Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone

10/15/2026

Born at just 23 weeks and weighing only one pound, Azizayah Prado spent her first six months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital. During this time, her mom Shaquanna found support not only for her daughter, but for herself, too, through services provided by Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care.

One of those sources of support was Katy Williams, a certified child life specialist who became a familiar and trusted presence for Shaquanna. Katy helped her navigate the emotional highs and lows of having a baby in the NICU, making space for her to process the experience and offering comfort during difficult moments.

And that support didn’t stop when Shaquanna took a much-needed trip to New Hampshire with her older son. Katy gave her a series of cards to open, each one including a photo and message from Azizayah, giving Shaquanna a special way to feel connected to her daughter throughout the trip.

Now, after 189 days, Azizayah is finally home with her family.

“I really cannot talk enough about Katy,” Shaquanna says. “Her little soft, gentle things that she did to help make me more comfortable. My experience here has been unforgettable.”

10/06/2026

For families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis, Dr. Lisa Roth has an important message: there is hope.

As director of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital and a cancer survivor herself, Dr. Roth understands firsthand how a cancer diagnosis can affect a child and their entire family. Her personal experience gives her a unique perspective as she cares for children and supports their families through their most difficult moments.

Through the support of Sala Institute, Dr. Roth and our pediatric oncology team provide comprehensive, family-centered care that goes beyond treating the disease. They work alongside nutritionists, physical therapists, child psychologists, and certified child life and creative arts therapists to care for the whole child and support the entire family throughout treatment.

Hear Dr. Roth share her perspective on the progress being made in childhood cancer care, why there is reason for hope, and how our team helps children and families move forward.

09/18/2026

National Teddy Bear Day was off to the races at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital last week! 🧸🏁

As part of the NASCAR Foundation’s Speedy Bear Brigade, NASCAR drivers AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon stopped by with NASCAR-themed teddy bears for patients. The NASCAR Foundation also made a generous gift to support the hospital.

Speedy Bears were shared with patients throughout the hospital, and the drivers joined in on bingo, handed out toy race cars to winners and even got down on the floor to race with patients.

We’re grateful to The NASCAR Foundation and Kaulig Racing for their support! Together with certified child life specialists and creative arts therapists who are part of our Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care, they helped make the day possible and create memorable moments for our patients and families.

09/16/2026

We’re proud to share that Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital is ranked No. 1 in New York State for pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026–2027 Best Children’s Hospitals guide!

The recognition highlights the depth of pediatric pulmonology care provided across NYU Langone Health, with specialists caring for children at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital and its outpatient locations, as well as NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island and NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn. Across the health system, specialists collaborate to diagnose and treat children with conditions ranging from asthma, the most common chronic disease among children, to rare and complex disorders requiring highly specialized, multidisciplinary treatment, including pediatric lung transplant.

“This ranking reflects the extraordinary expertise and dedication of our entire team, as well as the trust families place in us during some of the most challenging moments in their children’s lives,” says Mikhail Kazachkov, MD, director of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine.

Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital also ranked among the nation’s top 50 in four additional pediatric specialties, including cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, and neonatology.

Congratulations to our faculty, nurses, staff, and care teams who made this achievement possible!

Learn more about this recognition: https://bit.ly/4y1GQxJ

09/11/2026

If mornings are more hectic and challenging now that school's back in session, a visual schedule can help bring more structure and predictability to your child’s routine.

Jacqueline Smith, PsyD, and Samantha Glickman, PsyD, from the Early Childhood Mental Health Service at the Child Study Center, part of Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, explain how a visual schedule can benefit your child while also walking you through how to make one.

Save this video to come back to when you need it, and share it with another parent who could use a little more structure in their mornings, too!

09/09/2026

After being diagnosed and treated at NYU Langone’s Cancer Center for Kids, an 11-year-old made an amazing recovery and is looking forward to middle school. Learn more.

09/01/2026

A new study found that 1 in 4 professional football players develops CTE, a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated impacts to the head.

Dr. Ayala Wegman, a pediatrician at NYU Langone Global Pediatrics, recently joined Good Morning America to share what parents should know as back-to-school sports begin.

Watch the segment ⤵️

Dr. Ayala Wegman, pediatrician and professor at NYU Langone Health, breaks down a new study on contact sports and CTE and what parents should know as back-to-school sports season begins.

08/27/2026

It’s time for kids to head back to school, but there’s one thing you definitely don’t want them bringing home: impetigo.

As summer comes to an end and kids return from sleepaway camps, pediatricians like Dr. Ayala Wegman at NYU Langone Global Pediatrics are seeing multiple cases of this highly contagious bacterial skin infection every day. Impetigo causes red sores and yellowish crusts, often around the mouth and nose.

So, what should you do if your child develops impetigo? Dr. Wegman breaks down what parents need to know, including how to treat it, how to prevent it from spreading, and whether your child should stay home from school if they have it.

Share this video with another parent to help stop the spread of impetigo this back-to-school season ✏️📚

08/20/2026

Five days. Five themes. One unforgettable Camp Adventure Week 🏕️✨

Made possible by our Sala Institute for Child and Family Centered Care, this annual event brings opportunities for play, creativity, and connection to patients and their families throughout the hospital, whether they join the activities in person or from their rooms.

This year patients and families went from the zoo to the science lab, blasted off on a cosmic quest, traveled around the world, and ended the week with everyone’s favorite messy tradition: Slime Day!

Thanks to our Sala certified child life specialists and creative arts therapists for making another week of adventure so special!

08/13/2026

We’re excited to announce that Dr. Nadia Ovchinsky has been named chair of the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone Health!

An internationally recognized pediatric hepatologist, Dr. Ovchinsky joined NYU Langone in 2023 and most recently served as director of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital. Since joining, she has more than doubled the division’s size and helped establish the Pediatric Liver Transplant Program, transforming the division into a regional referral center for children with complex gastrointestinal and liver disorders.

In her role as chair, Dr. Ovchinsky will lead the continued advancement of pediatric care, research, and education across NYU Langone, while strengthening collaboration and expanding access to world-class care for children and families.

“My vision is to build on the remarkable work already underway here and lead a Department of Pediatrics that delivers exceptional, family-centered care, develops future leaders in children’s health, and advances scientific discoveries that improve the lives of children here in New York and far beyond,” says Dr. Ovchinsky.

Learn more about Dr. Ovchinsky: https://bit.ly/4ze8lEX