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
Health and Parenting
Five things to know about the flu
It’s flu season again. In fact, about half of every year, from September to March, is “flu season.” Despite the fact that we spend half of our lives in flu season, there are lots of misconceptions about this common and sometimes deadly virus. Here are five important facts about the flu that not everyone knows: 1. You ... Read More about Five things to know about the flu
Patient Stories
Following clinical trial, boy with Fanconi anemia transfusion free
Seven-year-old Ervis of Chicago, Illinois, is a model student with a positive attitude and a megawatt smile. His mom Ofelia calls him “un encantador” — “a charmer,” but life as Ervis knows it is not exactly charmed. Born with Fanconi anemia (FA), a rare hereditary blood disorder that can lead to bone marrow failure and cancer, ... Read More about Following clinical trial, boy with Fanconi anemia transfusion free
Clinical Care
Pediatric stroke: Do you believe these three myths?
Think fast: How much do you know about pediatric stroke? If you’re like many clinicians, you may not even realize that kids can have strokes. Yet knowing the signs of stroke in children, as well as when to refer, is crucial for primary care providers as well as specialists. Here, Miya Bernson-Leung, MD, EdM, a ... Read More about Pediatric stroke: Do you believe these three myths?
Our Community
Scoliosis patients get a preview of spinal fusion surgery
“Patients are more at ease when they know what to expect,” says, Dr. Daniel Hedequist, chief of the Spine Division in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Dr. Hedequist performs dozens of spinal fusion surgeries each year to treat children with scoliosis. While the procedure is familiar ground for the surgical team at Boston Children’s Hospital, ... Read More about Scoliosis patients get a preview of spinal fusion surgery
Clinical Care
Improving developmental care for infants in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Infants born with congenital heart disease (CHD) are some of the most fragile patients, often requiring surgery or other interventions in the first few months after birth. They also face a higher risk of developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems than children born with a healthy heart. To help mitigate these developmental challenges, a ... Read More about Improving developmental care for infants in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit