Children and Youth

The “best years of our lives”

When asking adults about the best years of their lives, I bet they don't bring up their marks in chemistry, but the memories, mistakes and friends they made during the times they weren’t studying for that upcoming trig 2 test. The best years of their lives are the years that me and my fellow seniors will never get back.

Looking on the bright side

I took this time to realize what self-care actually is. From the beginning of the pandemic all the way until September 2020, I grew as a person. Being away from people allowed me to focus on myself. Since I barely had anything to do, I picked up a handful of different hobbies, which before I could never see myself doing.

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It’s been over 500 days since I held someone and not just someone; anyone / this world filled with change / and I'm having a hard time catching up / faces behind masks hiding away from the pain of our reality yet we grow older / grow bolder / and grow in our separate ways without growing apart

Did I just have a dream?

Spring’s the season, but grey’s the hue, / It feels like animals trapped in a zoo! / Stuck in our homes just like glue, / We shall live through history, who knew?

Self-reflection during COVID-19

I now look back at COVID and look at it in a more positive light. I reconnected with some old friends of mine that I would've never stayed in contact with, my mental health improved and I learned a lot about myself. I now appreciate the little things a lot more.

Passing seasons

While news reports blared the newest case counts and the lives lost, I was trying to gain traction in the ever-deteriorating and demanding world of online learning. From “you’re muted” to “sorry, my wifi cut out,” I realized that this was the new “normal.” With no recovery in sight, I realized the things I missed the most, were the ones I cherished the least.

Who knew

Who knew I would miss the simple smile of a stranger walking by me at the grocery store. Who knew I would miss that snarky side-eye by a random person judging me as I walked past them at the mall. Who knew I would miss those little kids who would stick their tongues out at me and giggle. I didn’t.

COVID-19 and the starving student

Food insecurity among post-secondary students is not new, nor has it been caused by the pandemic. Rather, it has been a severe issue in Canada for quite a while. The image of the starving student has, in fact, been romanticized for decades.

We must help post-secondary students thrive, not just survive

Preparing to graduate from Dalhousie University last spring was an extremely stressful time of uncertainty for me; classes were switched online quickly and the fear of not being able to graduate on time was a reality.

Conversations on pandemic recovery must include our youth

Academics, researchers, educators and politicians have all voiced their opinions and observations about how the pandemic has wreaked havoc on children and youths’ health and well-being. Missing from the conversation? The kids.

Is the COVID vaccine for children safe and effective? Addressing parents’ concerns

Editor-in-chief Seema Marwaha answers common questions and debunks prominent misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11.

It’s time to transition to an era of genomic medicine

It’s time we make genome sequencing a standard-of-care clinical test to usher in the next era of health care and help us tackle the unknown.

Children must be heard as we envision AI’s role in health care

We often say that children are the future, but when we imagine the future of health care with artificial intelligence, are the voices of children and youth really included in that vision?

Building trust key to overcoming vaccine hesitancy among parents

Healthy Debate Editor-in-Chief Seema Marwaha speaks about how to navigate the hesitancy that some parents might feel about vaccinating children aged 5-11 against COVID-19.

Playing games with other people’s children

Whistleblower Nancy Olivieri sees parallels between how a pharmaceutical company and the University of Toronto allegedly downplayed the risk a drug posed to kids years ago, and how the Ford government is dealing with the risk of COVID-19 to our kids now.

She was jilted at the neurosurgery altar but found true love in pediatrics

A doctor reflects on her passionate romance with neurosurgery, her devastating break up on Match Day, and how she then found a soulmate in pediatric intensive care.

‘Please don’t blame your child’: For some parents of kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the pandemic has been challenging

For many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the pandemic has been isolating and disorienting. For some of their parents, it has led to burnout. So how can we support these families going forward?

Are the kids (and parents) all right? Back-to-school anxiety

Kids are heading back to school, but this year, many parents are worried about just how safe school will be. Three parents and medical experts talk about back-to-school fears and offer practical tips for navigating what's ahead.

When it comes to breastfeeding, we should practice what we preach

As medical professionals, we encourage breastfeeding in our patients, so why do hospitals make it so hard to breastfeed at work?

Weigh the risks and benefits of activities to keep your unvaccinated children safe

As the Delta variant pushes Canada into a fourth wave, Healthy Debate Editor-in-Chief Seema Marwaha discusses how to keep our children safe for the rest of the summer.