Our Community
Taking care of our community during COVID-19 and beyond
Although COVID-19 has affected the health of most children less acutely than adults, many young people who live in the communities surrounding Boston Children’s Hospital are experiencing the virus’s impact in other troubling ways as their families struggle with food insecurity and are having trouble meeting many other basic needs. “Right now, there’s been a ... Read More about Taking care of our community during COVID-19 and beyond
Patient Stories
Cancer won’t stop me, and neither will COVID-19
Most people my age look at COVID-19 as a burden on their everyday lives of seeing friends, hanging out, and going to college. I see it differently. As an active cancer patient being treated for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), I am immunocompromised. This puts me at especially high risk for contracting COVID-19, and my ... Read More about Cancer won’t stop me, and neither will COVID-19
Research
Tracking an organism’s development, cell by cell
A new mouse model allows scientists to track every cell in the body — from the embryo stage until adulthood. The system is the first of its kind and should yield a greater understanding of development, aging, and disease. Scientists described it last week in the journal Cell. “The dream of many developmental biologists for ... Read More about Tracking an organism’s development, cell by cell
Health and Parenting
Keeping up with childhood vaccines and screenings during the COVID-19 outbreak
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, many parents have been understandably hesitant to take their kids to their health care provider for routine health care, such as vaccines and health screenings. But pediatricians worry that this trend could open the door to outbreaks of other types of childhood illnesses, such as measles and whooping cough. We recently ... Read More about Keeping up with childhood vaccines and screenings during the COVID-19 outbreak
Our Community
The polio outbreak of 1955: Lessons from an epidemic
“This is going to be a tough year.” Claire McCarthy was a young physical therapist in early March 1955 when orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Grice, made this observation. At the time, Boston Children’s Hospital was the receiving center for adults and children with polio in New England. The hospital typically saw an upsurge in cases ... Read More about The polio outbreak of 1955: Lessons from an epidemic
Health and Parenting
In the coronavirus crisis, when should your child see the doctor?
If your child is sick or is due for a checkup or vaccine, you may wonder if it’s okay to go to the doctor right now. With more pediatricians seeing patients remotely in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, the majority of routine and sick visits can be managed via telehealth. But there are still some ... Read More about In the coronavirus crisis, when should your child see the doctor?
Health and Parenting
Dealing with feelings of grief in the time of coronavirus
As the COVID-19 outbreak moves into another month, do you find yourself feeling angry? Helpless? Sad? Lost? Disappointed? Accepting? Or maybe you run through the gamut of emotions on a given day or week. According to Erica Lee and Heather Potts, psychologists in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children’s Hospital, these feelings are all ... Read More about Dealing with feelings of grief in the time of coronavirus
Health and Parenting
Preparing your child with autism for a hospital visit during COVID-19
Most kids aren’t used to the sights, sounds, and smells of a hospital. And because of COVID-19, medical settings look and sound much different than usual. Busy hallways are nearly empty. People are wearing face masks. Even kids who come to the hospital often may not recognize the place they’ve visited many times. (Image: David ... Read More about Preparing your child with autism for a hospital visit during COVID-19
Research
A snapshot of COVID-19 in children admitted to the PICU
Experts have recently warned of cases of serious inflammatory illness in children possibly related to COVID-19. But a report in JAMA Pediatrics this week reinforces the fact that serious complications have been rare in children with the new coronavirus, especially if they have no underlying health conditions. The new study represents the first cross-sectional, multi-hospital ... Read More about A snapshot of COVID-19 in children admitted to the PICU
Health and Parenting
Embracing the benefits of virtual visits during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sheltering at home during the coronavirus doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice high-quality health care. Many families are finding that a lot of services they used to travel into Boston for are now available from the comfort of home using our expanded telehealth capacity. This is allowing parents and kids to manage chronic conditions, or ... Read More about Embracing the benefits of virtual visits during the COVID-19 pandemic