Archive for community health
Bringing genomics to community NICUs
About a year and a half ago, Robert Rothstein, MD, FAAP encountered a baby with a pattern of facial features and clinical findings that suggested a genetic syndrome. The available tests couldn’t pinpoint a diagnosis, and the family wanted a more definitive answer. So Rothstein and his colleagues transferred the newborn from Baystate Medical Center ... Read More
Addressing inequities in asthma by focusing on children’s environments
Asthma strikes children in low-income urban areas especially hard, more often sending them to the hospital. For more than 20 years, Dr. Wanda Phipatanakul at Boston Children’s Hospital has been investigating why — and seeking ways to level the playing field. “Children in low-income areas and children of color often aren’t diagnosed early enough with ... Read More
Providing culturally responsive care to refugee and immigrant families
Refugee and immigrant parents and children have unique care needs. They have left their former lives behind, often due to discrimination, poverty, violence, or even ethnic cleansing operations. They may have witnessed or experienced torture or the death of a loved one. Once resettled in the U.S., parents must navigate and adjust to American culture, ... Read More
How Boston Children’s is supporting childcare during COVID-19
If you’re a parent who relies on childcare, you may be struggling with closures during COVID-19. You also may have questions about the reopening and the safety of the childcare classroom. For people who live in communities of color, which are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, the challenges associated with childcare are magnified. That’s why Boston ... Read More
Don’t let COVID-19 silence you: Voting in 2020
Voting is your right and your way to make a difference in children’s lives. When you cast your vote, you’re letting elected officials know where you stand on issues such as access to health care, behavioral health, and child nutrition programs. In this spirit of civic engagement, Boston Children’s Hospital encourages all eligible citizens to make their voices ... Read More
The impact of COVID-19 on communities of color
Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, it has become increasingly clear that some racial and ethnic groups have high rates of infection and death from the virus. Recent national data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that Black Americans are five times more likely than white Americans to get COVID-19, and Latino Americans ... Read More
Exploring the link between homelessness and COVID-19
With COVID-19 cases continuing to surge across the nation, it’s increasingly clear that people who don’t have a stable living situation find it much more challenging to shelter in place. Homelessness affects as many as 58,000 families — and more than 100,000 children — in the U.S. on any given night. More than three-quarters of ... Read More
Addressing racial and ethnic health disparities within primary care
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased awareness of existing racial and ethnic health disparities and inequities. The team at the Boston Children’s Hospital Primary Care Center serves a large population of Black and Latino children and recognizes that adults in these groups are at much higher risk of contracting — and dying from — ... Read More
Should you send your child to camp this summer?
Camp — or no camp — this summer? That’s the question facing many parents and caregivers right now as more businesses begin to reopen. The answer will be a very personal one for each family, depending on their specific circumstances and comfort level with risk. While some camps have already been cancelled due to coronavirus ... Read More
Taking care of our community during COVID-19 and beyond
Although COVID-19 has affected the health of most children less acutely than adults, many young people who live in the communities surrounding Boston Children’s Hospital are experiencing the virus’s impact in other troubling ways as their families struggle with food insecurity and are having trouble meeting many other basic needs. “Right now, there’s been a ... Read More