Blog | Page 88 of 159 | Boston Children's Answers

A rebirth in Boston: Gene therapy turns 10

Posted on December 17, 2020 by Emily Williams | Patient Stories

Tags: gene therapy, international, research, scid

Lea la versión en español. Dec. 17 marks a decade since Agustín Cáceres was “renacido” — reborn. That’s how his parents, Alberto and Marcela, describe the day their son received his new gene. Born in 2010 with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1), Agustín spent the first few months of his life in isolation, at home ... Read More

Tagged: gene therapy, international, research, scid

In-hospital telehealth: Care innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Posted on December 14, 2020 by Alice McCarthy | Clinical Care

Tags: telehealth

The quick response, or QR, code — that square barcode symbol used by smartphone apps to link users with specific information — became an unexpected but essential tool for patient care at Boston Children’s Hospital in early spring. When the first patients with COVID-19 arrived, it quickly became clear that health care providers needed safer ... Read More

Tagged: telehealth

Generations of excellence in surgical care: Dr. Emans and Dr. Hogue

Posted on December 10, 2020 by Joanne Barker | Our Community, People

Tags: complex cervical spine, orthopedics, scoliosis, spine division

Some surgeons follow their patients for years, even decades. This is true of Dr. John Emans, who has treated patients with complex spine conditions at Boston Children’s Hospital for more than 40 years. Beloved by patients, he is also widely respected by spine surgeons for his groundbreaking scoliosis research. Dr. Grant Hogue first met Dr. ... Read More

Tagged: complex cervical spine, orthopedics, scoliosis, spine division

Treating chronic pain virtually: A telehealth success story

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Jessica Cerretani | Clinical Care

Tags: pain, telehealth

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced shutdowns in March 2020, many clinicians found themselves faced with a whole new challenge: conducting much of patient care from their computers. Although telehealth was already a part of some physicians’ practices, others have had to learn how to adapt existing clinical skills to virtual platforms. But there have been ... Read More

Tagged: pain, telehealth

Devina’s story: Minimally invasive Foker process repairs esophageal atresia

Posted on December 8, 2020 by Jessica Cerretani | Patient Stories

Tags: Esophageal and Airway Treatment Center, esophageal atresia, surgery

Selina De Leon doesn’t have a background in medicine — but she does have experience being a mom. When the mother of four learned that her youngest child, Devina, had a rare birth defect, “I said, ‘esophageal what?’” she remembers. The condition, called esophageal atresia (EA), occurs when a baby’s esophagus develops in two separate ... Read More

Tagged: Esophageal and Airway Treatment Center, esophageal atresia, surgery

At the forefront of kidney stone removal: Innovative approaches transform patient care

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Jessica Cerretani | Clinical Care, Specialty Care

Tags: imaging, urology

No longer considered just an adult problem, kidney stones increasingly affect children as well. The majority of children who cannot pass stones on their own can be treated with minimally invasive approaches such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, laparoscopic and robotic approaches and, rarely, open surgery. Now, two recent innovations provide additional ... Read More

Tagged: imaging, urology

Osteosarcoma patient gets chance to be a ‘normal college kid’

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Austin Fontanella | Patient Stories

Tags: cancer, osteosarcoma

For almost half of his life, Michael Murray has had to grapple with cancer, including multiple relapses. One of his hardest setbacks was hearing that his cancer had returned just weeks before he was set to start his freshman year at Boston College. With the news, Michael worried that his future would be in jeopardy. ... Read More

Tagged: cancer, osteosarcoma

IBD surgery gives Ben a new taste for life (and hamburgers)

Posted on December 2, 2020 by Lisa D. Ellis | Patient Stories

Tags: gastroenterology, inflammatory bowel disease, surgery

Ben Irland, 13, has been enjoying a lot of hamburgers lately. It’s an exciting development for him, since until recently meat — as well as most other foods — caused him pain. That’s because Ben has been dealing with the effects of Crohn’s disease, one form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), for the past decade. ... Read More

Tagged: gastroenterology, inflammatory bowel disease, surgery

Still within reach: Virtual visits keep Hadley plugged into stroke care

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Jessica Cerretani | Patient Stories

Tags: stroke, telehealth

When it’s time for Hadley Rizza to see her care team in the Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, she doesn’t have to leave home. Although Hadley and her parents, Eric and Meredith, live in the Pacific Northwest, appointments with her clinicians are just a click away, thanks to the hospital’s Virtual Visits ... Read More

Tagged: stroke, telehealth

Appreciating the small things: A New York family’s journey with CHD

Posted on November 30, 2020 by Casey Powell | Patient Stories

Tags: bach, cardiac surgery, congenital heart defect, heart, heart center, heart patient

The Harris family of Monroe, New York, are no strangers to congenital heart disease (CHD). Eighteen-year-old Jack Jr. grew up living with CHD, but had always been active. His father, Jack Sr., had also lived an active adulthood, completely unaware of his future CHD diagnosis. When they each found themselves in need of heart surgery, ... Read More

Tagged: bach, cardiac surgery, congenital heart defect, heart, heart center, heart patient