Caring for Matthew: Managing a Very Rare Disease

April 03, 2025 – Matthew was diagnosed with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMS), a rare genetic disorder that affects development, speech, and cognitive ability, and requires extensive medical care and round-the-clock support. Despite his challenges, Matthew radiates love and joy, and his family is advocating for increased awareness of PMS while seeking potential treatments for the condition.

Luigi's Journey Toward a Better Tomorrow

March 31, 2025 – Luigi's parents faced fear and uncertainty when their son was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and severe seizures at six months old. Thanks to the compassionate care and innovative treatments at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Luigi has made remarkable progress, and his family has opened a PPEC facility to support other families navigating similar challenges.

Lily Shines a Light on the Importance of Early Detection of Neuromotor Delays

March 12, 2025 – Lily, age 2 ½, is walking independently and making remarkable progress, thanks to rehabilitative intervention at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and an early diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

Breaking the Sugar Habit: 10 Tips for Reducing Sweets

February 18, 2025 – Helping your child limit added sugars and develop healthier eating habits is essential for their health. Excessive sugar intake is linked to obesity, dental problems, and chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. As a family, you can make a big impact by making small changes.

Apple Nachos Recipe

January 16, 2025 – Looking for a sweet treat for your kid's after school snack? Apple nachos are not only an easy snack, but they're a healthier alternative to traditional sugar snacks and they're fun to make!

Beyond the Diagnosis: Juniper's Story

October 30, 2024 – At just four-years-old, Juniper has proven she can tackle anything, including a cancerous brain tumor.

Fruity & Fun: Fiber-Filled Snacks for After School

October 17, 2024 – When the school day ends, kids often come home ravenous and ready for a snack. Offering them healthy, satisfying foods is the key to keeping bellies full all the way until dinnertime. Here are a few easy and nutritious snack ideas that will not only curb your child’s hunger but will also help you increase their fruit intake.

First Surgery in Griffin Surgical Tower: Keily's Story

October 04, 2024 – Keily became our first patient to undergo an operation, a cleft lip-and-palate surgery, in the Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower.

Tamryn Gets to Walk Again after Deep Brain Stimulation Treatment at Nicklaus Children's

July 15, 2024 – After Tamryn was diagnosed with TOR1-A Torsion Dystonia Type 1, a rare movement disorder that causes involuntary muscle contractions and abnormal movements, he underwent surgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s to have a Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) implanted.

Jasiah's Journey

July 01, 2024 – For Kimberly, the journey began 26 weeks into her pregnancy when she received life-changing news: her unborn son, Jasiah, had a cleft lip and palate. Just two weeks later, Kimberly developed severe preeclampsia and had to give birth immediately. Jasiah's story is one of hope, healing, and the power of perseverance.

Patient of the Month: Grethell

April 30, 2024 – Grethell had a large and extremely rare tumor under her jaw that required surgical resection. Thankfully, Adilia, Grethell's mother, found Nicklaus Children's Hospital and from Nicaragua, they made the journey for treatment. 

Patient of the Month: Roberto

March 27, 2024 – Roberto was born smaller than average and required further evaluation and testing at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. After being diagnosed with Wolf-Hirschhorn (4p-) syndrome, Roberto was cared by Dr. Parul Jayakar and Dr. Paula Schleifer at the Nicklaus Children's Brain Institute, and would continue treatment at the Rare Chromosomal Disorders Clinic at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. 

Ella's Epilepsy Success Story

August 21, 2023 – Ella, diagnosed with frontal lobe epilepsy in sixth grade, underwent brain surgery. Now, she's seizure free and sharing her experience via her own TED talk. Inspired by the team at Nicklaus Children's, she aims to become a neuropsychologist.

Santiago's Medulloblastoma Journey

July 17, 2023 – Santiago was only in kindergarten when he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a cancerous tumor of the brain. His mother, Mehble, says their life was turned upside down when he suddenly came down with strong flu-like symptoms, high fevers, vomiting and nausea that would not go away. After 24 hours of hospitalization, they learned it was a brain tumor and needed emergency surgery to remove the mass in his brain.

