by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on December 13, 2009
Here’s a quick look at what Thrive was up to last week.
Why are suicide clusters more common in teens? Children’s Global Fellow Stephen Sullivan, MD, MPH, addresses the global burden of surgical diseases. KABC in Los Angeles interviewed Children’s Hanno Steen, PhD, about a urine test that quickly identifies cases of appendicitis. Children’s Center for Young Women’s Health youth advisor, Erica, writes a compelling review of the movie, Precious. The HealthMap team gives us our final H1N1 update. David Ludwig, MD, PhD, director of Children’s Optimal Weight for Life Program, just published a commentary in JAMA expressing concern about the widespread use of artificial sweeteners in soft drinks. Our Mediatrician talks about how negative portrayals of black women in movies affects teens. We give a roundup on all of the news this week on the fight for what our children should be eating and drinking.
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on December 6, 2009
Here’s a quick look at what Thrive was up to last week.
Yoga is thought to have many healing powers, but is fighting eating disorders one of them? One patient tells her story of how brain stimulation helps keep her epileptic seizures at bay. Children’s professionalism and ethical practice expert talks about the changing mammography guidelines and gives insight into the health care reform. Children’s Dr. Sharon Levy discusses whether or not home-based drug kits are useful on the MSNBC show “Dr. Nancy.” The National Institute of Health announced 13 new government-approved embryonic stem cell lines, 11 of which were developed at Children’s. The HealthMap team gave us our weekly H1N1 update. Did you know that children with RSV are more likely to be hospitalized than those with seasonal flu? Our Mediatrician sings his praises of Guitar Hero but adds a warning about appropriate lyrics. Good Morning America features Children’s research on autism and facial recognition.
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on December 5, 2009
Other stories we’ve been reading:
Are your children nervous about getting shots? This cartoon and iPhone app helps kids with 
vaccine fears. A new study shows that children who are vaccinated against chicken pox have an increased protection against shingles too.
Contrary to negative media stories about adoption, it turns out that most adopted children are healthy and happy. School bullies are also likely to bully their siblings. Baby boys are more likely to have a birth defect from a mother’s bug spray use and obese children may be at a higher risk for back pain.
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on November 22, 2009
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on November 21, 2009
Other stories we’ve been reading:
A new study says your child is more likely to become a criminal if they don’t have good fear conditioning. Pediatricians are ordering Viagra for children with heart defects.
A new report says too much food, not a lack of exercise, is to blame for teen obesity, and researchers find that toddlers and obese kids suffer the most from secondhand smoke.
More kids’ lives are saved as the cost of child vaccines fall and Santa says he wants his H1N1 vaccine too.
by Matt Cyr on November 20, 2009
Thanks to H1N1, Halloween came on November 15 for the Lord and Ladies of the Cyr household
My wife, Sara, and I are the proud parents of newly minted 4-year-old triplets, and this fall we just haven’t been able to get healthy in our house. We get over one illness and another one crops up a week later. Fevers come and go. Coughs are incessant. Headaches bloom and recede. It’s been never-ending.
So none of us was feeling particularly well on the Thursday before Halloween when Sara called me at work and told me she had spiked a fever. We weren’t sure it was H1N1, but working in the Public Affairs Department here at Children’s Hospital Boston, I spend much of my time communicating about swine flu, so I know fever is one of the bellwether symptoms. Alarm bells started going off in my head because, unfortunately, like the rest of the poor, huddled masses, the Cyrs were waiting for the H1N1 vaccine to be made available.
As soon as I got home from work, I shuttled Sara off to her parents’ house and called my parents to come help me with the kids. The next day was relatively quiet; Sara was miserable but quarantined (and, frankly, enjoying the room service and uninterrupted silence), and the kids and I were doing OK.
Then came Saturday, October 31. Full story »
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on November 15, 2009
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on November 14, 2009
Educators are turning to 
