Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Toddlers get their fair share of bumps and bruises. However, some head injuries call for further evaluation. Children can still get concussions, even at a young age. Read more from Lurie Children's experts to learn more about treating concussions in kids.

Concussion in Toddlers & Babies: Symptoms & Treatment Toddlers and babies often hit their heads, so it's important to understand the signs of concussion. Learn more about symptoms, prevention and treatment.

Monica and Cristian found out through a 12-week ultrasound that their unborn baby would have a cleft lip, among other possible issues. As first-time parents, this was overwhelming for Monica and her husband to digest. The couple was referred to The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health (CIFH) for further prenatal testing, where they sat down with a team of multidisciplinary specialists and had all their questions answered. They felt more confident after coming to The Chicago Institute and developing a treatment plan and timeline for their unborn baby. “We knew we were in great hands,” Monica said.

Thanks to The CIFH, when Mateo was born, he was already connected with Lurie Children’s Pediatric Plastic Surgery Team to correct the cleft lip and palate. He had his first surgery to repair his cleft lip at six months old. Following his first surgery, Mateo’s parents and care team helped him through a tough recovery as he had to relearn how to eat and drink. Despite challenges in his recovery, his parents saw his resilience and strength in their young child and knew that he was receiving the best care possible.

Today, Mateo is the happiest toddler and recently celebrated his second birthday. He is meeting his developmental milestones and is growing up to be a kind and loving brother to his younger sister. Mateo has had two surgeries, one to correct his cleft lip and one to correct his cleft palate. His appointments continue with the Cleft and Craniofacial team, which includes plastic surgeons, ENT specialists, audiologists, oral surgeons, dentists, orthodontists, speech therapists, psychologists and others who provide the full spectrum for children with cleft lip and palate.

Mateo has a lot to look forward to as he grows up. July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Prevention Month, and Lurie Children’s is proud to provide exquisite, multidisciplinary care to patients like Mateo. dontists, speech therapists, psychologists and others who provide the full spectrum for children with cleft lip and palate.

Mateo has a lot to look forward to as he grows up. July is National Cleft and Craniofacial Prevention Month, and Lurie Children’s is proud to provide exquisite, multidisciplinary care to patients like Mateo. Learn more about the Cleft and Craniofacial Program at Lurie Children’s.

While pregnant, Molly was surprised to find out that her unborn baby would have a cleft lip, and was taken aback again when the COVID-19 pandemic began just before her son’s scheduled cleft lip repair surgery. Despite the uncertainty of the world at that time, plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Gangopadhyay assured Molly that the team from the Cleft Lip & Palate Repair Program would take good care of Greyson while the COVID-19 protocols limited visitation to prioritize patient safety. “I knew she had the best interest for my little boy, and he was in good hands,” Molly said.

Greyson’s parents fell in love with their son twice, once when he arrived into the world, and again after his cleft lip and palate were repaired to give him a new smile. To date, Greyson has had several surgeries for his cleft lip and palate and for other ENT concerns. Overall, he is a healthy and happy four-year-old boy and has hit all his physical and cognitive milestones. Greyson loves playing outside with his toy cars, and he is a wonderful brother to his two sisters.

Not only do Molly and her husband love Greyson’s new smile, but they love Greyson’s care team at Lurie Children’s. The Cleft Lip & Palate Repair Program will monitor Greyson’s development as he grows to best fit his care to his needs. He and his family have built positive relationships with his providers at Lurie Children’s that he will carry with him as he navigates his care throughout his childhood and into adulthood.

In recognition of National Cleft and Craniofacial Prevention Month, Lurie Children’s is proud to see children like Greyson grow and thrive. Read more about Greyson’s story here: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/after-cleft-lip-pocedure-greysons-family-falls-in-love-with-his-smile-a-second-time/

Lurie Children's Department of Anesthesiology administers tens of thousands of anesthetics every year to treat children with a range of health conditions. Leading these efforts is Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Dr. Olutoyin Olutoye. In this episode, Dr. Olutoye walks through her and her team members’ various roles before, during, and after an operation to ensure successful surgeries for even the tiniest babies. She also shares findings from her research in maternal-fetal anesthesiology as well as in anesthesia drugs and pediatric obesity.

