Patient Stories
Second opinion gives Charlotte a second chance
After struggling to conceive their second child, Jennifer and Keith Bent were thrilled when Jennifer became pregnant. The results of genetic testing were normal and confirmed they would be welcoming a daughter in April of 2016. Jennifer felt the baby’s first kicks on Nov. 23, 2015. The next day, she was scheduled for an anatomy ... Read More about Second opinion gives Charlotte a second chance
Health and Parenting
Managing your child’s treatment-related nausea
Treatment-related nausea is an unpleasant side effect that can occur before, during, or after cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Antiemetic medications are typically used to treat nausea and vomiting, but there are other strategies that can help. Dr. Kristen Uhl, of Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, specializes in pediatric pain ... Read More about Managing your child’s treatment-related nausea
Patient Stories
Saif looks ahead to life after spine surgery
Saif and his mother, Khawha Abbas, both had questions for Dr. Daniel Hedequist. For the past nine months, the family had lived in Boston while Saif underwent treatment for a severe spinal deformity. They were scheduled return to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that evening, but first, Saif wanted to know if he would be ... Read More about Saif looks ahead to life after spine surgery
Our Community
Chaplains, or spiritual companions on a journey
I’m a United Methodist minister working on a multi-faith team of board-certified chaplains. Our team includes a rabbi, an imam, an Episcopal priest, a United Church of Christ minister, a Lutheran minister, a Christian chaplain, and three Roman Catholic chaplains. We closely collaborate with nurses and doctors, child life specialists, social workers, music therapists, and other caregivers. None ... Read More about Chaplains, or spiritual companions on a journey
Patient Stories
A sign of Faith in one little girl’s single ventricle journey
Nicole and Charlie Parker were no strangers to adoption when they embarked on the journey to bring their daughter Faith home from Langfang, China — they had previously adopted two of their four children. What they were not familiar with was raising a child with a complex congenital heart condition. Faith was born with a ... Read More about A sign of Faith in one little girl’s single ventricle journey
Research
Online data mining adds to the picture of vaping-related lung disease
Severe lung disease related to vaping has been surging across the U.S., with the eighth death confirmed last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A brief report in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that online data-mining tools can supplement traditional public health surveillance and help officials stay ahead of this sudden epidemic. ... Read More about Online data mining adds to the picture of vaping-related lung disease
Patient Stories
Not all heroes wear capes: Taking on dyskeratosis congenita
When Mason Langlais argues with his sister, Jillian, he regularly repeats a mantra. “I’m the rare one,” he says. “So, you can’t treat me like this.” “Rare” and “one in a million” — those are just a few of the words his mom, Jenn, uses to describe her 7-year-old self-proclaimed super hero. It’s how she ... Read More about Not all heroes wear capes: Taking on dyskeratosis congenita
Health and Parenting
What parents should know about anesthesia
The prospect of surgery can be distressing to parents and kids alike, but the idea of a child undergoing anesthesia can be often be even more concerning to families. Still, many babies and young children need anesthesia to be able to tolerate tests, surgeries, and other minor invasive procedures. We asked anesthesiologist Dr. Joseph Cravero, ... Read More about What parents should know about anesthesia
Research
Targeting a rogue T cell prevents and reverses multiple sclerosis in mice
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting both adults and children. It’s driven by “helper” T cells, white blood cells that mount an inflammatory attack on the brain and spinal cord, degrading the protective myelin sheath that covers nerve fibers. But there are many different kinds of T helper cells, and up until now, no ... Read More about Targeting a rogue T cell prevents and reverses multiple sclerosis in mice
Patient Stories
Back from the brink: How Boston Children’s saved my life
I was first rushed to Boston Children’s Hospital on my very first night of summer vacation in June 2015. I had been at an eighth-grade graduation party when a brain aneurysm caused by an AVM (arteriovenous malformation) ruptured. All the blood and swelling in my head generated the worst headache I had ever felt. I ... Read More about Back from the brink: How Boston Children’s saved my life