Blog

Helping your child understand puberty

Posted on by | Health and Parenting
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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
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‘Mom, my brain feels better.’ One mother’s story of her daughter’s fight with epilepsy

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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Liliane has a lot to be grateful for this holiday season. Until just this year, her 16-year-old daughter Emily, who has epilepsy, suffered relentless seizures that left her temporarily unable to speak or stand. The seizures began when Emily was 4, and living her life around them was all she knew. But today, Emily is ... Read More
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What every family should know about RSV

Posted on by | Health and Parenting
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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been making headlines in recent months due to the increase in pediatric cases — seemingly more than in previous years. To help keep your family safe and informed, we spoke to Dr. Kathleen Conroy, Clinical Chief for Children’s Hospital Primary Care Center (CHPCC), about the symptoms and care options you ... Read More
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AI could change the way we look at hip preservation

Posted on by | Data Science, Research
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Orthopedic surgeons and biomedical engineers are trained to approach adolescent and young adult hip pain from two different perspectives. Surgeons typically look at conditions such as femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and hip dysplasia from a clinical point of view. Engineers more often focus on the technology angle. These two perspectives have come together at Boston Children’s ... Read More
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After retinoblastoma, Finn ‘keeps showing us what he can do’

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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Six-year-old Finn Carlson “isn’t afraid of anything,” says his mother, Shannon. Whether he’s playing with firetrucks, chasing after his twin, Mack, or riding the tractor on his grandparents’ dairy farm, he’s always up for an adventure. His fearless, free-spirited attitude is even more impressive considering the challenges he’s faced. Born at just 24 weeks, Finn ... Read More
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I-PASS this patient to you: Improved hospital ‘handoffs’ cut adverse events by almost half

Posted on by | Clinical Care, Research
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About 15 years ago, Boston Children’s Hospital pediatricians Christopher Landrigan, MD, MPH, and Amy Starmer, MD, MPH, observed a weak link in hospital care. Medical residents were rigorously trained to take patient histories with standardized templates and to present cases in a structured format during daily rounds. Yet such structured communication was largely absent at ... Read More
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‘On fire’ with sJIA: When arthritis is much more than joint pain

Posted on by | Patient Stories, Research
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Georgia is finally living her best life. Her toddler years were challenging: At 15 months old, a series of high fevers landed her at Boston Children’s Hospital for two weeks. After many rounds of tests looking for infection and a bone marrow biopsy to rule out cancer, she was diagnosed with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis ... Read More
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Explaining endometriosis: What parents and teens should know

Posted on by | Health and Parenting, Primary Care
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People with uteruses know that menstruation can bring cramps, general discomfort, mood swings, and other symptoms each month. But, just how much discomfort and pain is normal during your period? For more insights on severe period pain — and endometriosis in particular — we spoke with Dr. Jessica Shim in the Division of Gynecology and ... Read More
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Obesity is increasing people’s risk of cancer. Why?

Posted on by | Basic/Translational, Research
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Obesity is now a global epidemic, and it is increasing people’s risk for cancer. The National Cancer Institute lists more than a dozen cancers that are associated with overweight and obesity. But how obesity increases cancer risk hasn’t been clear. The lab of Marsha A. Moses, PhD, at Boston Children’s Hospital, now draws a direct ... Read More
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Hirschprung’s disease won’t stop Myles from smiling

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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Looking at Myles today, you’ll see a picture-perfect 1-year-old full of smiles and giggles. He babbles like any other baby and has a lot of energy that keeps his parents on their toes. You wouldn’t know that the past 12 months have held a series of surprises for his parents — and life-changing treatment for ... Read More
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Rethinking the need for ADOS testing to diagnose autism in young children

Posted on by | Clinical Care, Primary Care
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The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, or ADOS testing, was developed in the 1980s as a tool for autism research. Through a series of semi-structured observations, trained evaluators assess children’s communication skills, social interaction, and imaginative use of materials. But over time, the ADOS has come to be considered the gold standard for a clinical diagnosis ... Read More
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