Neurosciences, Patient Stories, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

New gene therapy treatments offer relief and hope for family with two children with SMA

Alex and Aaron Haas had heard of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) — a former neighbor of Aaron’s had a grandchild who died from it — but didn’t know much about it when 3-month-old Riley seemed less active than a family friend’s baby of the same age. A small knot in the back of Riley’s neck…

Read Full Story
COVID Vaccine, COVID19

Norton Children’s opens COVID-19 vaccinations to children ages 12 and older

Norton Children’s has opened COVID-19 vaccine scheduling for children ages 12 and up on NortonChildrens.com. Parents or legal guardians who would like to schedule their children for vaccination can make an appointment at NortonChildrens.com. Multiple Norton Children’s locations throughout Louisville Metro will be giving vaccines. A clinical trial of this vaccine in 2,260 children ages…

Read Full Story
Norton Childrens Medical Group, Norton Community Medical Associates, Pulmonology

6 signs your child may have asthma

Louisville, Kentucky, is no stranger to allergies or asthma, so knowing what to look for in your child is important. Louisville routinely is ranked among the most challenging cities to live with asthma by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Asthma can be controlled with medications and treatments, but many cases go undiagnosed. The…

Read Full Story
Childrens Hospital Foundation, Foundation

‘Bone Appetit’ cookbook benefits Norton Children’s Hospital

Norton Children’s Hospital Auxiliary has produced a 300-recipe cookbook with recipes from well-known Louisville restaurants, Norton Children’s Hospital Auxiliary members, hospital employees and others. Funds raised from this special “Bone Appetit” book will benefit Norton Healthcare’s Heel, Dog, Heal facility dog program. The cookbook is available for $25 (handling and shipping are included) at https://boneappetit.itemorder.com/sale….

Read Full Story
Behavioral-Mental Health, Norton Childrens Medical Group

Helping kids and adults who’ve experienced complex trauma

Complex trauma occurs when children are exposed to multiple, severe and pervasive traumatic events or experiences. Complex trauma includes profound abuse, neglect or ongoing exposure to violence, typically involving a primary caregiver. Traumatic experiences often overwhelm a child’s ability to cope. Children exposed to complex trauma can react in a number of ways, including lack…

Read Full Story
Gynecology, News

Endometriosis can start in your teens and early 20s

Tessa Nielsen, 21, was in so much pain from her menstrual periods and cramps, she couldn’t do much at all. “I would lie in bed, curled up in ball with a heating pad,” she said. For months, her menstrual periods and cramps caused a stabbing pain she describes as being like a knife twisting around….

Read Full Story
Allergy and Immunology, Neuropsychology, Neurosciences, News

What can a routine infection have to do with a child’s sudden outbursts and obsessiveness?

The 5-year-old who arrived at the Norton Children’s Hospital emergency department in December was far different than the happy, healthy girl her parents had come to know. A month earlier, it started with emotional outbursts. One day she repeated the word “puppy” over and over and then laughed hysterically. The next, she seemed afraid of…

Read Full Story
Norton Childrens Medical Group

Pediatrician visit leads to emergency surgery for testicular torsion

*EDITOR’S NOTE: In this article, parent and child names have been altered for the child’s privacy at their request. When Pat was selecting a pediatrician for her children, she chose Robert A. Blair, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Frankfort. Dr. Blair had been her pediatrician when she was a child, so she…

Read Full Story
Norton Childrens Medical Group

Early childhood development, health disparities fuel pediatrician’s drive

Matthew D. Kinney, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Novak Center, felt like medicine was his calling from a very young age. In his work as a primary care pediatrician, Dr. Kinney is passionate about early childhood development and the health disparities that exist, including those relating to infant mortality. He knew he…

Read Full Story
Autism, News

Separating autism myths from the facts

About 1 in 54 children in the U.S. has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite how common the disorder is, autism myths continue to persist. These myths spread through word of mouth, the internet and social media. They also can make it more difficult for children…

Read Full Story
Autism, Employee stories - Norton Childrens

Personal autism experience helps physician connect with his patients

For the past 25 years, Gregory N. Barnes, M.D., PhD. has worked with thousands of families to help diagnose, adapt to and overcome autism. Autism is personal to Dr. Barnes, whose son, Joshua, was diagnosed with the condition as a young child. It was clear to Dr. Barnes, a pediatric neurologist with the Norton Children’s…

Read Full Story
NICU, PICU

Neonatologist champions follow-up clinic for NICU graduates

When Hannah R. Fischer, M.D., neonatologist with Norton Children’s Neonatology, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, was doing her pediatric residency, it was in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where she found her calling. Despite the long and difficult days, she couldn’t wait to get up in the morning and see her tiny…

Read Full Story