Children use play to express emotion, learn, and interact. When getting ready for surgery, play can help children understand and cope with their hospital experience.

During surgery, your child will receive anesthesia. This is medicine that causes your child to relax or fall asleep, and not feel pain during surgery. See below for more information about different types of anesthesia.

Help your child get ready for surgery by learning more about the operating room staff and the kind of equipment they might see. Knowing what to expect can help you and your child feel more comfortable about surgery.

Knowing what to expect can help you and your child feel better about surgery. This sheet gives an overview of what happens on the day of surgery. It also gives suggestions on how to help your child recover afterward.

Here is an immunization schedule for teens based on the latest CDC National Immunization Program recommendations.

Your teen has recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness. A chronic illness can add issues and challenges for both you and your teen. But there are things you can do to help you and your child cope.

Teens on average need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep at night. But most don't get the amount of sleep they need. School, friends, homework, activities, television, and the computer may all have a higher priority for a teen than sleep. Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences for a teen's health and well-being.

Anxiety is a normal part of life. But for some teens, anxiety can get so bad it causes problems in daily life. The good news is that anxiety can be treated to help relieve symptoms and help your teen feel better.

Depression is a mood disorder. This means that the condition affects your child's mood and behavior. No one is exactly sure what causes depression. It is known that depression is associated with changes in levels of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals affect the ability to feel and experience pleasure.

Does your teen weigh more than is healthy? Extra weight can cause health problems now and in the future. Being overweight can also cause emotional issues. Your child’s healthcare provider may have suggested that your child lose weight. Here are tips and suggestions to help your child meet that goal.