It’s not easy for 15-year-old Ella Hamm to manage a chronic condition like Crohn’s disease. She gets plenty of support from family, friends and her medical team. She also relies on virtual visits as a convenient alternative to in-person care. Ella had frequent stomach issues in 2017, and her family couldn’t figure out why. “We […]
Dr. Kevin Watson connects with students during Future Healthcare Leaders’ Summit
Since the fall of 2015, Summa Health System has partnered with Akron Children’s and other community organizations to provide a day of engaging, hands-on activities for high school students from Akron Public Schools. This event, Future Healthcare Leaders’ Summit, is held on the University of Akron campus. The goal is to engage adolescents from Akron, […]
Surgery to treat ulcerative colitis allows teen to return to school for senior year
For over a year, 17-year-old Wyatt Mullins had been experiencing severe gastrointestinal issues and abdominal pain that frequently left him bathroom-bound. An active teen who played baseball and wrestled, his health woes often left him writhing in pain. “I took him to his primary care doctor at least a dozen times in a year,” said […]
Helping your child cope with a Crohn’s or colitis diagnosis
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are both forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that result in inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Ulcerative colitis affects the colon (large intestine) while Crohn’s disease can affect anywhere in the GI tract. Pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Kevin Watson says that being diagnosed with one of these conditions can be […]
