Research
A new lens on cardiac surgery could help prevent arrhythmia
Sometimes, a change in perspective can lead to a medical breakthrough. A type of microscopy typically used to detect cancer and other diseases has been adapted to reveal the location of unseen conduction tissue around the heart. The Boston Children’s clinician behind this innovation now aims to prove the safety and effectiveness of fiber-optic confocal ... Read More about A new lens on cardiac surgery could help prevent arrhythmia
Research
A new vaccine formulation could finally protect babies against RSV
Though often mild, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection can cause babies to be hospitalized with bronchiolitis or pneumonia. Globally, it is the leading cause of death in children under 5. Several vaccines against RSV are being tested in adults. But there has been no progress on an RSV vaccine for children since 1966 — the ... Read More about A new vaccine formulation could finally protect babies against RSV
Health and Parenting
Kids and gum disease: Top six things parents should know
Every kid needs a healthy smile — and strong teeth are just part of the equation. While a cavity affects only the tooth, gum disease can inflame the gums and damage the bones and surrounding tissues of the mouth. Although you might associate gum disease with older people, it can be a problem for children ... Read More about Kids and gum disease: Top six things parents should know
Patient Stories
There’s no stopping Jack: His journey with craniosynostosis
Jack is almost 2 years old and loves to swim, chase his older sister around the house, and just bring lots of laughs to everyone he meets. For such a happy kid, he’s had an uphill battle to get to this point — starting when he was born. “Something wasn’t right with the shape of ... Read More about There’s no stopping Jack: His journey with craniosynostosis
Patient Stories
Advocating for herself: Drew takes lymphedema in stride
Five-year-old Drew Rossi has no problem explaining why she wears a daily compression garment. “I have lymphedema,” she tells anyone who asks about the compression sock on her left leg. “She took this diagnosis and ran with it,” says her father, Don. “She’s already a great advocate.” Don and his wife, Kerri, knew that something ... Read More about Advocating for herself: Drew takes lymphedema in stride
Research
Chasing Rett syndrome biomarkers: Could overnight EEG studies improve care?
In Rett syndrome, a genetic condition affecting girls almost exclusively, mutations in the MECP2 gene cause a regression of language and motor skills starting at 12 to 18 months of age. Children then usually stabilize, but how Rett will ultimately affect them is hard to predict. Some girls develop epilepsy; others have no seizures at ... Read More about Chasing Rett syndrome biomarkers: Could overnight EEG studies improve care?
Health and Parenting
Why families need routines (even in the summer)
They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Maybe no one has realized this more over the last few years than children and young people who lost all semblance of normalcy with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if the benefits of their day-to-day routines were more subliminal in the “before ... Read More about Why families need routines (even in the summer)
Research
A potential danger of CRISPR gene editing — and why base editing may be safer
Gene therapy using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing is currently in clinical trials around the world for a variety of diseases, including various cancers, blood disorders, and metabolic disorders. It works by making cuts in DNA — both strands of the double helix — to insert or remove genes. But CRISPR carries a potential, previously undiscovered danger, ... Read More about A potential danger of CRISPR gene editing — and why base editing may be safer
Research
New work transforms our knowledge of how blood is formed
The origins of our blood may not be quite what we thought. In groundbreaking research, scientists in the Stem Cell Program at Boston Children’s Hospital used cellular “barcoding” techniques in mice to track the development of blood in real time — and found that blood cells originate not from one type of mother cell, but ... Read More about New work transforms our knowledge of how blood is formed
Our Community
Addressing food insecurity: How Boston Children’s makes food accessible for patients
Food insecurity is more common than you might think, affecting an estimated 21.1% of Massachusetts households with children in 2023. To add to the stress, families of children with dietary restrictions who face food insecurity are frequently left with limited options to find proper nutrition. One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to addressing ... Read More about Addressing food insecurity: How Boston Children’s makes food accessible for patients