Trusting their instincts: Family finds help for laryngeal cleft
For some kids, the hospital can be a scary place, where even doctors with the best intentions poke, prod and serve up yucky-tasting medication. But for three-year-old Jack Steinberg, a visit to Boston Children’s Hospital is worth the trip from his home in Great Neck, New York. “No, it’s really fun,” Jack’s mother, Jessica, recently overheard him telling his older brother, Henry, who isn’t a fan of doctor visits. “They give you toys and stickers there!”
Jack’s cheerful attitude seems at odds with his recent health challenges. In fact, says his father, Noah, “If you saw him walking down the street, you’...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 18, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Jessica Cerretani Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Center for Airway Disorders Dr. Reza Rahbar laryngeal cleft Source Type: news
Ask the expert: What is the best way to correct my child ’s crossed eye?
Dr. David Hunter is experienced in using traditional strabismus surgery and Botox injection to correct a child’s crossed eye.
If you see that your child’s eye has become crossed, or he or she complains of having double vision, you may be struggling to find clear answers about what caused this to happen and the best way to get your child’s eyes working together again.
When the sudden onset of an inward-turning crossed eye doesn’t respond to glasses and isn’t associated with other systemic or structural disease, it’s known as acute comitant esotropia. This condition is quite rare and usually require...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 14, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Kat J. McAlpine Tags: Ask the Expert Research and Innovation Botox Dr. David Hunter esotropia strabismus Source Type: news
Reading to teach and heal: Best books for 8-12 year olds
Books are great tools for teaching empathy to children. They can help kids understand what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes — someone with a physical or mental disability, chronic illness or learning difference. They can also help kids with medical issues see how other kids cope — which can be validating or even help spark new ideas. And books help younger generations recognize that no matter what obstacle they may face, they’re still just kids, and they’re not alone.
Today, many children’s book authors are weaving characters with medical conditions into their stories with appropriate sensiti...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 13, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Patty Lenz Bovie Tags: Parenting autism cerebral palsy craniofacial anomaly scoliosis Source Type: news
A father ’s hope for his son’s life
Juan and Fredy in 2017.
Juan was looking forward to having his son, Fredy, 14, finally come home to live with him. The teenager had been living under the care of his grandmother since he was a toddler.
But on that long-awaited homecoming day, Juan was quickly jarred from feeling great joy to grave concern.
“When I saw his face, one side looked very different from the other and his lip was swollen,” says Juan. “He admitted right away that his face had been hurting.”
Juan remembered that the last time he’d seen his son — more than one year ago — Fredy’s face had looked slightly different then too. But whateve...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 12, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Kat J. McAlpine Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Dr. Cameron Trenor Dr. Carolyn Rogers Dr. Darren Orbach Dr. Reza Rahbar Dr. Salim Afshar interventional radiology juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma tumor Source Type: news
My blue-eyed boy: The decision to donate life
Hot, humid air arrived that last week in June 2014. Our family was looking forward to a summer of entertaining, barbecuing and sharing our newly built patio with friends. Spending time as a family hiking, traveling or just hanging out at home was important to us. Aidan was ready to head off to a three-day goalie lacrosse camp. It was something he had begged to do all winter long.
Aidan loved life and he lived it with passion. Aidan or AJ, depending on who you asked, had his future completely planned. He played basketball, swam and skied. As a Boy Scout, he had spent many days camping and hiking throughout New England and h...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 11, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Krista Skinner Tags: Parenting Donate life month National Donate Life Month organ donation Source Type: news
The Boston Marathon: Brave and beyond
Brave. It’s the word inscribed on the simple band Mary Tremper wears on her left wrist. The band is a reminder from her son Shane that she possesses the strength and courage to bravely face the future.
When Mary, a Boston Children’s Hospital Miles for Miracles runner, found the band in the hospital gift shop she knew it was from Shane. And as Mary has shared her son’s story with her teammates and listened to theirs, they have redefined brave, together. A few of their stories, including the Tremper’s, follow.
Brave: Remembering Shane
Shane in the Boston Children’s NICU.
“I run for Shane. I run because he...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 10, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Lisa Fratt Tags: Our Patients’ Stories Liver transplant NICU RSV Source Type: news
Spring health cheat sheet
As the spring weather approaches, many common winter infections recede. However, warmer temperatures can introduce a new set of health challenges.
As trees and flowers bloom and grass grows, susceptible children will start to display symptoms of seasonal allergies, triggering flares of asthma and eczema. And, As children spend more time outdoors, parents also need to watch for exposure to ticks, poison ivy and excess sun.
Here are a few tips to keeping your child healthy this spring.
Seasonal allergies: What can you do?
During allergy season:
have your child bathe after spending time outdoors to remove allergens fro...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 7, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Carolyn Sax Tags: Health & Wellness Parenting allergies asthma Carolyn Sax conjunctivitis lyme disease sunburn Source Type: news
Focus on: Autism spectrum disorder
April is Autism Awareness Month and there is a lot in the news about autism. More and more children — up to one out of 68 — are diagnosed with autism. Sesame Street even has a new character, Julia, who has autism. But what exactly is this condition, how does it affect children and what can you do to help?
What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex disorder of very early brain development that is approximately four times more common in boys than girls.
