The Link - January 2026
Our January issue features the latest news and updates on pediatric care from Children's Mercy clinicians.
Evidence Based Strategies: Closing the Gap - Best Practices for Pediatric Laceration Repair
From playground tumbles to kitchen mishaps, lacerations are among the most common reasons children seek medical care. This article offers an updated, evidence-based guide to pediatric laceration management, published in conjunction with a new clinical pathway: Laceration - Children’s Mercy
Mental Health: Anxiety - The Silent Elephant in the Room
The word “anxiety” carries a wide variety of meanings for both clinicians and patients. Understanding the mosaic of anxiety disorders and their varied presentations is essential for treating one of the most common psychiatric impairments in children and adolescents.
Generally, the younger the child, the more common the symptoms of anxiety manifest as physical symptoms, rather than reported symptoms of stress. Some common physical presentations include stomachaches, headaches and nausea. These physical symptoms are especially common during stressful periods (such as having to go to school, performances, sports practices and games). Other sensations, such as restlessness, shaking and fidgeting, can be related to anxiety, but also carry significant overlaps with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. As children get older, they may describe their anxiety as feeling worried, scared, on edge, or that their mind is heavy.
State of the Art Pediatrics: Pediatric Pulmonology Year in Review 2025
As 2026 commences, we reflect on the advancements in pediatric pulmonology in 2025. There was an overall theme of improved and personalized treatment plans for children with chronic lung disease such as cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchiectasis and asthma.
Vaccine Update: Shingles Vaccine May Reduce the Risk of Dementia and Slow Disease Progression
Ongoing research suggests that the shingles vaccine can not only reduce the risk of dementia, heart disease and death in people age 50 and older but also slow the progression of dementia. Dementia refers to a decline in a person’s mental functioning, including thinking, memory, mood and behavior. It is not a specific disease, rather a set of symptoms that result from damage to the brain cells involved with cognitive function. The damage usually comes from a neurodegenerative disease, most commonly Alzheimer’s disease, although many conditions can lead to dementia. While people over the age of 65 are the ones usually affected by dementia, it isn’t a normal part of aging. The decline impacts a person’s ability to carry out activities of daily living and shortens their life expectancy.