Inside Pediatrics

Think tweens and teens are hard to figure out? They may be impulsive and unpredictable, but they are also full of hope and possibilities. Meet a couple of doctors at Children's of Alabama who are passionate about all things "adolescent." Doctors Tamera Coyne-Beasley and Nefertiti Durant lead a team of healthcare professionals at the William A. Daniel, Jr. Adolescent Health Center who are committed...

It's the leading cause of hearing loss (non-genetic) among newborn babies, but more than 91% of women don't even know about CMV (Cytomegalovirus). Once a pregnant woman acquires CMV, there's a 1 in 3 chance she will pass it to her unborn child. We're talking about a common virus that's all around us, but to the unborn baby, it can be debilitating, and even deadly. Drs. Karen Fowler and Shannon Ros...

The PIRC (Psychiatric Intake Response Center) at Children's is one-year strong, and has helped hundreds of callers in Alabama navigate the mental health system for children and teens. Born out of the need for guidance and direction when access to care can be a challenge, the PIRC is staffed by licensed counselors trained to help triage a caller's situation and recommend the next step. The staff ha...

Children's Hospital of Alabama's unique partnership with Lakeshore Foundation includes a new facility on the Lakeshore campus. The extension of services for patients offers physician care provided by the UAB Division of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine and therapy provided by Children's of Alabama's physical, occupational, and speech therapists. The added benefit is a physical connection and an i...

For a child on the heart transplant list, the wait can be from several weeks, to several months. The Pediatric Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant team at Children's of Alabama is dedicated to keeping the blood pumping and keeping children healthy until a donor arrives. Once a new heart is transplanted, our team boasts a 97 percent survival rate – well over the national rate of 90.2 percent. The...

When in doubt, check it out! The Regional Poison Control Center (RPCC) in Alabama is celebrating its 60th anniversary. As one of the oldest operating poison centers in the nation, specially trained pharmacists and nurses staff the toll free number 24/7, 365 days a year. Director Ann Slattery, DrPH, RN, RPh, DABAT shares helpful tips for parents and caregivers to avoid a trip to the emergency room....

Vape shops selling electronic cigarettes are popping up in strip malls all over the U.S. The colorful, flavored liquid is being marketing to tweens and teens. But what’s really in that liquid? Is it “safer” than traditional cigarettes? What are the dangers, and what can parents tell their children about e-cigarettes that the manufacturers won’t?

September is National Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Dr. Kim Whelan talks about the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders, and its impact on patient care in the state of Alabama and across the country. Together, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Children's of Alabama are one of only 19 sites nationwide to participate in the Children's Oncology G...

Contrary to popular belief, talking about suicide doesn’t make teenagers more apt to attempt suicide. An open dialogue can help tweens and teens work through some of their toughest moments and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Pediatric psychologist Dr. Dan Marullo shares how to recognize depression, how to raise a more resilient child and how important role models can be. Let’s get rid of t...

When a child complains about words “swimming” on the page of a book or feeling dizzy when they stand up or walk down the stairs, it could be a vestibular problem happening deep within the inner ear. Traditionally these vestibular and balance disorders have been a challenge to diagnose. Until now. New testing equipment can help pinpoint the problem and help therapists customize treatment for the pa...

During the month of February, we celebrate Heart Month at Children’s of Alabama by highlighting advancements in care and technology at the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center of Alabama. This partnership between Children’s and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) brings together more than 250 team members who focus solely on the care of children with heart disease. From the time a baby...

Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) is a non-drug treatment administered by occupational therapists at Children’s of Alabama. CBIT consists of three components – training patients to be more aware of their tics, training patients to use “competing behavior” when they feel the urge to tic and making changes to everyday activities to help reduce the occurrence of tics. The CBIT pro...

Oncolytic Virotherapy is a form of immunotherapy that is now being tested on malignant brain tumors in children. Dr. Gregory Friedman is the principal investigator for the first-ever pediatric trial of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV G207) in children with recurrent or progressive brain cancers. The herpes virus, which typically causes cold sores, has been engineered to be safe for normal cells, but can...