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Type of Anorectal Malformation at Birth is Predictive of Fecal Continence
 Type of Anorectal Malformation at Birth is Predictive of Fecal Continence 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Study also finds fecal continence rates for children born with ARMs are lower than previously reported. Recently published research shows the rate of fecal continence among 4-year-olds who underwent surgery for an anorectal malformation (ARM) as infants averages 40%, and the type of malformation…

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Unique Course Trains Young Physicians and Researchers in Muscle Disorders and Therapies
 Unique Course Trains Young Physicians and Researchers in Muscle Disorders and Therapies 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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The annual myology course is designed to train the next generation of clinicians and lab scientists in the basics and the latest. Every year, more than 60 young trainees come to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for the annual Myology Course, an intensive, week-long introduction to…

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It’s Not All About Weight: Treating and Managing Obesity in Pediatric Patients
 It’s Not All About Weight: Treating and Managing Obesity in Pediatric Patients 150 150 Abbie Roth
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Study highlights different metrics for measuring success of a weight management program for pediatrics. For pediatric patients who have severe obesity that is not well managed with the routine standard of care – diet, exercise and a meeting with a dietician – a more…

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Predicting Urinary Continence For a Child With Anorectal Malformation
 Predicting Urinary Continence For a Child With Anorectal Malformation 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Researchers suggest objective, measurable factors can be used to provide families with reasonable expectations In a child born with an anorectal malformation (ARM), anatomical features including a low-complexity ARM, high sacral ratio and a normal spine each independently predicts the child has a higher…

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Newspapers Overlook Best Practices When Reporting a Celebrity Suicide Death
 Newspapers Overlook Best Practices When Reporting a Celebrity Suicide Death 150 150 Katelyn Hanzel
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A new study shows that most articles do not adhere to suicide reporting guidelines, but experts say parents can help by starting conversations about mental health. Research shows media coverage of a celebrity suicide has the potential to increase the risk for contagion, especially…

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When Is It Appropriate to Send Pediatric Patients to an OB/GYN?
 When Is It Appropriate to Send Pediatric Patients to an OB/GYN? 150 150 Geri Hewitt, MD
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The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends that young women have their first visit with an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) between the ages of 13 and 15. Making sure that first appointment is with a pediatric gynecologist can have added benefits. Specific symptoms (vaginal…

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Multicenter Data Reveals Distal Hypospadias Repair Overall Success Rate
 Multicenter Data Reveals Distal Hypospadias Repair Overall Success Rate 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Despite its use as an indicator of a department’s surgical skill, the reoperation rate for distal hypospadias repair has long been based on publications covering data from single-center studies — until now. Among its indicators for urologic surgery quality, U.S. News & World Report examines the…

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Cheaper, Generic Drug Just as Effective in Preserving Heart Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
 Cheaper, Generic Drug Just as Effective in Preserving Heart Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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A new clinical trial found a cheaper generic drug is effective in protecting the heart in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A recent clinical trial conducted found a cost-effective generic medication works just as well as a more expensive drug in preserving heart function…

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A Molecular Mechanism Underlying Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension in Neonates
 A Molecular Mechanism Underlying Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension in Neonates 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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New study identifies critical enzyme and potential therapeutic target for pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Nitric oxide can be life saving for many newborns with pulmonary hypertension (PH); however, there are subsets of patients who do not respond to current PH…

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Home Infusions Are a Viable Option for Children, Teens With IBD
 Home Infusions Are a Viable Option for Children, Teens With IBD 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Cuts time away from school and work, and has proven safe Many children with inflammatory bowel disease require medication infusions at the hospital every four to eight weeks, often requiring travel and time off from school and work. But for many children and adolescents,…

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Surprise Finding in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Viral Load Study
 Surprise Finding in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Viral Load Study 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Understanding viral load dynamics can help inform treatment decisions Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract infection is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality in infants worldwide, but a licensed RSV vaccine has not yet been developed, in part due to the incomplete…

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Suicide Attempts Among Black Youth Increasing
 Suicide Attempts Among Black Youth Increasing 150 150 MaryEllen Fiorino
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Study finds that black youth are attempting suicide more often than all other racial and ethnic groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth 12-18 years old in the United States, and…

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Meet Oluyinka Olutoye, MD, PhD
 Meet Oluyinka Olutoye, MD, PhD 1024 575 Abbie Roth
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In August 2019, Nationwide Children’s welcomed Oluyinka Olutoye, MD, PhD, as surgeon-in-chief. In a Q&A, the internationally renowned fetal surgeon shares his thoughts about the past, present and future of fetal surgery and the challenges and opportunities facing pediatric surgeons today.   Q: What…

