Archive Posts

Richard Cantor, MD, director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at Upstate, rolls out a new segment on HealthLink On Air called ‘Peds to Parents’.  We will talk with pediatric professionals from the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital on topics of interest to parents and caregivers.  This segment focuses on how to keep children safe and out of the emergency department as the weather warms, including the usual hazards such as lawn mowers, chemicals and pesticides, bikes, skateboards, and pools.  Read Peds to Parents, a blog from pediatricians at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital to parents.  Safe Kids Upstate NY

In celebration of Child Life Awareness Month, we are joined by Margaret Nellis, manager of the Child Life Program at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.  She reveals an exciting new ‘virtual indoor playground’ that allows children a distraction from being in the hospital, called ‘Eye Play’ – a floor projection system with motion-activated games like hockey, soccer, ball pit, bubbles and playing the piano for single or multiple players.  The Child Life Program helps young patients cope with their fears and anxieties by offering pre-operative sessions and therapeutic activities that are tailored to meet their social, emotional, and developmental needs.

Dr. Karol Kerr, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at the Dr. William J. Waters Center for Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and the Upstate Cancer Center, is receiving a grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation for the second year in a row.  Dr. Kerr talks about the types of patients she sees, and how this grant money will be used to support the multidisciplinary center’s services.  The St Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven and donor-centered charity dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research. 

For more information, or to donate: St. Baldrick’s fundraiser in Syracuse

Fourth year Upstate psychiatry resident Seetha Ramanathan is the co-author of a research study that analyzed data on U.S. teens born during the early 1980s.  Her research found slightly higher rates of adolescent delinquent behaviors in this group, such as smoking, drinking, arrests and thefts, that might possibly be tied to macroeconomic conditions during the first year of life.  

Read the stories:
Babies born during recessions grow up more likely to have drug problems and become involved in crime according to new study
Are recession babies prone to be delinquent teens?

Rev. Louise Tallman, better known as ‘Rev. Weez’, shares her memories as a pediatric chaplain at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital as she prepares to retire.

Rev. Tallman is a certified thanantologist, a Reiki Master/Teacher, and a clinical member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, and has provided spiritual support to pediatric patients, families, staff and volunteers.

Pediatric surgeon Andreas Meier talks about his move to central New York, what makes surgery in children unique, and what it takes to become a pediatric surgeon.

Learn more about the Center for Children’s Surgery at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Pediatric Gastroenterologist Manoochehr Karjoo talks about one of the most dangerous items that young children ingest -  small magnets commonly found in so many children’s toys.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Upstate pediatric neurosurgeon Zulma Tovar-Spinoza is joined by Amanda Griffin from the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital and Rose Walsh from Child Care Solutions, to talk about child safety.  Free bike helmets and car seat safety checks will be available at the Fall Festival and Health Fair at Upstate University Hospital’s Community campus on Sept. 29.  The event will feature free child safety helmets, car seat safety checks, safe kids ID cards, food and entertainment. Read more about Safe Kids Upstate NY.

Dr. Lucy Barbera, new art therapist at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, describes how the arts help children tell their story, since they may not have the words or the vocabulary to express their emotions. A wide variety of developmentally appropriate art media is offered, including but not limited to photography, painting, clay, drawing, weaving, beading, collage making, visual journaling, and play therapy. 
Read more about Art Therapy at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.

 Music therapist Clare Arezina talks about the role of music therapy in the Child Life Program at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital.  Music therapists will assess the patient’s needs, develop a treatment plan using music, and provide music interventions according to the treatment plan.