At 2 days old, Hannah Jabbour had surgery to close the half dollar-sized opening in the base of her spine, but only time would tell how spina bifida would impact her everyday life. “While in the NICU, Hannah also needed a shunt placed to drain the spinal fluid from her skull due to her hydrocephalus,” said Hilary, […]
$5000 grant from Pampers increases awareness of kangaroo care
Akron Children’s has long been a proponent of kangaroo care, a practice used in our NICUs to promote healthy development and help parents feel more connected to their babies. When Pampers decided to do a contest in mid-May called a Kangaroo-a-thon to encourage extra kangaroo care in 4 NICUs across the country, Akron Children’s embraced […]
Maria McClure looks forward to staying busy and having fun in retirement
As a child, Maria McClure, neonatal nurse practitioner, dreamed of becoming a nurse. She was inspired by Clara Barton and Florence Nightingale, two of history’s most influential nurses, whom she read about in elementary and middle school. A high school medical explorers program exposed Maria to the health care industry, further sparking her interest. But […]
Mental health supports mom and baby
They say a baby changes everything but, as any mom knows, those changes begin long before baby’s arrival. There are obvious physical changes, but in the process of going to check-ups and preparing for baby, there are also psychological and emotional changes mom experiences that are often less talked about or, worse yet, kept silent. […]
Wall of Hope shows light at end of NICU tunnel
No foot is too small to leave an imprint on this world. That’s the Wall of Hope message that greets patient families as they enter the Akron Children’s NICU at St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital. The artful display of 10 uplifting patient family success stories and photos was recently installed in the family waiting area just […]
National Breastfeeding Month: A look into the NICU
A click of the call button brings in a nurse as a mom soothes her baby as he begins to whine out of hunger. Instead of cuddling up with her baby to feed, mom watches as the nurse hangs a syringe-full of mother’s pumped breastmilk. The breastmilk, filled with antibodies and other important substances to […]