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Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians
 Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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A national study found that the known disparity in access to care for Medicaid-covered children seeking orthopedic specialty care also occurs in primary care practices. Limits in access to specialty orthopedic care exist for children with Medicaid, in a large part due to many…

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What Can We Learn From the Co-occurrence of a Genetic Disorder and Cancer?
 What Can We Learn From the Co-occurrence of a Genetic Disorder and Cancer? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Researchers investigate an unusual case of concurrent genetic and somatic diagnoses. In a new paper in the European Journal of Medical Genetics, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital discuss the case of a 4-year-old with both a rare genetic disorder and medulloblastoma. Genetic analyses allowed them…

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New Model Provides Novel View of Congenital Heart Disease
 New Model Provides Novel View of Congenital Heart Disease 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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The small animal model helps researchers to interpret genomic findings. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have developed the first mouse model of congenital heart valve disease using a human gene carrying a disease-causing mutation. Using this model, they were able to follow the human…

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Do Seizure Action Plans Make a Difference for Patients and Families?
 Do Seizure Action Plans Make a Difference for Patients and Families? 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Families given a written plan were more comfortable with seizure care and missed fewer appointments. Caregivers for children with epilepsy were more likely to bring their children to regularly scheduled clinic visits if they had previously been given a printed seizure action plan tailored…

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Family Support Linked to Resilience in Kindergarteners Born Preterm
 Family Support Linked to Resilience in Kindergarteners Born Preterm 150 150 Adelaide Feibel
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Despite known adverse outcomes associated with prematurity, a large minority of kindergarteners born preterm exhibit none of them. For years, medical researchers have dedicated countless hours to studying the adverse outcomes of premature births. But in their attempts to illuminate the incidence of cognitive,…

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Forging the Way Forward on DSD
 Forging the Way Forward on DSD 1024 575 Jeb Phillips
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Experts are learning how a focus on behavioral health and psychosocial support can lead to better outcomes among youth with disorders/differences of sex development. In some ways, the DSD field began only in 2006. That year, the phrase “disorders of sex development” as coined…

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Bias: Do You See What Influences You?
 Bias: Do You See What Influences You? 1024 575 Abbie Roth
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In the United States, children of color have worse clinical outcomes than white children. Racial disparities have been documented in nearly every pediatric specialty. Among the most studied and most widely perpetuated disparities are those between black and white children. For example: The infant…

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How and When Do Children Become Aware of the Construct of “Race”?
 How and When Do Children Become Aware of the Construct of “Race”? 1024 737 Abbie Roth
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Researchers have shown that babies of color are just as likely to experience bias as adults of color. But very young children don’t interpret that experience in the same way as older children. “Children become aware of differences in physical characteristics of human beings…

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A New Therapeutic Era in Pediatric Functional and Motility Disorders
 A New Therapeutic Era in Pediatric Functional and Motility Disorders 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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20 years ago, treatment options were limited for children with functional gastrointestinal (GI) and motility disorders. Now, a growing list of drugs, behavioral and dietary care plans, and an advanced, forward-looking technique – neuromodulation – are transforming pediatric GI care. Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are…

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Finding the Reasons Why: Looking for Answers in Trends of Child and Youth Suicides
 Finding the Reasons Why: Looking for Answers in Trends of Child and Youth Suicides 1024 575 Kevin Mayhood
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Epidemiological studies are the first step to learn how to prevent suicide attempts and deaths. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds. And even as awareness grows, the suicide rate continues to climb, according to national statistics. But those national…

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Why Advocate?
 Why Advocate? 1024 575 Ray Bignall
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Several months ago, I had the privilege of attending a panel discussion on health in the African American community hosted by my local church. It was an opportunity for our largely African American congregation to hear from Black health professionals promoting health-seeking behavior in…

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In Defense Against Peritonitis, Antimicrobial Peptides May Help on Multiple Fronts
 In Defense Against Peritonitis, Antimicrobial Peptides May Help on Multiple Fronts 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Study suggests AMPs have potential as biomarkers for peritonitis, risk stratification and treatment. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the Ribonuclease A Superfamily exhibit distinct patterns when children and adults undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) suffer from peritonitis, researchers have found. The findings, published in Scientific…

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How Much Opioid Medication Should Pediatric Orthopedic Patients Receive?
 How Much Opioid Medication Should Pediatric Orthopedic Patients Receive? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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A study suggests doses could be tailored to each particular patient’s injury. Doctors have traditionally used opioids as the primary component of pain management after orthopedic surgery in pediatric patients. But with the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids a growing public health concern,…

