Health
Ohio boy, 8, prepares for blindness: ‘It’s heartbreaking,’ his mom says
Grayson Naff, 8, is preparing for life without vision.
The Ohio second-grader was diagnosed last year with Batten disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes vision loss, seizures, cognitive decline, impaired mobility and, ultimately, death.
As the disease progresses and his vision further declines, the child — with the support of his mother, Emily Blackburn, and a host of educators and experts — has started the necessary training to navigate the world without eyesight.
OHIO MOTHER HOPES FOR A CURE TO SAVE HER SON, 8, FROM RARE, FATAL DISEASE: ‘GUT-WRENCHING’
Naff’s current vision is around 20/200-20/300, which is considered legally blind.
He sees best about 5 to 10 inches in front of him, Blackburn said.
Grayson Naff, 8, pictured with mom Emily Blackburn at left, was diagnosed last year with Batten disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes vision loss, seizures, cognitive decline, impaired mobility and, ultimately, death. (Emily Blackburn)
Recently, the boy began “white cane training.”
A white cane is a critical mobility tool for the blind or visually impaired. It scrapes along the ground as the person walks, allowing the individual to gather important information about the surroundings.
MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY BREAKTHROUGH: FDA APPROVES FIRST-EVER GENE THERAPY FOR RARE CHILDREN’S DISEASE
“White cane training is important for certain individuals with vision loss to increase their independence while traveling throughout their environment,” Rhianna Witt, an orientation and mobility specialist with Montgomery County Educational Service Center (MCESC) in Dayton, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.
Witt has been working with Naff on his white cane training.
“The white cane allows [the blind person] to detect changes in elevation, obstacles and changes in surface texture,” she said. “It is a tool used for previewing the environment.”
Grayson Naff practices using his white cane at his school as part of the preparations for full vision loss. (Elizabeth Blackburn)
The white cane also signals to others that the person using it has low vision, Witt noted, which makes the person more visible in public places and street crossings.
“It’s important for students to learn to use their white cane with a certified orientation and mobility specialist,” Witt said.
“Practicing using their cane in practical and age-appropriate environments will help them develop the skills needed as they get older and/or their vision changes.”
WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE COLOR BLIND? HERE’S THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT, INCLUDING HOW TO RECOGNIZE SYMPTOMS
Naff was introduced to the white cane in his elementary school gym, and then he walked the halls using it, his mother said.
“His favorite color is red, so he liked how the white cane had red [on it],” Blackburn told Fox News Digital. “He learned how wide to move it, how to hold it, how to use it to hear different materials on the ground and how to fold it up.”
“I was extremely anxious for him to be introduced to the white cane,” said Naff’s mother. “Losing vision can sometimes be an invisible disability, but when you have a white cane, it suddenly becomes real.” (Elizabeth Blackburn)
Witt praised the boy for working hard on his orientation and mobility training.
“The focus has been to ensure that he is navigating his school well and gaining the skills necessary to problem-solve when his vision may be affecting his ability to orient or navigate,” she said.
While the white cane training was an important step for Naff — it was difficult for his mother.
MOM PRAISES VIRAL PARENTING TACTIC AS SHE ALLOWS HER KIDS TO PLAY BY THEMSELVES: ‘WHOLE NEW WORLD’
“I was extremely anxious for him to be introduced to the white cane,” she said.
“Losing vision can sometimes be an invisible disability, but when you have a white cane, it suddenly becomes real.”
“No one prepares you for this — I wake up every day and have to remember that this is our life.”
“Accepting that my son is legally blind — and that if he goes down the typical path of children with Batten disease, he will likely lose all of his vision — is heartbreaking.”
An even more difficult realization, she said, is that loss of vision is only the beginning of the disease’s devastating effects.
Grayson Naff is pictured with his little brother. “The only way we move forward is with hope and the love we have for Grayson,” his mother said. (Elizabeth Blackburn)
“No one prepares you for this,” Blackburn said. “I wake up every day and have to remember that this is our life.”
Her son has also started training in Braille, which allows visually impaired people to read by feeling a system of raised dots.