Autism spectrum disorder was previously recognized as several separate disorders — including autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not ...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 6, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Carolyn Bridgemohan and Sarah Spence Tags: Diseases & Conditions Parenting autism Autism Spectrum Center autism spectrum disorder Dr. Carolyn Bridgemohan Dr. Sarah Spence Source Type: news
Double take: The special approach that corrected one child ’s vision overnight
Dr. David Hunter is a pioneer in detecting and treating children’s eye conditions with a range of new and tried-and-true technologies and techniques.
“At school I was seeing double today, Mom,” said 9-year-old Eliza in May of 2015. Catherine hadn’t noticed her daughter’s eyes crossing and suspected that her fourth grader was simply tired.
A few weeks later, however, Catherine and her husband were sitting in the front row at Eliza’s chorus concert, when suddenly they both noticed their daughter’s eye was crossed. It was Eliza’s 10th birthday.
“She was fine one day, and then the next her eyes weren’...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 5, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Kat J. McAlpine Tags: Caregivers Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Research and Innovation david hunter Department of Ophthalmology lazy eye minimally invasive surgery strabismus Source Type: news
Superhero Joey: Five-year-old fights moyamoya disease
It’s been said that not all heroes wear capes — but Joey Gallagher owns several. The five-year-old has already amassed a collection of superhero gear, from a Superman Halloween costume to a t-shirt emblazoned with the Batman logo. Yet even the most diehard comic book fan would likely admit that feats like flying, leaping tall buildings and fighting bad guys don’t hold a candle to the challenges this little boy has already surmounted.
Just last June, Joey was out of town with his family when he had what his parents, Leila and Scott, feared was a seizure. Clinicians in the emergency department dismissed the event as he...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 4, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Jessica Cerretani Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories childhood stroke Dr. Edward Smith Dr. Michael Scott moyamoya Moyamoya Disease Program Source Type: news
6 ways to celebrate National Donate Life Month
Each year, during the month of April, National Donate Life Month draws attention to those who have saved and healed lives through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation. Here are six simple ways to participate, celebrate and educate.
Become an organ donor.
Register to be a donor at registerme.org.
Designate “organ donor” on your driver’s license.
Visit transplantliving.org to learn more about becoming a living donor.
Spread the word.
Inspire others to sign up for the donor registry by sharing information through social media:
“Like” facebook.com/donatelife.
“Follow” @donatelife
B...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - April 3, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Emily Williams Tags: Diseases & Conditions Donate life month National Donate Life Month organ donation Pediatric Transplant Center (PTC) Social media and health care Source Type: news
Bella is back, thanks to a very special kidney
Bella received a kidney transplant from a living donor — her dad, Bill.
When they boarded the flight to Hawaii, Nancie and Bill had no idea their 12-year-old daughter was days away from being diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It was spring break and everyone was excited for the family adventure to begin.
The day before the trip, Bella saw a local orthopedic specialist after feeling pain and weakness in her legs. She otherwise felt well, but with softball season approaching, she didn’t want to risk injury. The specialist drew blood and was hoping to have some answers for the family upon their return home to...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - March 30, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Jenny Fernandez Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Dr. Nancy Rodig end-stage renal disease kidney transplant Kidney Transplant Program living donor Source Type: news
Spencer gets back on the court after cancer
For much of his 17 years, Spencer Riley has lived to play basketball. This winter, his favorite sport helped the teenager get back to life.
Riley was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2016 and treated at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center that summer. He underwent an intensive three-month treatment cycle: one week of inpatient chemotherapy at Boston Children’s Hospital, two weeks of recuperation at home, and then back to Boston Children’s.
While occasionally well enough to go on family outings, he was still too weak to shoot or even dribble a basketball.
But the game was never far fr...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - March 29, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Saul Wisnia Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Dr. Dan Benedetti non-Hodgkin lymphoma Source Type: news
The show must go on: Teen overcomes motility disorder
In October 2016, we were spending a weekend in Minnesota for a family wedding. Little did we know we would be there longer than expected!
During the rehearsal dinner, my 16-year-old daughter Sophie said she wasn’t hungry — a surprise because it had been a long day of travel and the rest of us were starving. She managed to force down some food but seemed lethargic and not herself. She later confessed that she had been feeling sick all day.
Back at the hotel, I had just drifted off to sleep when my other daughter called me from their room. She said Sophie was sick and crying. I ran down the hall and when I saw her, I jus...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - March 28, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Jennifer Shepherd Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Dr. Belinda Dickie Dr. Samuel Nurko Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Center volvulus Source Type: news
The only kids who need vitamins (spoiler alert: there aren ’t many)
As a pediatrician, I get a lot of questions whether their children should take a multivitamin or other vitamin supplement. Parents think they will make their children healthier — and some think they will make them eat more (they don’t, sorry). Since our bodies need different vitamins to be healthy, they ask,
Should I give my child a multivitamin?
Not necessarily, actually. It turns out that most children don’t need them, making them an expensive waste of money. They can also be dangerous if children take too many, something that is very possible given that most chewable multivitamins for children taste like candy. An...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - March 23, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Claire McCarthy Tags: Ask the Expert Health & Wellness Claire McCarthy vitamins Source Type: news
