Ochsner Children's

03/30/2026

March is Child Life Month! ⭐💙

✨ What is a Child Life Specialist?

A Child Life Specialist helps children and families cope with illness, injury and processing medical diagnoses. Child Life Specialists use therapeutic play, education and emotional support to reduce anxiety and create a safer, more positive hospital experience for both our patients and their loved ones.

Our Child Life department celebrated color education week by highlighting a new therapeutic skill each day of the week. These skills help our pediatric patients feel safe and supported during examinations, blood draws or IVs, medical procedures and more.

Child Life Specialists at Ochsner Children's use the following:

🧡 Therapeutic play
💚 Distraction
💛 Buzzy bee
💙 Cold spray
💜 Comfort positions
🌈 Family-centered care

Thank you to our Child Life Specialists for going above and beyond for our patients! We're so grateful for you, and we know our patients and their families are too.

Happy Child Life Month! Shout-out your favorite Child Life Specialist in the comments! 💙

Learn more about Child Life Services at Ochsner Children's here: https://ow.ly/O05u50YAGpA.

03/30/2026

Happy National Doctors’ Day to all the outstanding physicians at Ochsner Children's! 🩺⭐

We are grateful for our incredible doctors who make it possible for us to provide compassionate, high-quality care to our patients and communities every day.

Want to thank a doctor who has made an impact on your life? 💙 Leave a comment below or write a message of appreciation to your doctor by visiting https://ow.ly/nk6q50Yzeyy.

Happy Doctors' Day! 😊

03/20/2026

03/20/2026

Ochsner Children’s received some special visitors from the rodeo!

Blake Cody, James Trawick and Jordan Weaver, cowboys with The Hondo Rodeo Fest, along with Louisiana native, Hondo competitor and 2x NFR Team Roping qualifier Cyle Denison, stopped by to spend time with our patients.

They brought gift bags for the patients and a rope and lasso to share a demonstration.

Thanks for spending time with us! 😊💙⭐

03/20/2026

As a child life specialist, Bri found more than a job at Ochsner Children's. She found people who listen, leaders who show up and a team where she can grow, learn and be herself.

This is what it means to pursue your purpose with people who truly care. Apply today. https://careers.ochsner.org/job/new-orleans/child-life-specialist-ochsner-children-s-hospital-jeff-hwy-ft/47519/90622497392

03/17/2026

Applications for Ochsner STAR Program's June 1-26 session close Friday, March 20! ⭐

The Ochsner STAR Program is a rigorous hands-on summer program focused on science, technology, academics and research. This cost-free program provides rising high school seniors with the opportunity to explore the world of healthcare and aims to inspire students to pursue further education and careers in science and medicine. 🩺🧬

STAR Applications close this Friday, March 20th. Applications are open for current juniors in high school who are interested in a career in healthcare.

💙 Learn more about the STAR Program and submit an application here: https://ow.ly/bYOg50YuR6z.

03/13/2026

❤️ Faces of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery: Ochsner Children's

For more than 40 years, the pediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery teams at Ochsner Children's have been caring for young hearts across the Gulf South and beyond. Families trust their collaborative team of specialists to diagnose and treat a wide range of pediatric heart conditions with expertise and compassion.

Ranked No. 1 in Louisiana and among the nation’s Top 50 children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Ochsner Children's continues to provide advanced heart care for kids from birth through age 18.

✨ Learn more about the team behind the care in our latest Faces & Places feature at the link below.
https://www.facesandplaces.com/

03/06/2026

Meet Madeline Shannon, MD, a pediatrician at Ochsner Children’s Health Center - River Chase and Ochsner Health Center For Children - Covington! 🩺

Dr. Shannon’s journey to becoming a pediatrician is special to us. Growing up, she was a patient at the Ochsner pediatrics clinic in Mandeville. The outstanding care her pediatrician provided left a lasting impact on her family, inspiring her to give that same level of dedication to the next generation.

She loves the curiosity, honesty and boundless energy that kids bring to the clinic every day.

When it comes to patient care, Dr. Shannon focuses on empathy and communication. She meets children at their level so they feel safe and heard, while actively listening to parents and treating you as a true partner in your child’s health.

When she isn't caring for patients, Dr. Shannon loves traveling, spending time with family and friends, and heading to Baton Rouge to cheer on the LSU Tigers during football season! 🏈

Her top advice for first-time parents: "It truly takes a village! Lean on family, friends and your community for support. Parenting is both beautiful and challenging, and having trusted people around you makes the journey healthier for both you and your child."

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Shannon to Ochsner Children's! 😊💙⭐

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Shannon here: https://ow.ly/OIsU50Yqb9J

Madeline C. Shannon, MD, specializes in Pediatrics at Ochsner Health in Covington, LA

03/06/2026

Ear, nose and throat challenges are some of the most common issues children face. Ochsner Children's pediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists are here to guide parents through keeping their kids healthy year-round and especially during allergy season.