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Exercise as Medicine: What Does This Really Mean?
 Exercise as Medicine: What Does This Really Mean? 1024 575 Alyssa Schafer
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A child’s lack of exercise can contribute to numerous health issues. “Currently, physical inactivity is ranked as the number four cause of death. 5.5% of deaths are due to physical inactivity which is totally preventable and treatable,” says James MacDonald, MD, MPH, a physician for Nationwide…

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Gene Expression Changes With CFTR Modulator Treatment
 Gene Expression Changes With CFTR Modulator Treatment 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Patients with cystic fibrosis show transcriptomic changes after starting treatment with lumacaftor/ivacaftor. In a new study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s analyzed the gene expression profiles of cystic fibrosis patients before and after treatment with the drug lumacaftor/ivacaftor. The findings have implications for the evaluation of…

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Skin-to-Skin Care Safe for Infants After Surgery
 Skin-to-Skin Care Safe for Infants After Surgery 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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A quality improvement project shows that skin-to-skin care can be safely integrated into the treatment of infants who require surgery. Multiple barriers prevent routine skin-to-skin care for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), particularly for infants requiring surgical consultation. A recent quality…

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The Search to Identify Tumor Cells Evading Chemotherapy
 The Search to Identify Tumor Cells Evading Chemotherapy 150 150 Sanjana Rajan
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Graduate research associate Sanjana Rajan shares why her work to label and track cells before and after chemotherapy is the next step to preventing tumor relapse. For a long time, the cells within a tumor were thought to be similar to one another, like…

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Using Computer Models to Predict How Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts Will Work
 Using Computer Models to Predict How Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts Will Work 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Model and experimental data strongly suggest testing TEVGs until scaffold has biodegraded Identical tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) being tested in small-diameter veins and arteries of a mouse model performed well for 12 weeks. At 14 weeks, all TEVGs in the veins continued performing well, but…

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What Pediatric Subspecialists Need to Know About Hypophosphatasia and Its Treatment
 What Pediatric Subspecialists Need to Know About Hypophosphatasia and Its Treatment 1024 575 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Patients with hypophosphatasia may present to a wide range of specialists. Here’s the latest on diagnosis, patient management and clinical need for its only medical treatment: asfotase alfa enzyme replacement therapy (AA ERT). Hypophosphatasia is a rare, inherited condition that results in low serum…

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Nationwide Children's style illustration showing a row of houses with a prescription in front of it
Pharmacists: The ‘Next Big Thing’ in Population Health Management
 Pharmacists: The ‘Next Big Thing’ in Population Health Management 1020 304 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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One of the nation’s largest pediatric accountable care organizations has expanded pharmacists’ role in quality improvement efforts, which could substantially impact prescribing patterns and patient management. Partners For Kids (PFK), one of the country’s oldest and largest pediatric accountable care organizations, is a provider-based…

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A Hidden Epidemic: Parental Incarceration and What To Do When It Affects Your Patients
 A Hidden Epidemic: Parental Incarceration and What To Do When It Affects Your Patients 1024 512 Andrew Axelson and Samantha Boch, PhD
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If having an incarcerated parent was classified as a chronic health condition, it would be the second most prevalent chronic condition in the United States for children under the age of 18 – just behind asthma. In fact, the percentage of American youth with…

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Research Collaborative Improves Outcome Prediction in Children With Posterior Urethral Valves
 Research Collaborative Improves Outcome Prediction in Children With Posterior Urethral Valves 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Combining data from five centers allowed researchers to address novel research questions for this rare disease. The Pediatric Urology Midwest Alliance (PUMA) recently published the results of its first collaborative study in Pediatrics. Using data from five institutions, the team demonstrated that the risk of…

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Optimal Use of an FDA-Approved Device for PDA Closure in Infants
 Optimal Use of an FDA-Approved Device for PDA Closure in Infants 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Randomized, controlled clinical trials are needed to answer questions regarding when and with whom to use the device. In January 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a novel device for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure in infants. The Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder is…

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Variation in Functional Measurements of the Left Ventricle
 Variation in Functional Measurements of the Left Ventricle 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Data from The Pediatric Heart Network Normal Echocardiogram Database show interobserver variability, especially in younger and smaller patients. Echocardiography is the primary tool clinicians have to assess ventricular size and function. Accurate evaluation of the left ventricle is critical in the treatment of patients…

