Archive for neuroimmunology
“Princess June” reigns supreme over Rasmussen syndrome
What do you call a “girly” 5-year-old who adores dolls and frilly nightgowns? If you’re one of June Pelletier’s nurses at Boston Children’s Hospital, the answer is “Princess June,” of course. While Her Highness would much prefer to reign over her parents and three siblings at home in Connecticut, she’s no stranger to the hospital. ... Read More about “Princess June” reigns supreme over Rasmussen syndrome
Navigating school with a neuroimmune condition
Fifteen-year-old Sarah had been challenging her dad to card games all week — and on Saturday, she finally beat him. It might seem like just good-natured competition to most people. But for Sarah, it was a much greater accomplishment: The teenager was coping with the lasting cognitive effects of autoimmune encephalitis and had struggled with ... Read More about Navigating school with a neuroimmune condition
No limitations: How Flora found answers for MOG antibody disease
Flora Ringler’s fifth birthday didn’t turn out as she had hoped. She and her family were vacationing in New Hampshire last year when she started feeling tired. But she wasn’t just worn out from celebrating: She also developed a bad headache and started throwing up. Concerned, her mom, Maureen, contacted a pediatrician, who thought she ... Read More about No limitations: How Flora found answers for MOG antibody disease
‘They never stopped trying to figure out what was happening’: RyennAnne’s encephalitis journey
When 5-year-old RyennAnne Hurst developed a bad sore throat last summer, her doctor thought she might have strep and prescribed her antibiotics. But two weeks later, she wasn’t feeling any better. In fact, she was lethargic and her head hurt. “She told us it felt like something was smashing into the right side of her ... Read More about ‘They never stopped trying to figure out what was happening’: RyennAnne’s encephalitis journey
‘A lot better now’: Andrew’s recovery from Rocky Mountain spotted fever and a stroke
When Andrew was bitten by a tick in 2021, he and his parents could hardly have imagined that just a month later, he would be coping with a series of health problems that would culminate in a stroke. Andrew, then 7, didn’t even realize he’d been bitten until he began to feel sick with a ... Read More about ‘A lot better now’: Andrew’s recovery from Rocky Mountain spotted fever and a stroke
After a severe case of myelitis, ‘rockstar’ Maxwell is on the move
When Maxwell Lazarz’s mother, Jennifer, tells him he’s a rockstar, he just laughs and asks her what that means. But as this joyful almost-3-year-old zips around in his motorized wheelchair, cracking jokes and blowing bubbles, it’s clear that his mom is right. In fact, Maxwell has been defying expectations ever since he was diagnosed with ... Read More about After a severe case of myelitis, ‘rockstar’ Maxwell is on the move