Health

Moms: New RSV Protection for Infants this Respiratory Season!

After last year’s record number of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections, we are entering the 2023-2024 viral season with a new tool to protect young infants from RSV — nirsevimab, an RSV immunization. Children’s Hospital Colorado neonatologist Stephanie Bourque, MD, breaks down the top things you need to know about RSV, which affects nearly all children at least once before the age of 2, and the new opportunity for protection against it.  What is RSV?  RSV is one of several viruses that cause respiratory illness and symptoms. It spreads from person to person and enters the body through the nose or eyes, typically from contact with infected mucus, saliva or nasal discharge from coughs or sneezes. RSV can also spread through dried respiratory secretions on clothe...

How this new law helps Coloradoans with eating disorders

One new law in Colorado will be one that will better help those dealing with eating disorders. Specialists said this new law is a good step toward protecting those suffering from eating disorders.  It will limit the use of body mass index (BMI) in determining treatment. That’s important, Dr. Patricia Westmoreland, Consultant Psychiatrist with ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders Westmoreland said because often, it’s not necessarily the weight someone started at and where they’ve ended up at, but their weight change that needs to be addressed.   “Unfortunately, insurance companies in the past and still now try to use body mass index as a way to indicate whether or not somebody needs a certain level of care. So I think this legislation will be fantastic in term...

Is your child anxious? Help them manage it effectively

Dealing with anxious children requires patience, understanding, and a supportive approach. Anxiety in children is a common issue, but with the right strategies, you can help them manage their anxiety effectively. Here are some steps to consider: Educate Yourself: Learn about childhood anxiety, its common signs, and symptoms. Understanding what your child is going through will help you provide better support. A great book for kids is Anxiety Relief Workbook for Kids: 40 Mindfulness, CBT, and ACT Activities to Find Peace from Anxiety and Worry.  Open Communication: Create an environment where your child feels comfortable talking about their feelings. Encourage them to express their worries and fears without judgment. Listen attentively and validate their emotions. Maintain Routine: Cons...

Headaches? Fatigue? This Denver family warns about the signs of mold

Friends with flooding and water damage, PLEASE READ THIS! We have become unwilling experts in water damage and mold, so I want to share a few important lessons we’ve learned. Warning Signs of Mold Mold DESTROYS the health of about 25% of us.  Mold starts growing on wet organic material after 48 HOURS. If you have mold, do not use a fan to dry it because it will blow the mold spores all over your house.  USE HEAT to dry it– and vent all air outside, sealing up the moldy area with plastic. You CAN NOT clean mold. (Yes, the EPA says you can use bleach. That is NOT true.) You must cut the mold out completely…and cut around it by a 12-inch margin. You will also have to fog your house with specific anti-mold stuff because for people whose bodies can’t handle mol...

How to Have a “Sober Curious” Summer

If you are concerned about your relationship with alcohol,  you will find the Holderness Family’s recent blog post and podcast about having a sober curious summer incredibly interesting.  ======= As much as Penn and I like to drink socially, we noticed recently that it’s not always serving us. More than one glass of wine will mess with my sleep and I can barely function the next day. (I blame perimenopause.) We’ve also learned more about Penn’s family history with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Recent studies say that alcohol can sometimes accelerate both.  According to the National Institute of Health, drinking is at its highest season in the summer, excluding drinking behavior in December. So we decided that this summer, we’re going to be ‘sober curious.’  Be...

Your RSV Questions Answered By Colorado Children’s Hospital

This year, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has created a particularly challenging situation for kids, families and healthcare providers, who have had to contend with “tridemic” of RSV, the flu and COVID-19. Hospitals and neonatal intensive care units across the state have come up against more pediatric hospitalizations for RSV than ever before, and we know that this has left parents with young children scared, concerned and unsure about what RSV means for their family. Below, Children’s Hospital Colorado pediatricians and neonatologists Kathleen Hannan, MD, and Stephanie Bourque, MD, share their answers to some of the most common RSV-related questions they hear. How contagious is RSV? If one child in the house gets RSV, is it possible to protect siblings? RSV is spread through contact wi...

