Jared Traxler almost became a statistic. At age 10, he attempted suicide. Fortunately, he was found, saved and given a second chance. It all started when he was 9. “I went into my Papaw’s room to ask to borrow a fishing pole,” Jared said. “I walked to his bed to wake him up, only to…
Bahaaldin Alsoufi, M.D., has joined the University of Louisville Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and Norton Children’s Heart Institute at Norton Children’s Hospital as the new chief of the division of pediatric cardiac surgery. He will practice with UofL Physicians – Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Alsoufi comes to Louisville from Emory University, Atlanta,…
My son had his first ear infection when he was 8 months old. We were on vacation in Florida, his first beach vacation, when he spiked a fever of 104. Prior to this, he hadn’t had any ear infections or colds. We knew he had teeth coming in, so we chalked his fever up to…
Ian Mutchnick, M.D., pediatric neurosurgeon, spends most of his days saving young lives at Norton Children’s Hospital. But in 2015, he was 6,239 miles away, donating his time to provide free neurosurgical care to kids in Ramallah, a city in the West Bank that experiences frequent political unrest. A mom walked into the clinic with…
The Miller family of Bowling Green, Kentucky, has a reason to celebrate Heart Month every day. Their daughter, Abigail, recently celebrated her first birthday — her “heartiversary” — with family and friends. A year ago, her parents, Amanda and Tim, learned Abigail needed lifesaving surgery to fix defects in her heart — ventricular septal defect…
Norton Children’s Hospital has joined an elite group of pediatric hospitals with a real-time, thermal imaging and laser system to perform laser ablation surgery for epilepsy, uncontrollable seizures and deep brain tumors. The technology, called Visualase, allows doctors to perform MRI-guided laser ablation surgery, which is less invasive and in most cases has a much…
Logan Carroll is a young man on the move. A junior at Western Kentucky University, Carroll spent last summer biking 3,600 miles across the United States to raise money for Alzheimer’s research with his fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta. He also enjoys distance running, camping, hiking and, of course, hanging out with friends. Carroll sounds like…
Nearly 10 children a day come to a Norton Children’s emergency department for constipation. It’s also the No. 1 reason for stomachaches. Yes, you read that right. Several things can cause constipation, but one of the easiest to fix is diet. Norton Children’s Gastroenterology (502) 588-2330 “Not eating enough fiber can definitely have an effect…
Living with cancer at any age is difficult, but experiencing cancer as a teen is especially difficult when you’re trying to be “normal.” T.J. Branham’s sister, Kayla, opens up about her teen brother’s diagnosis and his incredible strength throughout his cancer journey. I remember so clearly getting the call from him almost in tears saying…
Choosing where to have your child’s surgery can be a daunting task. What kind of care is going to make your child and family feel safest, physically and emotionally? Technology advancements have made it possible for some procedures to be done at outpatient surgery centers. Costs can be lower at these types of locations. However,…
Puberty is a process that happens slowly over several years. It can be hard to tell when it’s beginning or when to expect changes. The outward signs are the easiest to recognize and provide a guide to where a girl is in the process. The age ranges in this graphic are average and every girl…
Victoria Dicken is no stranger to challenges. The 11-year-old girl from Louisville has Treacher Collins syndrome. “I’ve lost count of how many surgeries I’ve had,” Victoria said. “At least 20.” Treacher Collins syndrome is a rare genetic condition that affects the development of bones and other tissues in the face. Most people with the condition have underdeveloped…