Paediatrics

At the end of 2021 the reimbursement of the gene therapy Zolgensma® for the treatment of the rare nerve disorder SMA was approved in Belgium. Recently, doctors at UZ Leuven were able to treat a first patient with the commercial product. In case of a timely diagnosis Zolgensma® can influence the severity of the disease.

The paediatric departments of UZ Leuven launch the interactive tool ‘Onderweg: transitie binnen kindergeneeskunde’ for chronically ill children and younsters and their parents. The 4 e-learnings with tips, information and personal stories offer extra support in the run-up to the step from paediatric to adult care.

A team of scientists at VIB and KU Leuven developed a machine learning algorithm that can diagnose arthritis in children with almost 90% accuracy, purely on the basis of a blood test. The new findings open the door to the use of machine learning for faster diagnosis and personalised treatment.