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Team spirit: How working with an allergy psychologist got Amber back to cheering

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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A bubbly high schooler with lots of friends and a passion for competitive cheerleading: On the surface, Amber’s life looks perfect. She even knows what she wants to be when she’s older — a cosmetologist, because she wants to help people feel their best through beauty. Her determination to help others is what drove her ... Read More
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Help your child manage anxiety about school violence

Posted on by | Health and Parenting
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With news of school shootings and other violence often reaching children, parents sometimes grapple with how to help their child cope with fear and stress. We asked Erica Lee, PhD, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Boston Children’s, to offer suggestions on how you can ensure your child feels safe and comfortable going to ... Read More
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Ask a sports medicine specialist: Why are ACL tears so common among female athletes?

Posted on by | Health and Parenting
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When an athlete is sprinting after an opponent who suddenly stops or changes direction, their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) make it possible for them to continue their pursuit. This much talked-about ligament is the reason athletes can pivot, cut, jump, and land. “The ACL is one of the main stabilizing ligaments in the knee,” explains ... Read More
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“Princess June” reigns supreme over Rasmussen syndrome

Posted on by | Patient Stories
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What do you call a “girly” 5-year-old who adores dolls and frilly nightgowns? If you’re one of June Pelletier’s nurses at Boston Children’s Hospital, the answer is “Princess June,” of course. While Her Highness would much prefer to reign over her parents and three siblings at home in Connecticut, she’s no stranger to the hospital. ... Read More
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Forging a path back to school after orthopedic trauma

Posted on by | Research
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Orthopedic trauma can force children to miss school, sometimes for an extended period. But even when patients have regained enough mobility to return to school, their schools aren’t always equipped to welcome them back. “Trauma is different from many other orthopedic conditions because it’s so unexpected,” says Kristin Livingston, MD, director of the Orthopedic Trauma ... Read More
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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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