Connecticut Children's Blog

In 2019, a very pregnant Kristina Gisonde studied two dots on her latest ultrasound. The dots represented her baby’s kidneys, and they were different sizes – not a good sign. Her doctor recommended that, soon after birth, they see a specialist at Connecticut Children’s. Kristina and husband Matt had just moved to Fairfield County with […]

One of the scariest parts of any health journey is the beginning: All you have are questions, and all you want are answers. Jennefer Aquavia and Paul Willis know that feeling. This past summer, their 10-year-old daughter, Morgan, starting having seizures – but not like any seizures they’d heard of before. The day they realized […]

The staff at the hospital where Natalia Rodriguez Sabala was born hadn’t seen a patient like her in seven years. She was born with cloacal exstrophy, also known as OEIS syndrome: Her bladder and portions of her large intestine were on the outside of her belly, and her bladder was split open into two halves. […]

Guthrie Martin, age 7, is the oldest of three brothers, an aspiring zookeeper, and a big fan of jumping –onto, off of, and over just about anything. “I like to jump over my little brothers,” says Guthrie. “And on my bed. And the ottoman and chairs. Also off the couch, the big dinosaur in our […]

When 5-year-old Sofia Cortese hears she won’t be going into school today – whether from a doctor’s appointment, school holiday or because classes will be online this week – she has a predictable reaction. “She’ll say, ‘But my friends are going to miss me!’” says mom Renata. And she’s right. Everyone in Sofia’s school building […]

Calling the first half of 2019 a challenge is downplaying the many obstacles Ava, 13, and her family faced. Within a four month span, Ava learned to navigate a new school, her mother Emilia lost a job she loved and – due to a routine sports physical exam – they soon discovered Ava was dangerously […]

Unfortunately, we have seen a dramatic rise in pediatric hypertension over the last few years. Now, up to 10% of children have elevated blood pressure. If we apply this to the population of children in Connecticut, roughly 70,000 are affected! What are the risk factors for pediatric hypertension? The biggest risk factor is being overweight. […]

Staying well-hydrated is very important for your kidneys. Proper hydration helps your kidneys balance all of the electrolytes in your body, such as sodium and potassium, and helps your kidneys get rid of all the waste products from food you consume that your body does not use. Furthermore, your body is made up of 70% […]

When Matt and Kristen Daly were invited to serve on the Steering Committee for a new Infusion & Dialysis Center at Connecticut Children’s last year, they didn’t have to think twice. “We were honored to be asked,” Matt said. And when the Glastonbury residents were asked to consider a leadership gift toward the construction of […]