What is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)? It refers to a group of disorders that affect the body’s connective tissue. This includes the skin, ligaments, tendons and blood vessel walls. The point of these connective tissues is to provide strength and elasticity to other parts of the body. Children with EDS usually have overly flexible joints. They also can have fragile, stretchy skin.

Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS) occurs when a fetus becomes entangled in fibrous, a string-like strand called amniotic bands.While in the womb as the fetus continues to grow, some of their bands will not grow with them. This causes their blood flow to get blocked and disrupts continued growth and development.

At Gillette Children’s, our team of audiologists often work with children who may be nonverbal, have developmental delays or other complex conditions. We are the first children’s health care organization in the Twin Cities to offer Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing that doesn’t require a child to be asleep or sedated.

Scheuermann’s disease, also known as Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is a condition where a child’s spine has too much of a curve. This typically happens during periods of accelerated growth or puberty.

Magnetic-controlled growth rods (MAGEC) eliminate repetitive surgical procedures in young patients with early-onset scoliosis.

From fashion advice to practical tips for skin irritation, we answer the common questions kids and teens have about wearing scoliosis bracing.

Gillette Children's pediatric neurologist, Charbel El Kosseifi, MD, says a photo of a young girl inspired him and changed his life. "I even dreamed of that photo," El Kosseifi shares. This new member of the neurology team is helping children care for their muscles, nerves and bones.

Wondering how to get a second opinion on your child’s recent diagnosis? Here’s how to make a second opinion request, where you can get access to a specialist's opinion quickly.

Sleep apnea can affect anyone, at any age. There are a number of factors that can cause sleep apnea. Some of them can be treated, while others have to be managed.

Clubfoot is one of the most popular conditions we treat. The good news is that with the right care, clubfoot can be corrected completely.

An MRI uses magnets, invisible radio waves and computers to take detailed pictures of the inside of the body. In doing so, a provider can see bones, tendons, blood vessels, organs and soft tissues.

Gillette Children's is known worldwide for its expertise in caring for children diagnosed with rare diseases. Several Gillette providers are participating in an event at the University of Minnesota to talk about the successes and challenges in caring for rare disease disorders. Linda Krach, MD, is a Gillette rehabilitation medicine physician and a keynote speaker at the U of M event. Krach recently won a prestigious award for her work and is part of a team helping patients who have spina bifida and other rare diseases.

Lucia Lazarus was only 5 years old when she had to have surgery at Gillette. She was devastated to learn she would miss Valentine's Day celebrations at school. But child life specialists at Gillette made sure she felt the love while in their care. Because of the dedication of the Gillette staff, Lucia's family worked to find ways to pay it forward. Now they make Valentine's Day bags for Gillette patients and help amplify the work of our researchers studying the use of Virtual Reality to help Gillette patients manage pain and anxiety.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Oral disease is the top unmet health issue for children who have special needs. The dental clinic at Gillette Children's is one of only three facilities in the metro area that is specially equipped to serve patients who have disabilities.

Gillette Children’s has a rich history of teaching students, residents and fellows. To ensure that this strong tradition continues, Steven Koop, MD will be the very first Teacher Emeritus at Gillette.

Finding the perfect gift isn’t easy – and when you’re shopping for kids and young adults who have sensory issues, physical disabilities or other special needs, it can prove even more challenging. Here are some tips from the experts at Gillette Children's.

After Jeffrey received an intrathecal baclofen pump that would help manage his cerebral palsy at Gillette, his world opened up. He inspired his dad to become a marathon runner and even became an official "marathon maniac" in his own right.

Learn about skeletal dysplasia, a genetic disorder that causes abnormally shaped bones, especially in the head, spine and bones of the arms and legs.

Caty Lingbeck, APRN, CPNP, recently joined Gillette Children's as a urology provider. Lingbeck is excited to work with Gillette families and has expertise in treating neurogenic bladder, neurogenic bowel, spina bifida and cerebral palsy.

Gillette Children's is committed to providing access and excellence in health care to children throughout Minnesota. National Rural Health Day is November 18th and an opportunity to celebrate the community-minded spirit of rural American and to highlight health care providers who keep people living in these areas healthy. Although we’re headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, Gillette has clinics throughout the state in locations such as Alexandria, Baxter, Bemidji, Duluth, Mankato, St. Cloud and Willmar.