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Toddler playing with toys
Nation’s First Clinical Trial for Pediatric Stroke Rehabilitation
 Nation’s First Clinical Trial for Pediatric Stroke Rehabilitation 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
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A novel movement-based therapy is being evaluated in infants who suffered a stroke as newborns or in the womb. Nationwide Children’s Hospital is participating in the nation’s first multicenter pediatric stroke recovery trial. The Phase III clinical trial, called I-ACQUIRE, will evaluate an innovative…

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Stopping Progression of Tissue Injury after Button Battery Ingestion
 Stopping Progression of Tissue Injury after Button Battery Ingestion 150 150 Abbie Roth
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Irrigation with acetic acid neutralizes tissue and prevents delayed esophageal complications. Button battery injuries in children have been increasingly severe – resulting in devastating injuries and even death. Button batteries damage esophageal tissue through isothermic hydrolysis reactions, resulting in alkaline caustic injury, which leads…

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How Do Brain Processes Change With Social Reorientation Toward Peers In Adolescence?
 How Do Brain Processes Change With Social Reorientation Toward Peers In Adolescence? 150 150 Adelaide Feibel
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A recent study shows an association between closeness with peers and levels of activation in the social and reward areas of the adolescent brain. Parents of adolescents know all too well that once children hit their teenage years, they often become closer to their…

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RNase 7: Paving the Way for a Natural, Antibiotic-Free Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections
 RNase 7: Paving the Way for a Natural, Antibiotic-Free Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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The latest in the body of antimicrobial peptide research suggests RNase7 may be a useful prognostic marker and potential therapeutic option for UTIs. Building on their body of research focused on the naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides in the urinary tract, clinician-scientists at Nationwide Children’s…

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Why Do Synthetic Tracheal Replacements Fail?
 Why Do Synthetic Tracheal Replacements Fail? 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Synthetic tracheal replacements experience infectious, inflammatory and mechanical failures. Tracheal defects in children and adults can often be addressed with current surgical techniques. However, when a defect is large, greater than 50% of an adult windpipe or 30% of a pediatric windpipe, few options…

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CMV Testing: Why You Don’t Need Legislation to Make It a Good Idea
 CMV Testing: Why You Don’t Need Legislation to Make It a Good Idea 1024 575 Samantha Morsink
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CMV is the leading non-genetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss in infancy and childhood. Identification of newborns with congenital CMV infection can improve their outcomes by early intervention programs and/or antiviral treatment. Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, infects almost everyone at some point in time, and…

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Medical Marijuana 101: What Does Increasing Legalization of Medical Marijuana Mean for Pediatrics?
 Medical Marijuana 101: What Does Increasing Legalization of Medical Marijuana Mean for Pediatrics? 479 272 Chet Kaczor
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The legalization of medical marijuana has been front and center in community conversation over the last several years. As more states turn to legalization under specific conditions, the federal law has not changed. Experts in pediatric health care are carefully considering what legalization of…

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People Outperform Computers at Assigning Injury Severity in Trauma Patients
 People Outperform Computers at Assigning Injury Severity in Trauma Patients 150 150 Laura Dattner
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Injury severity scores determined by specially trained staff were better at predicting length of stay and mortality than the computer generated scores. The success of trauma quality improvement and research is based upon detailed information maintained in trauma registries. Stratification of injury severity is…

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Screening for Cervical Spine Risk Factors Could Reduce CT Scans by Half
 Screening for Cervical Spine Risk Factors Could Reduce CT Scans by Half 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Study finds identifiable risk factors that ED staff can use for evaluation, avoiding over 100,000 unnecessary scans annually. An estimated 8 million children suffer blunt trauma annually, and while cervical spine injury (CSI) is serious, it is uncommon. Screening children suffering from blunt trauma…

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Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians
 Medicaid Patients With Common “Buckle” Fractures Have Less Access to Primary Care Physicians 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Understanding the Role of LSD2 in the Molecular Genetics of Ewing Sarcoma
 Understanding the Role of LSD2 in the Molecular Genetics of Ewing Sarcoma 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Study reveals novel potential drug target for Ewing sarcoma. Ewing sarcoma is a bone-associated tumor of mostly children and young adults. Despite aggressive multi-modal treatment strategies, five-year survival remains at 75% for patients with localized disease and 20% for patients with metastases. “Our laboratory…

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Free Disposal Bags Increase Rate of Proper Opioid Disposal
 Free Disposal Bags Increase Rate of Proper Opioid Disposal 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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With or without the bags, families of young children prescribed opioids after surgery properly discard drugs at more than double the rate of adults prescribed post-operative opioids. Handing parents a free drug-disposal bag and discussing its usage significantly increases the rate of proper disposal…