John Carter, MD, a pediatric ENT at Ochsner Children's, shares some tips for keeping kids healthy. Plus, some common ENT-related conditions kids face, like ear infections, allergies, snoring, tonsilitis and more.

📽️ Watch Dr. Carter's full segment here: https://ow.ly/Pm5f50YqlTX.

🩺 Learn more about Dr. Carter here: https://ow.ly/PFBP50YqlTY.

⭐ Need a pediatric ENT? Schedule an appointment at Ochsner Children's: https://ow.ly/8imR50YqlTW.

John M. Carter, MD, specializes in Pediatric Otolaryngology (ENT - Ear, Nose and Throat) at Ochsner Health in Jefferson, LA and Covington, LA

02/27/2026

Please join us in welcoming Victoria G. Page, MD, to Ochsner Health! 🎉

Dr. Page specializes in otolaryngology (ENT - ear, nose and throat) at Ochsner Cancer Center - Baton Rouge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for adults and children. She provides expert care for voice, airway and swallowing disorders, as well as comprehensive ear, nose and throat care, including rhinology and pediatric otolaryngology.

Dr. Page earned her Doctor of Medicine from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. She completed her residency in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas, followed by a fellowship in laryngology at the Cleveland Clinic, where she gained advanced expertise in the management of complex voice and airway conditions.

Board-certified in otolaryngology, Dr. Page is proficient in a wide range of in-office laryngology procedures, including vocal fold augmentation, laryngeal Botox injections and laser ablation. She also performs advanced surgical interventions such as laryngeal micro flaps and laryngoplasty.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Page enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Welcome to Ochsner, Dr. Page! 💙

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Page here: https://ow.ly/M3FR50YfoN0.

Victoria G. Page, MD, specializes in Otolaryngology (ENT - Ear, Nose and Throat) at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, LA and Baton Rouge, LA

02/26/2026

Ochsner Children's is proud to be featured in Faces & Places of Nola Family Magazine's Winter 2026 issue. 💙 Meet the faces of pediatric gastroenterology (GI) care in New Orleans, Louisiana! ⭐

Pictured are Ilana Fortgang, MD; Darnna Banks, MD; Jasmeet Mokha, MD; Ryan Himes, MD and Matthew Giefer, MD. 🩺

At Ochsner Children's, families receive nationally recognized pediatric gastroenterology care rooted in compassion and excellence.

🎖️Ranked the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for five consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report, Ochsner Children’s is also nationally recognized for pediatric GI care and surgery.

From complex digestive and liver conditions to advanced endoscopy and multidisciplinary programs, our expert team is committed to treating the whole child — not just the diagnosis.

🔗 Read the full feature:
https://ow.ly/ba8X50Ym9PW.

💙 Learn more about pediatric GI care at Ochsner Children's: https://ow.ly/xwOv50Ym9PT.

02/26/2026

When Kailee B. found out she was pregnant, she was over the moon. She then discovered she was pregnant with monochorionic/diamniotic (mono/di) twins, which are identical twins who develop in the same placenta but in separate amniotic sacs. This is a result of a single fertilized egg splitting about a week after conception.

At 34 weeks, Kailee gave birth to her twin girls Braylee and Bexlee B. While both premature and in need of specific care in the NICU, it was clear that Braylee would need extra care, as she was born lifeless and with a blue tint.

After immediate and intense care in the NICU, Braylee was diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), which is a life-threatening congenital heart defect where the aorta and the pulmonary artery are switched, causing a lack of properly oxygenated blood to circulate through the body.

The only chance at survival for Braylee was surgery, and the surgeon she needed was Benjamin Peeler, MD, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Ochsner Children’s in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Braylee was transported to Ochsner Children’s in New Orleans from Baton Rouge by a medical helicopter, where she had to be resuscitated several times during flight.

At just two weeks old, Dr. Peeler performed an arterial switch procedure on Braylee, which is a surgery that repairs the transposition of the aorta and pulmonary artery. Dr. Peeler placed Braylee’s aorta and pulmonary artery in the correct places, which ultimately saved her life. She spent two weeks in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) recovering under Dr. Peeler's care.

“Dr. Peeler’s calming nature truly made me feel at ease,” Kailee said. “Everyone at Ochsner Children’s was a godsend to us. We could not have gotten through those times without each person we encountered.”

Two weeks after her surgery, Braylee was able to go home. She is now 10 months old and thriving alongside her twin sister Bexlee. 😊💙

🎖️ Ochsner Children’s is proud to be the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana and to be nationally ranked in pediatric cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

⭐ Learn more about pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Ochsner Children’s here: https://ow.ly/Zcly50Ym96n.