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A preschooler pointing to where something hurts. An elementary school student asking why a medicine is needed. A teenager explaining symptoms directly to a pediatrician. Each is practicing a skill that matters throughout life: health literacy. October is Health Literacy Month, an opportunity to consider how families help children understand their bodies, communicate concerns and […]

Finding a breast lump can be frightening, especially when breast cancer is already part of a family’s experience. The reassuring fact is that most breast lumps in children and adolescents are benign, meaning they are not cancer. Breast cancer at these ages is very rare. That reassurance should accompany an evaluation. A new lump or

A breast cancer diagnosis changes more than a parent’s medical schedule. It can change school pickups, bedtime routines, family conversations and how secure a child feels about everyday life. Children often notice these changes before adults explain them. They may overhear a phone call, see a parent crying or recognize that relatives are visiting more

For adults who remember September 11, 2001, the date may bring back unusually vivid memories: where they were, who told them and how it felt to watch the day unfold. Children growing up today experience 9/11 differently. To them, it is history—yet the images, language and emotions surrounding the anniversary can still feel immediate and

Every generation of children develops language that makes adults pause. Previous generations had “groovy,” “rad,”, “wicked”,  “talk to the hand” and “all that.” Today’s children have “rizz,” “aura,” “cooked” and the almost entirely unexplainable “6-7.” The difference is not that children suddenly use more slang. It is that social media allows new expressions to travel

Healthy Aging Month is often associated with the needs of older adults, but many of the foundations for lifelong health are established much earlier. Childhood is when bones are developing, the brain is rapidly changing and children begin forming patterns involving food, movement, sleep and preventive healthcare. Healthy habits cannot guarantee that someone will avoid

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month, an opportunity to improve understanding of a condition that affects approximately 100,000 people in the United States. For families raising a child with sickle cell disease, awareness means more than recognizing the name. It means understanding why symptoms occur, knowing which warning signs require immediate care and recognizing how

When a child is struggling emotionally, parents often recognize that something has changed before they understand why. Their child may seem unusually quiet, irritable, exhausted or disconnected. Friends and activities that once mattered may suddenly hold little interest. A parent may know that a conversation is needed but worry about saying the wrong thing—or making

A childhood cancer diagnosis can change a family’s life in an instant. Parents are suddenly learning unfamiliar medical language, meeting pediatric cancer specialists and making important decisions—all while trying to help their child feel safe. Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, recognized each September, is an opportunity to support children with cancer, childhood cancer survivors and the