. >>> children at the condition di creeing -- kennedy krieger institute got a surprise visit. andrea fujii has the story. >> reporter: this is the fifth year the baltimore symphony orchestra or santa's elves have played for the children at the kennedy krieger institute. >> we can be santa claus. we can bring music to kids. >> reporter: kennedy krieger cares for children with brain injuries or disorders, like 6-year-old andrew and then straight from the north pole santa appears. >> you pick a toy that makes you happy. >> reporter: all the kids receive gifts that have been donated by the bso. andrew is impressed with his selection. >> hot wheel cars. >> it makes the day go quicker. it's a good thing. >> bringing holiday clear to the most vulnerable, a tradition the bso hopes to continue for a long time, reporting for wjz, eyewitness news. >> it treats up to 16,000 patients every year. >> there are only a few weeks left in the pro football challenge and tim williams will update this week ames standing. >> ames -- week's standing. >> sports director mark viviano remains in the lea

. >>> children at the kennedy krieger institute got an early christmas today, as members from the baltimore orchestra gave them a private concert. andrea fujii has the story. ♪ [ music ] >> reporter: this is the fifth year the baltimore symphony orchestra, or santa's elves, have played for the children at the kennedy krieger institute. >> we can play santa santa claus. we can bring music to kids who can't come to us. it's just rewarding to do. >> reporter: 6-year-old andrew just heard has favorite song. >> joy to the world. >> reporter: then straight from the north pole, the oboe- playing santa appeared. >> you pick a toy that makes you happy. >> reporter: all of the children received gifts, donated by the bso. >> reporter: and the rest of the toys will be left for future patients who may spend christmas here. andrew is impressed with his selection. >> hot wheel cars. >> reporter: it makes the days go quicker leer. -- here. and it's a good thing. >> reporter: bringing holiday cheer to the most vulnerable. a tradition the bso hopes to continue for a long time. >> thank you. >> reporter: arn

here we are at kennedy krieger today, children who are fighting deadly illnesses got a visit from a group of firefighters out there spreading holiday cheer. this is part of the seventh annual city firefighters tour for kids. not only do the firefighters collect toys for charities but all for the kids stuck in the hospital. >> certainly makes you humble to be able to give something to these children and make their holiday more happy. these children are in the hospital for the holidays. it's a humbling experience for us and joyous for the children. >> great guy. firefighters will visit three other hospitals on the week. >>> with the chill in the air it's feeling like christmas. we've got something to get you in the holiday spirit. make the season brighter for a child in need. we're asking for new unwrapped unopened toys for the kindertime toy drive. we've teamed up with the baltimore symphony orchestra. to donate we have a list of dropoff locations waiting at abc2news.com. just click on the kindertime link on the marketplace tab. >>> let's find out how the drive home is going for us tonight

but they say after visiting kennedy krieger, the kids have them beat. children fighting deadly illnesses got a visit from a group of firefighters spreading holiday cheer. it was part of the 7th annual baltimore city firefighters tour for kids. not only did the firefighters collect toys for charity but distribute them to kid who are stuck in the hospital. firefighters will visit three other hospitals this week. >>> and with the chill in the air, it's feeling lot christmas lately. and we have got something to get you in the holiday giving spirit. make the season brighter for a child in need. we are asking for new unwrapped and unopened toys for our 12th annual kindertime toy drive. we will we have teamed up with the baltimore sin fumy orchestra. if you want a list what have they need in termination of instruments and toys, and where to drop them off, head to abc2news.com and click on kindertime link under the marketplace tab. >>> it's 10 minutes after the hour. an incredible scene in a school board meeting war gunman holds board members hostages. >>> it's

. >> reporter: dina was referred here, to the kennedy krieger institute in baltimore, to the leadinghority on albright's dr. emily jermainegermain-lee. albright's is rare either hereditary or occurs during a upon stain use mutation of egg or sperm. it affects the parathy rod. >> it's very important to maintain normal calcium and phosphorous balance in the blood. if it's not working, the calcium fulls, the phosphate rises and eventually, the calcium could get so low that the patient could have a seizeureseizure. >> reporter: the strange thing about the kids is that by puberty, 70% of them stop growing. boys top out around five feet. girls at 4'8". that led dr. germaine lee to study the affects of growth hormone on albright's patients. like stephen, from colorado who has a mild case. >> you're so tall. oh, my gosh. really, i can't breathe. it's amazing. >> reporter: he had the usual albright's characteristics as a baby, then appeared normal through childhood. but afraid that he would stop growing during adolescence, dr. germaine lee put him on growth hormone for five years. >> when i s

he was moved to the kennedy krieger institute in baltimore. a pediatric rehabilitation facili specializing in brain injuries. >> he was not eatg by mouth. he wasn't able to walk without assistance. he really wasn't able to talk to get any words out. >> reporter: the doctor specializes treating children with injuries like austin. she believed austin could return to a normal life but he would need comprehensive treatment working th the team of specialists, including doctors, nutritionists, speech and physical therapists. >> one of the thi we look at is how quickly the child starts to change. we knew in the grand spectrum, he was changing fairly rapidly so we had very high hopes for his recovery. >> reporter: they called today day 99. 99 days since he fell. he's worked hard during the past few months and now he is not just walk without assistance but he is running and jumping. his speech has improved dramatically. with the exception of a few fading scars, most people would have no idea about what happened to him. >> we're in the midst of a marath

>> reporter: dina was referred here to the kennedy krieger institute in baltimore, to the leading authorityon albright's, dr. emily jermaine-lee. >> hello! how are you doing? >> good. >> you look gorgeous. >> reporter: albright's is a rare genetic disorder that's either hereditary or occurs through a spontaneous mutation of egg or sperm. >> we're seeing which origin, if they were from the father or the mother. >> reporter: it affects the parathyroid hormone. the strange thing about these kids who grow so large, so fast, when they're young is that by puberty, their bones fuse prematurely and about 70% of them stop growing. boys top out around 5 feet. girls at about 4'8". that led dr. jermaine-lee to begin studying the effects of growth hormone on albright's patients. like steven ferguli of colorado, who has a mild case of albright's. >> you're so tall! oh my gosh. really, i can't breathe. it's amazing. >> reporter: he had the usual albright's characteristics as a baby. then appeared normal through childhood. but afraid that he would stop growing during adolescence, dr. jermaine-lee put him o