Patient Stories
Nicole and Alana: A friendship formed in dance
I was holding myself back, scared I would hurt myself, but Alana helped me realize I could push myself safely. She helped me gain confidence and trust in my dancing body again.
Health and Parenting
Which genetic syndromes can increase a child’s risk of cancer?
Inherited cancers account for at least 5 to 10 percent of all pediatric cancers. The same advances in technology that have enabled scientists to decode the human genome now allow doctors to determine when a child has been born with an error (mutation) in a specific gene that puts them at increased risk of childhood ... Read More about Which genetic syndromes can increase a child’s risk of cancer?
Our Community
Staff Spotlight: Meet Jonette Jean-Louis
Jonette Jean-Louis is the program coordinator for the Midaortic Syndrome and Renovascular Hypertension Center at Boston Children’s Hospital. Midaortic syndrome is a rare but serious condition in which the part of the aorta (the heart’s largest blood vessel) that runs through the chest and abdomen becomes narrow. This can lead to lower blood flow in ... Read More about Staff Spotlight: Meet Jonette Jean-Louis
Patient Stories
Another level of gratitude: Spina bifida care for Liam
Most parents first walk through the doors of Boston Children’s Hospital seeking answers about their child’s health. But until recently, when Mary Holleran arrived at the hospital, she was simply beginning another day at work. A nurse practitioner, she’s been on staff at Boston Children’s for more than a decade, much of it spent caring ... Read More about Another level of gratitude: Spina bifida care for Liam
Patient Stories
After recovery from kidney cancer, Lia pays it forward
As a 3-year-old, Lia Scagnoli skipped across the “Bridge of Hope” connecting Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute each time she had a chemotherapy infusion or other treatment for pediatric kidney cancer at Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic. Caregivers offering equal parts love, hope, and fun diversions gave her and her family a feeling of confidence ... Read More about After recovery from kidney cancer, Lia pays it forward
Our Community
Women in Medicine Month: Celebrating women who paved the way
September is Women in Medicine Month, the perfect time to acknowledge the many brilliant, talented, and passionate women who care for our patients and innovate new discoveries every day at Boston Children’s Hospital. In honor of Boston Children’s 150th anniversary, we’d like to recognize a few of the many trailblazers who helped pave the way. ... Read More about Women in Medicine Month: Celebrating women who paved the way
Clinical Care
Four ways to manage the impact of cystic fibrosis on the GI system
Cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and other organs, used to be considered a childhood disease with a very high mortality rate. But today, thanks to improvements in screenings, diagnosis, and treatments, as well as a deeper understanding of the importance of managing nutritional status, people with cystic fibrosis are living into ... Read More about Four ways to manage the impact of cystic fibrosis on the GI system
Clinical Care
A series of coincidences unite two people to fight childhood cancer
When Lauren Wolinski accepted a job as a summer intern in the oncology unit at Boston Children’s Hospital, she could not have anticipated how extraordinary the experience would turn out to be. “I expected it would be very intense and sad to work with children who have cancer, but I quickly found out Boston Children’s ... Read More about A series of coincidences unite two people to fight childhood cancer
Clinical Care
Feeding and growth difficulties in children: When to refer
Parents are bombarded with so much online information about the best ways to feed their children the nutrients they need to ensure they grow to the best of their potential. As we know, not everything they read is helpful or even accurate. The best thing you can do for your patient families is regularly plot ... Read More about Feeding and growth difficulties in children: When to refer
Clinical Care
Study sounds another warning about proton pump inhibitors
A recent study adds to growing concerns about a class of drugs frequently prescribed to suppress stomach acid in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Previous research has linked the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to an increased risk of various pulmonary and gastrointestinal infections in both adults and children. Patients treated with PPIs ... Read More about Study sounds another warning about proton pump inhibitors