Patient of the Month: Nicole

May 31, 2023 – When Nicole complained of head pain her parents, Roberto and Tamara, took her to an urgent care. After the medicine provided didn't ease her pain she was brought to Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Thankfully, a multidisciplinary team of specialists quickly understood what was at stake, Nicole was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and immediately began treatment to remove the mass.

Beckett's Story

November 04, 2022 – In his short 12 years of life, Beckett Oleson of Tampa has been a healthy, growing boy who enjoys building with Lego sets and performing in musical theater. His life changed abruptly in 2019, when he started to have seizures.

Sebastian Beats Brain Cancer

May 23, 2022 – Sebastian's mother became concerned when he began experiencing a dull headache that would not go away. After several days of the continued headaches, Sebastian's pediatrician recommended that the family take him to the emergency room for further testing. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and with a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. His doctors immediately jumped into action to create a plan for his treatment.

Patient of the Month: Jayden

December 13, 2021 – After experiencing seizures, Jayden’s parents, Dayse and Oscar, who are nurses at Nicklaus Children’s, knew exactly where to go to get their son on the right path to recovery.

Patient of the Month: Mariangel

October 26, 2021 – Mariangel, born in a small town called Galerazamba, Colombia, was diagnosed in utero with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects mobility, balance and posture. After searching for answers for years, she finally found help after a Nicklaus Children’s Hospital pediatric orthopedic surgeon visited her hometown on a medical mission trip.

Patient of the Month: Athena

August 24, 2021 –

When Apollonia was four months pregnant, she received a call that would change her life forever. Her unborn baby girl was diagnosed with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), an infection with a wide range of symptoms including fever and fatigue to more severe symptoms that may affect the eyes, brain or other internal organs.

Baby Girl Thriving Thanks to Investigational Treatment for Brain Tumors

June 09, 2021 – Bruna was diagnosed with a rapidly growing brain tumor, called a ganglioglioma, when she was only three months old. Her parents worked tirelessly to find the care she needed in Bolivia where they live. Despite many obstacles, they were connected to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, where a clinical trial for ganglioglioma is underway.

What You Need To Know About Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

April 15, 2021 – If you have a child in your life that suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), then you know that it can sometimes be a challenging diagnosis. I see a lot of patients with IBS at my office, and their concerns range from persistent stomach pain to diarrhea, constipation or upset stomach. Since April is IBS month, this felt like an appropriate time to discuss some of the common issues related to the condition. First off, if your child has IBS, he or she is definitely not alone.

Almudena's Success Story

January 19, 2021 – Almudena was only two years old when she was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. Her mother Claudia first noticed there was something wrong when Almudena was experiencing excessive thirst, was having difficulty seeing, and was losing weight. She was referred to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital where she underwent chemotherapy for three months but the tumor was still growing and it needed to be removed.

Matthew’s Epilepsy Success Story

January 04, 2021 – My son, Matthew Reyes, was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was three and a half months old. To control his seizures, Matthew tried 11 different medications and was placed on the ketogenic diet. Unfortunately, none were successful in minimizing his seizures on a daily basis. This is called intractable epilepsy.

Patient of the Month: Gabriel

December 03, 2020 – Gabriel struggled with head pain, loss of balance, and more when his parents rushed to Nicklaus Children’s. He was diagnosed with an Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid tumor, and immediately underwent treatment. Now, he’s back on the field in more ways than one.

Brianna's Story

September 18, 2020 – Brianna “Brie" Mestrovich was only 9 years old when she was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. The West Palm Beach native was referred to the Nicklaus Children's Palm Beach Gardens Outpatient center for an MRI because she was experiencing recurrent headaches that did not go away after several months.

Sebastian's Fight

September 14, 2020 – Sebastian was only 11 years old when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, hydrocephalus and a teratoma. His mother Martha says she was shocked to learn her otherwise healthy son began experiencing headaches.

Patient of the Month: Gianna

August 01, 2019 – After noticing that her daughter was unable to crawl, stand, or do the things her friend's children were doing at six months of age, Idalmis decided that it was time to seek help. Sure enough, after some consultations and genetic testing, Idalmis' gut feeling was right.

A Medical Miracle: Ayden's Story

July 23, 2019 –

After a normal full-term pregnancy with no complications, Shenequa gave birth to Ayden via C-section in May 2017 in the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Shortly after, the baby's pediatrician detected a murmur, but with no pediatric cardiologist on the island, Ayden was airlifted to Nicklaus Children's Hospital.

A Winning Spirit: Aspen's Road to Recovery

July 15, 2019 – 11-year-old Aspen was playing in the water when she hit her head on the shallow ocean floor. The hit caused a fracture of the C-5 vertebrae in her neck. For three long months, Aspen wore a neck brace 24 hours a day as her doctor waited to see if her fracture would heal without surgery.

The Muñoz Family Thank You Letter

April 05, 2019 – My first impressions: the doctor was someone with a clear vision, extremely knowledgeable, caring, and well liked and respected by your colleagues.  Most importantly, someone willing to coordinate care across the country for Olivia. Read the Muñoz family's thank you letter to our neurosurgery team.

Mason's Story: Nicklaus Children's Makes the Difference for Child with Traumatic Brain Injury

September 21, 2018 – Seeing a baby boy intubated, hooked up to a maze of machines, and with IV pumps snaking out of his tiny arms is an incredibly heartbreaking and terrifying experience. The Nicklaus Children’s staff was not only caring and friendly, but knowledgeable and explained everything to us in detail. Meeting the neurosurgery team brought us great comfort because they were confident and calm—they won our trust immediately.

Daniella Celebrates her Ninth Birthday by Advocating for Children’s Health

June 26, 2018 – On this very same day nine years ago, Daniella Alvarez was diagnosed Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT), a rare and aggressive type of brain cancer. The news came on June 26, 2009, her second birthday. Daniella endured years of brain surgeries, aggressive chemotherapies, radiation, imaging scans, multiple visits to intensive care at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. She is now cancer free thanks to a pediatric clinical trial made possible through research funding.

Patient of the Month: Frankie

December 04, 2017 – What was supposed to be a fun day for Frankie and his sister with their uncle quickly took an unexpected and tragic turn. Frankie was kicked in the head by a horse at the ranch they were visiting, and he suffered a traumatic brain injury. 

Patient of the Month: Lacy

July 10, 2017 – Meet our July Patient of the Month, Lacy. Lacy was only 2 years old when her parents noticed that something was wrong. They took her to various doctors to try to find what could be the cause, Lacy had an 8 cm. tumor in her brain, occupying most of the lower part of her head.

Asnay Stands Up to Cerebral Palsy

May 08, 2017 – Asnay Machado is an ambitious Westland Senior High School student with dreams of becoming a lawyer one day. Asnay, who was born with cerebral palsy, recently enjoyed a boost in confidence thanks to a surgery at Nicklaus Children’s that has enabled him to stand up straight for the first time.

A Healthy Life Ahead for Elias

March 23, 2017 – The family shared video clips of the quirky movements with Elias' pediatrician. The doctor immediately sent them to the nearest emergency room, where they ran a number of tests. They soon learned Elias was suffering from seizures due to cortical dysplasia, a congenital malformation in the brain which can lead to pediatric epilepsy conditions.

Hallie Travels Around the World for a Cure

March 14, 2017 – Hallie McKeithen traveled all the way from China to undergo surgery at Nicklaus Children's Brain Institute to treat her seizures. Thanks to the treatment received, Hallie is now seizure free. 

Soaring Through Life Seizure Free

November 04, 2016 – At two month’s old, Hannah underwent brain surgery (a temporal, occipital parietal resection) at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to relieve her of her constant seizure activity after medication did not provide relief. This rare procedure involves removing the affected part of the brain for patients with severe epilepsy disorders. The surgery proved to be a success. She was completely off medications by the age of one and has been seizure free since the operation.

Patient of the Month: Astry

October 04, 2016 – After Astry was born, her parents noticed that she wasn't progressing as babies typically do. She wasn't able to lift her head and she showed a lot of muscle weakness. Her pediatrician recommended they take her to see a neurologist, and so Astry's parents brought her to Nicklaus Children's Hospital.