Pediatric Anesthesiology at Lurie Children's Hospital with Dr. Olutoyin Olutoye In this episode, Dr. Olutoye walks through her and her team members' various roles before, during, and after an operation to ensure successful surgeries for even the tiniest babies. Learn More.

Please join us on July 10 for the start of the first annual Health Equity Roundtable Series hosted by Lurie Children’s and the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago. Each event in the series is FREE and open to all, especially people with epilepsy, nurses, teachers, social workers, primary care providers, neurologists, specialists, and community organizations.

The “Community Perspectives: Access to Care” program will begin with a cocktail reception followed by a panel discussion including Lurie Children's Dr. Joanna Garcia Pierce and Amy Tennant, APRN-NP, and an opportunity to continue the conversation over food, drinks, and giveaways.

When: Wednesday, July 10, 2024
5:00 pm

Where: MATTER
222 W. Merchandise Mart
Suite 1230

A live stream will also be available for this event. For more details and to register, please visit https://getinvolved.epilepsychicago.org/event/health-equity-roundtable-series/e585903

Please be advised the NASCAR Chicago Street Race and Music Festival begins in the downtown area July 6 and 7 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. with approximately 50,000 attendees expected each day. If you plan to visit the hospital, you can check Street Closures” section of the official NASCAR Chicago site (https://www.nascarchicago.com/localinfo/) for the latest street closures, traffic, and commuter information as well as TransitChicago.com and Metra.com for the most up-to-date public transit schedules.

CHICAGO LOCAL GUIDE - NASCAR Chicago Street Race NASCAR Chicago Street Race

Throughout June, our friends at Jewel-Osco have been raising important funds for the patients and families at Lurie Children’s! As a nonprofit medical center, we rely on philanthropy to make advancements in care, invest in leading-edge research and support families. We wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has participated! Your support plays a crucial role in our ability to provide the best possible medical care for our patients.

You can still visit your local store until Sunday, June 30 to make a donation at the register.

Your voice matters! Join dozens of hospitals, health departments and community organizations in shaping the future of community health. Your anonymous input in our 7-10 minute survey is crucial for improving health equity in Chicago and Suburban Cook County.

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7752077/2024-Survey-AHE

In 2020, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago was among the first in pediatrics to introduce cryoablation for some pediatric procedures. Cryoablation is technique that uses extreme cold to freeze nerves and reduce pain following surgery. Over time, the nerves regenerate and resume normal function. This technique decreases pain and dramatically shortens post-surgery hospital stays and overall recovery time for patients who’ve undergone surgery for pectus excavatum (sunken chest) and for lung resections. Lurie Children’s recently passed an important milestone, treating 400 patients with cryoablation. Lurie Children’s is committed to improving pediatric healthcare through groundbreaking research and innovative treatments. Learn more about how specialists use cryoablation to improve patient outcomes and recovery in this video.

Modified Nuss Procedure for Pectus Excavatum Pectus excavatum, also known as sunken chest, is the most frequent congenital anomaly of the chest wall. It occurs when an abnormal growth of cartilage withi...

Two Lurie Children's experts are on a mission to help define the next era of fetal cardiac intervention. In this podcast episode, Dr. Sheetal Patel, a pediatric cardiologist and medical director of the fetal cardiology program at Lurie Children's, and Dr. Alan Nugent, a pediatric interventional cardiologist and section head of interventional cardiology catheterization at Lurie Children's, discuss their vision to use innovation and interventions to treat complex congenital heart diseases before birth.

Launching a Fetal Cardiac Intervention Program at Lurie Children's In this episode, Dr. Sheetal Patel and Dr. Alan Nugent discuss their vision to use innovation and interventions to treat complex congenital heart diseases before birth.

It’s with profound sadness we share Ann Lurie has passed away. Her unwavering dedication and generous contributions to our organization touched countless lives and will continue to be a source of inspiration to us all, and her absence will be deeply felt.

Ann’s experience as a pediatric critical care nurse at the former Children’s Memorial Hospital inspired her to make an unprecedented gift of $100 Million in 2007 that helped to build our beautiful Streeterville hospital. This gift continues to be the largest charitable investment received in our 142-year history.

