Health and Parenting
How to help young kids cope when a parent has to isolate
Parents: If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and need to isolate or quarantine, you understandably may have questions and concerns about what this means for your family. On top of coordinating logistics around work, child care, and safety measures, you may be worried about the psychological impact separation will have on your child. For children ... Read More about How to help young kids cope when a parent has to isolate
Research
Can we harness intestinal cells to treat endocrine disorders?
Enteroendocrine cells punch above their weight. Comprising just about 1 percent of intestinal cells, they produce, as a group, around 15 different hormones. These not only regulate intestinal function and digestion, but also influence metabolic functions like insulin secretion and appetite regulation. A new technology platform developed at Boston Children’s could set the stage for ... Read More about Can we harness intestinal cells to treat endocrine disorders?
Research
Can intensive early behavioral therapy help children with Down syndrome?
“It’s like learning a new language. It’s a challenge, but a good challenge,” says Kristala of the new ways she has learned to connect with her 3-year-old son, Ellison, who has Down syndrome. Her favorite part of the Joint-Attention-Symbolic-Play-Engagement-Regulation (JASPER) clinical trial program at Boston Children’s Hospital came during the “Follow His Lead” week. “I ... Read More about Can intensive early behavioral therapy help children with Down syndrome?
Research
Rethinking the origins of cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) has widely been viewed as the result of perinatal oxygen deprivation or other birth-related factors like prematurity. For many children, this is true. But new work from Boston Children’s finds that up to 1 in 4 have an underlying genetic condition with the potential to change the approach to their care. Findings ... Read More about Rethinking the origins of cerebral palsy
Patient Stories
Innovative POEM procedure gives Emma an option for achalasia
Like a lot of teenagers, Emma Reiner loves pizza — so it shouldn’t have been a surprise when she recently enjoyed four slices in one sitting. But for Emma, the meal was an accomplishment. For more than a year, she had felt nauseous after taking just a few bites of food. “It felt like the ... Read More about Innovative POEM procedure gives Emma an option for achalasia
Patient Stories
For Echo, treatment for midaortic syndrome was ‘MAGIC’
Most 7-year-olds don’t have high blood pressure, let alone blood pressure that hovers around 180/110 mm Hg. (“Normal” blood pressure for kids that age ranges between 95/60 and 110/73 mm Hg.) At first Echo Roney’s parents thought her rising blood pressure might be linked to her diagnosis of a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis 1. But ... Read More about For Echo, treatment for midaortic syndrome was ‘MAGIC’
Research
Could concussion be monitored through urine samples?
Concussion can be frustratingly hard to diagnose and track. The injury doesn’t show up on routine brain scans, and there is no definitive diagnostic test. It’s usually diagnosed based on symptoms and, in athletes, comparison with baseline testing if it was done. But concussion symptoms are non-specific, unreliable, and easily influenced by emotions. “Athletes usually ... Read More about Could concussion be monitored through urine samples?
Patient Stories
Kira’s story: how a diagnosis of fatty liver disease nourished a lasting lifestyle change
Kira’s journey with fatty liver disease began about six years ago, when imaging for other medical reasons showed areas of concern with her liver. Fatty liver disease occurs when excess fat is stored in the liver; it can lead to progressive liver disease and is the most common pediatric liver disease in the country. The ... Read More about Kira’s story: how a diagnosis of fatty liver disease nourished a lasting lifestyle change
Clinical Care
A minimally invasive surgical option for children with flexible flatfoot
Most children with flexible flatfoot, a common condition in which arches do not develop in the feet, don’t need surgery, or any medical intervention at all. The few who do need surgery typically face a complicated procedure and a long recovery. Dr. Susan Mahan Children in many parts of Europe, however, have another option. A ... Read More about A minimally invasive surgical option for children with flexible flatfoot
Our Community
What Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us about leadership
Among the individuals who have helped shape American history, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stands out. As one of the key leaders of the civil rights movement, he was instrumental in overturning racist laws that segregated public spaces and treated Black Americans as second-class citizens. After years of marches and sit-ins, after nonviolent ... Read More about What Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us about leadership