by James Mandell, MD, CEO on July 31, 2009
I got some great comments and questions about my first Thrive post earlier this week. Below are the comments/questions and my answers to them. Keep your thoughts and ideas coming. This is an incredibly important time in health care and it will take all of our voices, opinions and efforts to make sure we get the health care system we all need and deserve.
Thanks,
Jim
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by Melissa Jeltsen on July 31, 2009
Media expert Michael Rich, MD, MPH, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital Boston answers your questions about media use.
Q: Our family does not have a TV or video game system in our house since my husband and I don’t approve of the shows and games that are out there. Some of my friends tell us that the kids will feel left out of social groups since they won’t know about the shows and characters their friends talk about. What do you think?
TV-Free Family in Burlington, VT
A: Dear TV-Free Family,
There are not a lot of families that go without TV these days, so your friends are likely just shocked that it is actually possible to live without one! Research has not shown any negative effects of growing up without a TV. But here are some things to know about the challenges your kids may experience. [click to continue…]
by Annie Cardi on July 30, 2009
by Annie Cardi on July 29, 2009
Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that children under 16 not operate All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), many children are still riding them—and getting killed or seriously hurt. Between 1982 and 2006, more than 2,000 children were killed in ATV- and off-road motorcycle accidents. Now lawmakers in Massachusetts have the opportunity to regulate children’s ATV activity. [click to continue…]
by James Mandell, MD, CEO on July 28, 2009
I have used print, email, video and in-person communication to provide information about the strategic goals, operations, challenges and accomplishments of Children’s Hospital Boston and its faculty and staff. However, this is my first foray into the blogosphere. I hope it allows me a new opportunity to personally discuss our most important mission, simply stated: “We are here for the kids.” [click to continue…]
by Children's Hospital Boston staff on July 28, 2009
by B. Heidi Ellis, PhD
Recently, there’s been much attention in the media about the Somali youth who have disappeared from Minneapolis and are believed to have been recruited into a terrorist organization based in Somalia, Al-Shabaab. The press has highlighted the potential national security threat posed by these youth joining this organization, which has known ties to Al-Qaeda. While I can’t speak to the level of risk posed by these youth, what I do know is this: For the rest of the Somali community, the media’s relentless focus on the negative is harmful. [click to continue…]
by Claire McCarthy, MD on July 27, 2009
Shots are for little kids, right? Actually, no! People of all ages need vaccines to keep them healthy. Yet, according to a recent National Foundation for Infectious Diseases survey, many people, especially teens and young adults (who often avoid going to the doctor) don’t get the vaccines they need. If you are a teen or young adult (or the parent of one), read about a few things to be aware of: [click to continue…]
Alternative medical practices, such as acupuncture and dietary supplements, have often been relegated to the fringe of established medicine. But some senators are pushing forward 
