UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh If You Have Kids, Be Glad You Have Children's. By posting on this site, you assume any risks created by your sharing such information.

Please be aware that information, including patient or health information, that you post on this site is generally viewable by others. UPMC disclaims any obligations under federal or state health privacy laws for information contained in such posts. Every patient’s treatment experience is unique. An individual’s treatment outcome will depend on his or her personal circumstances, including age, gen

eral health, lifestyle, type and severity of disease, and other factors. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. For urgent referrals, please contact UPMC’s 24-hour physician referral service by calling 1-800-544-2500

Did you know? Contact lenses can be a safe and effective vision correction option for children—but only when used correc...
08/21/2025

Did you know? Contact lenses can be a safe and effective vision correction option for children—but only when used correctly! Here are some guidelines for using contacts safely:

- Hygiene is everything – Always wash hands before touching lenses.
- No sleeping in lenses.
- Replace lenses as directed – Don't stretch usage!
- No sharing lenses – Ever!
- Watch for redness or discomfort – When in doubt, take them out!

Regular checkups with an eye care professional are a must to keep young eyes safe and healthy.

At UPMC Children’s, the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus, and Adult Motility team provides examination, diagnosis, and treatment for a wide range of eye and vision system disorders in children. We’re here to keep your child’s eyes healthy!

Did you know that the brain learns to see in the first eight years of life? Starting vision tests early is crucial to en...
08/20/2025

Did you know that the brain learns to see in the first eight years of life? Starting vision tests early is crucial to ensure healthy eyes for your child. In this segment, Dr. Ken Nischal, chief of the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at UPMC Children’s, discusses how undetected eye issues can impact learning and lead to lifelong problems.

Watch now: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/video/talking-to-a-pediatric-optometrist-about-how-to-catch-vision-issues-with-your-kids-early/

KDKA-TV | CBS Pittsburgh

For National Breastfeeding Month, we are highlighting one of our amazing lactation consultants, Rebecca Williamson, RNC-...
08/17/2025

For National Breastfeeding Month, we are highlighting one of our amazing lactation consultants, Rebecca Williamson, RNC-OB, IBCLC, LCCE.

In addition to being a full-time labor and delivery nurse, Rebecca works at UPMC Children’s part time as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

“I always say that this is my fun job because I love what I do here, and this is my work family. I love being a part of the breastfeeding journey for my patients.”

Rebecca has been passionate about the importance of breastfeeding and lactation support for more than 17 years with her interest beginning while she was pregnant with her daughter, Mazie.

“When I was in nursing school, I was pregnant with my daughter. After she was born, they handed her to me and asked if I wanted to breastfeed her. I said yes and they gave her to me and left the room. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing.”

Rebecca recalls the difficulties of returning home with her newborn baby without any direction or lactation support.

“By the time I was discharged and got home, I was crying, Mazie was crying, and it was awful. One day, I thought my sister Kim was coming over to bring me formula, but she instead helped me get Mazie to latch.”

With the help of her sister, Rebecca describes her breastfeeding journey with Mazie as wonderful. She went on to breastfeed her other two sons as well.

“From my experience with Mazie, I never wanted another woman to feel the way that I felt, so I became a lactation consultant.”

At UPMC Children’s, Rebecca is dedicated to providing compassionate lactation support to new mothers. She shares the importance of breastfeeding support services from her perspective.

“Early intervention is key when it comes to our NICU population. Starting our moms off with skin-to-skin contact, pumping and breastfeeding, and learning to read their infant’s feeding cues is so important. I always tell my mommas that it’s one feed or pump at a time. Our parents can be scared, so if I can bring a smile to mom’s face, then I have done my job.”

With summer winding down and the school year approaching, it’s common for children to experience anxiety or stress. UPMC...
08/14/2025

With summer winding down and the school year approaching, it’s common for children to experience anxiety or stress. UPMC Children’s provides support to children and adolescents who are experiencing back-to-school anxiety through our Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic. Located at our hospital in Pittsburgh, children and teens, alongside a parent or guardian, can walk in and receive same-day care for non-urgent behavioral health concerns from our therapists. We are here to help your child go into the school year as comfortable and confident as possible!