Many parents of 5 to 11 year old children are anxious to get their child a COVID-19 vaccination. Children might be feeling anxious themselves for another reason. Gillette Children's Associate Medical Director of Pediatrics shares tips so children can feel brave and calm during a vaccination. Preparation, distraction and even a little screen time can help make the process go smoothly.

It’s the moment many parents have been anxiously waiting for—COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out for children ages 5-to-11. Since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, Gillette Children's has been a strong advocate to ensure COVID vaccine access for for children with complex medical needs and their caregivers. A Gillette family shares their relief and gratitude now that vaccines are available for children.

George Jamison clearly remembers the moment. He was with his older brother, Jack, at summer camp, having the type of fun that only 8 and 10-year-olds can. Then everything went black. When he awoke, a lot had changed.

Stuttering is one of the most common reasons children come to Gillette Children's for a speech evaluation. Stuttering affects about 70 million people worldwide, including 3 million people in the United States. Gillette speech-language pathologist, Graham Schenck, PhD, shares when parents should be concerned about their child's speech.

Parents and health officials are bracing for what some are calling a “triple threat” to the health of children as the COVID-19 pandemic collides with the start of flu season and a surge of respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. Gillette is boosting efforts to make sure children who are medically fragile get a flu vaccination and is educating people about how to curb RSV and COVID-19.

If to be inspiring is based upon who you are, what you do and how you make those around you feel, then Abby is precisely that and more. That’s probably why she’s a Paralympian. Abby and her team took home the Bronze Medal at the 2021 Paralympic Games.

Gillette Children’s is one of 15 institutions across the U.S. being honored with International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF)’s Center of Excellence designation or redesignation

Gillette Children's is known worldwide for its expertise in caring for children diagnosed with rare diseases. Gillette complex care pediatrician, Arthur Beisang, MD is part of the team devoted to providing excellent care and improving the lives of children living with a rare disease.

The ability to stand up straight is something that most of us take for granted. Peyton's family can tell you how the ability to stand upright, transformationally changed her view of the world. Read more about the surgery that made it possible.

Angela Sinner, DO has worked as a Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Physician at Gillette Children's for nearly a decade. She is the co-director of Gillette's inpatient rehabilitation unit and Sinner specializes in treating cerebral palsy, muscle spasticity and tone management, as well as traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. Learn more about her, here:

​​​​​​​Halloween is quickly approaching and in a more normal year than this one, October would be a time for celebration, great costumes, trick-or-treating and hopefully, no early snowstorms or infamous blizzards. Everything is weird right now, but that doesn’t mean that time stops. Halloween can still happen. It can still be fun, but to be safe it should happen differently this year.  

Walter Truong, MD has worked as a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at Gillette Children's for nearly ten years. Dr. Truong specializes in treating a variety of pediatric orthopedic conditions. Learn more about him, here.

Take a moment to learn about Laurie Black, APRN, PNP, who joined Gillette this month to serve patients in greater Minnesota as part of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation team.

Public health officials are warning about what they call a possible “dual surge” of illness as the influenza season collides into the COVID-19 pandemic. Gillette Children’s is boosting efforts to make sure children who are medically fragile get a flu vaccination.

The associate medical director of pediatrics at Gillette Children's, Madeleine Gagnon, MD, was recently appointed to the Board of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MNAAP).

You’ve likely been hearing quite a bit about COVID-19—or coronavirus—in the news lately. Our medical staff at Gillette Children’s wants to help our patients and families better understand COVID-19 and how to stay healthy and prevent the spread of the illness.

After enduring a ruptured aneurysm, doctors told Trevor's parents were told he'd never walk again. After a six-week rehabilitation stay at Gillette Children's, Trevor strode out of the hospital doors - walking independently.

For Janet Favorite, navigating her son Robert’s rare condition has been a rollercoaster, steadied by her family’s commitment to providing him with expert care and access to resources at Gillette Children’s. Read her story here.

The day was Christmas Eve, the year was 2003 and the Ketelhohns were resting and watching a movie in their home near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was an idyllic evening, but their youngest daughter, 8-month-old, Kate, had a slight fever. It was the type of malady that many children experience throughout their development. There was no reason to worry, until there was.

After moving from small-town Iowa to the Twin Cities to be nearer to Gillette, Bentley’s parents describe him as a whole new child. He’s talking, reading and thriving in kindergarten, where his classmates exude kindness.