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Hidden in Plain Sight: The Importance of Safe Storage for Cosmetics and Personal Products
 Hidden in Plain Sight: The Importance of Safe Storage for Cosmetics and Personal Products 150 150 Laura Dattner
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In homes across the country, there are dangerous products hidden in plain sight on bathroom counters and bedroom dressers. Personal care products such as shampoo, lotion, makeup, nail polish remover and cologne seem like they should be safe since they are intended for use…

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Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure: Which Patients and When?
 Patent Ductus Arteriosus Closure: Which Patients and When? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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New review cites need for randomized clinical trials comparing conservative management, surgery, and catheter-based closure. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common condition among preterm infants. It increases mortality risk and is linked to harmful long-term outcomes including chronic lung disease, heart failure, and…

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Swallowing Functions Remain Worse in Preterm Infants Even at Full-Term Equivalent Age
 Swallowing Functions Remain Worse in Preterm Infants Even at Full-Term Equivalent Age 150 150 Abbie Roth
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Preterm infants exerted greater effort than full-term infants to consume less than half the volume in a recent study led by researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Preterm infants face many challenges as they enter the world too soon. One of the biggest challenges is…

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Not an App, We Need a Digital Health Ecosystem
 Not an App, We Need a Digital Health Ecosystem 1024 575 Emre Sezgin
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For teens with chronic health conditions and their caregivers, a digital health ecosystem may improve self-management and independence. Teens with chronic conditions and their caregivers encounter a number of challenges while teens are transitioning to health independence. We have investigated these challenges and proposed…

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Study Finds No Correlation Between Brain Function and Head Impacts After Two Seasons of Youth Tackle Football
 Study Finds No Correlation Between Brain Function and Head Impacts After Two Seasons of Youth Tackle Football 150 150 Abbie Roth
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In a prospective study of children playing tackle football, researchers find minimal changes in neurocognitive outcomes – and any changes were not correlated to number or severity of head impacts. Many parents, potential players and medical providers are increasingly wary of youth contact sports…

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Development of a Patient Reported Experience and Outcomes Measure in Pediatric Patients
 Development of a Patient Reported Experience and Outcomes Measure in Pediatric Patients 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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Researchers develop a questionnaire that enables them to assess the burden of treatment compared to the burden of the disease. Researchers have developed a rigorous, patient reported experience and outcomes questionnaire for pediatric patients undergoing an intensive bowel management program (BMP). The report was…

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Pinterest Perfect Isn’t the Whole Story When It Comes to Safety
 Pinterest Perfect Isn’t the Whole Story When It Comes to Safety 150 150 Abbie Roth
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Imagine the scene: It’s late at night. You’re planning a party for your friend/spouse/child. Your phone is in your hand. What are you doing? You’re probably looking for inspiration on Pinterest or other social media sites. And while they might be the perfect places…

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Pushing the Boundaries of Regional Anesthesia for Complex Urological Surgery
 Pushing the Boundaries of Regional Anesthesia for Complex Urological Surgery 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Physician-researchers extend the possibilities for regional anesthesia using combined spinal/caudal catheter anesthesia, allowing even complex, time-consuming pediatric urological surgeries to be completed without general anesthesia. In an effort to extend more regional anesthetic options to children undergoing urological procedures — and to obviate concerns…

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How Similar Is Chronic Pancreatitis Among Pediatric and Adult Patients?
 How Similar Is Chronic Pancreatitis Among Pediatric and Adult Patients? 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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A large, international study highlights room for improvement in care and transition of patients ages 17 to 24 years old. A new study that compared adult patients with pancreatic disease starting when they were children with pediatric patients with pancreatic disease revealed remarkable similarities…

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What You Need to Know About Tick-Borne Diseases
 What You Need to Know About Tick-Borne Diseases 1024 575 Mike Patrick, MD
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Ranges of disease-carrying ticks are shifting in the United States. Combined with family travel, this means physicians and families should have a wider lens on what tick-borne diseases they might encounter. Ticks represent a major vector for the transmission of human disease. Their abundance…

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conceptual art of DNA
A Novel Method of Data Analysis Enables Identification of Genetic Drivers of Pediatric Cancer
 A Novel Method of Data Analysis Enables Identification of Genetic Drivers of Pediatric Cancer 1024 575 Bailey Dye
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An innovative approach to data analysis can more efficiently identify gene fusion events common to pediatric cancers, and inform clinical diagnoses and treatment decisions. The standard of care for cancer patients is changing. With the advent of personalized medicine, genetic testing is slowly becoming…