A New Life for Danuel

December 29, 2015 –

Danuel Snelgrove was struggling during his junior year of high school. The epileptic seizures that had begun when he was 12 were getting increasingly violent and frequent, forcing the South Carolina teen to leave school in the spring of 2003.

A Car Ride for Trevor

June 11, 2015 – Neurosurgery procedure improves quality of life for 14-year-old, Trevor.

Amanda's Emergency Success Story

March 19, 2014 – Amanda was in a terrible car accident that caused her a traumatic brain injury. After three weeks in a coma and three brain surgeries, she is now a happy six year old attending kindergarten.

Elena's Success Story

March 14, 2014 – At age 11, Elena began having violent seizures that would not stop, even with medicine. She was being transported from school to the hospital at least once a week. In 2011, she was referred to Nicklaus Children's Hospital where doctors ran a number of tests and determined that surgery was the best option for her condition. She had two surgeries, one to map her brain and another to remove a cavernoma. Her recovery was quick and she has been seizure free ever since.

Brenna's Brain Tumor Success Story

March 14, 2014 – Brenna was diagnosed with a brain tumor in October of 2009. She was airlifted to Nicklaus Children's Hospital immediately following her diagnosis. Dr. David Sandberg, her neurosurgeon, was calm and clear about the treatment that was necessary for her recovery.

Mirabel's Success Story

November 22, 2013 – Just before her first birthday, little Mirabel began experiencing epileptic seizures that shattered early dreams of a normal childhood. After a 10-hour surgery a malfunctioning portion of the left parietal region of her brain that was causing the seizures was successfully removed.

Lindsey's Success Story

November 27, 2012 – Lindsey Kaufman was athletic and successful in school – a happy girl whose childhood had never suggested any medical challenges. So her parents were puzzled when, at age 10, Lindsey began experiencing small “blankouts,” her mind seeming to wander briefly before she resumed consciousness.

Alex's Success Story

July 10, 2012 – When Alex Rodriguez was 8 years old, he began experiencing numbness in his right hand, particularly when trying to grip a pencil. Alex’s mother, Lisi Guerrier, first assumed that her budding student was simply trying to dodge his homework. She was completely unprepared for a Broward neurologist’s diagnosis: Alex had a tumor in the left lobe of his brain, perilously close to the area that controlled his motor movement. Having heard about the world-renowned team at Nicklaus Children's Brain Institute, Ms. Guerrier brought Alex to see neurosurgeon Dr. David Sandberg in July 2006.

Elizabeth's Success Story

February 01, 2012 – Elizabeth began working for Nicklaus Children's Hospital in 1985. A past patient herself, during her time as an employee, both her daughters were patients, and she feels blessed to have offered tehm the best pediatric care.

Earl's Success Story

January 24, 2012 – Earl was a former patient at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. In 1958, his mother brought him to Miami from Waycross, GA. He suffered from severe problems after being struck by a car in Waycross where we lived at the time. He was brought to what was known at that time as the Variety Children’s Hospital. His mother was a single parent and was told prior to coming that he would never walk again. Earl was diagnosed with Polio.

Dana's Success Story

January 24, 2012 – Dana was brought in after a fifty five minute grand mal seizure on July 11, 1976 (the day before I turned 6). Dana was brought in on a rescue truck, not an actual ambulance.

Asher's Success Story

January 24, 2012 – Asher did not breathe for the first twelve to fifteen minutes after birth. Suspecting seizure activity following the asphyxia, the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) physician at Health Park recommended Asher be transported to Nicklaus Children's Hospital for the cutting edge cooling therapy being used to treat oxygen deprived patients. 

Casey's Success Story

January 12, 2012 – Casey was born on June 3, 1989 approximately four months premature and weighed less than 2 lbs. She was on ECMO for sixteen days, which is the longest at the time they have had an infant on it. Her lungs were so damaged that the biopsy samples they sent out for analysis were thought to be autopsy samples. She rode the Nicklaus Children's Hospital LifeFlight plane from Tampa to Miami and then back to St. Petersburg, and she was then transferred to All Children's Hospital.

Shannon's Brain Surgery Success Story

January 09, 2012 – Shannon had brain surgery at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, formerly Miami Children's Hospital, in 2006-2007 and now receives periodic follow-up care from the Brain Institute. Directly after surgery, she went 10 months without a seizure while on medication.

