Blog

Helping your child understand puberty

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

Rethinking platelet transfusions in newborns

Platelet transfusions have long been central to neonatal intensive care. Between 15 and 35 percent of hospitalized newborns receive at least one, with rates highest (about one in three) among the most premature due to thrombocytopenia and their elevated risk of intraventricular hemorrhage. For decades, the logic has been sound: transfuse platelets, typically from adult ... Read More

New approach to gene therapy helps smooth road for people with sickle cell disease

Gene therapy has been transformative for individuals with sickle cell disease, a genetic condition caused by a mutation in the adult form of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. As a result, red blood cells stiffen and change shape, leading to pain, anemia, blood clots, and other health ... Read More

My own secret superpower: Jocelyn’s journey with C3 glomerulopathy

When Jocelyn Bush was 13, she started noticing minor swelling around her eyes. Not thinking much of it, she went about her life as usual. But by the start of her freshman year of high school, the swelling had spread all over her body. As a multisport athlete in soccer, track, and volleyball, not being ... Read More

Finding answers and care for a rare movement disorder: Aisha’s experience with deep brain stimulation

For nearly a decade, Aisha’s family looked for answers about a disease they couldn’t name. Born in Bahrain in 2006, Aisha was about a year old when her mother, Mariam, noticed involuntary movements in her face and lips. As she grew, Aisha showed delays in walking, speech, and other developmental milestones. Despite years of appointments ... Read More

العثور على إجابات ورعاية لاضطراب حركي نادر: تجربة Aisha مع التحفيز العميق للدماغ

لقرابة عقد، بحثت عائلة Aisha عن إجابات لمرض عجزوا عن تسميته، بدأ منذ طفولتها المبكرة. ولدت Aisha في البحرين عام 2006، وكانت تبلغ من العمر عامًا واحدًا تقريبًا عندما لاحظت والدتها، Mariam، حركات لاإرادية في وجهها وشفتيها. ومع نموها، ظهر لدى Aisha تأخر في المشي والكلام والجوانب التطورية الأخرى. ورغم سنوات من المراجعات والفحوصات الطبية ... Read More

‘We’re gonna start over’: Finding the right care for Remi’s aspiration

At almost 3 years old, Remi is confident, independent, and a bit headstrong. “She wants to do everything on her own,” laughs her mom, Gabrielle. “If we even try to dress her or put on her shoes, she tells us, ‘Only myself’ — she doesn’t want any help.” It’s a determined mindset that Gabrielle and ... Read More

How ‘good’ bacteria from fecal transplants reduce peanut allergy

Some 33 million Americans have severe food allergies. Now, researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital may have found a promising solution. In a small clinical trial, Rima Rachid, MD, director of the Food Allergy Program and the Allergen Immunotherapy Program; Talal Chatila, MD, director of translational immunology; and their colleagues found that some participants with peanut ... Read More

Living fully: Kristin’s life with blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome

More than 25 years ago, I spent 11 hours in surgery while a surgeon removed hundreds of abnormal blood vessels from my body. A lot has happened since. Today, I’m a mom raising two driven kids: a daughter who is a skilled athlete, and a son who’s taking two math classes just for fun. I ... Read More

A promising step toward safer, less toxic stem cell transplants

Stem cell transplantation (also called bone marrow transplantation) and gene therapy are among the most powerful treatment approaches for blood diseases such as sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, immune deficiencies, and some blood cancers. Replacing or correcting the blood-forming stem cells can offer the possibility of long-lasting benefit or a cure. However, before patients can ... Read More

Accepting kindness and happiness: Ways Spencer’s family navigated his heart transplant

Spencer Brock and his family recently vacationed in Ireland. They caught up with aunts, uncles, and cousins, and Spencer enjoyed visiting playgrounds, an amusement park, and a zoo. It was a dream-come-true trip in many ways. In October 2024, only six weeks after he was born, Spencer was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy, a severe disease that ... Read More