Patient Stories
‘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
Patient Stories
Pirate puzzles and peekaboo: Beckett’s brachial plexus birth injury story
Beckett Stone-Lyman is an adorable, fun 2-year-old who loves to run, sprint, and climb. If he’s not charging around the playground, he’s probably doing a pirate puzzle. Or maybe he’s staring at his fingers as he wiggles them, amazed that his right hand can now do many of the same things as his left. Thanks ... Read More about Pirate puzzles and peekaboo: Beckett’s brachial plexus birth injury story
Patient Stories
A fall from a swing uncovers a rare cervical spine condition: Charlotte’s story
If it were any other year, Charlotte Gillis would have celebrated her 10th birthday in mid-July with a big party. But in June 2024, a fall from a swing had left her temporarily paralyzed. Though her mobility returned within a few hours, she was still in a neck brace, still wobbly on her feet, and ... Read More about A fall from a swing uncovers a rare cervical spine condition: Charlotte’s story
Research
Modeling urinary tract disorders on a chip: Zohreh Izadifar
When a new tissue sample arrives from the Department of Urology, the Boston Children’s Hospital lab of Zohreh Izadifar, PhD springs into action. The tissue, from a child with urinary tract pathology, is whisked into the tissue culture room. Under a hood, lab members Dasvit Shetty, PhD, and Gretchen Carpenter, MSc, carefully isolate the cells ... Read More about Modeling urinary tract disorders on a chip: Zohreh Izadifar
Research
A surprising link between Crohn’s disease and the Epstein-Barr virus
Crohn’s disease, a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease, has many known contributing factors, including bacterial changes in the microbiome that foster an inflammatory environment. Now, for the first time, Crohn’s disease been tied to a virus — specifically, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), best known for causing infectious mononucleosis (mono). Researchers had already observed increased levels of EBV ... Read More about A surprising link between Crohn’s disease and the Epstein-Barr virus
Research
Addressing food insecurity and nutrition challenges in pediatric type 1 diabetes care
Managing type 1 diabetes can be overwhelming for children and families. As children learn to live with the disease, many cut back on visits to their nutritionists. Others face barriers like food insecurity that make it difficult to maintain a balanced diet. And without the proper professional support and access to healthy foods, children’s overall ... Read More about Addressing food insecurity and nutrition challenges in pediatric type 1 diabetes care
Health and Parenting
The surprising energy demands of marathon training
Training for a marathon? Are you eating enough to help your body recover from one long training run and gear up for the next one? A surprising number of marathon runners don’t. In a study of athletes training for the Boston Marathon, more than two in five women and almost one in five men regularly ... Read More about The surprising energy demands of marathon training
Research
Could peripheral neuropathy be stopped before it starts?
An increase in high-fat, high-fructose foods in people’s diets has contributed to a dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes. This, in turn, has led to an increase in peripheral neuropathy — nerve damage, typically in the hands and feet — that causes weakness, loss of sensation and, in some, a stabbing, burning, or tingling pain. ... Read More about Could peripheral neuropathy be stopped before it starts?
Patient Stories
Every heart has a story. See how we care for them all.
It’s easy to think of the heart as a common denominator — everyone has one — but no two hearts are alike. Every heart is different. Every heart has a story. For many children and adults, that story includes coming to Boston Children’s for specialized heart care. Some were born with complex congenital heart defects, while ... Read More about Every heart has a story. See how we care for them all.
Research
It’s all in the PV loops: New analytical model could improve circulation assessments before heart surgery
The double-switch operation corrects the congenital reversal of the heart’s ventricles and its two main arteries. It’s a practical way of putting the ventricles into the position they belong so that children with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CC-TGA) can benefit from enhanced circulation. Surgery, though, doesn’t come without risks. Some children’s left ventricles — ... Read More about It’s all in the PV loops: New analytical model could improve circulation assessments before heart surgery