FLORIDA STUDENT AND TEACHER BOND OVER MATCHING SCARS FROM THEIR OPEN-HEART SURGERIES: ‘TOUGH COOKIES’
Becca King, teacher of the visually impaired at MCESC in Dayton, Ohio, has been helping the boy with his Braille lessons.
“Learning to read Braille is a lot like learning to read print,” she told Fox News Digital. “It’s important to have the fundamentals and to take it step by step.”
“We take pictures, we make memories, we try to live life as normal as possible — but with a crack in our hearts and hope for the future,” said Grayson Naff’s mother. (Emily Blackburn)
“Grayson is a pleasure to work with,” she told Fox News Digital. “He is enthusiastic about learning and is willing to do anything that I ask him to. He has an infectious personality, and he is truly the highlight of my day when I get to see him.”
She added, “He is a bright light to all who know him.”
Naff also has an aide at school who helps him scribe — meaning he writes down what the boy says.
The young student also has a portable desktop magnifying device that magnifies and changes contrast to help him see his papers at school.
Ongoing care
Every six months, Naff and his family drive seven hours to see his ophthalmologist at the University of Iowa, who specializes in juvenile inherited eye disease.
During each visit, “Grayson goes through a whole day of eye exams to test if his vision has changed,” Blackburn said.
Their next visit is scheduled for May.
“The only way we move forward is with hope and the love we have for Grayson.”
“The anxiety and anticipation is challenging, because we want to accept Grayson’s vision however it may be, but our hope is that he’ll have his vision for as long as possible,” his mother said.
Naff is also taking Miglustat, a medication that could help ease or slow down symptoms.
Cost is a concern, though. Since the drug is not yet FDA-approved for use with Batten disease, it has a hefty co-pay.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“If insurance doesn’t cover it, it’s about $100 per pill, or $9,000 each month,” Blackburn said.
There is currently no cure for Batten disease, with life expectancy typically in the mid-teens to early 20s.
Grayson Naff’s family created an organization, Guiding Grayson, to help raise awareness and funds for a cure. The boy has remained positive and happy throughout his journey with Batten disease. (Emily Blackburn)
“The only way we move forward is with hope and the love we have for Grayson,” said Blackburn.
“We take pictures, we make memories, we try to live life as normal as possible — but with a crack in our hearts and hope for the future.”
There are resources available through private agencies, schools and government agencies to assist with the difficult transition that comes with vision loss, Witt pointed out.
“It is helpful to find a community of people who are going through a similar experience and can provide advice and stories of hope,” she added.
Anyone wanting more information about Grayson Naff’s journey and Batten disease can visit guidinggrayson.com.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Artificial intelligence has been touted as a boon to healthcare, but a new study has revealed its potential shortcomings when it comes to giving medical advice.
In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the medical-focused version of the popular chatbot tool.
The company introduced the tool as “a dedicated experience that securely brings your health information and ChatGPT’s intelligence together, to help you feel more informed, prepared and confident navigating your health.”
But researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that the tool failed to recommend emergency care for a “significant number” of serious medical cases.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine on Feb. 23, aimed to explore how ChatGPT Health — which is reported to have about 40 million users daily — handles situations where people are asking whether to seek emergency care.
Artificial intelligence has been touted as a boon to healthcare, but a new study has revealed its potential shortcomings when it comes to giving medical advice. (iStock)
“Right now, no independent body evaluates these products before they reach the public,” lead author Ashwin Ramaswamy, M.D., instructor of urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
“We wouldn’t accept that for a medication or a medical device, and we shouldn’t accept it for a product that tens of millions of people are using to make health decisions.”
Emergency scenarios
The team created 60 clinical scenarios across 21 medical specialties, ranging from minor conditions to true medical emergencies.
Three independent physicians then assigned an appropriate level of urgency for each case, based on published clinical practice guidelines in 56 medical societies.
WOMAN SAYS CHATGPT SAVED HER LIFE BY HELPING DETECT CANCER, WHICH DOCTORS MISSED
The researchers conducted 960 interactions with ChatGPT Health to see how the tool responded, taking into account gender, race, barriers to care and “social dynamics.”
