by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on March 31, 2010
by Cristiane Lin, MD
While lead paint is the most common cause of lead poisoning, about one-third of cases are associated with non-paint products like imported utensils, foods and medicinal remedies. Now, a new study points to another potentially dangerous carrier of lead: Indian spices and powders.
In a recent study published online in Pediatrics, the authors report four cases of children with lead poisoning due to imported Indian spices or cultural powders. Lead, which is a neurotoxin, can cause permanent effects to children’s brain development. These children were treated at the Pediatric Environmental Health Center at Children’s. Blood lead levels in all cases improved after discontinuation of products. Full story »
Earlier this month, TheNew York Times reported that hula-hooping is making a comeback, and that fitness aficionados are turning to the simple hoops to help get them in shape. This got us thinking that it might be a great way to help kids get the exercise they need, so we wandered the halls and gardens of Children’s Hospital Boston and videotaped some of our patients hooping.
We quickly found that actress and hula hoop enthusiast Marisa Tomei was right when she said, “You just can’t help but laugh and smile when you’re hooping.” We also found that hooping isn’t just for kids…parents, employees, even the CEO of the hospital, Dr. James Mandell, got into the spirit. Enjoy the video and happy hooping!
This boy was able to hobble out of the clinic without the cast he wore for two months.
Although there’s long been a need for improved orthopedic care in Haiti, the nature of the trauma injuries caused by the earthquake has exacerbated the problem into a dire one. Currently, there are only 15 Haitian orthopedists working in the country. “Because of all the associated bone injuries, which require x-rays, cast changes and ongoing surgeries, it’s clear there’s a chronic need for orthopedic care here,” says George Dyer, staff orthopedic surgeon at Children’s. “That one earthquake created work for a generation of orthopedic surgeons.”
Walking around the hospital, there’s no end to the number of people in casts and external fixation devices–metal rods or pins attached outside of the body to keep a bone in place. “After the earthquake there were so many people with broken femurs that the only thing that could be done was place external fixators on their legs, which can be done quickly and without x-ray,” says Paul Appleton, orthopaedic trauma surgeon at BIDMC. “Some people got casts, but if they had a severe injury to the skin over the bone, the wounds couldn’t be covered due to the need for daily dressing changes.” Full story »
Haitian children drew messages and pictures to bring back to the United States.
When Judie Jackson, operating room nurse at Children’s, found out she would be coming to Haiti, she asked her 8 year old niece, Isabella, if she wanted to send a greeting to the school children in Cange. “I thought it would be nice to have a connection between the kids in America and the kids here,” she says. Jackson bought a big blank banner over 10 feet long, and gave it to her niece, who had the idea to bring it to her class at Medway Elementary School. There, her classmates joined in, drawing pictures, greetings and telling the children all about their life in America. “They all knew that Haiti had experienced an earthquake, and they were sad for the children,” says Jackson. “All the messages were very helpful and uplifting.” Full story »
Q: I keep hearing how younger and younger children are being exposed to electronics — that there are computers in preschool classrooms, that kids are using smart phones to learn the alphabet, and that a children’s version of the iPad is in the works at Fisher Price. This exposure to electronics at such an early age certainly has an effect on children’s social and family life, the way they play, and their academics. My question is whether these effects are positive or negative — is the next generation benefiting from these electronics?
Interested in the iGeneration, in Boston, MA Full story »
Kim Wilson, a pediatrician at Martha Eliot Health Center, was originally on the Global Surgical team in Cange. But the day after arriving, she was rerouted back to Port-au-Prince, where the University hospital (HUEH) was desperately in need of clinicians to staff the pediatrics tents.
I initially came with the team to work on developing collaborations between Partners In Health’s (PIH) child health program and Children’s, as PIH is planning an expansion of their child health services. However, PIH is also helping to coordinate staffing for the pediatric tents at the general hospital in Port-au-Prince. Ideally, the pediatric tents are staffed by three pediatricians and 12 nurses, but as of this week, there were no pediatricians slated to be there. So Dr. Sophie Allende and I went down to help. Full story »
Earlier this week, we shared on our Thrive blog some comments about the new health reform legislation by Judy Palfrey, MD, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a long-time pediatrician at Children’s Hospital Boston.
Reactions to the post were both positive and negative when it was shared on our Facebook page, with some people wondering why we would share our “political” views. First let me say that I think it’s important to distinguish views about political candidates and political parties from “policy” views about things that are good or bad for children and the providers who care for them. I also think it’s important to recognize and give voice to the incredible breadth of knowledge and expertise we have here at Children’s. Dr. Palfrey has spent her entire career working on child advocacy issues and is nationally recognized on the subject, and we’re fortunate to be able to share her knowledgeable voice on our blog. Full story »
With their brilliant smiles and frequent bouts of laughter, Carmene Guerrier, 16, and Julmiste Shelove, 25, light up the medical ward. Their friends come to visit often, sitting on the edges of their beds. They gossip, tease each other and teach simple Haitian Creole phrases to the English speaking clinicians. Although both girls have lived in the hospital for the past two months, where there’s few forms of entertainment, the near constant hair maintenance they partake in—braiding, corn rows, combing knots out and complaining about the lack of shampoo—never ceases to absorb them. When the physical and occupational therapists arrive to interrupt their fun, just like typical teens, they try distraction techniques to avoid what they know is coming. “Pa mal, pa mal,” says Shelove, as she points to her leg. Guerrier grabs the hologram stickers she received earlier and mimics that she wants more. Full story »
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by Cristiane Lin, MD
Media expert Michael Rich, MD, MPH, director of the 
Kim Wilson, a pediatrician at 
Earlier this week, we shared on our Thrive blog some comments 
With their brilliant smiles and frequent bouts of laughter, Carmene Guerrier, 16, and Julmiste Shelove, 25, light up the medical ward. Their friends come to visit often, sitting on the edges of their beds. They gossip, tease each other and teach simple Haitian Creole phrases to the English speaking clinicians. Although both girls have lived in the hospital for the past two months, where there’s few forms of entertainment, the near constant hair maintenance they partake in—braiding, corn rows, combing knots out and complaining about the lack of shampoo—never ceases to absorb them. When the physical and occupational therapists arrive to interrupt their fun, just like typical teens, they try distraction techniques to avoid what they know is coming. “Pa mal, pa mal,” says Shelove, as she points to her leg. Guerrier grabs the hologram stickers she received earlier and mimics that she wants more. 
