had to keep returning for additional testing because my counts were low. When this journey started, I remember feeling frustrated after visiting so many different doctors and still not identifying what was wrong. I don’t blame them, though. The condition I was eventually diagnosed with was so rare, and they couldn’t have known.
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