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Most Seymour Fractures Can be Effectively Treated in the Emergency Room
 Most Seymour Fractures Can be Effectively Treated in the Emergency Room 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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After decades of unclear optimal management for Seymour fractures, evidence suggests orthopedic surgeons need not treat all of these cases in the operating room. Seymour fractures — open fractures of the distal phalanx with a juxta-epiphyseal pattern — were long managed nonsurgically following their…

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Use of Cardiac MRI to Monitor Medical Treatment of Rhabdomyoma
 Use of Cardiac MRI to Monitor Medical Treatment of Rhabdomyoma 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Case study shows success for medical therapy and MRI monitoring of a cardiac rhabdomyoma. In a new case study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital report treating cardiac rhabdomyoma in a newborn with an mTOR inhibitor called everolimus. They monitored the tumor’s regression using cardiac…

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Let’s Talk About Having “The Talk”
 Let’s Talk About Having “The Talk” 1024 575 Sarah Saxbe, MS, MSW, LISW-S
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Known famously as “the talk” due to its taboo nature, the conversation with children about healthy sexual practices is often considered daunting for many parents, but this conversation doesn’t have to be difficult. Practicing open communication and being honest with children can lead to…

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Preventing the Development of Muscular Dystrophy Through Surrogate Gene Therapy
 Preventing the Development of Muscular Dystrophy Through Surrogate Gene Therapy 1024 683 Lauren Dembeck
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Researchers identify a key regulatory protein implicated in Galgt2 overexpression and begin to elucidate its protective mechanism against muscular dystrophy. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have identified a small, soluble protein that can activate a human gene known to inhibit the development of muscular…

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Uroplakin Plaque Key to Protecting Kidney During Urinary Tract Obstruction
 Uroplakin Plaque Key to Protecting Kidney During Urinary Tract Obstruction 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Plaque appears to help remodel urothelium, allowing kidney to hold excess urine without damage, Urinary tract obstruction (UTO) is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease in children. But the extent of damage caused by obstruction differs from child to…

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New Ultrasound Technique for Monitoring Liver Disease
 New Ultrasound Technique for Monitoring Liver Disease 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Ultrasound elastography accurately and noninvasively measures liver fibrosis in patients with short bowel syndrome.

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Teen girl with backpack
A Narrowing Gender Gap in Youth Suicides
 A Narrowing Gender Gap in Youth Suicides 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
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Recent data show a disproportionate increase in the suicide rate among female relative to male youth, highlighting a significant reduction in the historically large gap in suicide rates between sexes.

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scale
Weight-Loss Surgery in Teens with Severe Obesity Offers Greater Benefits Than Waiting Until Adulthood
 Weight-Loss Surgery in Teens with Severe Obesity Offers Greater Benefits Than Waiting Until Adulthood 1024 575 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Research reveals that gastric bypass surgery during the teen years offers a greater chance of reversal of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure than when the surgery is delayed until adulthood.

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Parent and child holding hands
Looking to the Future: Optimizing Fertility Preservation Decisions in Pediatric Patients Newly Diagnosed with Cancer
 Looking to the Future: Optimizing Fertility Preservation Decisions in Pediatric Patients Newly Diagnosed with Cancer 1024 575 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Family-centered research aims to improve fertility preservation uptake and decision satisfaction among adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer.

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Addressing Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Primary Care
 Addressing Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Primary Care 150 150 Jeb Phillips
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Primary care providers play an important role in recognizing the disorder and in providing a bridge to mental health care providers.

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silhouette girl portrait
Suicide Attempts by Self-Poisoning Have More Than Doubled in Teens, Young Adults
 Suicide Attempts by Self-Poisoning Have More Than Doubled in Teens, Young Adults 1024 683 Katelyn Hanzel
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A new study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center found rates of suicide attempts by self-poisoning among adolescents have more than doubled in the last decade in the U.S., and more than tripled for girls and young women. The study,…

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Why Preteens in the ED Should be Screened for Suicide Risk
 Why Preteens in the ED Should be Screened for Suicide Risk 480 320 Kevin Mayhood
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Screening revealed that 7% of 10-to-12-year-olds who came to three children’s hospital emergency departments for medical complaints such as headache, back pain or seizures, were at risk for suicide, a recent study found. More than half of children in the same age group presenting…

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Development of Innovative Scoring Systems for Sickness and Tissue Damage From Clostridium difficile Colitis
 Development of Innovative Scoring Systems for Sickness and Tissue Damage From Clostridium difficile Colitis 1024 575 Lauren Dembeck
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In a new publication, the team reported the development of two novel scoring systems to consistently and efficiently assess sickness and tissue injury during antibiotic-associated C. difficile colitis in a murine model. “My laboratory at Nationwide Children’s Research Institute has collaborated for several years with two…

