Daniel Mikhelzon, 9 years old, was brought to Maimonides Children’s Hospital in December. He told his mother he wasn’t feeling well, and he was having trouble breathing.
Doctors diagnosed him with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurologic disorder that causes the body to attack its own nervous system.
“We don’t know exactly why that happens, but we think it happens after having a common cold or virus,” said Dr. Tali Caronia, a pediatric hospitalist at Maimonides and Daniel’s attending physician. “Your body’s immune system goes haywire and creates antibodies against itself.”
With Daniel’s determination and the dedicated care he was receiving, he was able to take his first steps again on January 1. He’s now gained enough of his strength back that he’s moving to a rehab facility to continue his recovery.
When he grows up, he hopes to become a doctor, to pay forward the compassionate care he’s received at Maimonides.
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About Maimonides Health
Maimonides Health is Brooklyn’s largest healthcare system, providing more than 1 million patient visits each year through the system’s three hospitals, 1,800+ physicians, and more than 80 community-based practices and outpatient centers. Our system is anchored by Maimonides Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest independent teaching hospitals and home to centers of excellence in numerous specialties; Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital (formerly New York Community Hospital), a 130-bed adult medical–surgical hospital; and Maimonides Children’s Hospital, Brooklyn’s only children’s hospital and only pediatric trauma center.
Maimonides’ clinical programs rank among the best in the country for patient outcomes, including our Heart and Vascular Institute, Neurosciences Institute, Bone and Joint Center, and Cancer Center. For additional information, please visit www.maimo.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.