Research
How the new coronavirus gets into respiratory tissue — and may exploit one of our defenses
What makes SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, such a threat? A new study, led by Jose Ordovas-Montanes, PhD, at Boston Children’s Hospital and Alex K. Shalek, PhD, at MIT, pinpoints the likely cell types the virus infects. Unexpectedly, it also shows that one of the body’s main defenses against viral infections may actually help the ... Read More about How the new coronavirus gets into respiratory tissue — and may exploit one of our defenses
Health and Parenting
It’s okay to be scared: Talking about COVID-19 with your kids
Images and stories of the global COVID-19 pandemic surround us, and it’s normal for kids to have questions. There’s no easy way to talk to children about it, but doing so can help them better understand this and other things that might scare them. Here are some tips to help you have those conversations, from ... Read More about It’s okay to be scared: Talking about COVID-19 with your kids
Our Community
Nurses find simulation to be a core component of daily care delivery
Complex patients, new technology, a demanding health care environment. These factors and more underscore the growing importance of simulation as a key component of nurses’ education and training. At Boston Children’s Hospital, nurses use simulation to hone skills, refine experience, improve interprofessional communication, and expand competence and confidence. Simulation is a core component of their ... Read More about Nurses find simulation to be a core component of daily care delivery
Our Community
Nurse scientists: Advancing pediatric care through research
Quality nursing care depends on ongoing clinical inquiry — that is, asking questions about current processes and developing the best solutions to those concerns. “The power of critical thinking strengthens nurses’ ability to be clinical experts and practice at the highest level,” says Jean Connor, PhD, RN, CPNP, FAAN, director of Nursing Research, Cardiovascular and ... Read More about Nurse scientists: Advancing pediatric care through research
Health and Parenting
Care in the NICU during the COVID-19 outbreak
Having a baby requiring specialized care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is stressful under any circumstances. But if your baby is being cared for in the NICU during the current COVID-19 outbreak, you may have even more questions and concerns than usual. To address these worries, we spoke with Dr. Kristen Leeman, associate ... Read More about Care in the NICU during the COVID-19 outbreak
Health and Parenting
Is it allergies or COVID-19?
Allergy season has kicked off earlier this year than usual. This means children may start having symptoms — such as coughing and sore throat — that are similar to those of COVID-19, but are triggered by a reaction to pollen or grass. Dr. Subhadra Siegel the director of the Allergy and Immunology Program at Boston Children’s ... Read More about Is it allergies or COVID-19?
Our Community
Boston Children’s nurses: Setting the standard for innovation
As clinicians at Boston Children’s Hospital continue to pioneer new therapies for both kids and adults, nurses play a critical role in bringing those treatments to families. To make sure groundbreaking treatments like gene therapies are integrated into both nursing practice and patient care, Boston Children’s nurses have developed a series of processes. When ... Read More about Boston Children’s nurses: Setting the standard for innovation
Health and Parenting
Send us a smile: How families can help support Boston Children’s
As the world continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, many families are asking what they can do to support our hospital staff. While Boston Children’s is accepting donations, as well as sealed, unused N95 masks and other personal protective equipment, one of the simplest and most heartfelt things families can do is to send ... Read More about Send us a smile: How families can help support Boston Children’s
Research
A drug treatment for telomere diseases?
For years, Donna Martin carried a piece of scrap paper with the words “dyskeratosis congenita,” which she believed might explain her son Brad’s sudden, mysterious affliction. A routine blood test had revealed Brad’s bone marrow was failing, unable to keep up with his need for healthy blood cells. His condition, Donna knew, would worsen over ... Read More about A drug treatment for telomere diseases?
Health and Parenting
Parenting in the age of COVID-19: Coping with six common challenges
As families grapple with an ever-changing normal, stress and anxiety can escalate. We turned to Erica Lee, PhD, and Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, PhD, psychologists in Boston Children’s Department of Psychiatry, for answers to six common parenting challenges. Challenge #1: Struggling with schedules With everyone at home, typical schedules have fallen by the wayside, which can feel ... Read More about Parenting in the age of COVID-19: Coping with six common challenges