We believe we can change the future of Louisiana through coordinated care among parents, providers and kids. The United States is facing a major public health crisis—an epidemic of obesity among children and teenagers. In Louisiana, the problem is especially serious, as the state is sixth in the country for childhood obesity. One in seven children…
Learn what’s normal and what’s not with your adolescent’s mood swings. From the preteen beginnings of puberty to high school acting out, most adolescents experience wild mood swings as their bodies grow and change. “Irritability is normal in teens, especially as they’re growing and maturing,” says Reuben Battley, MD, an adolescent medicine specialist at Our Lady…
Although a Pap smear is no one’s idea of a good time, women who make it part of their annual routine can keep themselves healthier longer, and cervical cancer can be detected before it spreads. After not having a well woman exam for 10 years, Anita Ewing made an appointment with May S. Thomassee, MD,…
Ear, nose and throat specialists can help your child with everything from ear infections to snoring. You’ve more than likely taken your child to the doctor at least once for an ear infection. In fact, ear infections are so common that they rank as the number one reason parents make pediatric appointments. Other ear, nose…
Antibiotics are a powerful tool for fighting infection in adults and children, but thinking you or your child needs an antibiotic to knock out every infection isn’t only unwise, it can be bad for your health. Antibiotics don’t work on viruses, for example. So, they’re ineffective when it comes to the flu, the common cold,…
It wouldn’t be a spoiler to tell you that in the very first episode of the HBO series Succession, the CEO of a major media corporation suffers a serious health scare that threatens to upend his company. That medical emergency sets off all manner of corporate chess games, alliances and backstabbing as his adult children…
This painless, easily accessed test costs only $100 and just may save your life. Dr. R. Chance DeWitt, a Cardiovascular and Thoracic surgeon with Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital in Lafayette, shares more about calcium score tests. It almost seems Cajuns, Creoles and heart disease go together like rice and gravy. You would be…
Delicious food that’s good for your heart health also can be easy to prepare. If you’re looking for inspiration, you’ve found it! Louisa Whitmire, RDN, LDN, health coach and dietitian at St. Dominic Hospital, shares suggestions for each meal of the day, but don’t limit yourself. Any of these recipes would be great to eat…
Now your doctor is in your pocket. Telemedicine is a form of online communication used to provide patient care. It’s a simple, effective way to offer patients care without exposing them to others with potentially contagious conditions. It also allows for patients in far-away areas to receive care without leaving their homes. For these reasons…
Exciting developments that are making your hospital stay more comfortable. When your only experience with the hospital is visiting the emergency room because your child fell and broke a bone, it’s easy to forget that many children don’t get to leave the hospital within a few hours or even the same day. Some stay for…
When Lucy Richard was diagnosed with leukemia, oncology specialists with Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health helped her family find hope. It was the kind of news that every parent dreads. At the tender age of 3, Lucy Richard of Church Point, Louisiana, was living life as any other healthy and vibrant little girl—with…
Kids are always growing and exercise can help them grow strong. But can too much running be dangerous for them?
Specialized care designed with kids in mind. Kids play hard and sometimes fall hard. It only takes one crash on a bicycle or a stumble on the soccer field to break a bone. Other children may be born with a limb deformity or neuromuscular condition that requires orthopedic intervention at an early age. One…
Keep the rhythm of their active hearts beating and consider a heart screening as part of young athletes’ annual clearance for competition. Albert Gutierrez, MD, pediatric cardiologist in Lafayette with Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital, helps us understand why parents should consider having their student-athletes receive a heart evaluation. One Screening Model…
Getting outside for some fresh air and activity as a family may be just what the doctor ordered, literally. Katie Queen, MD, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health pediatrician, certified in pediatric obesity medicine and medical director at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Weight & Nutrition Center, says regular outdoor family exercise…
At only 9 years old, Vaundy Clarke has overcome a variety of health challenges—including a congenital heart defect, bacterial overgrowth syndrome and problems with her immune system—to lead a healthy and active life. Clarke’s family found out about her congenital heart defect when she was born. Such defects can often be discovered at a 20-week…
“If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” This quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a favorite of Ranada Johnson, MD, who has been a hospital medicine physician in our health system for…
Never burn bridges and treat people the way you want to be treated. That advice has served Kimaka Jones, RN, well throughout her 19-year nursing career with our St. Francis ministry. A registered nurse, Kimaka is the nursing supervisor for the 3rd Medical Surgical unit. “I became a nurse because I have always wanted to…