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Suicide Rates Spike Nationally Among Youth After “13 Reasons Why” Release
 Suicide Rates Spike Nationally Among Youth After “13 Reasons Why” Release 150 150 Gina Bericchia
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Media depictions of suicide should follow recommended guidelines to avoid harm. A recent study revealed approximately 195 more youth suicide deaths than expected were associated with the television series “13 Reasons Why” in the nine months immediately following the series release. The study, led…

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An Infant. A Virus. An Emergency IND. A Life Saved.
 An Infant. A Virus. An Emergency IND. A Life Saved. 150 150 Abbie Roth
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Clinician scientists collaborate to use virus-specific T-cells from the mother to successfully treat a systemic adenovirus infection in a preterm infant. It’s not every day that researchers can say that they’ve written and submitted and emergency investigational new drug (EIND) application to the Food…

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What’s Next for NEC?
 What’s Next for NEC? 898 504 Abbie Roth
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Red. White. Black. These are the colors of necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC. When surgeons open the distended abdomens of the tiny infants affected by NEC, they see a mottled mixture of red (inflamed), white (ischemic) and black (dead) tissue. Their first task is to…

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Profile of a Cancer: Getting to Know Ewing Sarcoma
 Profile of a Cancer: Getting to Know Ewing Sarcoma 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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Ewing sarcoma – a tumor type affecting the bone or soft tissue that primarily affects children and adolescents – has a 5-year survival rate of 70 percent among those with localized disease at diagnosis. Among children whose disease is metastatic, only 30 percent survive…

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Worth It: Why Wrestling Through the Logistical Challenges of a Multidisciplinary Colorectal Center Matters
 Worth It: Why Wrestling Through the Logistical Challenges of a Multidisciplinary Colorectal Center Matters 150 150 Jeb Phillips
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Consider the complex case of a girl born with rectal, vaginal and urinary tracts fused into a common channel – a cloacal malformation. The child needs reconstructive procedures across three different organ systems and three different surgical specialties. It could take months or years…

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Fetus in utero receiving valvuloplasty
Fetal Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty for Critical Aortic Stenosis
 Fetal Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty for Critical Aortic Stenosis 1024 575 Abbie Roth
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Some heart defects, such as aortic stenosis can be detected on fetal ultrasound. For some fetuses, an intervention can be beneficial before birth. Aimee Armstrong, MD, director of Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Therapies at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, performs fetal balloon aortic valvuloplasty among other fetal…

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Steve Allen, MD
How Research Reinforces the Collaborative Culture of a Children’s Hospital
 How Research Reinforces the Collaborative Culture of a Children’s Hospital 1024 575 Steve Allen, MD
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As he retires, the CEO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital reflects on the less-obvious effects of scientific discovery. Nationwide Children’s Hospital has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last two decades, from an important regional resource into a nationally preeminent medical system. One of the…

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Targeting Therapies for Children With Multiple Organ Dysfunction
 Targeting Therapies for Children With Multiple Organ Dysfunction 1024 575 Kevin Mayhood
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Anakinra, an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, may be effective for selective children with MODS who meet diagnostic criteria for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) involves altered function of two or more organ systems and is among the most severe forms of critical…

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Long-Term Follow Up of Patients Receiving Novel Gene Therapy for SMA Type I
 Long-Term Follow Up of Patients Receiving Novel Gene Therapy for SMA Type I 150 150 Abbie Roth
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Spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA1) is a rare neuromuscular disease in which 75 percent of affected children die or require permanent ventilation by 13.6 months. Researchers recently published the long-term outcomes of patients who received the investigational drug AVXS-101 – an adeno-associated virus…

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Toward a Cell-based Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease
 Toward a Cell-based Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease 150 150 Jeb Phillips
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Because cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, the pulmonary disease could be reversed if CF airway epithelial cells were replaced with basal cells expressing CFTR without mutations. That is one of the ideas underpinning the Cystic Fibrosis…

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Pediatric Patients Receive Higher Radiation at Non-pediatric Trauma Centers
 Pediatric Patients Receive Higher Radiation at Non-pediatric Trauma Centers 150 150 Bailey Dye
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A novel software tool for calculating radiation burden has determined that pediatric trauma patients, evaluated using CT imaging primarily at adult trauma centers, demonstrate higher radiation exposure than those imaged primarily at a pediatric trauma center. Computed tomography (CT) is a mainstay of the…

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Can Brain Imaging Help Predict Bipolar Disorder in High Risk Children?
 Can Brain Imaging Help Predict Bipolar Disorder in High Risk Children? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Patterns in connectivity in a portion of the frontal lobe called the inferior frontal gyrus appears to be an early biomarker in children of parents with bipolar disorder. Researchers report a potential neural marker of individual risk in those with a family history of…

