Expanding behavioral health care remains a top priority for Akron Children’s. In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health in response to rising rates of childhood mental health concerns, including suicide, a leading […]
Sensory rooms and mobile sensory carts help create a calming patient environment
A visit to the hospital can be a stressful and overwhelming experience for any child, especially for those with autism spectrum disorder, neurodevelopmental disorders or behavioral health disorders. To help ease their anxieties and create a more positive patient experience, Akron Children’s has sensory rooms on both our Akron and Beeghly campuses. In Akron, the […]
Welcome Eva Szigethy, MD, PhD, Lois C. Orr Endowed Chair in Pediatric Psychiatry
This spring, Eva Szigethy, MD, PhD, joined Akron Children’s as the new Lois C. Orr Endowed Chair in Pediatric Psychiatry and director of Pediatric Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. Her arrival comes at a critical juncture as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Office of the U.S. Surgeon […]
Does your child struggle to sit still and listen? Find out if it could be ADHD
At times, all kids have trouble paying attention, listening, sitting still or waiting their turn. But for kids who have ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), they have trouble with these things almost all the time. ADHD is a brain disorder that can affect a child’s attention and self-control, and therefore, they have a harder time staying focused. […]
New behavioral health centers now serving patients close to home
As we continue to prioritize pediatric mental and behavioral health in the communities we serve, our newest behavioral health centers in Canton and Mansfield are now open. Our first regional behavioral health center opened in Boardman in 2019. These facilities bring most of the pediatric behavioral health services available at our Akron campus close to […]
9 Ways to help children manage anxiety about returning to school
An Akron Children’s child psychiatrist said a common misnomer about kids who experience school anxiety is that they don’t like school. “It’s important for parents to know that most children who have school anxiety actually like school!” said Dr. Laura Markley, medical director, Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry. “The fearsome part for many children is being away from […]













