Research
The surprisingly specific genetics of joint disease
A new study provides unexpected insights into the biology of two common, heritable orthopedic conditions: developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and knee osteoarthritis (OA). The findings, published July 6 in Nature Communications, show how a gene can have different effects in different parts of the body. They also raise the possibility of preventive measures ... Read More about The surprisingly specific genetics of joint disease
Research
New technique designed specifically for children gives surgeons another moyamoya treatment option
Moyamoya is rare blood vessel condition that is a major cause of pediatric stroke. Surgical revascularization can be very effective; however, anterior cerebral territory ischemia can occur after treatment, particularly in children with delayed disease progression. The current surgical treatments for anterior cerebral territory ischemia in pediatric patients are challenging: Complex, high-risk procedures haven’t been ... Read More about New technique designed specifically for children gives surgeons another moyamoya treatment option
Patient Stories
A surprising diagnosis leads to treatment for Liam’s liver cancer
For Liam Dickerson, what started as a simple sick day turned into a journey he never could have expected. In 2018, he wasn’t feeling well and paid a visit to his high school’s nurse. Although he was experiencing chest and under arm pain, the nurse worried that he might have appendicitis and recommended he see ... Read More about A surprising diagnosis leads to treatment for Liam’s liver cancer
Patient Stories
From ECMO to star athlete: Kobe’s story
Kobe Perry is fast. This year, the 12-year-old from New Hampshire placed #2 in the United States in the indoor 60-meter sprint and at #10 in the 200-meter for boys in his age group. “Watching Kobe run now, you would never know that he had a heart condition when he was a toddler and had ... Read More about From ECMO to star athlete: Kobe’s story
Clinical Care
Limb-lengthening surgery: A look at the pros and cons
Limb length discrepancies, a leg or arm that’s shorter than the other, can occur for a number of reasons. A child may be born with a condition that causes one limb to grow more slowly than the other. An arm or leg may stop growing after a complex fracture or a fracture that heals incorrectly. ... Read More about Limb-lengthening surgery: A look at the pros and cons
Research
ADHD drug class leads to fewer side effects in preschool children
About 2.4 percent of preschool-age children have an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. For these children, behavioral interventions intended to redirect a child or otherwise replace negative behaviors with positive ones are the first line of treatment. But what if symptoms linger, or are so severe that they interfere with a child’s social, emotional, and educational ... Read More about ADHD drug class leads to fewer side effects in preschool children
Patient Stories
Amazing Grace: Toddler receives life-changing care for cloacal anomaly
Grace Brown loves playing with her six brothers and sisters, watching educational TV shows, and just being an average toddler. But by some accounts, she shouldn’t be here at all. “We were told before she was even born that she wasn’t likely to survive,” says her mother, K’Shayla. After Grace — and her twin sister, ... Read More about Amazing Grace: Toddler receives life-changing care for cloacal anomaly
Clinical Care
SMART: A new approach to asthma management
Until recently, the typical approach to asthma involved two inhalers. In its first update since 2007, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program now recommends the use of Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART) for selected patients. Rather than an inhaled corticosteroid for daily maintenance and an inhaled bronchodilator for exacerbations, SMART uses the same ... Read More about SMART: A new approach to asthma management
Research
Taking treatment of long-gap esophageal atresia to the next level: Refining innovative techniques
The surgeons in the Esophageal and Airway Treatment Center at Boston Children’s Hospital are pioneers in developing and refining innovative surgical approaches to long-gap esophageal atresia, a condition in which a child’s esophagus develops in two separate segments that can’t be easily connected with surgery. Among these techniques are jejunal interposition and the Foker process. ... Read More about Taking treatment of long-gap esophageal atresia to the next level: Refining innovative techniques
Health and Parenting
Practice positivity: Navigating body image with your child
Children receive thousands of messages every day about ‘how the world works’ and the role of kids and adolescents in it. Sometimes they learn things explicitly, but they also receive cues from mass and social media, family and peers. Body image is no exception. In young people, negative messages about bodies and appearances can contribute ... Read More about Practice positivity: Navigating body image with your child