Blog | Page 20 of 158 | Boston Children's Answers

A deeper understanding of inflammatory pain could reveal new solutions

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Nancy Fliesler | Basic/Translational, Research

Tags: cellular and molecular medicine, immunology, neuroinflammation, neurology, pain

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen are the main go-to for inflammatory pain caused by wounds, infection, sunburn, arthritis, and other triggers. NSAIDs work pretty well, but chronic use can cause side effects, and they aren’t equally effective for all sources of pain. Could we identify a more effective, safer analgesic that doesn’t involve ... Read More

Tagged: cellular and molecular medicine, immunology, neuroinflammation, neurology, pain

A seat at the table: One family’s story of finding advanced care for hydrocephalus

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Katie Paradis | Patient Stories

Tags: brain health, hydrocephalus, second opinion

To her parents, everything about 6-month-old Stella is a miracle. Rose and Vlad were ecstatic to learn they were expecting a baby after Rose was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. When Stella arrived months early, they were astounded by her ability to keep growing stronger. And when her doctors discovered a buildup of cerebral spinal fluid ... Read More

Tagged: brain health, hydrocephalus, second opinion

‘Supported and heard’: Harven gets care for an anorectal malformation

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Jessica Cerretani | Patient Stories

Tags: anorectal malformation, colorectal and pelvic malformations, surgery

Like lots of 3-year-olds, Harven Gifford has a great imagination. Lately, he’s taken to roaring loudly and pretending that he’s a lion. But it wasn’t long ago that his parents, Heather and Brian, had to be Harven’s voice, when an unexpected health concern turned them into strong advocates for their son. Although Harven’s delivery went ... Read More

Tagged: anorectal malformation, colorectal and pelvic malformations, surgery

Healing the heart, mind, and spirit

Posted on May 27, 2024 by Albert McKeon | Patient Stories

Tags: arrhythmia, cardiac neurodevelopment, cardiac surgery, cardiology, cardiovascular genetics, congenital heart defect, heart, heart patient, long qt syndrome, transposition of the great arteries

For most of her life, Siena Tancredi worried about her heart beating too fast. She has long QT syndrome, an inherited condition that affects the heart’s electrical rhythm and can cause fast, erratic heartbeats. From the time she was diagnosed at age 10 and into adulthood, she avoided any situation that would potentially cause her heart ... Read More

Tagged: arrhythmia, cardiac neurodevelopment, cardiac surgery, cardiology, cardiovascular genetics, congenital heart defect, heart, heart patient, long qt syndrome, transposition of the great arteries

Can we prevent seizures in Sturge-Weber syndrome?

Posted on May 24, 2024 by Nancy Fliesler | Clinical, Research

Tags: epilepsy, research, seizures, sturge weber syndrome

Port wine stains — capillary malformations on the skin — are the most visible manifestation of Sturge-Weber syndrome. However, up to 60 percent of babies with birthmarks in high-risk locations (forehead and upper eyelid) also have capillary malformations in their brain. Of these, 75 to 90 percent will experience a seizure before the age of 2, ... Read More

Tagged: epilepsy, research, seizures, sturge weber syndrome

Helping Jasmine manage Sturge-Weber syndrome before symptoms start

Posted on May 23, 2024 by Katie Paradis | Patient Stories

Tags: research, seizures, sturge weber syndrome

Sturge-Weber syndrome is a rare neurovascular disorder that increases the risk of seizures in infants due to abnormal blood vessel development in the brain. Almost 90 percent of children with Sturge-Weber experience their first seizure before age 2, which makes proactive, seizure-preventive care important in minimizing the risk of long-term brain injury. Finding such care, ... Read More

Tagged: research, seizures, sturge weber syndrome

Reversing the trend: Easing the mental health boarding crisis in emergency rooms

Posted on May 22, 2024 by Nancy Fliesler | Clinical Care, Specialty Care

Tags: coronavirus, emergency medicine, mental health, psychiatry, research

Anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts have been rising over the past decade, especially among teens, often landing them in emergency departments (EDs). Due to a nationwide shortage of beds in psychiatric treatment programs, virtually all pediatric hospitals are having to keep patients in the ED and on inpatient medical and surgical floors — sometimes for ... Read More

Tagged: coronavirus, emergency medicine, mental health, psychiatry, research

Mitochondrial transfer restores heart muscle — but how?

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Nancy Fliesler | Basic/Translational, Research

Tags: cardiac research, cardiac surgery, cell therapy, cellular and molecular medicine, heart, heart center, stem cells, tissue engineering, transplant

Transferring mitochondria from a patient’s healthy skeletal muscle to damaged, ischemic heart tissue has been shown to restore heart muscle, increase energy production, and improve ventricular function. After pioneering preclinical work by James McCully, PhD, at Boston Children’s Hospital about a decade ago, cardiac surgeons led by Sitaram Emani, MD, have been testing it as ... Read More

Tagged: cardiac research, cardiac surgery, cell therapy, cellular and molecular medicine, heart, heart center, stem cells, tissue engineering, transplant

Study suggests hypoxia overexpression causes pericytes to contribute to pulmonary hypertension

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Albert McKeon | Basic/Translational, Research

Tags: pulmonary hypertension, pulmonology, research

Pericytes, the multifunctional cells that work within the walls of capillaries, have been a subject of focus in the study of vascular development, cerebral blood flow, cancer, and neurodevelopment diseases. But pericytes hadn’t been truly studied for their potential role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) until they landed under the microscopes of Boston Children’s researchers. They recently ... Read More

Tagged: pulmonary hypertension, pulmonology, research

Brain wiring predicted adolescents’ emotional health during COVID

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Nancy Fliesler | Clinical, Research

Tags: adolescent medicine, coronavirus, mental health, neuroscience

The COVID-19 pandemic was emotionally devastating for many adolescents, disrupting their schooling and social/emotional development. Drawing on national data, a large study finds that how adolescents’ brains were wired — before COVID-19 — predicted their stress, negative emotions, and overall mental health during the height of the pandemic, making them more vulnerable or more resilient. ... Read More

Tagged: adolescent medicine, coronavirus, mental health, neuroscience