Research
New leads for spinal cord injury: Mapping spinal-projecting neurons in the brain
Only a fraction of people who sustain a spinal cord injury fully regain their motor function. While rehabilitation can help, scientists have long looked for ways to regenerate injured nerve fibers — including, at Boston Children’s Hospital, Zhigang He, PhD, BM. As part of a collaborative effort by the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network, which ... Read More about New leads for spinal cord injury: Mapping spinal-projecting neurons in the brain
Patient Stories
A lifetime of treatment inspires Ruth to advocate care for others
Ruth Ngwaro offers guidance to children who have heart disease. Perhaps her most useful bit of advice is telling them to not look too far ahead in their lifelong journeys and instead focus on what they can do each day. She would know: Throughout childhood and well into adulthood, Ruth was in and out of ... Read More about A lifetime of treatment inspires Ruth to advocate care for others
Patient Stories
Un verdadero corazón de oro: El viaje de Jeremiahs hacia un trasplante de corazón
Con las sirenas sonando, Angelie y su esposo atravesaron el tráfico a toda velocidad, ansiosos por llegar a tiempo a la ciudad. La escolta policial que tenían delante les despejó el camino, lo que les permitió trasladarse rápidamente al Boston Children’s Hospital, donde los esperaba su hijo de 6 años, Jeremiahs, apodado JJ. Si Angelie ... Read More about Un verdadero corazón de oro: El viaje de Jeremiahs hacia un trasplante de corazón
Patient Stories
A true heart of gold: Jeremiahs’ heart transplant journey
With sirens wailing, Angelie and her husband sped through traffic, anxious to get to the city in time. The police escort ahead of them cleared the way, allowing for a speedy commute to Boston Children’s Hospital where their 6-year-old son, Jeremiahs — nicknamed JJ — was waiting for them. If Angelie hadn’t waved down the ... Read More about A true heart of gold: Jeremiahs’ heart transplant journey
Patient Stories
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
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
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
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
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
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