You can reserve a spot ahead of your visit on our website: https://go.upmc.com/1769Zh0Wh

Last week, Hyundai Hope On Wheels and Pittsburgh-area Hyundai dealers awarded $800,000 to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pi...
08/11/2025

Last week, Hyundai Hope On Wheels and Pittsburgh-area Hyundai dealers awarded $800,000 to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to support pediatric cancer research — bringing their total contributions to over $5 million since 2004. The grants will fund groundbreaking work by Dr. Lisa Maurer, Dr. Jenny Ruiz, and the Lemieux Institute for Pediatric Cancer Research. Thank you, Hyundai, for helping to fund a future without pediatric cancer. Visit the link in the comments to learn how you can support pediatric cancer research at UPMC Children’s.

During her first ultrasound appointment, Lauren received shocking news. Her doctor told her that her baby boy, Ajax, was...
08/11/2025

During her first ultrasound appointment, Lauren received shocking news. Her doctor told her that her baby boy, Ajax, was diagnosed with double outlet right ventricle, a congenital heart defect that affects the body’s blood flow and oxygen levels.

Shortly after Ajax was born, he was taken to UPMC Children’s to be monitored by the Heart Institute team. At one week old, Ajax underwent the first of three procedures to fix his heart. He stayed in the hospital for the next four months to await his second surgery. After recovery, Ajax’s parents finally took their son home and continued to see the team at UPMC Children’s for follow-up care. When he was two and a half, Ajax had his final open heart procedure.

At one of his hospital visits, Ajax picked out a stuffed animal from the gift shop. He chose Brown Puppy, a new companion that instantly became Ajax’s best friend. Brown Puppy stays by Ajax’s side through it all – from bedtime snuggles to a recent cath lab visit with Sara Trucco, MD.

Are you aware of the serious eye injury risk associated with popular projectile-firing toys like Nerf guns and Orbeez bl...
08/09/2025

Are you aware of the serious eye injury risk associated with popular projectile-firing toys like Nerf guns and Orbeez blasters? While they may seem harmless, these toys can cause significant damage to your child’s eyes, including corneal abrasions, internal bleeding, and even permanent vision loss. Studies show a worrying increase in eye injuries from foam dart blasters, with some even resulting in blindness.

Our team of experts at UPMC Children’s urges caution, recommending parents consider avoiding these toys, but if they do allow them, ensure everyone wears appropriate eye protection, such as ballistic goggles. It’s important to always prioritize safety to keep your children's eyes healthy and protect their precious sight.

In case you missed it, our 14th and final unWINEd raised $149,739 for UPMC Children’s! Over the last 14 years, unWINEd h...
08/08/2025

In case you missed it, our 14th and final unWINEd raised $149,739 for UPMC Children’s! Over the last 14 years, unWINEd has raised just shy of $2 million for the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. There is still time to help reach this milestone and be a part of this incredible achievement benefiting patients with cancer at UPMC Children’s. Give today at http://unwined2025.givesmart.com

08/08/2025

Back to school can come with anxiety and stress, especially for teens who are navigating conflict with friends, their first romantic relationships, and sports and extracurriculars. In this segment, Dr. Chelsea Grefe McCann, program director of the Behavioral Science Division at UPMC Children's, shares tips on how to help your child relieve anxiety and head into the school year feeling confident and prepared.

UPMC Children's is here to help support you and your child during the back-to-school transition with our behavioral health walk-in clinic at our hospital in Pittsburgh. To learn more or to schedule a same-day appointment, visit our website: https://go.upmc.com/1740fWWnw.

The 14th and final unWINEd is Tuesday, August 5 - but bidding for the silent auction is LIVE RIGHT NOW. Check out the av...
07/31/2025

The 14th and final unWINEd is Tuesday, August 5 - but bidding for the silent auction is LIVE RIGHT NOW. Check out the available items and place a bid at https://e.givesmart.com/events/HYa/i/. All proceeds support to the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapies at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

UPMC Children's Hospital of PIttsburgh has been recognized as a Cardiomyopathy Center of Care by the Children’s Cardiomy...
07/31/2025

UPMC Children's Hospital of PIttsburgh has been recognized as a Cardiomyopathy Center of Care by the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation, a national nonprofit focused on pediatric cardiomyopathy. This recognition was based on the Heart Institute at UPMC Children's excellence in diagnosing and treating children with all forms of cardiomyopathy.

Pediatric cardiomyopathy is a chronic and potentially life-threatening heart disease that affects how the heart pumps blood through the body. The Heart Transplant Program at UPMC Children's has one of the most active children's transplant centers in the country and continue to be pioneers in the field.

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1 Childrens Hospital Drive
Pittsburgh, PA
15224

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