Hand In Hand Pediatrics

What do you do when you hear your child say, "I think I'm going to throw up”?

Nausea is a very uncomfortable feeling that no one enjoys! Learn the most common causes of nausea and what you can do to help your child: https://bit.ly/4d2tEhK

Common Causes of Nausea I don't know about you, but there are few things that send chills down my spine like hearing my kids say,

As a certified child life specialist at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Mackenzie is dedicated to helping children and families navigate some of life's most challenging moments. Inspired by a passion for working with youth and advocating for families, she found her calling in child life, where she empowers patients through individualized support, education and coping strategies.

In her role, Mackenzie creates a customized coping plan, helps a child regain a sense of control or ensures a family's voice is heard. In every interaction, she leads with compassion and intention, using a trauma-informed approach to help ease fears, build trust and celebrate each milestone along the journey.

For Mackenzie, supporting emotional safety means tailoring care to each child's unique needs and partnering with families throughout their journey. Because what matters most to a family, matters most to us.

At Nationwide Children's, your everything is our everything™. Read more about our commitment to patients and their families in the link in our comments.

🦋 We are so excited to introduce our Mile Champions who will be cheering you on during miles 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon and 1/2 Marathon!

Taking place on Sunday, October 18, The Columbus Marathon is the most meaningful marathon in the country. Our incredible current and former patients line 24 of the 26 miles of the race and will be cheering you on!

Be sure to tune in next Sunday when we introduce our final four 2026 Mile Champions and show your support by donating or becoming a Children's Champion: https://bit.ly/4kyhqjw.

Meet Everleigh!

When Everleigh woke up one morning with pain in her armpits and throat, and it hurt when she peed, her parents thought she might have strep or a UTI. But when they noticed the skin in her armpits was peeling, they knew something more was going on.

They brought Everleigh to Nationwide Children’s, where she tested negative for both a UTI and strep. After evaluating her, the care team admitted her to treat her severe skin condition.

For the next few days, Everleigh received IV antibiotics and pain medication while her care team treated her skin and wounds. And while it was a scary and unexpected time, the doctors, nurses and everyone who cared for Everleigh made sure she had plenty of reasons to smile.

Between cards, gifts and surprises from the hospital gift shop, she felt incredibly loved. Before long, she was showing everyone her competitive side by becoming the unofficial Uno champ on her floor.

Soon Everleigh was back home resting and healing, but those few days left a lasting impact on Everleigh and her family.

“A very special thank you to everyone at Nationwide Children’s who took such amazing care of our girl,” shares Everleigh’s mom. “You made an incredibly scary situation a little easier for our family, and the kindness, patience, and compassion you showed our sweet girl will never be forgotten.”

🦋 Is there an outstanding employee, healthcare provider or department at Nationwide Children's that has made a difference in your child's life? Nominate them for the Partners in Care, Partners in Hope Award of Excellence in Family Centered Care!

Complete the nomination form on our website by November 1, 2026: https://bit.ly/42PTToc

During National Healthy Lung Month, we're celebrating leaders like Dr. Benjamin Kopp who are driving clinical excellence, groundbreaking research and collaboration across disciplines to improve the health and well-being of children with pulmonary conditions.

👻 Say 'BOO' to the flu this viral season by getting your annual flu shot!

The flu vaccine is particularly important for children who are more likely to get very sick from the flu. It also helps when family and close friends get vaccinated too. Having everyone in a child’s circle vaccinated helps reduce the risk of spreading!

Meet Evan! At Nationwide Children's, your everything is our everything and we are here for every step of your family's health journey. For Evan and his family that journey began on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

That morning, 4-1/2-year-old Evan woke up dizzy and unable to walk. For the last week, Evan had been feeling ill, vomiting periodically and becoming increasingly fatigued. The dizziness was the last straw. Worried, his parents, Sam and Ian, took him to the emergency department.

There, a CT revealed a mass in his brain.

