Jacob Browning knew he wanted to be in the military from a young age. Jacob, who grew up in Hudson, Ohio, admired his grandfather and uncle, who had served in the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army, respectively. By the time Jacob entered high school in August, 2008 he had set his sights on […]
Pediatric bariatric surgery is transformational for young woman, now 20
It’s been 3 years since we last visited Riley Ickes, one of the first teen patients to undergo bariatric surgery at Akron Children’s. At the time, Riley was attending high school online, happily shopping for new clothes, because she was down 63 pounds, and juggling a new exercise routine with an after-school job at Wal-Mart. […]
An emergency visit for stitches inspires the story of ‘Stitch’em Up Doug and the Wild Child’
As an active preschooler, Tristan Rhoades was running through the house when he fell and hit his head on the corner of his toybox. The injury resulted in a visit to Akron Children’s Emergency Department for stitches, where Tristan and his mom Rachel Knight first met Doug Lehner, one of our suture technicians. The experience […]
Neuromuscular Clinic at 15 years: Multi-disciplinary team offers hope to families who once had none
Dr. Kathryn Mosher remembers a time when she had to explain to a parent what a diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) meant – and there was no hope to be offered. “In the natural history of that disease, most children die by the age of two. If they do survive past that, they are […]
Unsinkable college athlete swims against the odds toward Paralympic dream
In the world of competitive swimming, Grace Nuhfer, age 21, stands out not just for her remarkable talent in the water, but for her determination and resilience. Hailing from Indiana, Grace’s journey into the world of swimming began at the age of 7 despite being born with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a connective tissue disorder that […]
Fainting is common in childhood; proper hydration is the key to prevention
Fainting (syncope) is common in children and teens, according to Dr. Timotheus Watson, a pediatric cardiologist at Akron Children’s. “Most children faint due to a brief drop in blood pressure, which temporarily decreases blood flow to the brain,” he says. “This blood pressure change results in passing out. Fortunately, most episodes of fainting are not […]