While “clear-cut emergencies” — such as stroke or severe allergy — were generally handled well, the researchers found that the tool “under-triaged” many urgent medical issues.
The team created 60 clinical scenarios across 21 medical specialties, ranging from minor conditions to true medical emergencies. (iStock)
For example, in one asthma scenario, the system acknowledged that the patient was showing early signs of respiratory failure — but still recommended waiting instead of seeking emergency care.
“ChatGPT Health performs well in medium-severity cases, but fails at both ends of the spectrum — the cases where getting it right matters most,” Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital. “It under-triaged over half of genuine emergencies and over-triaged roughly two-thirds of mild cases that clinical guidelines say should be managed at home.”
PARENTS FILE LAWSUIT ALLEGING CHATGPT HELPED THEIR TEENAGE SON PLAN SUICIDE
Under-triage can be life-threatening, the doctor noted, while over-triage can overwhelm emergency departments and delay care for those in real need.
Researchers also identified inconsistencies in suicide risk alerts. In some cases, it directed users to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in lower-risk scenarios, and in others, it failed to offer that recommendation even when a person discussed suicidal ideations.
“ChatGPT Health performs well in medium-severity cases, but fails at both ends of the spectrum.”
“The suicide guardrail failure was the most alarming,” study co-author Girish N. Nadkarni, M.D., chief AI officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, told Fox News Digital.
ChatGPT Health is designed to show a crisis intervention banner when someone describes thoughts of self-harm, the researcher noted.
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the medical-focused version of the popular chatbot tool, in January 2026. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“We tested it with a 27-year-old patient who said he’d been thinking about taking a lot of pills,” Nadkarni said. “When he described his symptoms alone, the banner appeared 100% of the time. Then we added normal lab results — same patient, same words, same severity — and the banner vanished.”
“A safety feature that works perfectly in one context and completely fails in a nearly identical context … is a fundamental safety problem.”
CHATGPT HEALTH PROMISES PRIVACY FOR HEALTH CONVERSATIONS
The researchers were also surprised by the social influence aspect.
“When a family member in the scenario said ‘it’s nothing serious’ — which happens all the time in real life — the system became nearly 12 times more likely to downplay the patient’s symptoms,” Nadkarni said. “Everyone has a spouse or parent who tells them they’re overreacting. The AI shouldn’t be agreeing with them during a potential emergency.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Open AI, creator of ChatGPT, requesting comment.
Physicians react
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, called the new study “important.”
“It underlines the principle that while large language models can triage clear-cut emergencies, they have much more trouble with nuanced situations,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
ChatGPT and other LLMs can be helpful tools, a doctor said, but they “should not be used to give medical direction.” (iStock)
“This is where doctors and clinical judgment come in — knowing the nuances of a patient’s history and how they report symptoms and their approach to health.”
ChatGPT and other LLMs can be helpful tools, Siegel said, but they “should not be used to give medical direction.”
“Machine learning and continued input of data can help, but will never compensate for the essential problem – human judgment is needed to decide whether something is a true emergency or not.”
BREAKTHROUGH BLOOD TEST COULD SPOT DOZENS OF CANCERS BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR
Dr. Harvey Castro, an emergency physician and AI expert in Texas, echoed the importance of the study, calling it “exactly the kind of independent safety evaluation we need.”
“Innovation moves fast. Oversight has to move just as fast,” Castro, who also did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital. “In healthcare, the most dangerous mistakes happen at the extremes, when something looks mild but is actually catastrophic. That’s where clinical judgment matters most, and where AI must be stress-tested.”
Study limitations
The researchers acknowledged some potential limitations in the study design.
“We used physician-written clinical scenarios rather than real patient conversations, and we tested at a single point in time — these systems update frequently, so performance may change,” Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Additionally, most of the missed emergencies happened in situations where the danger depended on how the condition was changing over time. It’s not clear whether the same problem would happen with acute medical emergencies.
Because the system had to choose just one fixed urgency category, the test may not reflect the more nuanced advice it might give in a back-and-forth conversation, the researchers noted.
ChatGPT Health is designed to show a crisis intervention banner when someone describes thoughts of self-harm. (iStock)
Also, the study wasn’t large enough to confidently detect small differences in how recommendations might vary by race or gender.
