Children's Minnesota

Walking pneumonia is a mild form of pneumonia that may just feel like a cold to the average person, but it can still be a serious infection for people with pre-existing conditions. Dr. Chase Shutak, pediatrician, discusses the rise of walking pneumonia cases, treatment reccomendations and more.

Minnesota sees COVID-19 lull this fall, pneumonia in kids Health Department has been consulting with schools, long-term care facilities on prevention strategies amid national report of more walking pneumonia.

There are many myths surrounding gender health care. Here are six things you should know about this care from Dr. Kade Goepferd, chief education officer and medical director of our Gender Health program.

The kid experts on our gender health team are committed to providing researched-based, compassionate care for all kids.💙

Much of what you hear about essential health care for transgender and gender-diverse youth doesn’t line up with reality. Here are six essential facts about this life-saving care. There are many myths about essential health care for transgender youth. Here are six things you should know about this life-saving care.

Happy Halloween! Our NICU patients are celebrating with some fa-boo-lous costumes.👻🔮

Thank you to our team for putting this together and bringing joy to our patient families.💙

Thank you to Valerie and her family, who organized a cookout in September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and raised $2,200 for our cancer and blood disorders program. Proceeds will be directed to help patients like Valerie.💙

"This event was not just about raising money — it was about standing with these children, showing them they are not alone, and offering them strength and hope for the future. Together, we made a meaningful impact in the lives of these brave young fighters," her mom shared.

It was a spook-tacular time!👻🎃 Thank you to the Minnesota Vikings players, staff and volunteers for stopping by our hospitals to hand out candy and celebrate Halloween with our patient families.

Our St. Paul NICU patients even got to celebrate with costumes sponsored by the Vikings!

The winter and shorter days can bring on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for both kids and adults. Dr. Gigi Chawla, chief of general pediatrics, shares advice for battling SAD and symptoms to look out for.

Tips for dealing with kids' seasonal affective disorder as winter looms Dr. Gigi Chawla, of Children's Minnesota, shares some advice for dealing with the oncoming winter weather and shorter days.

We’re hiring sterile processing techs! Applicants can expect to perform tasks associated with the reprocessing of reusable instruments, supplies, equipment and more. Apply to join our team today: https://bit.ly/4e4Oz33

Our Asian employee resource group hosted festive table displays in celebration of Diwali for people to stop by to make paper blossoms and learn more about the holiday. We wish everyone celebrating a happy and blessed Diwali! 🪔✨

For our 100th anniversary, we're sharing stories from our archives. We're continuing with the 1990s. This is when our two hospitals, each with their own distinct origins, cultures and staffs, merged to become one health system. The 1990s also saw a successful separation that made for some heartwarming headlines.

🕒Jump back in time and read more: https://bit.ly/3YFpJT4

There has been a rise in bacterial pneumonia in young children between the ages 2-4. Dr. Liz Placzek, pediatrician, discusses the rise of cases, symptoms and treatment.

Bacterial pneumonia in young children on the rise in Minnesota An important message for parents, doctors are warning against an unusually high numbers of cases of a respiratory illness – especially in young children.

Children’s Minnesota had the honor of hosting 6-year-old Brielle and her family as they unveiled Brielle’s portrait from Beyond the Diagnosis, a traveling art exhibit aimed at raising awareness of children living with rare diseases. Brielle was diagnosed with Beck-Fahrner syndrome, a genetic disorder first identified in 2020. Read more: https://www.childrensmn.org/blog/portrait-of-6-year-old-girl-living-with-rare-disease-unveiled-at-childrens-minnesota/

Employee resource groups (ERGs) are crucial to building a welcoming and supportive atmosphere at work. James Burroughs, SVP, government and community relations, chief equity and inclusion officer, discusses the importance of ERGs and the upcoming Children's Minnesota Employee Resource Group Leadership Summit.

How can an Employee Resource Group affect your workplace? Children's Minnesota is spotlighting these groups as important for a welcoming work environment.

Kang, polysomnography technologist and respiratory therapist, has been working at Children’s Minnesota for 11 years now. For National Respiratory Care Week, she is sharing more about her career and what inspires her to do what she does.

