Shriners Children's Chicago

Shriners Children's Research Spotlight | Assessing Cognitive Appraisals in Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury: Development of the PedsADAPSS At the Shriners Children’s State of Research Conference, Kyle Deane, Ph.D., pediatric psychologist, shared updates on the development of the pedsAPPS, a tool to help understand how children and families think about and adjust to spinal cord injury(SCI). Since one in 5 SCI’s happen in childhood, understanding these cognitive appraisals, such as how a child feels about using a wheelchair or how a parent view their child’s future, is key to improving care. Pilot testing at several locations which specialize in pediatric SCI is under way. #ShrinersResearchSpotlight #PediatricSCI #CognitiveAppraisals #FamilyCenteredCare

This week some of our Chicago hospital leadership team celebrated our FIVE Press Ganey awards for healthcare quality. Our Shriners Children's system received 12 total awards for 2024. Read more about this great achievement! https://lnkd.in/e5wrcWkJ

Shriners Children's Research Spotlight | Develop a Deep-Learning Model to Predict the Shape of the Femoral Head at Skeletal Maturity from Pelvic Radiographic Images To Improve Legg Calve Perthes Disease Patient Care Haluk Altiok, M.D., pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Chicago, is partnering with engineers at Georgia Institute of Technology to improve the diagnosis of Legg-Calve Perthes disease or Perthes disease. The team wants to use AI deep learning models to analyze pelvic X-rays to better predict which children might develop the condition where the round tip of the hip bone breaks down due to loss of blood flow, making it difficult for a child to walk normally. This proposed study hopes to give medical professionals more efficient tools to identify risk earlier and guide treatment – even before significant damage.

Did you know that March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month? Patient ambassador Abbey has been rocking her CP shirts this month. She was recently featured on the @shrinerschicago brochure for the 2025 Shriners Children's State of Science. Her care at Shriners Children's Chicago for cerebral palsy allows her to live her life to the highest potential and enjoy the activities she loves. Read more at https://ow.ly/5cfs50Vo47J.

Today is National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day! Meet Dennis, 5, who was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy and has been a patient at Shriners Children's Chicago since he was just over a year old. He recently started serial casting to help stretch his calf muscles and improve his walking. When asked about his bright red casts, Dennis simply said: “Cause I did!” (It’s his favorite color—his new wheelchair will be red too! ??) He was all smiles after his most recent casting with Dr. Davidson. His parents say "She was the first doctor that he did not cry with when he had his first exam and they share a special bond. Dennis is defying the odds—his vocabulary is already at a 6-year-old level! His parents say, “Can’t isn’t allowed in his dictionary—he can do anything!” The specialized care for CP that Dennis and other patients receive at Shriners Children’s allows them to grow in comfort and live life to their highest potential. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/evd4MDRN. #ShrinersChildrens #CerebralPalsy

This week, our series, Shriners Children's Research Spotlight, will feature several presenters from the 2025 Shriners Children's State of Science Conference. Kicking off the series is Karen Kruger, Ph.D., who presented on Weightbearing CT Imaging: Applications to Pediatric Flatfoot Deformity. Most children are born with flat feet and grow out of it by age 6. But in some cases, flatfoot never resolves and causes pain requiring treatment, especially in kids with orthopedic conditions such as cerebral palsy. Karen Kruger, Ph.D., of Shriners Chicago’s Motion Analysis Center, presented on revolutionizing how physicians see pediatric flatfoot. Weightbearing CT, a 3D imaging technique, gives a clearer view of foot and ankle alignment in adults while using 80% less radiation. In some of the first research with weightbearing CT on pediatric patients, her study will compare traditional 2D x-rays currently used in clinical care, with the new technique. #ShrinersChildren #PediatricCare #Research

Joshua is cruising around the lobby in his brand-new wheels. The wheelchair seating clinic at Shriners Children's Chicago custom fit and programmed the chair for ultimate independence. He was able to experience its potential and independence thanks to our amazing physical therapists and technicians.

We celebrated #MARCHMADNESS at Shriners Children's Chicago Our annual Staff #FreeThrowContest by our employee special events committee is back for the second year! Everyone had 30 seconds to make the most baskets on Alec’s court in our Ballreich Patient Activity Mall. Hospital staff enjoyed wearing #collegesports gear or Shriners Children's apparel. Thanks to all the participants and the many staff who came to watch! Congrats to our 1st and 2nd place winners! #shrinerschildrens #childrenshospitallife #basketball #hoops #Chicago #pediatrics #hospital

PTs, PTAs, OTs join us at Shriners Children's Chicago on April 5-6 for a 16-hour course presented by Gerti Motavalli, MPT. This course is designed for physical therapists and other clinicians interested in the most advanced application of non-invasive electrical spinal stimulation to maximize clinical outcomes in children with spinal bifida, spinal cord injuries, plexus paralysis, cerebral palsy, and other neuromotor impairments. Click link below to REGISTER and learn more. https://ow.ly/2AKQ50UTcW6

Desiree, a former patient in orthopedic hand clinic, is now a practicing registered nurse in Michigan. She was excited to visit her childhood hospital recently and reunite with nurse Jen Lipumano, RN, who was on the hand team when Desiree was a patient. We are so proud of our patient alumni achieving their goals thanks to the care at Shriners Children’s!