“During the excitement and distractions of an exciting game or a noisy gathering, it is easy for a quick-moving child to pull over an unsecured television.”

The benefits of fetal surgery to repair spina bifida, a procedure pioneered at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 1997, continue through school age, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study reports today in the journal Pediatrics.

John Pope IV, MD, professor of Urologic Surgery and Pediatrics, has been named director of the Division of Pediatric Urology at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

The Allstate Foundation along with the Pediatric Trauma Injury Prevention Program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt are working to increase awareness among young drivers about the dangers of distracted driving through the “Be in the Zone — Turn Off Your Phone” campaign.

Friends of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a volunteer organization, recently committed $1 million over the next three years to be split between two crucial pediatric programs: diabetes and palliative care.

As shoppers search for sales this season, injury prevention advocates want to raise awareness about the need to check for safety standards for toys — especially those purchased online.

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt urges caution in toy selection this holiday season