We’re hiring respiratory therapists! Apply to join us and take on truly life-changing work — and be part of a 100-year-strong health system that believes in rewarding talent, experience and devotion: https://bit.ly/3Ac8AqE

On Monday, Jajuan Robinson, a 3-year-old boy, died when he got hold of a loaded gun, and it went off. Dr. Marc Gorelick, president and CEO of Children’s Minnesota, shares three simple things parents and gun owners can do to keep kids safe from guns.

In the news: Three simple things we can do to prevent another child from dying from a gun. The death of a Minneapolis toddler highlights the urgent need for gun safety in the home. Here are three simple steps to keep children safe.

Meet Nicole, a respiratory care unit educator. For Respiratory Care Week, she is sharing more about her career and why she chose to work in pediatrics.

Respiratory care unit educator shares her career experience at Children's Minnesota To celebrate Respiratory Care Week, we are excited to introduce you to Nicole Shenett, respiratory care unit educator. Nicole has been a respiratory therapist at Children’s Minnesota since 2018, and this year took on the very important role of co-educator for Med/Surg and the emergency department ...

Meet Paul and Minnie, the newest kid experts at Children’s Minnesota!🤖 Once their training is complete, they will begin working in our respiratory department to help care for patients with asthma.

Some of the things Paul and Minnie will be able to do are walk patients through breathing exercises, help create asthma action plans and dance to distract patients while they’re getting a nebulizer treatment.

TikTok · Children’s Minnesota Check out Children’s Minnesota’s video.

Nailed it!🔨🚧 Thank you to McGough for hosting a construction party at Children’s Minnesota. Our patients got to decorate hard hats and build their own toys while enjoying ice cream.

Whooping cough cases are on the rise in Minnesota in babies and teens. Learn the symptoms of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, how you can prevent it and what to do if you think your child or teen has it.

Pertussis: What is it? How can I prevent my child or teen from getting it? Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a serious disease that can be deadly to infants. Find out what it is and how you can protect your child from getting it.

Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance and make treating infections harder. Dr. Gigi Chawla, chief of general pediatrics, discusses antibiotics resistance and how families can safely use antibiotics.

Should parents be concerned about antibiotic resistance? Dr. Gigi Chawla, chief of general pediatrics at Children’s Minnesota, talks about how families can safely use antibiotics.

Thirty of our caregivers from our cancer and blood disorders program were recognized during halftime at the Minnesota Vikings Crucial Catch game on Sunday!💜💛They were celebrated for their expert care and dedication to our patients and families. Thank you kid experts and Vikings!

The NFL's Crucial Catch mission is to fight cancer through early detection and risk reduction.

Suhayla has faced many challenges since she was diagnosed with cancer in May 2023. But the 19-year-old’s journey through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation has been a testament to her strength and the expert care provided by the cancer and blood disorders team at Children’s Minnesota.

Read Suhayla’s inspiring story of strength and determination: https://bit.ly/4dVFbP5

Black and white photo credit: Flashes of Hope / Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Here to debunk the myths surrounding gender affirming care is Dr. Kade Goepferd, chief education officer and medical director of our Gender Health program. Learn more about what gender affirming care is (and what it isn't) and how it can help kids.
https://bit.ly/3YAxVnD

"Encouraging the reading between parents and caregivers and children really promotes bonding and mental health and sets kids up for a full lifetime of learning." Dr. Gigi Chawla, chief of general pediatrics, shares more about the importance of reading with your kids.

Why books are now a vital part of children’s check-ups At over 300 clinics in Minnesota, children’s healthcare providers are handing out brand-new books as a part of the well-child visit. While many of us might not associate children’s books with the doctor’s office, medical professionals all across the country insist that books have become an ind...

At their 16-week appointment, Erin and Andy found out their twins had a life-threatening diagnosis of twin to twin transfusion syndrome. This condition required expert fetal intervention, which they found at the Midwest Fetal Care Center (MWFCC). Thanks to the dedicated care of the specialists, their twins, Axel and Barrett, are now thriving and started kindergarten this year!💙

The MWFCC is a partnership between Allina Health and Children's Minnesota. Read their inspiring story: https://bit.ly/4hfnxsz