Blog | Boston Children's Answers

Helping your child understand puberty

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Emily Rizzitano | Health and Parenting

Tags: primary care, primary care alliance, sex education

We all remember the changes — and awkwardness — of puberty. But helping your child navigate puberty is a whole different matter. For answers, we turned to Boston Children’s Primary Care Alliance physician Caitlyn Hark, MD, at Framingham Pediatrics, and Frances Grimstad, MD, a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist in the Division of Gynecology at Boston ... Read More

Tagged: primary care, primary care alliance, sex education

Hard and beautiful at the same time: Five lessons of raising a medically complex child

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Joanne Barker | Patient Stories

Tags: colorectal and pelvic malformations, hip preservation, oeis, orthopedics, surgery, urology

When they learned they were expecting a baby, Michelle and Stephen Strickland were delighted. The South Carolina couple looked forward to their child’s first words, first steps, and first family vacation. “You have this vision of a perfect life,” says Stephen. But when Aubree was born with a rare and complex condition, the couple entered ... Read More

Tagged: colorectal and pelvic malformations, hip preservation, oeis, orthopedics, surgery, urology

The ‘Trach Chapter’: Isabella’s journey with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Posted on December 3, 2025 by Linsey Covino-Deaso | Patient Stories

Tags: atrial septal defect, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, g tube, newborn medicine, prematurity, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary vein stenosis

Isabella’s life has been anything but ordinary. Born at just 27 weeks gestation and weighing only 1 pound, 4 ounces, Isabella has faced uncertainty from the very start. But as her parents, Hrach and Kimberly, will tell you, she’s conquered every challenge life has thrown her way. And in spite of her bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) ... Read More

Tagged: atrial septal defect, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, g tube, newborn medicine, prematurity, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary vein stenosis

‘Challenge accepted’: Sophia takes on a brain tumor

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Jessica Cerretani | Patient Stories

Tags: brain tumor, second opinion, surgery

In 2023, Sophia Mordini landed the role of a lifetime. A competitive dancer, the 12-year-old would play Clara in her company’s production of “The Nutcracker.” But the performance was bittersweet: Just two weeks after the curtain fell that December, she underwent surgery to remove a very large and complex brain tumor. ‘We knew something was ... Read More

Tagged: brain tumor, second opinion, surgery

3D imaging could become standard practice in orthopedics. Here’s how.

Posted on November 19, 2025 by Joanne Barker | Data Science, Research

Tags: hip preservation, orthopedics, sports medicine

It took a trained eye to see the abnormality on the patient’s X-ray. There, hidden behind the acetabulum was the shadow of a small bone spur. “At first glance, this looks like a normal, healthy hip,” says Young-Jo Kim, MD, PhD, director of the Child and Young Adult Hip Preservation Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. ... Read More

Tagged: hip preservation, orthopedics, sports medicine

Promising advances in fetal therapy for vein of Galen malformation

Posted on November 7, 2025 by Katie Paradis | Patient Stories, Research

Tags: cerebrovascular surgery and interventions center, Fetal Care and Surgery Center, fetal surgery, nicu, pregnancy, research, vein of galen malformation

In 2024, Megan Ingram* of California and her husband were preparing for the birth of their third child when a 34-week ultrasound revealed a potential complication. Their obstetrics team suspected a vein of Galen malformation (VOGM) — a rare vascular condition involving significantly elevated blood flow to the head because of direct connections between arteries ... Read More

Tagged: cerebrovascular surgery and interventions center, Fetal Care and Surgery Center, fetal surgery, nicu, pregnancy, research, vein of galen malformation

A true hero’s journey: How a team approach helped Wolfie overcome pancreatitis

Posted on October 29, 2025 by Veronica Giarla | Patient Stories

Tags: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, blood disorder, cancer, pancreatic disorders

Wolfgang, affectionately known as “Wolfie,” is a bright and energetic 7-year-old with a quick wit and a love for making others smile. He keeps his mom, Cara, his older sister, Cadence, and his dad, Jameson, laughing with his playful humor. Behind the laughter and love, Wolfie and his family have been navigating a difficult medical ... Read More

Tagged: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, blood disorder, cancer, pancreatic disorders

Four things you should know about MAPCAs treatment

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Albert McKeon | Patient Stories

Tags: cardiac catheterization, cardiac surgery, cardiology, congenital heart defect, heart, heart center, heart patient, pulmonology, tetralogy of fallot, ventricular septal defect

As the first grandchild in her family, Hannah Homan is in demand for frequent visits. She was also the focus of attention last month when she turned 1. It’s been happy times for her parents, Amanda and Brian, but they couldn’t see that far ahead early last year. They had received a worrisome heart diagnosis ... Read More

Tagged: cardiac catheterization, cardiac surgery, cardiology, congenital heart defect, heart, heart center, heart patient, pulmonology, tetralogy of fallot, ventricular septal defect

A case for Kennedy — and for rapid genomic testing in every NICU

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Katie Paradis | Patient Stories, Research

Tags: genetics and genomics, nicu, rare disease

Kennedy was born in August 2025 after what her parents, John and Diana, describe as an uneventful pregnancy. Soon after delivery, though, she struggled to breathe and feed. What followed was a series of hospital stays, a complex diagnosis, and a glimpse into how rapid genomic testing can deliver answers that guide critical decisions and ... Read More

Tagged: genetics and genomics, nicu, rare disease

The hidden burden of solitude: How social withdrawal influences the adolescent brain

Posted on October 16, 2025 by Linsey Covino-Deaso | Clinical, Research

Tags: adolescent medicine, imaging, neuroscience, research

Adolescence is a period of social reorientation: a shift from a world centered on parents and family to one shaped by peers, schools, and broader networks. This expansion is critical for healthy development, but it also heightens susceptibility to social stressors. For some, those stressors trigger social withdrawal, a pull toward solitude that may alter ... Read More

Tagged: adolescent medicine, imaging, neuroscience, research

Treating MAPCAs with unifocalization surgery and cardiology care

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Albert McKeon | Specialty Care

Tags: cardiac catheterization, cardiac research, cardiac surgery, cardiology, congenital heart defect, heart, heart center, pulmonology, tetralogy of fallot with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect

Children born with a rare form of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) face a challenging type of congenital heart disease. Known as ToF with pulmonary atresia and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs), the condition often requires a child to have many operations and cardiology procedures to restore blood flow to the lungs and protect their heart from damage. But a team ... Read More

Tagged: cardiac catheterization, cardiac research, cardiac surgery, cardiology, congenital heart defect, heart, heart center, pulmonology, tetralogy of fallot with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect