With her larger-than-life personality, Annie, 6, has always had an unbreakable spirit despite her medical conditions. At her mom’s 5-month ultra sound, Annie’s arms and legs were measuring smaller than a typical baby. Specialists thought she may have achondroplasia (dwarfism), but genetic testing and additional scans revealed more concerns. Doctors detected healing breaks in her […]
Brotherly bond
The Venner boys share a similar diagnosis – autism – but, just as no 2 kids are alike, neither is their disorder. “As we listened to our friends talk about their children the same age, we began to realize Oscar was very different,” said Jason, the boys’ dad. “He wasn’t socializing with kids his age, and often found repetitive and routine things much more a necessity than comforting. His pediatrician suggested that we test him for autism.” As Oscar struggled with fine motor […]
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 […]
Knee surgery helps 5th grader return to activities free of pain
ACL injury doesn’t keep Devin from re-writing the record books
Manchester High School’s Devin Allman knows how to come back to win soccer games so when an ACL injury tried to sideline him, he knew it would take determination and his team – at Akron Children’s – to overcome it. “I honestly can’t remember a time I didn’t play soccer. I’ve been playing competitively on […]
Nehemiah defies the odds
Born at just 26 weeks old and 1 lb. 12 oz., tiny Nehemiah let his mom know he was going to be okay. “He came out crying so I knew he was going to be something special,” said Leslie, Nehemiah’s mom. “He had a hole in his heart, a serious brain bleed and seizures. The […]
