ABC's Grey's Anatomy is populated with intriguing grown-ups most of whom are either maestros with the scalpel in Seattle's medical scene or are patients trying to eliminate various ailments or injuries from their bodies. But even though the adults grab much of the screentime for themselves, there are some minutes for the youngsters.
The young characters range from children of the doctors to patients that come to Grey Sloan. And despite the show mostly focussing on adult storylines, the children fit right in. Thanks to good writing, they are seamlessly integrated into the narrative without seeming out of place. Additionally, the kids help lighten up a show that tends to become saturated with doom and gloom at times.
Zola Grey Shepherd
Born with spina bifida, Zola is brought to Seattle to get surgery. There, she is adopted by Meredith and Derek and under the former's care, she grows to be one the most adorable among the children.
So far, Zola has been shown to not only have a high level of awareness but also be very responsible. When Meredith's water breaks in the kitchen, she is quick to call 911 despite the fact that Meredith downplays the seriousness of the situation. Zola is somewhat of a miracle worker too. She is part of what could be considered one of the most heartwarming Grey's Anatomy moments where she manages to talk Meredith into waking up from a coma.
Young Meredith
Through flashback scenes, Meredith is shown to have a very sad childhood. Her father leaves when she's 5 and she's left to live with her depressed mother.
It's as easy to pity Young Meredith as it is to ire her tenacity. She shows signs of becoming a great surgeon from very early on as she is able to remove body parts from her "Anatomy Doll" and put them back together. She is quick to speak her mind too, such that when she is asked to play the role of Juliet in school, she insists that the famous Shakespeare heroine was not wise because she reasoned with her heart instead of her brain. And what is one of the best examples of quick decision-making, Meredith saves her mom's life when she tries to harm herself.
Farouk Shami
Farouk's parents die in combat so Megan takes him as her own during her stint in Iraq. When she leaves, she is prevented from taking him with her but Nathan later makes it all happen by getting the right paperwork.
Though he has had plenty of health problems, Farouk has remained a lively child. He is good at playing board games and always does his research about various areas of life, including the surgeries he is about to undergo. He is consistently cheerful and is the self-proclaimed "selfie-master," able to snap the most perfect pictures of himself.
William "Tuck" Jones
Tuck is born during a bomb scare at Seattle Grace Hospital. His birth also results in one of Bailey's funniest Grey's Anatomy quotes where she orders an assisting George to "stop looking at my vajayjay."
Tuck is an exciting character to follow because he is a wild child. He has been in a couple of school fights, some of which have brought out Bailey's ugly side. For example, she bribed the management just so Tuck wouldn't be expelled. Through Tuck, Bailey's religious side could also be seen. When a shelf fell on him, Bailey didn't believe medicine would heal him so she called a faith healer.
Leo Hunt
Having had parents who were drug dealers, Leo gets placed in foster care at an early age. Owen and Amelia then adopt him, raising him as their own.
On several occasions, Leo has stuck out as a special kind of child. He puts on a brave face whenever he injures himself and seeks help by himself at times. He has also demonstrated signs of gender nonconformity by preferring tutus and dresses to pants. Interestingly, Leo is portrayed by twin girls and not a male child actor.
Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres
Callie gets pregnant with Mark's baby during her brief breakup with Arizona. She later gives birth to Sofia. Born prematurely, the little girl goes on to have plenty of health problems but she improves over time.
Sofia is special because she was very outspoken, a trait she reveals multiple times. After Arizona wins custody, she is able to unofficially bring it back to 50-50 by pointing out how sad Callie is. Additionally, she doesn't hesitate to declare that she wants to move back to Seattle, with her request being honored almost immediately. And despite being a child, she makes adult-like choices. For example, she steals field trip money so that she bac buy plane tickets to New York.
Kamal Aboud
Kamal grows up in Jordan where he watches his entire family get killed. He is almost taken in as a child soldier but the tumors in his hands prevent that from happening. One of the best cardiothoracic surgeons in Grey's Anatomy, Nathan Riggs, later brings him to Seattle for surgery.
Through Kamal, fans get to see just how good-hearted Nathan is. He has no obligation to do so but he chooses to anyway. As for Kamal, he demonstrates just how important tenacity is. He has a positive outlook towards life as even after losing his family and developing tumors, he is more than willing to help around the Jordan hospital where is staying. This attitude is what inspires Riggs to get him help. Eventually, Kamal's surgery goes well.
Derek Bailey Shepherd
When Meredith discovers she is pregnant, she announces it to Derek by buying a "World's Best Big Sister" t-shirt for Zola. Shepherd eventually is born during a superstorm.
Shepherd has turned out to be quite the comical child. He has demonstrated this on several occasions, including the time he requested a big cake for his birthday only to dip his face in it. Shepherd also goes through a rather interesting phase where he keeps placing the word "funny" in front of every sentence. Additionally, Shepherd loves parties very much. He has been shown to be ionate about Halloween and birthdays.
Alexis And Eli
Izzie freezes her embryos as she is undergoing cancer treatment. 5 years later, she decides to have babies and gave birth to twins. After meeting them in Kansas, Alex decides to stay and be a proper dad to them.
Rather than have their own arcs, Alexis and Eli serve the purpose of illustrating Alex's transformation into a family man. Additionally, the twins serve as some sort of glue between Alex and Izzie's shaky relationship. The show always serves as an educational tool too and through Alexis and Eli, viewers also get to understand the frozen embryo concept much better.
Ellis Shepherd
Named after her grandmother, Ellis is conceived the day before her father Derek's death. The unfortunate occurrence aside, Ellis grows to be a cheerful young lady.
As s child, Ellis is known for her eccentricities, something that makes her stand out above the rest of the child characters. Instead of liking child melodies, she is obsessed with Hip Hop. She is quick to laugh or get angry too. She happens to be a staunch environmentalist too and always throws a tantrum whenever she hears trees getting cut down.