Our Community
Female leadership in neonatology: The value of mentorship
While the majority of neonatologists are women, women make up a far smaller proportion of neonatologists in leadership positions. A recent national survey led by Kristen Leeman, MD, in the Division of Newborn Medicine at Boston Children’s and Lindsay Johnston, MD, at Yale, finds that many female neonatologists face roadblocks to career development. They often ... Read More about Female leadership in neonatology: The value of mentorship
Research
Study seeks to identify household triggers for chronic lung disease in children
Home is where the heart is, but it’s also where air pollutants, allergens, and other irritants can make breathing difficult for children with the chronic lung disease bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). BPD is the most common respiratory disease affecting children who were born prematurely. It leads to impaired lung function and respiratory symptoms similar to those associated ... Read More about Study seeks to identify household triggers for chronic lung disease in children
Patient Stories
Decades in the making: JR’s journey with craniofacial care
Last fall, JR Foley posted on Facebook to thank members of the Craniofacial Program at Boston Children’s Hospital for seeing him through corrective jaw surgery. The post wasn’t JR’s first note of thanks, and it wasn’t his first surgery, either. JR’s been receiving care at Boston Children’s Hospital for more than 30 years. Treating the ... Read More about Decades in the making: JR’s journey with craniofacial care
Patient Stories
How I hear you: Isabelle’s cochlear implant story
Isabelle is a thriving AP student, hockey player, and online gamer who listens to music and communicates with the help of cochlear implants. When people ask about the devices behind her ears, she responds, “They’re my ears. That’s how I hear you.” Fourteen years ago, when Vicki and Jason learned one of their newborn twins ... Read More about How I hear you: Isabelle’s cochlear implant story
Research
Treating brain ‘hotspots’ and networks to address autism, aggression, and more
What if doctors could break down conditions like autism into their key symptoms, map these symptoms to “hotspots” in the brain, and then treat those areas directly with brain stimulation? If it bears out, such an approach could turn the care of neurologic and developmental disorders on its head, focusing on symptoms that are shared ... Read More about Treating brain ‘hotspots’ and networks to address autism, aggression, and more
Patient Stories
After complex heart surgery, Yah’ir is all smiles
Christina Moreland and Jimmy Austin want their 6-month-old son, Yah’ir, to have a bright future, one where he can pursue all of his dreams. “He can do whatever he wants to do,” Christina says. There’s just one caveat, an understandable one considering that Yah’ir is recovering from complex heart surgery. “As long as he doesn’t ... Read More about After complex heart surgery, Yah’ir is all smiles
Research
Hip pain is different in female dancers: New insights from dynamic ultrasound
Dancers put unique demands on their hips, achieving extreme ranges of motion that can strain the joints and damage supporting tissues around them. Not surprisingly, hip injuries account for up to 17 percent of injuries in dancers and 27 percent among professional dancers. Microinstability — no small problem for dancers Conditions such as hip dysplasia ... Read More about Hip pain is different in female dancers: New insights from dynamic ultrasound
Clinical Care
Congenital hypothyroidism: New guidance for clinicians
Congenital hypothyroidism is usually caused by a baby being born with an absent or underactive thyroid gland. When not treated, it’s one of the most common preventable causes of intellectual disability. Although newborn screening can identify congenital hypothyroidism and lead to prompt treatment, an estimated 70 percent of newborns worldwide are born in regions that ... Read More about Congenital hypothyroidism: New guidance for clinicians
Research
Cracking the code on Kleefstra syndrome: It takes a community
Paul Terry is a staunch advocate for people with rare diseases — but researchers were only able to put a name to his condition five years ago. It was an answer he and his family had long sought. When Paul was a baby, his parents saw that he wasn’t hitting all his milestones. Their pediatrician ... Read More about Cracking the code on Kleefstra syndrome: It takes a community
Health and Parenting
Social and emotional health in high school
Sarauna Moore has a unique perspective on students’ emotional and behavioral health. As part of the Boston Children’s Hospital Neighborhood Partnerships team, she is a fixture at Boston Arts Academy (BAA), a public high school for the visual and performing arts. When in-person classes resumed in 2021 after a year of remote learning, she noticed ... Read More about Social and emotional health in high school