How can I expand my picky eater’s palate?

Dear Mama Drama: My two-year-old won’t eat anything, but macaroni and cheese. I’m afraid to give him other things because if he doesn’t eat it he’ll be hungry. I see other children, even younger than him, eating a wide variety of foods. I am amazed that they will eat things like tofu and vegetables. How can I get my son to eat a wider variety of foods? ~Scared of starving Dear Scared: Many children have difficulty expanding their food choices once they have found a favorite food. Macaroni and cheese, PB & J, and mashed potatoes are common favorites. They may like the texture, smell, or associate a positive experience with that food. However, we have to offer them other foods on a regular basis if we want them to make other choices. Our job as parents is to provide healthy options for o...

5 Best Diets for 2023: Wellness Trends for the Whole Family

If healthier eating is a resolution for 2023, we love this report compiled by a panel of leading medical and nutrition experts that focus on diabetes, heart health and weight loss.  According to U.S. News and World Report, the best diets include DASH, Flexitarian, MIND, TLC and their best overall diet may or may not surprise you… Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. While clicking these links won’t cost you extra money, they help us keep this site up and running. See our disclosure policy. 

Preparing for Life’s Surprises: Chase’s CDH Survivor Story

As an expecting parent, you’ve prepared for every part of your delivery from your “go bag” to your baby’s first outfit. But do you have a plan if something doesn’t go according to plan? If something unexpected happens to your baby during delivery or within the first few months of life, you want the best care for them. So let the team at Children’s Hospital Colorado provide a piece of mind. Meet Chase Chase Juergens came out blue. His mother, Alicia, had a cesarean section, and the nurses said that wasn’t unusual. Sometimes cesarean-section babies take a little longer to catch their breath. They took him to the nursery for oxygen. Her husband, Michael, went with her. “They were looking at his chest and it was almost concave,” Michael recalls. “His oxygen levels just ...

“I See You”: A note to the unappreciated mom

I’ve been home with my non-covid sick son this week. One day, he wanted to make himself some lunch, so he put some tomato soup and some milk in a saucepan, turned the heat on high, and left the kitchen. I moved quickly to the kitchen when I heard the soup boiling over on the stove. I cleaned up the mess (he was sick or he would have done it), and it got me thinking. Here is this mess, which nobody saw, that I would clean up, which also nobody would see. It made me think of my mom, who has always kept a spotless house. How many messes has she thanklessly cleaned? How many days, years, has she spent cleaning and tidying, cooking and dusting, scrubbing and washing and ironing, with little to no appreciation and acknowledgment? How many other parents are out there, doing the same thing? I wond...

What do you wish people knew about your mental illness?

A few weeks ago, we interviewed Heidi Bartle, a Colorado mom with depression about her bipolar disorder, about her beautiful children’s book “When Mommy is Sad.”  And then on social media, we recently saw the question “What do you wish people knew about your mental illness?” The responses have a common theme: that no two people’s story is the same. Here is a sampling: That depression is real, and it’s not a choice to not be happy. Some just have unrealistic expectations for what we can do or want to do and it’s impossible alone to do it all. That sometimes you can’t just “choose” to be happy. That no matter how much work we put into it, it doesn’t go away. Therapy can’t erase trauma. Just because I’m getting help or taking medicati...

Surviving my son’s suicide: A Denver mom’s story

Mother of four Peggy Green has known loss. The Denver mom’s daughter passed away at 9 months old. And her son Connor died by suicide in 2018. She has since dedicated herself to sharing her journey of grief in hopes of helping others. Peggy’s first book, Life After Child Loss: The Mother’s Survival Guide to Cope and Find Joy, is an Amazon bestseller. She has written a second book, Survive Your Child’s Suicide: How to Move through Grief to Healing. Please tell us about Connor Connor died by suicide in 2018. His death was a surprise. He was 24 and working a new job, moved into a house with some friends and seemed happy. I found out after his death that he was struggling financially and having difficulty in a relationship. I wondered how I would make it. I made it through Cour...