Amanda's Miracle Story

January 09, 2012 – Amanda had a traumatic brain injury when she was 13 months old. She was airlifted to Miami Children, where the neurosurgeon on call was Dr. David Sandberg. Once in the hospital Dr. Sandberg and the wonderful team of doctors, nurses and staff saved her life. She had a craniotomy (brain surgery) and was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for three weeks.

Stacie Marie's Success Story

December 09, 2011 – Staci Marie was born a healthy child. One Saturday afternoon, she developed a high fever, and then became comatose for three months. When Staci awoke, she could not speak or walk. She had brain damage after contracting encephalitis. At age 6, Staci developed seizures, which were controlled until the age of 9. Then, she began having uncontrollable seizures that no doctor could seem to stop, and she almost died several times.

Madeline's Success Story

July 26, 2011 – Madeline Browne of Melbourne, Florida, was only 3 years old when she began having seizures. Following a successful surgery performed by neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjiv Bhatia to remove the diseased tissue, Madeline, now 10, has been seizure-free and has dazzled her family with her newfound maturity. 

Renaldo's Epilepsy Success Story

July 22, 2011 – A Miami grandmother trying to end her grandson’s seizures in Trinidad finds hope at Nicklaus Children's Hospital.

Hunter's Success Story

March 03, 2010 – Hunter was only 5-years-old when suddenly the once-sharp kindergartener could not recall whether he was eating breakfast or dinner. In March of 2009, Hunter’s parents learned that something was definitely wrong with their second-born son. Following their instinct, they made an appointment with Nicklaus Children's Hospital, formerly Miami Children's Hospital. That’s where Dr. Carlos Gadia, a pediatric neurologist, found a large tumor in Hunter’s brain. Hunter's family was told the tumor had been causing the seizures and the memory loss, and had to be removed quickly.

Marco's Success Story

April 10, 2009 – After meeting 5-year-old Marco, one would never guess that he once had a tumor the size of an orange in his brain. The bustling kindergartener had surgery at Nicklaus Children's Hospital to remove the tumor at only 17 months of age.Today, Marco is busy making puzzles, playing games, participating in sports and generally exceeding expectations in school.

Patrick's Autism Success Story

February 19, 2009 – Patrick was diagnosed with autism when he was 18 months old. Eighteen months later, through a series of therapies at Nicklaus Children's Hospital Dan Marino, Patrick is able to talk and interact with others.

Brandon's Success Story

February 18, 2009 – Brandon's future looked bright. He was a straight-A honor student at Pine Crest Preparatory School and, at just 15, Brandon was already a basketball legend in not only his local community—but nationwide as well. One day in February 2007, however, it looked like Brandon might never play basketball again.

Ruby's Success Story

July 20, 2007 – Shortly after Ruby’s fourth birthday, she began having seizures. After thorough examinations by the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center team, it was decided a surgery would be needed to stop her seizures.

Melanie's Epilepsy Success Story

July 20, 2007 – Little Melanie, then only 3, was seizing as often as 40 times per day and each would begin with a scream as the child anticipated the impending episode. Melanie's family was exhausted from the long battle to end her seizures and fearful, knowing the unchecked neural malfunction was affecting her growth and development. 

Janessa's Success Story

July 17, 2007 – A portion of Jannesa’s skull had been forced five and a half inches into her brain and she had an orbital fracture that threatened her right eye. Doctors advised that Jannesa be transported to Nicklaus Children's Hospital where a neurosurgeon and other specialists would be waiting for her.

Sebastian's Cerebral Palsy Success Story

July 16, 2007 – Sebastian was diagnosed with a severe case of cerebral palsy, a condition that causes difficulty with muscle control. In Sebastian’s case, it would make it nearly impossible to pass key milestones like chewing solid foods and walking.

Ryan's Neurosurgery Success Story

July 16, 2007 – Ryan had regular headaches, which were revealed to be caused by an arachnoid cyst embedded at the center of his brain. The doctors of Division of Neurosurgery at Nicklaus Children's successfully removed the cyst, restoring Ryan to his usual playful self.