Patient Stories
A gymnast gets her spring back
In order to master the pirouette, Mikayla Comeiro drew on many of the strengths she’d developed as a competitive gymnast: hours of practice, determination and physical stamina. To perform a pirouette, the gymnast swings herself into a handstand on the uneven bars and walks her hands around in a circle, rotating her entire body while ... Read More about A gymnast gets her spring back
Research
ctDNA: Bringing ‘liquid biopsies’ to pediatric solid tumors
Our blood carries tiny amounts of DNA from broken-up cells. If we have cancer, some of that DNA comes from tumor cells. Studies performed with adult cancers have shown that this circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may offer crucial clues about tumor genetic mutations and how tumors respond to treatment. Brian Crompton, MD, with colleagues at ... Read More about ctDNA: Bringing ‘liquid biopsies’ to pediatric solid tumors
Patient Stories
‘Finally in the right place’: Peyton’s journey to Boston
When Peyton Miklas comes to Boston Children’s Hospital for an appointment, she isn’t just seeing Dr. Belinda Dickie, co-director of the Colorectal and Pelvic Malformation Center, or one of the other clinicians who care for her. The 18-month-old is also excited to visit with her buddy Bryson. The toddlers — who were born within a day of ... Read More about ‘Finally in the right place’: Peyton’s journey to Boston
Health and Parenting
Top tips for water safety
As summer approaches, families head outdoors for fun ways to beat the heat. One of the most cherished summertime activities is swimming — whether in a pool, lake or beach. But each summer, it’s important to remind ourselves of the sobering statistic that drowning ranks among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the U.S. ... Read More about Top tips for water safety
Patient Stories
Zaire’s superpowered heart: ‘I am Iron Man’
What do a 4-year-old from Brockton, Massachusetts and Marvel’s superhero Iron Man have in common? A lot more than you might think. Iron Man faces a heart injury that nearly kills him, but creates a suit of armor that protects his heart and gives him superpowers. Zaire was born with scimitar syndrome, a rare condition ... Read More about Zaire’s superpowered heart: ‘I am Iron Man’
Research
Gene panel helps investigate sudden unexpected death in children
Almost 10 percent of pediatric deaths occur suddenly and without explanation. In this terrible situation, the first question many parents have is “Why?” For most, answers never come. Childhood deaths that cannot be explained by traditional autopsy and death-scene investigation are referred to as sudden unexplained deaths in pediatrics (SUDP). In children, these deaths are ... Read More about Gene panel helps investigate sudden unexpected death in children
Health and Parenting
Swallowing problems: 4 things to know about dysphagia
It seems like second nature to most of us, but swallowing is actually an intricate process with multiple stages, from the moment food or liquid passes through your lips until it enters your stomach. If something goes awry at any point in this journey, dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, can be the result. If your child chokes, ... Read More about Swallowing problems: 4 things to know about dysphagia
Clinical Care
Recurrent UTIs in boys
Painful, frequent and urgent urination — they’re the telltale signs of a urinary tract infection, or UTI, something most pediatricians see on a regular basis. The approach to care is usually simple: urinalysis, a course of antibiotics, plenty of fluids and a discussion about proper hygiene. Most of the time, the infection clears up with no ... Read More about Recurrent UTIs in boys
Patient Stories
Living his best life: Caring for Christian
Christian Jaspersen was wet, muddy — and having the time of his life. After an ATV ride around his family’s rural Oklahoma farm with their grandfather, he and his two older brothers plopped themselves into a nearby mud puddle, playing with toy trucks and getting wonderfully messy. “For a while, we didn’t know if Christian ... Read More about Living his best life: Caring for Christian
Research
The threat from mosquito-borne diseases: Forecasting mosquitoes’ global spread
Outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses like yellow fever, dengue, Zika and chikungunya are rising around the world. Climate change has created conditions favorable to mosquitoes’ spread, but so have human travel and migration and accelerating urbanization, creating new mini-habitats for mosquitoes. In Nature Microbiology yesterday, a large group of international collaborators combined these factors into prediction models that ... Read More about The threat from mosquito-borne diseases: Forecasting mosquitoes’ global spread