Archive for Archives
Ava’s journey with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
Claire Poole never thought a 10-year-old could have a heart condition. So when her daughter, Ava, slumped against the wall exhausted and complaining of arm pain one Sunday in 2012, Claire assumed she had overextended herself at a sleepover the previous night. “When we got into the car, Ava turned grey and had trouble breathing,” ... Read More
The new coronavirus: Answers to your questions
If you’ve been watching the news, you’re probably aware that there are thousands of confirmed cases of a new type of coronavirus in China that has sickened thousands and caused more than 200 deaths. Although there have only been a handful of cases in the United States, many people have questions about the new virus ... Read More
PICU Up! Program aims to increase mobility in ICUs
For decades, clinicians believed the most appropriate care for critically ill pediatric patients was sedation and rest. But in recent years, the tides have changed. Studies in adults have shown that sedation and immobility lead to increased mortality and morbidity, longer stays in the intensive care unit (ICU), increased risk of ICU delirium, and a ... Read More
PDA transcatheter closure in preemies
The problem of how to close a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in premature babies is not new. Medications don’t always work and surgery can be associated with substantial risk for these vulnerable patients. This has led many neonatologists to recommend that the PDA not be closed until a child is older, or to wait for ... Read More
Not home for the holidays? How you can help inpatient families
There’s nothing like being home for the holidays. But for families with a child in the hospital, being home might be a distant dream. As a friend or family member, you may wonder what you can do to make the holidays a little brighter. For ideas, we turned to those who have been there before ... Read More
Noah the brave: A cross-country quest for a biventricular repair
If you walked down Binney Street next to Boston Children’s hospital this fall, you might’ve noticed something a bit out of the ordinary. Parked on the sidewalk, just out of the way of passers-by, sat a large RV. On the back of the camper, a large photo of a smiling 5-year-old Noah Alderson told part ... Read More
BACH Program: Heart care for patients of all ages
At 73, Fran Sansalone might not seem like a typical Boston Children’s Hospital patient. But she’s one of a growing number of adults who visit the Heart Center regularly. Fran has been a patient in the Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) Program for the past 18 years. Like other adults born with a congenital heart ... Read More
Mary’s journey with genetic epilepsy
Lots of people don’t like the heat. It makes them feel uncomfortable and sluggish. But for Mary, being outside on a hot day means risking a seizure. So can running in gym class or having a fever. That’s because Mary has genetic epilepsy, a form of Dravet syndrome — a rare epilepsy syndrome caused by ... Read More
Camp Journey and a horse named Evan build Luca’s confidence
Until this summer, 8-year-old Luca Castellano had never been on a horse. But after participating in Camp Journey, a therapeutic riding camp for kids with congenital heart conditions, he was riding and caring for a horse like a pro. “Luca pretty much fell in love with a horse named Evan,” says his mom, Rebecca. Camp ... Read More
Staff Spotlight: Meet Andrea Lerude
Andrea Lerude is a certified child life specialist on the inpatient neuroscience floor at Boston Children’s Hospital. She’s worked at Boston Children’s for more than five years. What does your job involve? As a child life specialist, I provide developmentally appropriate coping support to children in the hospital, in the form of play. Basically, I ... Read More