Courtney Mann, MD, is Medical Director of WakeMed Children’s Emergency Department.
The dangers of a pool cannot be underestimated for children. And, this danger necessitates a whole new level of adult supervision, because a child can drown in the pool as quickly as they can dart out in front of a car at a busy intersection. [...]

WakeMed Cary Hospital recently earned the Red Apple recognition for creating a healthy food environment. Led by N.C. Prevention Partners, the Healthy Food Environments Initiative is a statewide project to help all NC hospitals make healthy foods more available, visible and affordable for employees and visitors.
Efforts included: offering more affordable healthy snacks in Points West Café; rearranging displays [...]

This week as the temperatures climb into the mid to upper 90s, we are getting a taste of typical summer weather here in central North Carolina.
As of today at 2:00, three patients had been seen in WakeMed’s emergency departments for heat-related illnesses and injuries since Friday at midnight.  These illnesses and injuries are usually dehydration or heat exhaustion.
Dr. Mike Utecht, [...]

Julie Paul, MS, RD, CDE, is a registered dietitian with WakeMed Children’s Diabetes and Endocrinology
Childhood obesity is an epidemic in America, and a recent study showed that the path to obesity can begin before age two.  But, as parents how do we know what baby fat is cute and what pudge is a sign of [...]

I decided to share the following exerts from a more in-depth release from Audiologist Kathleen Watts, Program Manager for the NC Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program, because I thought many of you would like to learn more about North Carolina’s newborn hearing screening program.
Screening newborns for hearing loss is now the standard of [...]

Chris Billiar is a physical therapist at Clayton Medical Park.
Walking and running are some of the only popular sports where people receive no formal training. But, walking or running can cause injuries leading to long-term issues if left untreated. Several weeks ago I teamed with Dr. Jonathon Chappell with Wake Orthopaedics to host a running [...]

Arm yourself with education about the bugs of summer and dangers of their bites and stings.
Bees, Wasps & Hornets: Bee, wasp, hornet and yellow jacket stings can be very serious, especially if someone has a severe allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock. Symptoms include wheezing, trouble breathing, rapid heartbeat, nausea or loss of consciousness.
Mosquitoes: We’re all [...]

Kimberly Elks is the WakeMed stroke program coordinator.
Every Friday in recognition of Stroke Month, we will provide a new tip about stroke prevention.  This week, we are focusing on making lifestyle changes.
Stroke is one of the most preventable of all life-threatening health problems. By making simple lifestyle changes, you can reduce your risk of stroke.

Get [...]

Kimberly Elks is the WakeMed stroke program coordinator.
Every Friday in recognition of Stroke Month, we will provide a new tip about stroke prevention.  This week, we are focusing on managing diabetes.
6.2 million people in the U.S are unaware that they have diabetes. People with diabetes are at increased risk of stroke because diabetes adversely affects [...]

Kimberly Elks is the WakeMed stroke program coordinator.
Every Friday in recognition of Stroke Month, we will provide a new tip about stroke prevention.  This week, we are focusing on managing cholesterol.
Next time you think about burgers and fries, think about this: there are many things – including foods high in saturated fat – that can [...]