Richland Pediatrics

08/18/2025

🍎Back to School = Back to Lunch Packing! Make school lunches count by including 3 – 5 food groups to keep kids energized and focused throughout the day. Need inspiration? We’ve got you covered with easy, balanced lunch ideas!🥪

08/15/2025

New Parents: Do you know how to create a safe sleep environment for your child? Check out our infographic below and follow these tips. Every baby. Every sleep.

08/13/2025

Kindergarten hearing screenings are a key part of your child’s school readiness. They help experts detect early signs of hearing loss, so kids can start the year ready to learn and thrive. Here’s what you and your child can expect.👂

08/12/2025

🦋 Meet Sarah and hear about her career growth! She started at Nationwide Children’s Hospital 18 years ago as a radiographer assistant and is now in a radiology operations manager role.

08/11/2025

👋 Meet Luke.

Shortly after their 20-week anatomy ultrasound, Mallory and Jay learned that something was wrong with the development of their unborn son, Luke’s, heart. An echocardiogram, or ECHO, confirmed the presence of an abnormality and they were referred to The Fetal Center at Nationwide Children’s. At 22-weeks’ gestation, they learned that their son had Ebstein’s anomaly, a rare and severe heart defect where one of the heart’s valves does not form correctly. Luke’s case of Ebstein’s anomaly was so severe that the doctors weren’t sure how much longer he had, even in the womb. Mallory and Jay were devastated but they held onto the hope that their baby would be okay.

For the rest of her pregnancy, Mallory had weekly ultrasounds to monitor for any signs of heart failure. She began seeing Karen Texter, MD, director of Fetal Echocardiography at The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s. Concerned about potential risks to Luke if she carried to term, Mallory’s medical team decided she should deliver at 37 weeks.

Immediately after birth, Luke was transported to Nationwide Children’s where, at just 4 days old, he underwent his first surgery, a Starnes procedure. Performed by Mark Galantowicz, MD, chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery and co-director of The Heart Center, this procedure closed off the malfunctioning ventricle in Luke’s heart to improve its function. Though scared, Mallory and Jay found comfort in Dr. Galantowicz’s optimism and openness to their questions.

Two and a half weeks after his Starnes procedure, Luke was able to go home. Within days, however, complications from hypothermia and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) brought him back to Nationwide Children’s for another two-week stay. After recovering, Luke began participating in the Home Monitoring Program, which allows parents to track weight and oxygen levels at home to help prevent complications. Each night, Mallory and Jay uploaded Luke’s vitals to an app monitored by Nationwide Children’s healthcare professionals. Additionally, Luke visited the cardiology clinic biweekly for regular check-ups.

Luke’s second surgery took place when he was 6 months old. During this procedure, known as a Glenn, doctors redirected blood from the upper body to Luke’s lungs, reducing the workload of his heart and helping to get more oxygen in his blood. The surgery was a success!

Now, at nearly 2 years old, Luke is walking and talking! He is seen by his team at Nationwide Children’s every three to four months and receives physical therapy at home. When he gets a little older, Luke will have his third heart surgery. In the meantime, Mallory and Jay are enjoying watching Luke grow and thrive.

“Nationwide Children’s has been great,” shares Mallory. “Every doctor on Luke’s team was so supportive. I tell everyone that Dr. Texter is like family to us.”

Learn more about The Fetal Center at Nationwide Children's: https://bit.ly/3UnvFOf.

08/11/2025

It's August and that means it's time to start thinking about heading back to school! Here are 6️⃣ tips for getting your kids ready for the year ahead: https://bit.ly/3yhMCBC.

Summer has flown by and, seemingly out of nowhere, it's time to prepare the kids to head back to school – a transition that can be tough on caregivers and kids, alike.

08/10/2025

Now is a great time for parents to talk to their kids about how to safely travel to and from school! Whether your child is riding the bus, walking or driving to school, check out these important safety tips: https://bit.ly/4mwuAyX.

08/10/2025

It’s back to school time! And if your child has asthma, there are some things you need to take care of. Check out these tips from our expert!