That afternoon, Evan was admitted to Nationwide Children’s. On Sunday morning, he underwent an hour-long MRI to further investigate the mass. The result: it was a cancerous tumor the size of a billiard ball. It was pressing on his brainstem and keeping fluid from draining normally from his brain. Evan needed surgery as soon as possible.

The following Tuesday, Evan underwent brain surgery to remove the tumor. The doctors had told Sam and Ian what to expect as he recovered, but it was difficult to see their little boy unable to move, let alone speak. “In a heartbeat, everything changed,” his father Ian said. “He can’t walk. He can’t talk, all within the space of a couple days. … Everything happened so fast.”

But the Nationwide Children’s team supported the family at every step. After the surgery, Evan spent 10 days in the pediatric intensive care unit due to brain swelling and high blood pressure. One night, when doctors came in at 4 a.m. to adjust Evan’s medication, Ian wanted to know what was happening. They sat down with him, showed him charts and explained why they were making medication changes. “They didn’t dismiss us. They didn’t talk at us. They told us we were the most important part of our son’s care team, and we felt that,” Ian said.

When Evan’s blood pressure came down and the brain swelling subsided, he returned to his room on the neurology floor, which had been decorated by the nurses for his arrival. The nurses and doctors spent time with him every day during his two and a half months as an inpatient, even traveling to his daily radiation therapy with him. His surgeon encouraged Sam and Ian to let Evan watch his favorite cartoons, which unlocked a new milestone: Evan laughed for the first time since the surgery. The family felt real hope.

Today, Evan is home. While he will be receiving chemotherapy for the next 10 months and receives physical, occupational and speech therapy every week, he’s also busy getting back to being a typical 5-year-old. He loves to ride his bike, go to the pool, play with his little brother and watch hamster videos. Sam and Ian are hopeful that his recovery will continue to go well and are grateful to the Nationwide Children’s team. “Having Nationwide Children’s in our backyard, it’s been huge,” his mother Sam said. “Because we would’ve moved. We would’ve moved anywhere in the country to get him the best care. We didn’t have to.” Ian agreed. “We’ve absolutely made the right choice in staying at Nationwide Children’s.”

Watch as Evan and his parent's share more about his journey and learn about our commitment to patients and families at the link below.

Room sharing (NOT bed sharing) with your baby for the first 6 months can reduce the risk of SIDS by 50%. Follow the ABCs of - Alone, Back, Crib. Every baby. Every sleep.

Is it time to move your child to a front-facing car seat? Here's everything you need to know: https://bit.ly/49ROOww

Image description: Small child sitting in purple car sear with big white sunglasses on and staring at the camera making a funny face.

Front-Facing Car Seats: Is Your Child Ready? Why is it important to keep your child rear facing as long as possible? Carrie Rhodes, Passenger Safety Program Coordinator at Nationwide Children's Hospital answers this question and provides recommendations on how to determine if your child is ready f...

The United States has seen a steady increase in food recalls this year which has left many asking, what IS safe to eat? Experts share why food is recalled and six things you can do at home to keep your family safe.

👏 Take a moment to celebrate the incredible kids in your life and let them know how proud of them you are. What are some words and phrases you use to encourage the kids in your life? Share with us in the comments below!

Safe storage saves live. Be sure to store medications safely by keeping them up, away and out of sight from children and teens. Join us in spreading awareness and protecting our communities.

Can kids get kidney stones? Yes! Read about the 5 most common causes of kidney stones and how they are treated in children: https://bit.ly/4g1xXeT.

A Verizon and AT&T outage is impacting inbound calls. Work is underway to restore service. Families can utilize direct email addresses or consider using MyChart to send messages.

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Here are 8️⃣ ways to improve a child's self-esteem and curb childhood obesity: https://bit.ly/3JVahxi.

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Image description: Two kids and two adults sit around a table with food on it. They are eating, talking to each other and smiling.

8 Ways to Improve a Child's Self-Esteem and Curb Childhood Obesity As a pediatric obesity psychologist, I encounter kids and teens with low self-esteem almost daily. What is often looked over is the interaction between self-esteem, mood and emotional eating.