Two Memphis-area hospitals were recognized on the 2026-27 list of best children's hospitals, published by U.S. News & World Report.
The report, published on Sept. 15, ranked the best children's hospital in each state and region as well as by evaluated specialties.
Le Bonheur Children's Hospital was ranked the second best children's hospital in the state and 12th in the Southwest region. The hospital was recognized for five specialties, including cardiology and neurology.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was ranked third for pediatric cancer. The hospital jumped four places from last year's ranking, where it landed at seventh place.
St. Jude was not ranked on the state or regional lists — specialty hospitals such as St. Jude are excluded from
those rankings, according to U.S. News & World Report.
How to protect yourself against ticks, mosquitos
The U.S. has faced a worse pest season than usual, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In April, the CDC reported weekly rates of ER visits for tick bites in most of the country were the highest for that time of year since 2017. The CDC also reported the earliest start to the West Nile virus season in the country, with the highest number of human disease cases reported by this time of year since 2004.
The Southeast region, which includes Tennessee, has seen 37 emergency department visits for tick bites in 2026.
Tick-borne diseases are easily treated by antibiotics, and it typically takes 24 to 36 hours after a bite for a tick to transmit a disease to you. said Kurt Avery, founder of pest control company Sawyer Products. If you have any type of swelling or reaction after a tick bite you should see a doctor, he said.
The most common tick-borne disease by far is Lyme disease, Avery said.
If you expect to be in a tick or mosquito-heavy area, Avery recommends treating clothes with permethrin, an insecticide that works against both pests. You can also use the chemical to treat equipment like strollers, backpacks, tents and blankets.
According to the CDC, there have been five reported cases of West Nile Virus in Shelby County this year.
The virus can cause serious illness and lead to hospitalization or death, but most people will not experience any symptoms, said Dr. Shirin Mazumder, an infectious disease doctor with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. About 20% of people exposed to the virus experience West Nile fever, which can result in symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, Mazumder said.
To avoid mosquitos, Mazumder recommended wearing bug spray, dressing in loose-fitting and long-sleeved clothes, staying indoors during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active and draining any sources of standing water where mosquitoes might lay their eggs, such as buckets, flower pots, toys, bird baths and gutters.
Jack Armstrong covers breaking news and the environment for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at jack.armstrong@commercialappeal.com and followed on X @jca2902.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Two Memphis children's hospitals landed high on annual national rankings
