Connecticut Children's Blog

When she fell hard after whiffing on a ball during club soccer practice, 14-year-old Arianna P. nearly laughed out loud through the pain. “Here we go again,” she said to her mother in the hospital room. She’d managed to break her wrist for the second time. Deep down, she knew this time would be different. […]

Getting back on the field (or rink, track, court or wherever) after months off comes with a risk of injury. Overuse injuries can occur in any sport – from “Little League Elbow” to back issues to ACL tears and ankle sprains. Connecticut Children’s pediatric orthopedic surgeons share advice for youth athletes to safely build back […]

A lot has changed over the course of COVID-19 with remote, hybrid and in-person learning, but backpacks are here to stay. They’re customizable, come in all shapes, sizes and colors and are the ultimate in self-expression. But—when not worn properly, they can cause short- or long-term problems in kids’ muscles, joints and—well—back. So what’s the […]

Growing up, many of us parents can remember required school scoliosis checks. What’s important to know nowadays about scoliosis? What are your child’s options if they have scoliosis? Dr. Mark Lee, Division Head of Orthopedics at Connecticut Children’s, and Dr. Jeffrey Thomson, Orthopedic Surgeon, have the answers. 1. What exactly is scoliosis, and how can […]

When Melina, at age 10, felt a shooting pain in her leg and suddenly couldn’t put weight on it, her family assumed it would mean physical therapy at worst. They never imagined it would mean emergency surgery so she could play sports, dance, or possibly just walk normally again. They started at the pediatrician’s office. […]

By: Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS, and Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA Want to make sure your child’s time on the playground is as safe as it is fun? Follow these safety tips from orthopedic surgeon Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS and the Injury Prevention Center’s Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA. Playground injuries are common, but preventable. […]

One bright October weekend, 9-year-old Ellie McOmber was flying high on a friend’s swing set. The next minute, she was falling. She fell from a height of about seven feet and landed on her side, fracturing her arm just below the shoulder…   Walk-in orthopedic care when they need it, where you need it. For […]

Technology that enables a devastating sports injury to heal itself? At Connecticut Children’s, it’s no longer beyond imagination. Connecticut Children’s recently became the first health system in Connecticut to use the BEAR® Implant to treat a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), one of the most common sports injuries in the U.S.  The implant is injected […]

It’s important for all kids to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day for their heart health – and it’s important for athletes to stay active in order to prevent injury. So how about a fitness challenge as we head toward the chillier season? Connecticut Children’s pediatric orthopedic surgeon Allison Crepeau, MD, […]

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. […]

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 […]

When she was 12 years old, Lindsay Fritz wrote a letter to her future self. “Don’t worry, you got this,” she wrote. “You are bent, not broken.” The year before, a routine physical had revealed a curve in her spine, and she’d been referred to Connecticut Children’s for X-rays. The diagnosis: adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. On […]

Depending on which day you ask her, 6-year-old Lily will tell you that she wants to be a ballerina or a firefighter when she grows up. But those professions require standing up straight, and until two years ago, Lily couldn’t. She was born with a spine so severely curved to the side that it looked […]

It was a pneumonia diagnosis that revealed a 30-degree curve in young Sabella’s spine at the age of 6. She was referred to Connecticut Children’s Orthopedics division where she was followed closely by Jeff Thomson, MD, for years before she underwent spinal fusion surgery to correct her debilitating scoliosis. Now a teenager, Sabella’s love for […]

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sonia Chaudhry is the only pediatric hand surgeon in Connecticut and she’s here at Connecticut Children’s.  Ashley Denison remembers the worry that washed over her when doctors told her that her son had no thumb on his left hand just moments after he was delivered in April 2017. How would he hold […]

Joshua was born in 2006 with spina bifida, which led him to develop severe scoliosis by the time he was three. His previous providers had tried bracing, but he was in and out of surgery for other conditions so often that he could not wear the brace consistently. In 2009, he was recommended as Connecticut […]

Tony and Dawn Velez had tried everything to have a child, including in vitro fertilization seven times, but nothing worked, so they finally gave up trying and accepted the reality of their situation. As Dawn puts it, “We said, ‘That’s it; it’s just going to be us and dogs, and we’re OK with that. We’ll […]

Connor loves baseball. And he’s really good at it—pitcher and shortstop are his favorite positions. But last year, when he was 10, he was experiencing problems with his knee that threatened to take him out of the game. He had significant pain all the time, and his knee would periodically lock up. His mother took […]

When it comes to Irish dance competitions, Irish eyes are smiling on 16-year-old Bridget Souriyamath. Bridget, who has been taking Irish dance lessons for the past 12 years, has fared well at local and regional competitions. But it was her participation in the McInerney Championship Feis in Worcester, Mass., on Oct. 29, 2016, that was […]