Archive for Jessica Cerretani
Vascular rings: A complex cause of noisy breathing
Patients who present with noisy breathing, wheezing, a barking cough, and frequent respiratory infections are often misdiagnosed with asthma or croup, but a more complex problem could be responsible. Such symptoms can signal tracheomalacia (also known as tracheobronchomalacia), a condition in which the airway narrows or collapses when a child breathes. But clinicians should consider ... Read More about Vascular rings: A complex cause of noisy breathing
Taking charge: Emma perseveres with laryngeal cleft
Emma Morris is “a pistol,” says her mother, Sarah. “She’s a spitfire, passionate and caring.” But the 11-year-old gets anxious, too — and for an understandable reason. She’s been in and out of the hospital since she was a newborn. In fact, Sarah estimates that her daughter has spent more than 400 nights at Boston ... Read More about Taking charge: Emma perseveres with laryngeal cleft
Staff Spotlight: Meet Dr. Bartley Cilento, Jr.
Pediatric urologist Bartley Cilento, Jr., MD, MPH, is co-director of the Kidney Stone Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, which cares for children and adolescents who have or are at risk for developing kidney stones. He also serves as director of the hospital’s Pediatric Urology Fellowship Program. What does your job involve? My job involves treating ... Read More about Staff Spotlight: Meet Dr. Bartley Cilento, Jr.
Evidence-based guideline reduces G-tube placement in young patients
Gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes) are commonly used to deliver nutrition directly to the stomach in patients who cannot eat by mouth, require supplemental nutrients, or have swallowing difficulties, including oropharyngeal dysphagia with aspiration. While the placement of G-tubes is on the rise nationally, data suggests that children with G-tubes have two to three times the number ... Read More about Evidence-based guideline reduces G-tube placement in young patients
Stetson travels from Texas for bladder exstrophy care
As first-time parents, Rachael and Leroy Calk expected to have questions after their son, Stetson, was born. What they didn’t expect was to find themselves faced with a surprising diagnosis when their baby was just a few hours old — and to begin a journey for answers about his care. Although Rachael’s pregnancy had been ... Read More about Stetson travels from Texas for bladder exstrophy care
Dysmotility may play a major role in respiratory symptoms
Clinicians whose patients exhibit respiratory symptoms frequently assume that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is responsible. However, esophageal and gastric dysmotility may be more significant factors in respiratory disease than GERD alone, according to a recent review by Rachel Rosen, MD, MPH, and Samuel Nurko, MD, MPH. The paper, published in Current Treatment Options in Pediatrics, ... Read More about Dysmotility may play a major role in respiratory symptoms
Henry’s bladder exstrophy journey
Just a few months into his young life, Henry Packer has traveled from the Netherlands to Utah to Massachusetts — and has gone from being a medical mystery to making a best friend with the same rare condition. It’s all part of his ongoing journey with bladder exstrophy, a congenital anomaly in which a baby’s ... Read More about Henry’s bladder exstrophy journey
Study: Tool for thyroid nodule evaluation misses thyroid cancers in children
A thyroid nodule is a solid or fluid-filled lump that forms within the thyroid gland. Most thyroid nodules that develop in children are benign and don’t cause symptoms. However, about 20 percent of these nodules do represent a pediatric thyroid cancer, making careful evaluation key to detection. The American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging, Reporting, ... Read More about Study: Tool for thyroid nodule evaluation misses thyroid cancers in children
Maya is moving ahead after thyroid cancer
For Maya Rao, 15, a playful accident last Thanksgiving led to the discovery of thyroid cancer. As she and her older sister, Deepti, fooled around, happy to be reunited for the holiday, Deepti’s long hair — gathered in a bun — softly hit Maya on her neck. It seemed innocuous enough, but then she developed ... Read More about Maya is moving ahead after thyroid cancer
Be a VIP: Voiding Improvement Program helps kids with incontinence
Urinary incontinence (enuresis) isn’t just embarrassing for kids — it can lead to low self-esteem, stress, and even bullying. Because bedwetting, daytime wetting, and other problems are so personal, many children and parents are reluctant to talk about them. But families don’t have to stay silent. An approach called voiding improvement can help determine what’s ... Read More about Be a VIP: Voiding Improvement Program helps kids with incontinence