Baby Bryson laughing at a check up following treatment for SMA.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Completes One of the World’s First Prenatal Treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Completes One of the World’s First Prenatal Treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy 1024 600 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

Investigational third-trimester, transplacental “bridging” therapy with risdiplam — followed by rapid postnatal treatment — aims to protect motor neurons during a critical window before and immediately after birth.  When Stacy Auker found out she was pregnant with her third child, she knew a diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was…

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Selective Steroid Use After Kasai Portoenterostomy Improves Outcomes in Biliary Atresia
Selective Steroid Use After Kasai Portoenterostomy Improves Outcomes in Biliary Atresia 1024 683 Pam Georgiana

Postoperative protocol is associated with improved bile drainage and higher native liver survival without increased short-term risk. A new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition provides evidence that a selective, marker-guided approach to postoperative steroid use improves outcomes for infants…

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Study Shows Younger Children Experience Persistent Symptoms Following Concussion
Study Shows Younger Children Experience Persistent Symptoms Following Concussion 1024 540 Abbie Miller and Katelyn Scott

Nearly 30% of children younger than 6 years who had a concussion during the study had prolonged symptoms, which can affect learning and behavior later in childhood. When people typically think of concussion, the first type of patient that comes to mind is a…

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artistic representation of a kidney cross section
A New Candidate Therapeutic Target and Biomarker for Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome
A New Candidate Therapeutic Target and Biomarker for Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome 1024 561 Abbie Miller

New data provides evidence for the role of endothelium in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome pathogenesis.

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Featured Researcher: Katherine E Miller, PhD
Featured Researcher: Katherine E Miller, PhD 150 150 Gina Vitale, PTA

The battle against pediatric cancer is being waged within research facilities globally. In December 2025, five institutions, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital, were awarded a combined total of $5 million in grants from the Ohio Department of Children and Youth to support various research studies.…

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Behavioral Intervention Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Undergoing Epilepsy Evaluation: Increasing Phase 1 Monitoring Rates
Behavioral Intervention Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Undergoing Epilepsy Evaluation: Increasing Phase 1 Monitoring Rates 1024 683 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

A behavioral intervention program that started as a quality improvement project evolved to a new standard of care — increasing access and compliance with Phase 1 monitoring for children with intractable epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder. A recent study led by Mary Wojnaroski, PhD,…

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Cardiometabolic Screening Gaps in Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease
Cardiometabolic Screening Gaps in Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease 1024 683 Pam Georgiana

Retrospective review reveals inconsistent HbA1c screening in eligible patients. Pediatric cardiology has achieved remarkable gains in survival for children with congenital heart disease. However, as more patients reach adolescence and adulthood, they are at risk for experiencing acquired cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions such as…

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Advancing Surgical Care for Pediatric Hip Dysplasia
Advancing Surgical Care for Pediatric Hip Dysplasia 1024 575 Pam Georgiana

A novel technique demonstrates safety, stability and reduced casting needs. For children with developmental dysplasia of the hip, open reduction surgery reliably restores the hip to the socket. However, recurrent instability, iatrogenic complications, residual dysplasia and prolonged casting can limit favorable outcomes. To improve…

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Long-Term Kidney Complications Are Common Among Pediatric and Young Adult Cancer Survivors
Long-Term Kidney Complications Are Common Among Pediatric and Young Adult Cancer Survivors 1024 683 Pam Georgiana

Study reveals the need for improved surveillance and updated survivorship guidelines. As pediatric cancer survival rates continue to climb, focus is shifting to enhancing the long-term health of survivors. While treatments have become more precise, their delayed effects are not yet fully understood. A…

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Watchful Waiting: The New Recommendation for Most Preterm Infants With PDA
Watchful Waiting: The New Recommendation for Most Preterm Infants With PDA 1024 683 Abbie Miller

A study published in JAMA found that treating patent ductus arteriosus with medication did not help with disease management but was associated with higher mortality.   A new study from the Neonatal Research Network, published in JAMA, found that treating patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)…

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Setting the Stage the Next Era of Gene Therapy for Ultrarare Disease
Setting the Stage the Next Era of Gene Therapy for Ultrarare Disease 1024 576 Abbie Miller

Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital recently administered a novel gene therapy targeting SLC6A1, advancing precision medicine for children who previously could not be treated. Maxwell, age 8, made history this fall, when he received a bespoke gene therapy targeting his ultrarare disease. This wasn’t…

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3 Things to Know About Glomerular Disease
3 Things to Know About Glomerular Disease 1024 683 Gina Vitale, PTA

Gabriel Cara Fuentes, MD, PhD, offers insights for physicians regarding pediatric glomerular disease treatment and referral. Gabriel Cara Fuentes, MD, PhD, a pediatric nephrologist and principal investigator at the Kidney and Urinary Tract Research Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, is focused on a translational…

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Young boy turned sideways in front of a dark background, with dark lighting and an illustration of his brain appearing in front of the side of his head
Expanding the Evidence for Cannabidiol in Focal Epilepsy
Expanding the Evidence for Cannabidiol in Focal Epilepsy 1024 575 Pam Georgiana

A multicenter study led by Nationwide Children’s Hospital demonstrates long-term efficacy and safety of Epidiolex® for treatment-resistant seizures. As global use of cannabidiol for seizure management increases, most research has targeted generalized epilepsy. This leaves a major evidence gap for patients with focal seizures…

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As Suicide Increases in Preteens, Investigators Expand Research into Causes and Prevention
As Suicide Increases in Preteens, Investigators Expand Research into Causes and Prevention 1024 576 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

By tracking trends in suicide over time, researchers identify critical new directions for suicide prevention work. Last year, a study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and collaborating institutions reported that suicide among preteens (children ages 8-12) had increased…

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Bringing Behavioral Health Into the Medical Home
Bringing Behavioral Health Into the Medical Home 1024 683 Pam Georgiana

Scaling integrated care across community pediatrics increases access to and utilization of mental health care. When a teenage patient shared feelings of anxiety and depression during a routine wellness visit, the pediatrician immediately called in the behavioral health clinician down the hall. Within minutes,…

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Featured Researcher – Sriram Vaidyanathan, PhD
Featured Researcher – Sriram Vaidyanathan, PhD 150 150 Gina Vitale, PTA

Sriram Vaidyanathan, PhD, is a principal investigator in the Jerry R. Mendell Center for Gene Therapy at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Vaidyanathan’s path pivoted…

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Rethinking Neonatal HSV Management: A Less Aggressive, Evidence-Informed Approach
Rethinking Neonatal HSV Management: A Less Aggressive, Evidence-Informed Approach 1024 593 Alaina Doklovic

An alternative approach to neonatal HSV management helps keep mom and baby together during the nursery stay.  Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection (HSV) is a rare but often fatal disease when not treated correctly or in a timely manner. This makes diagnosis and preventive strategies extremely important when expectant mothers have active genital HSV infection when they deliver.   Neonatal HSV…

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Kids With GPA Often Show Lung Signs — But Few See Pulmonologists
Kids With GPA Often Show Lung Signs — But Few See Pulmonologists 1024 683 Jessica Nye, PhD

Most patients with pediatric granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) have respiratory manifestations, but fewer than half are evaluated by a pulmonologist within 6 months of diagnosis, finds a study published in Pediatric Pulmonology.   “Pediatric GPA is a very rare autoimmune rheumatologic disorder that can have…

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Prematurity Increases Morbidity and Mortality Risk in Preterm Neonates with Down Syndrome in the NICU
Prematurity Increases Morbidity and Mortality Risk in Preterm Neonates with Down Syndrome in the NICU 1024 624 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

  Premature neonates with Down syndrome who are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit experience higher rates of health complications and an increased mortality risk.   A retrospective study led by Emily Messick, DO, at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, reported the increased risk of…

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Molly Fuchs, MD
Rethinking Routine Kidney Ultrasounds in Children With Mild Anorectal Malformations
Rethinking Routine Kidney Ultrasounds in Children With Mild Anorectal Malformations 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck

  Annual scans rarely identify new kidney concerns in symptom-free children. Children born with anorectal malformations (ARMs), a group of congenital conditions affecting the anus and rectum, are routinely screened for kidney abnormalities because of the association between ARM and urinary tract anomalies. The…

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