Words cannot adequately convey the sadness we share with Ann’s family and friends and all those she touched across Chicago and far beyond. Lurie Children’s will forever be grateful to Ann for creating a legacy that allows us to provide the highest quality, most compassionate care for patients and families across Chicagoland and beyond. Ann’s life inspires us all to embrace the power of her mantra to “do a good deed daily.”

Read the full statement on behalf of Lurie Children’s President & CEO, Tom Shanley, MD, at https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/news-stories/the-passing-of-ann-lurie/

Special thanks to Sunrise Association Day Camps for helping us kick off summer this week at our Outpatient Center in Lincoln Park. A group of volunteers handed out fun summer activity packs to patients and families! Sunrise Association Day Camps are the world’s only dedicated day camps for children with cancer and their siblings, all offered free of charge.

Kick off your Summer with Pedalpalooza! Join us throughout the month of July for a virtual cycling experience that challenges participants to ride 100 miles while fundraising for Lurie Children’s. Participants are encouraged to cycle indoors or safely on the road and can log 100 miles in one day, a weekend or over the course of the month.

Riders can earn:
🚴Exclusive incentive merch to celebrate your impact on the patients at Lurie Children's!
🚴‍♀️Riders who fundraise or donate $500 or more will earn the 2024 Pedalpalooza cycling jersey.
🚴‍♂️Access to an exclusive online community.
Learn more or register to ride today! events.luriechildrens.org/pedalpalooza

https://youtu.be/caGgW82YQqM?si=ysHFIekqyHndW7vl

Ride for a Reason: Pedalpalooza 2024 Sign-up today: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/events/lurie-childrens-pedalpalooza/Lurie Children’s Pedalpalooza is a virtual cycling experience that chall...

As healthcare workers, we are responsible for helping to dismantle the structural and systemic inequities that impact communities of color, particularly Black communities. At Lurie Children’s, we honor and remain committed to learning from history and building a healthier future for every child.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3zbm5Gk

With record setting temps this week, it’s important to be on the lookout for heat related illness. Our experts provide helpful reminders to beat the heat https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/specialties-conditions/heat-illness/.

Heat Illness A group of conditions which occur when the body is heated at a high rate and cannot cool itself fast enough.

Obesity affects millions of families, with about one in five U.S. children being impacted by the disease. In this Precision podcast episode, Lurie Children’s pediatric obesity expert Justin Ryder, PhD, explains the many ways to manage childhood obesity and other resources available through Lurie Children’s Wellness and Weight Management Program. Dr. Ryder also advocates for Lurie Children’s mission: to improve access to these resources and treatments for all patients. Listen to the podcast now.

Advocating for Childhood Obesity Treatment & Research with Justin Ryder, PhD In this episode, Justin Ryder, PhD, explains the many ways to manage childhood obesity and resources available through Lurie Children's Wellness and Weight Management Program. Learn more.

Wishing a Happy Father’s Day to all of our amazing Lurie Children’s dads who are superheroes in their families each and every day.

Like Basil, dad to 9-month-old Sawyer who gave everything he could while his son was going through Stage 4 liver failure earlier this year, including part of his own liver to help save his life.

As many know, being placed on the transplant list can be a long road, and when Caroline (mom) and Basil saw an opportunity to explore a potentially faster route to transplant, they took it. While Caroline was not a candidate to be a living donor, Basil, on the other hand, was a 100% match. The next step was the easiest decision he’d ever make – he’d be Sawyer’s life-saving donor. It was an emotional and overwhelming realization.

“When we first found out that I was a perfect match, I was overcome with emotion. I shed tears of happiness as I held him, knowing he would have a chance to live a normal life and have a normal childhood. There was a sense of relief,” Basil said. “The feeling of joy and happiness was indescribable. The left lobe of my liver was the perfect size for Sawyer, and the doctors told us it was like it was meant to be. I’d do it a million times over again if I had to.”

Read more about Sawyer’s journey with biliary atresia at and how receiving a part of his dad’s liver has given him the fighting chance he needed to be with them this Father’s Day and all of them to come.

https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/sawyers-fighting-chance-his-own-father/

Congratulations to all of our amazing residents on their graduation!

