People have tattooed their bodies for thousands of years. But with the dramatic growth of tattoos and piercings among teens and young adults, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued its first clinical report on the practices. Dr. Jessica Castonguay of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Akron Children’s explains why the guidelines are needed […]
Patient Stories
New “Ball Machine” Bounces Its Way into the Beeghly Campus Expansion
Walking past the Welcome Center on the 1st floor of the new Beeghly campus expansion, don’t be surprised if you start hearing clicks, pops and clangs. Those are the sounds of the ball machine – an ingenious audio-kinetic sculpture that’s become a hallmark of Akron Children’s. The artist, George Rhoads, is well-known for creating these […]
Grappling with your teen’s phone addiction
The world can be a lonely place without a cellphone. So lonely that some kids have trouble being by themselves or connecting with the world without a screen and touch pad. “With most teens, you can’t separate them from their phones,” said Dr. Sumru Bilge-Johnson, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Akron Children’s. “Children and teens, […]
It Takes a Team to Treat the Triad
The female athlete triad. It may sound like an Olympic event, but it’s the connection of menstrual problems, low energy and decreased bone density. It’s a rather common problem among young women who play sports. “Energy availability has a huge impact on your body,” said Julie Kerr, MD, who treats sports medicine patients at Akron […]
Gallstones in Kids a Growing Concern
Just as the incidence of kidney stones in kids is on the rise, more children and teens are also developing gallstones. In both cases, the problem is largely diet related. With gallstones, the solution is usually surgery to remove the gallbladder, a small, pear-shaped pouch in the upper right abdomen. “It’s absolutely on the rise, […]
Kids and Diabetes: Snack Hacks to Reverse Your Child’s Low Blood Sugar
Diabetes can be full of ups and downs – literally. While blood glucose levels can rise, they also can come crashing down. And when they go down too low, your child may experience low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. If this serious condition is not treated, it can worsen and cause your child to pass out. […]
