Alayna Numbers looks like your typical, healthy and active 5-year-old with curly brown locks, lots of energy and an infectious smile that belies her recent battle with aplastic anemia, a rare condition where the body stops producing new blood cells, and if left untreated, can be fatal. While 2020 introduced social distancing and wearing masks […]
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Local family advocates for daughter and those with rare connective tissue disorder
Brittani Tomic is moved to tears every time she hears the lyrics of Hillsong UNITED’s song “Another in the Fire” because it reminds her of a very dark period in her family’s life, as well as the light that finally appeared on the long journey to a diagnosis for her daughter. In fall 2018, at […]
Siblings with blood disorder can now see their providers virtually
The coronavirus pandemic has brought changes to health care, including one in particular that has made life a little bit easier and safer for the Workinger family of Wadsworth. Three Workinger children have an inherited blood disorder. For the first time this year, the kids were able to use telehealth services to see their providers […]
Ballet dancer returns to form following rehabilitation regimen
Not many 11-year-olds can say with conviction what they want to do when they grow up. That’s where Callahan Conley, a 5th grader at Central Intermediate School in Wadsworth, is ahead of the game. When his parents Kate and Gregg witnessed him regularly dancing around the house at age 5, they asked if he had […]
Telehealth visits at school are a convenient option for parents and kids
Always the eager learner, Crestwood 6th grader Heidi Jessel put up with ear pain for weeks because she didn’t want to miss school. As an educator, her mom understood the importance of her being in school, but also knew Heidi needed another follow-up for her months-long ear issue. When she learned Akron Children’s School-Based Health […]
Hip dysplasia in kids: best to catch it when they’re young
Hip dysplasia is fairly common in infants and most often can be corrected without surgery. But in some cases, orthopedic surgeons need to maneuver the ball of the hip into the socket, and put the child in a body cast to keep the joint aligned. Karissa Douglas, a 9-year-old from Massillon, went through the procedure […]