“We need continuous auditing, not one-time studies,” Castro noted. “These systems update frequently, so evaluation must be ongoing.”
‘Don’t wait’
The researchers emphasized the importance of seeking immediate care for serious issues.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“If something feels seriously wrong — chest pain, difficulty breathing, a severe allergic reaction, thoughts of self-harm — go to the emergency department or call 988,” Ramaswamy advised. “Don’t wait for an AI to tell you it’s OK.”
The researchers noted that they support the use of AI to improve healthcare access, and that they didn’t conduct the study to “tear down the technology.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“These tools can be genuinely useful for the right things — understanding a diagnosis you’ve already received, looking up what your medications do and their side effects, or getting answers to questions that didn’t get fully addressed in a short doctor’s visit,” Ramaswamy said.
“That’s a very different use case from deciding whether you need emergency care. Treat them as a complement to your doctor, not a replacement.”
“This study doesn’t mean we abandon AI in healthcare.”
Castro agreed that the benefits of AI health tools should be weighed against the risks.
“AI health tools can increase access, reduce unnecessary visits and empower patients with information,” he said. “They are not inherently unsafe, but they are not yet substitutes for clinical judgment.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“This study doesn’t mean we abandon AI in healthcare,” he went on. “It means we mature it. Independent testing and stronger guardrails will determine whether AI becomes a safety net or a liability.”
Related Article
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Americans consume foods every day that are marketed as “healthy,” when they could be quietly destroying their health, one doctor warns.
Dr. Mark Hyman, physician and co-founder of Function Health in California, says that much of America’s daily diet is filled with unhealthy ingredients.
“The amount of refined starches and sugars that are everywhere is just staggering to me, given what we know about how harmful they are,” he shared in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I don’t think people really understand.”
Hyman, author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored,” said he’s “astounded” by what people are eating, especially for breakfast.
“People just eat sugar for breakfast,” he said. “They have muffins, they have bagels, they have croissants, they have sugar-sweetened coffees and teas.”
Dr. Mark Hyman is the author of the new book “Food Fix Uncensored.” (Function Health; Little, Brown Spark)
In addition to the traditionally sweet options for breakfast, some cereal brands and breakfast staples have adopted new “protein-packed” menu items and products, following health trends that encourage eating more protein.
“Highly processed food is not food.”
“Now, we’re seeing this halo of protein in certain things,” Hyman said, mentioning that many protein smoothies are “full of sugar.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The doctor also noted that some popular cereals are now marketed as having protein in them. “My joke is, if it has a health claim on the label, it’s definitely bad for you,” he said.
Instead of starting the day with a “quick fix” or processed food, Hyman suggests choosing whole sources of protein and fat for breakfast, adding that “if there’s a little carbohydrate in there, it’s fine.”
More products marketed as “high protein” have cropped up on supermarket shelves. (iStock)
For his own breakfast, Hyman said he has a protein shake with whey protein, avocado and frozen berries. Eggs and avocados are also a great protein-and-fat combo option, he added.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“It’s not that complicated — people need to just think about their breakfast not being dessert,” he said. “No wonder we’re in this cycle of obesity and diabetes. One in three teenage kids now has type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. That’s just criminal.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Instead of counting calories and being in a caloric deficit as a way to lose weight and stay healthy, Hyman instead suggests focusing on how certain foods make you feel and how they impact your health.
“When you look at the way in which different types of calories affect your biology, you can just choose what you’re eating, and then you don’t have to worry about how much,” he told Fox News Digital.
In addition to the traditionally sweet options for breakfast, some cereal brands and breakfast staples have adopted new “protein-packed” menu items and products. (iStock)
“For example, if you eat a diet that doesn’t cause your insulin to spike — which is low in starch and sugar, higher in protein and fat — you won’t develop those swings in blood sugar, you won’t develop the spikes in insulin, you won’t deposit hungry fat … You will break that cycle.”