08/09/2025

Should you seek care at your child's doctor, an Urgent Care or the Emergency Room? Parents: Save the chart below! ⬇️

Find a Nationwide Children's location near you: https://bit.ly/3USQu4C.

08/08/2025

A calm mind is a ready mind! Dr. Cashea Holyfield shares the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. This is a simple, effective way to help kids (and adults!) manage stress and anxiety as they transition into the new school year.

08/08/2025

Kids across the country head back at different times, but no matter when school starts, it’s important to prepare not just with supplies and clothes, but emotionally and mentally, too!

📝 Check out this free back-to-school checklist from the Kids Mental Health Foundation to help reduce stress and support your child’s mental well-being: https://bit.ly/4dp8Dgy.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation is proudly founded by Nationwide Children's Hospital.

08/08/2025

Emergency room visits for tick bites are reaching record levels this summer across the United States. Do you know how to prevent tick bites and what to do if a tick bites you? Check out the video below for everything you need to know about ticks! ⬇️

08/08/2025

New classrooms, new teachers, new grades and new activities can bring about big feelings in kids! Noticing and naming our feelings is an important first step in learning how to cope with difficult emotions.

The experts at Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by Nationwide Children's Hospital, are here to help! Check out their resource library today: https://bit.ly/3LSoIj4.

08/07/2025

Congratulations to the Santiso family on the birth of their quintuplets! 💙💙💙💙💙

08/07/2025

🏆 We are excited to share that Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been recognized on Forbes 2025 list of “America’s Best Employers for Women"! Nationwide Children's was recognized in the top ten among 700 companies based on a survey of 140,000 women working for companies with at least 1,000 employees in the United States.

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital is committed to providing the highest quality and compassionate care to families in all walks of life. Our One Team is the heart of how we provide care. Women represent approximately 80 percent of our workforce and continue to represent the majority of both our professional and management positions. Founded by a group of women volunteers 133 years ago, the hospital continues our mission of care.”- Lorina Wise, chief human resources officer

You can learn more about the Nationwide Children's Hospital team at https://bit.ly/2Ernj0D.

08/07/2025

Back to school means big emotions. But when should you worry? Separation anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive fear of separation from a caregiver that substantially limits a child’s ability to engage in activities.

⬇️ Our expert demonstrates three signs of excessive worries. If your child is exhibiting these behaviors after age 3, talk with your pediatrician or mental health provider.

Learn more about separation anxiety disorder from Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by Nationwide Children's Hospital: https://bit.ly/45G8mow.

08/06/2025

Does your child have Swimmer’s ear or an ear infection?

While both conditions can cause a fever, internal ear pain and decreased hearing, there are several symptoms that are unique to each one! Find out what they are. ⬇️

08/04/2025

Proper fuel and hydration before, during and after exercise is key to getting the most out of your training and optimizing performance.

Check out our healthy hydration tips below and learn more about the importance of fueling your body properly: https://bit.ly/4joz49G

08/02/2025

🎒 Headed out to buy a backpack this weekend? Here are 6️⃣ tips to help you choose the right backpack for your child this school year: https://bit.ly/4c4l5RV.

07/30/2025

Moisture releasing from corn crops is causing intense heat and unbearable humidity. Learn how to know when your child is experiencing signs of illness caused by the warm temperatures. https://bit.ly/4meNPNj

07/28/2025

Let's talk FIBER! Learn more about why it's important and 6 ways to include fiber in everyday meals and snacks ➡️ https://bit.ly/4cqoE5n.

Did you know that most Americans do not meet their recommended fiber intake on a daily basis? Fiber is an essential nutrient found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It contributes to our health in a number of ways.

07/25/2025

Summer is bringing the heat! Here are 5 signs of heat-related illness.

07/22/2025

Learn the 5️⃣ common reasons why kids wet the bed (and what parents can do about it!) https://bit.ly/4b9QJNm

It may be an inconvenience for parents, but bedwetting is a common problem in children. Some children struggle to stay dry throughout the night from the day they are born and others are able to stay dry for several months, or years, and begin wetting th...