Blog | Page 8 of 157 | Boston Children's Answers

Partnering diet and intestinal microbes to protect against GI disease

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Nancy Fliesler | Basic/Translational, Research

Tags: diet, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, microbiome, nutrition

Despite being an everyday necessity, nutrition is something of a black box. We know that many plant-based foods are good for us, but we don’t always know why. Our intestinal microbiome, which helps break down these foods once we consume them, is another black box. What role do our gut bacteria play? Seth Rakoff-Nahoum, MD, ... Read More

Tagged: diet, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, microbiome, nutrition

When to refer a pediatric patient for endometriosis

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Veronica Giarla | Clinical Care, Specialty Care

Tags: endometriosis, gynecology, pain

Endometriosis is a complex disease in which endometrium-like tissue grows in locations such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or pelvic tissue, leading to serious pelvic pain and other symptoms. Although there is a common assumption that the disease only affects adults, approximately two-thirds of people with endometriosis report that their symptoms were present before age ... Read More

Tagged: endometriosis, gynecology, pain

‘What I want you to know about endometriosis’: Iva’s story

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Iva Briggs | Patient Stories

Tags: endometriosis, gynecology, pain

Growing up, I heard stories about how everyone’s first period is usually no big deal. The cramps, the fatigue, the cravings—just uncomfortable to most. But my first period at age 11 brought excruciating pain that caused me to double over and wonder if I was the only one who experienced this. I had “the talk” ... Read More

Tagged: endometriosis, gynecology, pain

Past patient outcomes could help single-ventricle surgery decisions

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Albert McKeon | Clinical, Research

Tags: biventricular repair, cardiac research, cardiac surgery, cardiology, heart, heart center, liver disease, research, single ventricle defects

When considering whether a child who has a single-ventricle heart defect would benefit more from biventricular repair or the Fontan procedure, heart specialists have lacked a key tool to guide them: data that shows possible long-term health risks of each surgical option. But Boston Children’s heart specialists — who perform biventricular repair more often than any other pediatric hospital — ... Read More

Tagged: biventricular repair, cardiac research, cardiac surgery, cardiology, heart, heart center, liver disease, research, single ventricle defects

Are weight-loss medications and surgery right for teens?

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Veronica Giarla | Clinical Care, Specialty Care

Tags: diabetes, diet, nutrition, obesity

Advances in bariatric surgery and weight-loss medications have made weight management accessible to more adults. But are these approaches effective — and safe — for teens, too? Weight-management medications, particularly glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), are the newest tool available to people over age 12 for the treatment of obesity and related conditions. At ... Read More

Tagged: diabetes, diet, nutrition, obesity

Pediatric high-grade gliomas: Research reveals effective targeting with avapritinib

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Jessica Cerretani | Research

Tags: brain tumor, cancer, glioma, research

Pediatric high-grade gliomas, particularly H3K27M diffuse midline gliomas (DMG), are aggressive malignant brain tumors with a poor prognosis. Previous research suggests that platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) appears to play a multifaceted role in the pathogenesis of both adult and pediatric high-grade gliomas. Not only are genetic alterations of PDGFRA common in patients with ... Read More

Tagged: brain tumor, cancer, glioma, research

A better treatment for endometriosis could lie in migraine medications

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Nancy Fliesler | Basic/Translational

Tags: adolescent medicine, endometriosis, gynecology, neuroinflammation, vascular biology

Endometriosis is a common, mysterious, often painful condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, forming lesions in locations such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and pelvis. These lesions can cause severe pain during periods, heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic or abdominal pain, and sometimes painful bowel movements and urination. Existing ... Read More

Tagged: adolescent medicine, endometriosis, gynecology, neuroinflammation, vascular biology

‘They never stopped trying to figure out what was happening’: RyennAnne’s encephalitis journey

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Jessica Cerretani | Patient Stories

Tags: autoimmune disease, encephalitis, infectious diseases, neuroimmunology, neuroinflammation

When 5-year-old RyennAnne Hurst developed a bad sore throat last summer, her doctor thought she might have strep and prescribed her antibiotics. But two weeks later, she wasn’t feeling any better. In fact, she was lethargic and her head hurt. “She told us it felt like something was smashing into the right side of her ... Read More

Tagged: autoimmune disease, encephalitis, infectious diseases, neuroimmunology, neuroinflammation

Pirate puzzles and peekaboo: Beckett’s brachial plexus birth injury story

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Joanne Barker | Patient Stories

Tags: brachial plexus, hand and upper extremity, nerve injury, orthopedics, surgery

Beckett Stone-Lyman is an adorable, fun 2-year-old who loves to run, sprint, and climb. If he’s not charging around the playground, he’s probably doing a pirate puzzle. Or maybe he’s staring at his fingers as he wiggles them, amazed that his right hand can now do many of the same things as his left. Thanks ... Read More

Tagged: brachial plexus, hand and upper extremity, nerve injury, orthopedics, surgery

A fall from a swing uncovers a rare cervical spine condition: Charlotte’s story

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Joanne Barker | Patient Stories

Tags: complex cervical spine, neurosurgery, orthopedics, spinal fusion surgery, spine division

If it were any other year, Charlotte Gillis would have celebrated her 10th birthday in mid-July with a big party. But in June 2024, a fall from a swing had left her temporarily paralyzed. Though her mobility returned within a few hours, she was still in a neck brace, still wobbly on her feet, and ... Read More

Tagged: complex cervical spine, neurosurgery, orthopedics, spinal fusion surgery, spine division