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Novel Metric Predicts Severity of Community-Acquired Pneumonia
 Novel Metric Predicts Severity of Community-Acquired Pneumonia 150 150 Rachael Hardison
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Researchers utilize a biomarker to predict disease severity during early stages of pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality in children. Each year, 4 percent of children under 5 years of age will develop CAP in industrialized countries. Although…

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Hey Google, Siri and Alexa, How Do We Bring Voice Technology Into Health Care?
 Hey Google, Siri and Alexa, How Do We Bring Voice Technology Into Health Care? 1024 576 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
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As voice assistant technology plays an increasing role in everything from home security to baking, researchers at the vanguard of medical innovation must figure out how to appropriately adapt it for the future of health care. Voice assistant technology has advanced dramatically in the…

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“Learn From Every Patient” to Improve Clinical Care
 “Learn From Every Patient” to Improve Clinical Care 150 150 Lauren Dembeck
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How can busy clinicians tending to clinical care simultaneously conduct translational research and improve treatments for patients? The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Cerebral Palsy team recently reported an evidence-based change in practice — eliminating annual screening X-rays in patients mildly affected by CP — facilitated…

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Collaboration Key in Recent Advances for Batten Disease
 Collaboration Key in Recent Advances for Batten Disease 1024 683 Abbie Roth
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Batten disease (neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis) is a collection of lysosomal storage disorders caused by a variety of genetic mutations. These disorders cause an accumulation of cellular “trash” to build up, ultimately causing the neurons to die. So far, scientists have identified 13 different versions of…

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What Pediatric Care Providers Need to Know About Kratom
 What Pediatric Care Providers Need to Know About Kratom 150 150 Laura Dattner
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The herbal supplement is increasingly the source of toxic exposures and health care facility admissions. In recent years, kratom has become popular as a treatment for chronic or acute pain as well as mood conditions such as depression and anxiety. It is also sometimes…

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Acid Reflux Index Severity Alone Should Not Determine GERD Diagnosis
 Acid Reflux Index Severity Alone Should Not Determine GERD Diagnosis 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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ARI severity plays little role in symptom generation, but symptoms alone are unreliable for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease, researchers say. However, a new study from the Neonatal and Infant Feeding Disorders Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital shows that stomach acid alone doesn’t appear to have much…

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Vaccine Enables Model to Clear Hepatitis C Virus and Prevent Persistence
 Vaccine Enables Model to Clear Hepatitis C Virus and Prevent Persistence 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
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Scientists are conceptualizing an effective HCV vaccine using a new animal model. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) subverts responses of immune cells, resulting in chronic infection in more than 71 million people worldwide. The virus causes 1.79 million new infections and 399,000 deaths worldwide annually.…

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Keeping Young Patients With Congenital Heart Disease Connected to Care
 Keeping Young Patients With Congenital Heart Disease Connected to Care 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
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Race, type of insurance and severity of disease affect likelihood of experiencing a lapse in care for CHD patients younger than 5 years. Lapse in care is prevalent among congenital heart disease survivors by age five, with nonwhites demonstrating elevated risk, according to a…

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Improving Care for Adolescents and Young Women With Pelvic Pain: Highlights From New ACOG Guidelines
 Improving Care for Adolescents and Young Women With Pelvic Pain: Highlights From New ACOG Guidelines 1024 683 Geri Hewitt, MD
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Between 50 and 90 percent of adolescents and young women report dysmenorrhea- and endometriosis-related pelvic pain. Pediatricians and primary care doctors have many opportunities to recognize and treat these conditions, leading to enhanced quality of life and better long-term reproductive outcomes for these patients.…

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A Simple Measure to Help Early Detection of Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy in Infants
 A Simple Measure to Help Early Detection of Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy in Infants 150 150 Jeb Phillips
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An easily derived Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination asymmetry score, in combination with the total HINE score, differentiates typically developing infants from those with hemiplegic CP. While cerebral palsy can now be diagnosed at 6 months of age – allowing for earlier interventions and better…

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National Survey of Emergency Department Management of Self-Harm Highlights Successes, Room for Improvement
 National Survey of Emergency Department Management of Self-Harm Highlights Successes, Room for Improvement 150 150 Abbie Roth
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Only 15 percent of hospitals surveyed routinely provided all recommended safety planning elements. Approximately half a million patients in the United States arrive in emergency departments (EDs) after deliberate self-harm annually. In the short term following the ED visit, these patients are at high…

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