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New genetic insights could change how we treat, and talk about, polycystic ovary syndrome

Posted on by | Basic/Translational, Research
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has long been viewed as a hormonal disorder affecting women of reproductive age. However, ongoing research led by Jia Zhu, MD, attending physician in the Division of Endocrinology, and her colleagues is changing that. Their most recent findings indicate that PCOS is part of a broader metabolic and reproductive disorder that ... Read More
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Which pain medication is right for your child? What a pediatrician wants parents to know

Posted on by | Health and Parenting
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There’s no shortage of safe and effective pain medications for children. Acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) are the most common over-the-counter options, but how do you know which one is best to use when? “Each pain medication has its own benefits and risks,” says Dr. Susan Harp, a ... Read More
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Navigating school with a neuroimmune condition

Posted on by | Health and Parenting
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Fifteen-year-old Sarah had been challenging her dad to card games all week — and on Saturday, she finally beat him. It might seem like just good-natured competition to most people. But for Sarah, it was a much greater accomplishment: The teenager was coping with the lasting cognitive effects of autoimmune encephalitis and had struggled with ... Read More
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Thanks to Carter and his family, people are talking about spastic paraplegia

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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Nine-year-old Carter may be the most devoted — and popular — sports fan in his Connecticut town. “He loves all sports,” says his mother, Natalie. Whenever one of Carter’s buddies has a game, Natalie’s phone lights up with texts asking if he can attend. As his friends play, Carter cheers and gives high fives from his ... Read More
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Knowing what life is worth: I am an adult heart patient and much more

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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Most of the children showed off a favorite toy. Some brought items that were meaningful to their family or culture. When I got to the front of my kindergarten class, my hands were empty.  “My show-and-tell is…me,” I exclaimed as I pulled up my shirt and bared my chest to an audience of shocked five-year-olds ... Read More
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“A setback for a comeback”: Brody perseveres with Paget-Schroetter Syndrome

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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Baseball has been part of Brody Walsh’s story from the very start. Now 19 and a college sophomore, Brody pitches for the Thomas College Terriers baseball team. But his path to this point has not been easy, to say the least: Just two years ago, a serious medical condition threatened his pitching career. Faced with ... Read More
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Five things to know before getting an online second opinion for your child

Posted on by | Health and Parenting
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Whether you want to confirm your child’s diagnosis or treatment plan, another set of expert eyes can give you confidence that they’re receiving the best care. At Boston Children’s Hospital, the process is simple: Although in-person second opinions are also an option, you can request an online second opinion from the comfort of your home ... Read More
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“Observe. Be open.”: How Boston Children’s nurses are changing the future of global health

Posted on by | Clinical Care
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Ashley Birch, MSN, CPNP, a Boston Children’s pediatric nurse practitioner and Global Nursing fellow, didn’t expect a trash bag to become a critical tool in her global health toolkit. In a hospital in Uganda, caring for a baby with spina bifida, Ashley improvised and created a protective covering over a wound using what she thought ... Read More
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Unveiling the hidden impact of moyamoya disease: Brain injury without symptoms

Posted on by | Clinical, Research
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Moyamoya disease — a rare, progressive condition that narrows the brain’s blood vessels — leads to an increased risk of stroke and other neurological conditions. Doctors treating children with moyamoya often face difficult decisions about treatment, notably deciding whether to perform revascularization, a surgery to bypass the narrowed blood vessels and restore blood flow. A ... Read More
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Tough cookie: Steroid therapy helps Alessandra thrive with Diamond-Blackfan anemia

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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Two-year-old Alessandra is many things. She’s sweet, happy, curious, and, according to her parents, Ralph and Irma, a budding food critic. “She’s a food snob!” Ralph says, laughing. “She recognizes the expensive pasta, the homemade versus store-bought food.” But above all, Alessandra is resilient, and her parents have known that from the very start: At ... Read More
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