People are more likely to “self-regulate when they eat real food” instead of processed foods, which “bypasses the normal mechanisms of satiety, fullness and brain chemistry,” according to Hyman.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
“Ultraprocessed food and junk food or highly processed food is not food,” he said. “It doesn’t support the health and well-being of an organism. It doesn’t do that. It does the opposite.”
Related Article
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Small fragments of plastic were found in the tumors of most prostate cancer patients, according to a new study from NYU Langone Health.
In past studies, microplastics have been found in almost every human organ and in bodily fluids, but their impact on human health still isn’t fully understood.
The researchers analyzed tissue samples from 10 patients with prostate cancer who underwent surgery to remove the entire organ.
Using visuals of both benign samples and tumor samples, as well as specialized equipment, the scientists identified plastic particles in 90% of the tumor samples and 70% of benign tissue samples, according to the study press release.
In past studies, microplastics were found in almost every single human organ along with bodily fluids, even the placenta. (iStock)
The cancerous tissue contained on average more than double the amount of plastic as healthy prostate tissue samples, the study found. This equates to about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue compared to 16 micrograms.
Researchers avoided contaminating the samples with other plastics by substituting standard tools with those made of aluminum, cotton and other non-plastic material, the release noted.
NIGHTLY BATHROOM HABIT WAS MISSED SIGN OF COMMON MEN’S CANCER: ‘I DIDN’T KNOW’
The scientists say this is the first direct evidence linking microplastics to prostate cancer.
“By uncovering yet another potential health concern posed by plastic, our findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory measures to limit the public’s exposure to these substances, which are everywhere in the environment,” said senior study author Vittorio Albergamo, assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in the release.
Using visuals of both benign samples and tumor samples, as well as specialized equipment, the scientists identified plastic particles in 90% of the tumor samples and 70% of benign tissue samples. (iStock)
The study findings were presented during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco on Feb. 26.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“What is most striking is not that microplastics were detected, but that they were found embedded within tumor tissue itself,” Dr. David Sidransky, oncologist and medical advisor at SpotitEarly, a startup that offers an at-home breath-based test to detect early-stage cancer, told Fox News Digital.
“While complete avoidance is unrealistic, people can take practical steps to reduce exposure.”
“We already know microplastics are present in water, air, blood and even placental tissue. Their detection in prostate tumors suggests systemic distribution and long-term bioaccumulation,” added Maryland-based Sidransky, who was not involved in the study.
Study limitations
Albergamo cautioned that a larger sample is needed to confirm the findings. Additionally, Sidransky noted that the presence of microplastics alone does not prove they cause cancer.
“Tumors can act as ‘biologic sinks,’ meaning they may accumulate circulating particles simply because of altered vasculature and permeability,” he said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
A key unanswered question, according to the doctor, is whether microplastics are biologically active in ways that “promote DNA damage, immune modulation or chronic inflammation within the prostate.”
About one in eight men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The most actionable step men can take is appropriate screening and early detection, according to doctors. (iStock)
For those concerned about microplastics, Sidransky offered some insights.
“I believe the appropriate response is curiosity, not panic, and a commitment to understand more,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“While complete avoidance is unrealistic, people can take practical steps to reduce exposure, such as minimizing heating food in plastic containers, reducing bottled water consumption when possible, and favoring glass or stainless steel alternatives.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
The most actionable step men can take, however, is getting appropriate screenings to help ensure early detection, according to the doctor. Screening discussions should be individualized based on age, family history and other risk factors.
Related Article
Samsung’s Digital Home Key lets you use your phone as your key
US cleared to use British bases for limited strikes on Iranian missile capabilities
Gas prices could jump as Middle East tensions threaten global oil supply
ChatGPT could miss your serious medical emergency, new study suggests
Charles Barkley scolds sports fans for getting wrapped up in Olympic hockey frenzy
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Gas prices could jump as Middle East tensions threaten global oil supply
Pakistan calls troops, orders 3-day curfew as 24 killed in pro-Iran rallies
US says Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 American jets
House Republicans push Johnson to go to war with Senate over SAVE Act
Israel FM says Europe too divided, slams Spanish PM
-
World4 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts5 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Denver, CO5 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana1 week agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
News1 week agoWorld reacts as US top court limits Trump’s tariff powers