MUHC in the Media - December 22, 2025

Smiles were all around during the Montreal Canadiens' annual visit to the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH), bringing a moment of respite and joy to the young patients, says Dr. Tanya Di Genova, Associate Director of Professional Services. Montreal Gazette 1, Montreal Gazette 2, Montreal Gazette 3, Montreal Gazette 4, Global News

Il a aussi donné une entrevue sur la hausse des cas de gastroentérite. Le Journal de Montréal

With an increase in patient traffic at the Montreal Children’s Hospital due to the rise in viruses and respiratory infections, Dr. Harley Eisman, Medical Director of the Emergency Department, reminds parents to avoid going to the emergency room if their child's condition does not require immediate care. The Canadian Press, CTV News, Global News, CBC, Le Devoir, CityNews, Montreal Gazette, The Suburban, Le Journal de Montréal, La Presse, La Presse Canadienne, Radio-Canada

He also gave an interview on the increase in cases of gastroenteritis. Le Journal de Montréal

Access to pediatric kidney transplants has greatly improved over the past 20 years. Previously, many children remained on dialysis and died from complications related to dialysis or their disease. Today, we even try to plan transplants before the patient needs them: this is called pre-emptive transplantation. The increase in kidney donations from living donors, as well as the establishment of donation chains, has also enabled children awaiting a kidney to obtain an organ more quickly and spend less time on dialysis, explains Dr. Marie-Michèle Gaudreault-Tremblay, Director of the Pediatric Transplant Program at the Montreal Children's Hospital. Le Journal de Montréal

Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare progressive genetic disease that affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain stem, limiting the ability to walk, eat and eventually breathe. The life expectancy of people with this condition is generally limited. However, their condition has improved since the introduction of treatments that address the cause of spinal muscular atrophy. Among them is Zolgensma, a therapy that replaces the mutated gene and slows the progression of the disease. The earlier it is given, the better the results. At just nine days old, Samuel is the youngest child in North America to have received Zolgensma, thanks to the efforts of the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH). Now two years old, his development is normal, says Dr. Maryam Oskoui, a pediatric neurologist at the MCH. Le Journal de Montréal

A few decades ago, the survival rate for babies born before 29 weeks of pregnancy was very low. Today, it is possible to save babies born at 23 weeks of pregnancy, or even 22 weeks in some optimal situations. The majority of premature babies born before 25 weeks of pregnancy will have a good quality of life. Several will experience certain delays and disabilities, but most will live without serious sequelae. The Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) specializes in the care of these very premature babies (less than 29 weeks of gestation), says Dr. Marc Beltempo, a neonatologist at the MCH. Le Journal de Montréal 1, Le Journal de Montréal 2

The perioperative team at the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) reached an important milestone: not a single patient is now on the list of children who have been waiting for surgery for nine months or more. This is an achievement that few hospitals in Quebec can boast of having accomplished, explain Dr. Mathias Johansen, Anesthesiologist, and Jean-François Trudel, Department Manager in Respiratory Therapy. CTV News

Dr. Geneviève Bernard, a pediatric neurologist at the Montreal Children's Hospital and researcher at The Institute, discusses medical advances, such as gene therapies, that allow for the treatment of certain neurodegenerative diseases. Le Journal de Montréal

New evidence from a six-country study led by Dr. Brett Burstein, pediatric emergency physician at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and Children’s National Hospital shows simple blood and urine tests could spare many young infants with fevers from more invasive procedures. CBC

With respiratory viruses spreading rapidly among the population as the holidays approach, Dr. Don Vinh, an infectious disease specialist at the MUHC, outlines the main differences between the common cold, the flu, respiratory syncytial virus, and COVID-19, and offers some advice on how to treat yourself. La Presse

There are currently many cases of influenza among children. The H3N2 strain, which is currently circulating, has not been very prevalent for some time, meaning that some children have not been exposed to it and are more vulnerable, explains Dr. Jesse Papenburg, Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist and Medical Microbiologist at the Montreal Children's Hospital. CBC 1, CBC 2, CBC 3, CBC 4, CJAD, Le Devoir 1, Le Devoir 2, Toronto Star, TVA Nouvelles 1, TVA Nouvelles 2, CityNews, CTV News, Radio-Canada 1, Radio-Canada 2, La Presse, National Post

With the rise in flu cases, particularly among children, Dr. Earl Rubin, Medical Director of the Infectious Diseases Division at the Montreal Children's Hospital, reminds us that it is still time to get vaccinated. Montreal Gazette, CityNews, CTV News

He also gave interviews on the resurgence of measles. Global News, CityNews

Last year, the son of Dr. Samara Zavalkoff, a pediatric intensivist at the Montreal Children's Hospital, was hit by a car on his way to school. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured, but the physician has since been speaking out publicly to raise awareness among the public and decision-makers about road safety around high schools. CTV News, Montreal Gazette, CJAD

With the holiday season just around the corner, toys containing button batteries, magnets or coins are something to watch out for, says Dr. Laurie Plotnick, a pediatric emergency physician at the Montreal Children's Hospital. Montreal Gazette

Instead of throwing away plastic instruments contaminated during biomedical experiments, laboratories at the Institute are turning to a start-up that has developed a process for cleaning them. La Presse

The mother-in-law of Dominique Anglade, former leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, was saved thanks to the presence of a cardiac defibrillator in a public place. According to Dr. François de Champlain, an emergency physician at the McGill University Health Centre, it is impossible to override the defibrillator’s decision-making algorithm, as it analyzes the heart’s electrical activity and delivers a shock only when necessary. La Presse