Patient Stories
A young child leaning on a table.

Care for a prince: One family’s inspiring journey for encephalocele repair

To hear Peter and Eunice of Kenya tell the story of their son, Prince, is to hear about the power of hope, the best of humanity, and the interconnectivity that makes the world a small place after all. Hope in the hopeless In March 2022, Eunice was about five months into her pregnancy when a ... Read More about Care for a prince: One family’s inspiring journey for encephalocele repair
Clinical Care
Dr. Belinda Dickie and Dr. Erin McNamara in the operating room

Surgery beats sclerotherapy for rectal prolapse in children ages 5 and older

Rectal prolapse — the protrusion of the lining of a child’s rectum through the anal sphincter — can occur for many reasons. In the pediatric population, it most commonly occurs in children under 4 years old but can affect older children as well. Children with colorectal and pelvic malformations tend to be at increased risk ... Read More about Surgery beats sclerotherapy for rectal prolapse in children ages 5 and older
Patient Stories
A kindergarten-age boy on the playground wearing his bone-anchored hearing system.

Learning to speak with the help of a bone-anchored hearing system: Owen’s story

Why does 4-year-old Owen love Ghost Spider? For one thing, her suit has purple highlights. For another, her hand forms the sign for ‘I love you’ whenever she casts a web. These reasons say a lot about Owen: a loving kid who knows American Sign Language (ASL) and whose favorite color is purple. For several ... Read More about Learning to speak with the help of a bone-anchored hearing system: Owen’s story
Patient Stories
Jayden (left) with his brothers following his successful surgery for CDH.

The best decision: Triplet Jayden is thriving after CDH repair

Jayden is barely a year old, but he’s already been through more ups and downs than some adults. Born at just 27 weeks — along with his brothers Jacob and Jamari — he’s overcome tremendous odds, not just as a triplet and preemie, but because he was born with a serious condition called congenital diaphragmatic ... Read More about The best decision: Triplet Jayden is thriving after CDH repair
Patient Stories
Jace, who had osteochondritis dissecans, in a basketball t-shirt.

My story of bouncing back from osteochondritis dissecans

Injuries suck — no better way of putting it. The physical pain is terrible on its own, but emotionally they can hurt even more. The frustration that comes with something that is out of your control is like nothing else. It makes you realize how much you take your health for granted until you lose ... Read More about My story of bouncing back from osteochondritis dissecans
Research
Three people sitting close together view the heart through virtual reality.

Helping aspiring clinicians understand a virtual heart before they work with a real one

Jonathan Awori, MD, MS, MFA, isn’t embarrassed to say it took him a long time to completely understand the intricate workings of the heart. He says he isn’t alone; many aspiring doctors and nurses don’t immediately grasp the heart’s complexity from two-dimensional textbooks or even 3D-printed models.  Now that he’s a pediatric cardiology fellow at ... Read More about Helping aspiring clinicians understand a virtual heart before they work with a real one
Research
Adolescents with scoliosis show off their braces.

Predicting brace adherence could change the game in scoliosis treatment

When it comes to preventing scoliosis progression, is it possible to make bracing more effective? For decades, spine specialists focused on improving the braces themselves, making them lighter, less obtrusive, and easier to put on and take off. (The Boston Brace, developed at Boston Children’s Hospital in the early 1970s, is one example.) Key takeaways ... Read More about Predicting brace adherence could change the game in scoliosis treatment
Research
A woman holds a baby close to her chest in a hospital setting.

New hospital discharge practices could improve health of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

The chronic lung disease bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) affects a significant number of infants who were born early and have underdeveloped lungs. They typically require lengthy specialized care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before they can go home with their families. But getting home doesn’t mean health risks are behind them. Their parents are suddenly their ... Read More about New hospital discharge practices could improve health of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Health and Parenting
A mom helps her little girl color

December 2023 coloring pages

Keep kids busy during the winter holidays with this month’s coloring pages, brought to you by Boston Children’s. MAC_29558_ColoringPages_Dec_Winter_Horiz-1Download MAC_29558_ColoringPages_Dec_Winter_Horiz-2Download MAC_29558_ColoringPages_Dec_Winter_Vert-1Download MAC_29558_ColoringPages_Dec_Winter_Vert-2Download Share this:
Patient Stories
A young boy waterskis on a lake.

Treatment for the vision condition achromatopsia helps Aiden embrace the outdoors

A lot of things excite 10-year-old Aiden Flaherty: drums, soccer, skiing, video games. But lately, he’s also found joy in a quieter, less active pursuit: watching leaves move on trees. He loves being outdoors during the daytime and taking in all that nature offers. It’s something he only recently could do after receiving retinal gene ... Read More about Treatment for the vision condition achromatopsia helps Aiden embrace the outdoors