All-Star Burn Care at Shriners Children’s Boston

Whether he’s competing on the football field, the basketball court or the baseball diamond, 10-year-old Noah loves playing sports.

Acute and reconstructive burn care from Shriners Children’s Boston has helped him thrive and pursue his passion.

Noah was 2 when he sustained serious burn injuries to both hands after slipping and losing his balance near a fire pit. His mother, Jackie, rushed him to the local hospital near their home in Maine. Doctors there informed Jackie that her son needed to be transported by air to Shriners Children’s Boston. With just the clothes she was wearing, Jackie also boarded the helicopter for the flight to Boston. “It was all really overwhelming. I didn’t even know Shriners Children’s treated burns,” Jackie said. “I’m so glad they made the call to send us there. It was the right one.”

A medical team led by Robert Sheridan, M.D., chief of staff and director of the burn service, was waiting when the helicopter arrived at Shriners Children’s Boston. Noah was examined and his wounds were debrided, a procedure that removes damaged or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of healthy tissue.

Jackie was told that Noah had a fourth-degree burn on the pointer finger of his right hand and that amputation was a possibility. Noah’s dad, Jacob, arrived hours later.

Noah received acute burn care at Shriners Children’s Boston for the next week. Jackie and Jacob were relieved to learn during that time that amputation of his finger was not necessary. They were grateful for the personalized treatment Noah received from his entire care team, including child life specialist Brooke Allen. “She’s one of our favorites,” said Jackie. “She’s so sweet. From our first encounter, Brooke made Noah feel so much better.”

The wrap-around care at Shriners Children’s gave Jackie and Jacob peace of mind during a time of great uncertainty. “Everyone made us feel welcome and answered any questions we had,” said Jackie. “Having a place to stay is a huge help for families like us who may not live locally.” Jackie noted that care manager Melissa Brown, LICSW, CCM, has been an integral part of their experience, helping them navigate Noah’s hospitalization and overall treatment plan. “Melissa’s support has made such a big difference for us. We couldn’t have gotten through any of this without her.”

After his discharge, Noah’s family returned for frequent follow-up visits to monitor his healing and assess the need for future surgery. “It’s amazing how resilient children are,” said Jackie. “Noah was healing well but got an infection and was having pain, so he needed a skin graft to close his wounds.” Six months after his initial hospital stay, Noah returned to Shriners Children’s Boston for skin graft surgery on his right hand.

As burn scars mature and thicken, contractures can occur, tightening the skin and limiting movement. Noah returned to Boston for a series of surgeries to help manage his scars and optimize the function of his hands. He also worked with the rehabilitation therapy team to improve his range of motion. When Noah followed in the footsteps of his older siblings and became interested in sports, his burn injuries didn’t hold him back. “At first, he was just playing football, so we scheduled his surgeries in the winter,” explained Jackie. “That gave him time to heal.”

Most recently, Noah has been in the care of Daniel Driscoll, M.D., a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Shriners Children’s Boston. In this phase of treatment, Dr. Driscoll has performed procedures that continue to improve the function and appearance of Noah’s hands and fingers. “To manage the contractures on his left hand, Noah had Z-plasty for his index, middle and ring fingers,” said Dr. Driscoll. “We borrow skin from the sides of the fingers to lengthen the tissue, allowing for full extension of the fingers.”

According to Dr. Driscoll, helping patients engage in the pursuits they enjoy after a burn injury is central to each treatment plan he develops. “When we think about function for kids, we think about their favorite hobbies and activities,” he said. “With the assistance of scar management therapy and laser interventions for Noah’s hands, he has a full range of motion, excellent function and pretty inconspicuous scars. He can play any sport he wants.”

When Noah isn’t playing sports, he’s watching them, especially his favorite player, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Currently a fifth-grader, Noah’s favorite subject is astronomy. He enjoys spending time outside and has a talent for building Tech Decks, which are small, finger-operated skateboards.

Watching Noah excel as a young athlete has given his family a deep appreciation for the care he received. “It’s amazing what his doctors have been able to do,” said Jacob. “At first, we thought he might need his finger amputated, and now he’s a pitcher and plays quarterback.”