Cooper Meshew has certainly had his ups and downs in his 19 years but, right now, he is up – way up in the seat of a John Deere row crop tractor in Valentine, Nebraska. Cooper, who was diagnosed at age 10 with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a degenerative nerve disease, checked off a “bucket list” item […]
Akron Children’s patient is among first to receive life-changing gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy after FDA approval
When 5-year-old Vinny DeMando left Akron Children’s on Aug. 4, he left with a newly FDA-approved gene therapy making its way through his body. His parents left with hope and gratitude for a brighter, healthier future for him. Vincent (Vinny), of Massillon, was diagnosed in July 2021 with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare and […]
Kids with tics take in a baseball game with their hero, retired MLB player Jim Eisenreich
At age 64, Jim Eisenreich is a retired Major League Baseball player (1982-84, 1987-1998) known as a great hitter and with a World Series championship to his credit. He’s had a good life and rose quickly to the Major League. But part of him will always remember being a “kid who just wanted to be […]
What is a psychometrist? Hint, this professional may play a valuable role on your child’s care team
Say “doctor” or “nurse” and you’ve got a pretty good idea of how these professionals fit into Akron Children’s care team. How about “psychometrist?” That job title may be less familiar to most. A psychometrist is responsible for the administration and scoring of cognitive, psychoeducational, developmental and neuropsychological tests. At Akron Children’s, psychometrists are based […]
Work time is playtime for Akron Children’s CNP Sarah Harris
What’s the easiest part of CNP Sarah Harris’ job? Playing with kids, of course! Lucky for her, she spends her days doing exactly that as Akron Children’s newest certified nurse practitioner in our NeuroDevelopmental Science Center. A big part of a child’s neurologic exam involves observing children play and interact with their surroundings. And, the […]
Stress and anxiety: How can I help my child cope?
Stress is a natural part of life. Everyone feels stress at times—even kids—and occasional anxiety is a normal reaction to the stress we feel. Kids may be stressed or worried about school or grades, juggling responsibilities and activities, problems with friends, or moving schools. They might even feel stress at home with the loss of […]