Paul Thornton, M.D., always knew he would become a doctor. Even when no one else did.Like a lot of boys growing up, Dr. Thornton’s interest centered on athletics. He calls himself a “sports fanatic,” playing rugby, cricket, tennis and swimming. As a ...
At a time when she needed inspiration the most, Brec Bassinger looked to Nick Jonas. Now at 18 years old, she hopes to be an example for children with Type 1 diabetes.
Brec was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 8 years old. Shortly after her diagn...
Hi. My name is Landry Murphy.
I’m a teenage girl with a lot of hopes and dreams, but with a lot of desires comes big responsibilities. One responsibility that I did not get to “choose” is being a Type 1 diabetic. I’ve been a Type 1 diabetic and a ...
“Grace, this is Alecia from Dr. Gamble’s office, do you have a minute to talk?”
The phone from Clinical Genetics came at 5:12 p.m. on April 10, 2018. Grace Wilson-Rabel remembers the exact time and date because it’s the moment that changed her lif...
By now you may have seen the tragic story of Journey, a diabetic alert dog who died of a gunshot wound outside of her family's home.
Diabetic alert dogs like Journey are specially trained to detect high or low levels of blood sugar for kids like ...
By Caroline Weber
When your child looks and acts healthy, it’s hard to understand how they could have a condition that, without proper treatment, could cause them to have a heart attack or stroke before the age of 50. Maria Gutierrez found herself...
Kim Mangham, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatrician in Keller, estimates most kids get sick about 6 to 8 times a year, which can cause frustration for parents and leave them wondering if they should do something more to keep them healthy.
“They ofte...
Similar to most parents, Chris and Kendra Braughton waited anxiously for nine months to meet their first child. Harper brought more joy than they had imagined to their lives, and also a one in a million diagnosis.
Harper was born with a rare g...
Two new studies emphasize the dangers of teens using e-cigarettes.
The studies published in Pediatrics magazine showed teens who only vape have the highest level of cancer causing chemicals in their bodies and the e-cigarettes are associated with ...
A new study shows the importance and possibly life-changing impact of losing weight in controlling Type 2 diabetes. In a paper published in the Lancet, UK researchers found that people with diabetes went into remission after participating in a rigoro...
Diabetes is a tough disease for anyone, but females with diabetes face their own challenges.
Both girls and boys can be develop Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, but only females have to be concerned with a type of diabetes that begins during pregnancy....
A new world-wide study shows that 10 times more children and adolescents are considered obese than they were 40 years ago.
The report published in The Lancet states the amount of children and adolescents rose to 124 million in 2016, compared to 11...
I think that human beings are drawn to see uniqueness in our surroundings. We make note of differences and often form quick impressions about what we see. Difference in height from person to person, for instance, is one feature that easily stands out...
You see it sometimes with children wearing tank tops or swim suits – darkened patches of skin in certain body areas like the neck or armpit. Parents and children may think that it is simply dirt that needs to be washed off. Children might even get te...
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably never heard of congenital hyperinsulinsim. That’s likely because it only affects between 80 and 120 babies each year. But for those who are affected, it can be a life-changing event, which without an accura...
A child with type 1 diabetes lives with a large amount of work needed to care for his or her disease.
The daily routine for most kids with type 1 diabetes includes multiple insulin shots, numerous blood sugar checks and analyzing the carbohydrates...
Lilly King became an American hero by winning the gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke against Russia’s Yulia Efimova.
The 19 year old’s defeat of Efimova was not only a matter of national pride, but serves a teaching moment for children every...
After helplessly watching their newborn son Brantlee Sanford poked, prodded and tested constantly over the first week of his life, parents Jake and Tella were desperate for some answers.
At last, after long days plagued with uncertainty, they foun...
The Turner Syndrome Society of the U.S. (TSUS) has designated February to increase awareness in Turner syndrome. Pediatric endocrinologists including our pediatric endocrinology group at Cook Children’s care for many girls with Turner syndrome. Turne...
Evaluating and managing thyroid problems occupies a prominent part in the daily schedule of the Cook Children’s Endocrine Group. I still receive many questions from families about thyroid problems in their child. I thought that it would be helpful to...
Abundant information concerning thyroid problems in adults is available on the Internet and in books. However, child-specific, validated information about thyroid conditions is less commonly found in the public domain. In addition, an ongoing challen...
The last few years have seen some major progress in the field of type 1 diabetes care in children and adults alike. Progress becomes especially important in light of recent news that type 1 diabetes is increasing in the U.S.
There’s been a lot of ...
If you ask someone to say the first thing that comes to their mind about Halloween, it would likely be candy.
Halloween can be a particularly challenging time of year for families and children dealing with diabetes. Whether a family is dealing wit...
As a pediatric endocrinologist, I see many kids who tend to hide their diabetes or other diseases.
They could all learn a lesson from a young woman named Marissa Heintschel.
I learned about Marissa during one of my recent searches for news abou...
From Fitbits to the new Apple Watch, the latest technology seems to rest on a wrist.
And now the next time you see a mom looking at her smartwatch, she may be monitoring her child’s blood sugar levels.
Progress in diabetes care has mostly come ...
Nine children, ages 3 to 19 years old, make Mother’s Day a pretty special time for Kristy Goodnight. After all, that’s a lot of hugs and kisses to go around.
“It’s wonderful day. I thought I would never be a mom,” Kristy said. “Mother’s Day is not...
Top off that java … in a sippy cup? A Boston Medical Center study released last week found that coffee consumption among Boston toddlers is a common practice among certain groups.
According to the study, approximately 15 percent of 2-year-olds con...
I find myself sometimes when off work slipping back into viewing things with the insight of a pediatric endocrinologist.
Lately, football has put a lot into perspective for me. Take a look at the two starting quarterback for the Super Bowl between...
The fact that her son, Tre, is still with her, leaves Jennifer Faulkner with only one conclusion: a miracle occurred to keep him alive.
Now she prays for Tre’s caregivers to make her son all better.
Tre, who is 9 years old, has been seen by the...
I recently discovered a new book and added it to my reading list. The New Puberty tackles the difficult topic of early puberty in girls. Since most children with early or truly precocious puberty are girls, the book is timely and gives two unique per...