Drew Esposito, “Super Drew” to those who know him, spent almost half a year in the Addison Jo Blair Cancer Care Center at Norton Children’s Hospital. When the 5-year-old returned in January, it wasn’t as a patient. This time, he brought a $31,407 check to help the patients who will follow him. Drew gained his…
When you think of traumatic brain injury (TBI), also called acquired brain injury (ABI), you may think of car crashes or sports injuries. However, a recent study shows that common home furnishings and fixtures are also frequently associated with TBI in children. TBI is an acquired brain injury that happens when a sudden trauma causes…
Your child was referred to a pediatric neurologist for a neurological exam, also called a neuro exam, part of a complete neurological evaluation. You know your pediatrician and generally what to expect during those visits. What happens in a neurological exam, and what can you expect? Why would my child need a neurological exam? Your…
If your child has a seizure, it can be scary. What caused the seizure? Could your child have epilepsy? While epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in the U.S., having a seizure does not necessarily mean a child has epilepsy. Up to 10% of people will have a seizure at some point…
Seven years ago, my younger sister, Samantha, was diagnosed with epilepsy. Who would have thought that fluttering her eyes was actually a seizure? Sam didn’t seem herself, and so our pediatrician ordered a sleep-deprived electroencephalogram (EEG). This is a test that looks at how the brain works when it’s tired. At first, Sam thought it…
In 2012, 11-year-old Jade Cain was diagnosed with a ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM), an abnormal cluster of veins and arteries in her brain. Treatment to cure the life-threatening bleed was successful, but it also caused radiation necrosis, the swelling and dying of brain tissue. As Jade’s condition devolved into extreme headaches, weight gain, and potentially…
The ketogenic diet (keto diet) is among the latest Hollywood health fads. Beyond the trendy hype, the ketogenic diet has made a world of difference in the lives of children with epilepsy. Research has shown that the keto diet, which has been around for decades, can reduce the frequency of a child’s seizures, especially…
October is National Spina Bifida Awareness Month. Spina bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the U.S. The condition affects 1,500 children each year. What do you know about the condition? Learn more about spina bifida types, what causes spina bifida and much more. What is spina bifida? Spina bifida is a…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 out of 10 people may have a seizure in their lifetime. Having a seizure is much more common than many people realize –– and one day, you may need to help someone. Do you know what to do when someone has a seizure?…
There is an amount of uncertainty with any type of neurosurgery. Neurosurgeons study a patient’s medical history, current condition, and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to plan for surgery. However, those images can show only so much. Once surgery begins, surgeons may face issues that they couldn’t have anticipated. Now, however,…
Three-year-old Apphia Rosenthal started a regular day last summer eating eggs and chatting with her parents. She was excited about what color glasses she would choose if she needed them (she was thinking something in pink). What her parents weren’t expecting was for Apphia to go from the ophthalmologist, to then have a magnetic resonance…
When actor Cameron Boyce, star of the Disney Channelshows “The Descendants” and “Jessie,” died at age 20, his family said in a statement that his sudden death was due to a seizure during sleep. According to the family, the star was receiving ongoing treatment for the seizure disorder epilepsy. The Centers for Disease Control and…