The Founders' Board of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is proud to host the 64th Pro Am and Dinner on the Bluff Presented by Wintrust Bank Chicago on June 23 and June 24, less than two weeks away! This summer's Pro Am will support the Founders' Board new $4M commitment to the Lurie Children's Heart Center.

This year’s auction items include a premier Bears VIP package, a Southern Charm golf retreat in Aiken, SC, and an exclusive Desert Golf Getaway in Indian Wells. Visit our website to check out the auction packages!

https://foundersboard.luriechildrens.org/en/our-events/pro-amateur-golf-championship/

This week, we broke ground on the Austin HOPE Center, a new 25,000 sq. ft. facility on Chicago's West Side developed in partnership with Stone Community Development Corporation and Thresholds. Anticipated to open in the fall of 2025, the new facility will be a welcoming space for youth and families to seek community-based services and clinical services that help close gaps in currently existing healthcare services in Austin and its surrounding areas.

Community partnerships are core to this project. “From day one, community input has been crucial to our planning and development process. We wanted Austin residents – and particularly the youth in this community – to see themselves and their needs reflected throughout,” shared Mary Kate Daly, Senior Vice President and Chief of Community Health Partnerships and Transformation at Lurie Children's.

Special thanks to all of our partners, staff, community members, elected officials and donors for getting us to this important milestone!

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4bWgNNm

The Heart Transplant Program at Lurie Children's is one of the largest and most comprehensive heart transplant programs of its kind in the country. Just a few years ago, it reached a major milestone of completing its 400th pediatric heart transplant. The program's 40-person cardiovascular thoracic surgery team makes the program uniquely equipped to handle the most high-risk cases with exceptional care. In this Precision podcast episode, Dr. Michael Mongé, Surgical Director of the Lurie Children's Heart Transplant Program and Dr. Philip Thrush, Medical Director of the program, discuss how the Lurie Children's Heart Center is uniquely equipped to take on high-risk pediatric heart transplantation patients, who are often turned away at other hospitals. Listen now.

High-Risk Pediatric Heart Transplants with Drs. Michael Mongé and Philip Thrush In this episode, Dr. Michael Mongé and Dr. Philip Thrush discuss how their team is uniquely equipped to take on high-risk pediatric heart transplantation patients, who are often turned away at other hospitals. Learn More.

Happy Lurie Children’s Day, presented by Jewel-Osco!

At Lurie Children’s, we see amazing things happen every day. And for one day each year, we take time to celebrate all that we’ve accomplished and to recognize all that still needs to be done.

Whether you donate, celebrate with us at Move for Kids, host a fundraiser, or spread the word, you’re helping brighten the future for every child. Visit our website to learn more. https://my.luriechildrens.org/page/67009/action/1

We are excited to kick off the Lurie Children's Milagros Por Los Niños with LIVE on Qué Buena 105.1 FM Chicago, Amor 106.7, and Latino Mix Chicago! Today from 7 am - 6 pm, we will be sharing inspiring stories from patients and family, doctors, and Lurie Children's employees. All funds raised through Lurie Children's Milagros Por Los Niños help fuel research, support families in need and provide lifesaving care to more kids. To donate call 800-234-6217, text MILAGROS to 5-1-5-5-5, or visit: Luriechildrens.org/Milagros

Nos emociona dar inicio a Milagros Por Los Niños con EN VIVO a través de , , y ! De 7 am a 6 pm, estaremos compartiendo inspiradoras historias de pacientes y familias, médicos y personal de Lurie Children's. Todos los fondos recaudados a través de Milagros por los Niños de Lurie Children's ayudan a financiar studios de investigación, apoyar a las familias que lo necesitan y brindar atención capaz de salvar la vida de más niños. Para donar llame al 800-234-6217, envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra "Milagros" al 5-1-5-5-5, o visite: Luriechildrens.org/milagros

Parents of newborns are often shocked to find how quickly they become familiar with bodily fluids. It’s not uncommon to hear a new parent remark, “How can all of that come out of one tiny baby?”

In this sea of diapers, you might wonder, what is normal? How will I know if something is wrong? While you should always direct true concerns to your pediatrician, here are some basics about the wide world of newborn diapers.