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It’s a Messy Topic, but Let’s Talk About Poop

March 17, 2023  |  Gastroenterology, General Post Comment

There are a lot of ways to describe it: soft, hard, brown, green, runny and stinky. It’s a messy topic often discussed behind closed doors, but today, we’re breaking down what you need to know about poop – from its color, consistency and frequency, to what to do when a child is backed up.

According to Dr. Mollie Grow, a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s and the University of Washington, it can be challenging for some families to be open about the body’s natural process of elimination. In other words, it can be hard to talk about poop. There’s often embarrassment talking about the subject when there shouldn’t be.

“As pediatricians, we get really comfortable talking about poop,” said Grow. “We try to normalize the conversation with patients and families.” Read full post »

Finding Myself at Seattle Children’s

February 22, 2022  |  Cancer and Blood Disorders, Odessa Brown Children's Clinic, Patient Stories Post Comment

Amna and her family moved to Seattle to get the best treatment possible for her daughter Jude, who has sickle cell disease. This is Amna’s story in her own words. 

I will never forget the moment I learned I was pregnant with my daughter, Jude. I had moved from Sudan to join my husband, Amar, in the United States the year before. In my culture, we have big families with lots of kids, and Amar and I wanted to start our own family right away.

It took a long time for me to get pregnant, but when I finally did, I felt like I was flying! I named my baby Jude that day. In Arabic, it means “the gift.” She was my gift from God.

Back then, I never imagined my baby’s life would be at risk before she reached her first birthday.

Read full post »

Our Commitment to Anti-Racism: Listening to our patients and their families, our community and our team

May 17, 2021  |  General Post Comment

Since January of this year, following concerns of systemic racism within our organization, we have accelerated our ongoing work to be an anti-racist organization and uphold our core value of equity. Though we’d made a formal commitment to anti-racism last summer, and subsequently launched our Anti-Racism Organizational Change and Accelerated Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan last fall, we recognize we must do more – and in greater collaboration.

The key to our transformation – and to the path ahead – lies in taking actions based on conversations and insights from our many stakeholders. We approach the gravity of this transformation and the opportunity to improve with humility in knowing we have not done enough – and our shortcomings have adversely impacted the kids and families we serve as well as our team. Upholding our commitment to anti-racism must be and will be the very fabric of Seattle Children’s future.

We have been in deep and ongoing listening mode so far this year and are grateful for the opportunity to engage in open dialogue to advance this important work. This includes connecting with Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic patients, families and supporters; our team members who identify as Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC); our patient-family advisory council members; and through broader health equity, diversity and inclusion listening sessions and workforce surveys.

Here are some key themes we have heard in these conversations as well as the actions we have underway or have accelerated: Read full post »