July is National Cord Blood Awareness Month and we’re celebrating by spreading the word about cord blood. What is cord blood banking? Cord blood banking is the process of collecting blood from the umbilical cord after the baby is delivered. This blood is collected into a kit provided by the cord blood banking company. Your obstetrician performs the collection. It is collected from the umbilical cord after the umbilical cord is cut. There is no harm or pain caused to the baby or the mother. In order for parents to have cord blood banking performed, they would need to order the kit from the cord

Because of COVID-19, people are using face masks more than ever. The intention is good—to prevent people from unknowingly passing the virus to others and to prevent people from getting sick. But there’s one unexpected consequence of the face mask trend: skin irritation, rashes and breakouts. The problem's become so common it already has its own nickname, “maskne.” If you are frustrated by “maskne” or other skin problems caused by a surgical mask, N95 respirator or homemade face covering, you do have options. Our dermatology team at SIU Medicine explains why “maskne” happens and what you can do

Back-to-school season is always a hectic time of year. But for parents, children, teachers and other school employees, the start of the 2020 school year has become more stressful due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. At SIU Medicine, our clinicians are dedicated to ensuring local families are prepared for the new academic season in these unique times. It's our mission to help families in our community feel like they have some control over their health and safety. With this in mind, here are some things our clinicians recommend when it comes to heading back to school during COVID-19. Encourage

Back-to-school season is always a hectic time of year. But for parents, children, teachers and other school employees, the start of the 2020 school year has become more stressful due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. At SIU Medicine, our clinicians are dedicated to ensuring local families are prepared for the new academic season in these unique times. It's our mission to help families in our community feel like they have some control over their health and safety. With this in mind, here are some things our clinicians recommend when it comes to heading back to school during COVID-19. Encourage

The recommended amount of sleep a person should get from birth to becoming an adult differs greatly over the years. Early on, babies need more sleep for development and as the years go on, the amount decreases. Here is a breakdown of the recommended sleep time per day by ages: Age Total Sleep Time/Day 4 - 12 months 12-16 hours (including naps) 1 - 2 years 11-14 hours (including naps) 3 - 5 years 10-13 hours (including naps) 6 - 12 years 9-12 hours 13 - 18 years 8-10 hours 1. Journal of Clinical Sleep Med - https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5866 2. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 11

Every year in the first week of August, more than 120 countries around the world honor World Breastfeeding Week. If you're a new mom or know a new mom, we invite you to spend this time learning more about this natural, nourishing, and important bonding opportunity between mothers and their infants. Supporting women and their breastfeeding goals promotes the health and well-being of our future generations, so the more we all know about it, the better! Breastfeeding: An overview Prenatal and pediatric health experts agree: breast milk is the best nutrition for infants in their first year of life

Every year in the first week of August, more than 120 countries around the world honor World Breastfeeding Week. If you're a new mom or know a new mom, we invite you to spend this time learning more about this natural, nourishing, and important bonding opportunity between mothers and their infants. Supporting women and their breastfeeding goals promotes the health and well-being of our future generations, so the more we all know about it, the better! Breastfeeding: An overview Prenatal and pediatric health experts agree: breast milk is the best nutrition for infants in their first year of life

Every year in the first week of August, more than 120 countries around the world honor World Breastfeeding Week. If you're a new mom or know a new mom, we invite you to spend this time learning more about this natural, nourishing, and important bonding opportunity between mothers and their infants. Supporting women and their breastfeeding goals promotes the health and well-being of our future generations, so the more we all know about it, the better! Breastfeeding: An overview Prenatal and pediatric health experts agree: breast milk is the best nutrition for infants in their first year of life

Hepatitis is a term used to describe a wide range of conditions that currently affect millions of Americans. At SIU Medicine, our team of researchers, physicians and residents are able to bridge the gap between clinical research and clinical application, allowing our patients to experience advances in health care—including the latest innovations in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hepatitis. Hepatitis: The basics The liver is the body’s largest internal organ, located in the upper right portion of the abdomen. Its main job is to detoxify blood and metabolize chemicals, drugs and

Hepatitis is a term used to describe a wide range of conditions that currently affect millions of Americans. At SIU Medicine, our team of researchers, physicians and residents are able to bridge the gap between clinical research and clinical application, allowing our patients to experience advances in health care—including the latest innovations in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hepatitis. Hepatitis: The basics The liver is the body’s largest internal organ, located in the upper right portion of the abdomen. Its main job is to detoxify blood and metabolize chemicals, drugs and