Alexander Rakowsky, MD

The art of pediatrics: Connecting through observation

Conditions

September 29, 2023

On my first day of inpatient rounds during intern year, I was taken aback when the attending stated, “Let’s stop outside the room and just spend a few moments watching the child and mom.” I started my residency on my community rotation site in Chester, PA, where several of the Philadelphia training programs at that time were sending residents. It was a nice introduction to pediatrics with a smaller inpatient …

Lessons taught by Bell’s palsy

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Conditions

September 19, 2023

Recently, after a week of a viral illness that I most likely picked up from one of my patients as a pediatrician, I noticed that one side of my tongue felt as though I had dental anesthesia. During the day, this slowly progressed, but as night came, the progression rapidly intensified with my lips and eyelids on this same side now drooping. While I suspected Bell’s palsy, considering that I’m …

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Lessons taught by Bell’s palsy

A pediatrician’s memorable experience with a patient with Down syndrome

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

April 24, 2023

Recently, two of my most beloved teachers came to our continuity clinic as Mrs. Melendez brought in her daughter, Maria, for her annual physical (not real names). I have known the Melendez family for nearly the entire 18+ years I have been at this clinic, at first taking care of their four older children who were at that time in early middle school through high school. At one of the …

The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Conditions

March 26, 2023

The power of Play-Doh. This sounds like such an ironic phrase considering the malleability of this childhood favorite. Between several personal trips to the local store, our clinic buying several boxes, and getting donations from one of our amazing third years who has donated books and goodies for our patients since early intern year; we ended up having a plethora of the stuff.

We needed to make room for more spring-focused …

The power of personal stories in vaccination awareness

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

February 27, 2023

“How was your Thanksgiving?”

This may seem like an odd question to ask at the end of January, but I had not seen Ahmed (not real name) and his mother since his last infant well visit in late October. This family moved to central Ohio about two years ago, escaping the ravages of living in a country that has seen a civil war for the better of 20 years. Ahmed’s mom …

Advice from a pediatrician during the viral surge

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Conditions

November 12, 2022

As is the case throughout the country, central Ohio is in the midst of a viral surge with an unusually high number of ill children for this time of the year, leading to long delays in our urgent cares and emergency departments, in our primary care offices, and with over capacity inpatient units. It’s an extremely busy time for all of us and honestly makes for tiring and stressful days. …

Wonder about each patient outside the exam room

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

September 23, 2019

I pass by one of our local parochial schools on the way to clinic two mornings a week. With the school year in full swing, each Friday I see the children lining up outside to go to weekly Mass. With the girls in their grey tartan skirts and blue vests and the boys in their blue shirts and pants, they form a colorful, large nameless entity to which I don’t …

A physician’s empathy in urgent care makes a big difference

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

March 29, 2019

While winter is traditionally the busiest time of year for pediatricians, this winter has been particularly difficult in the Midwest with not only a larger number of ill visits, but a late and heavy flu epidemic hitting at a point where most of us were already wearing out. With this flu epidemic, our urgent cares, same day sick clinics and ERs have been setting all-time highs for any particular calendar …

These are the moments that define medical care

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

March 22, 2019

Brownian motion was what was seemingly driving Joe (not the real name) as he aimlessly wandered all around the waiting room mumbling to himself. However, there was directed thought since he avoided the chairs and the hanging computer keyboard in the room with great acumen. At no point did he look at me directly.

“How is Joe?” I asked Dad, the father of 2 children afflicted with autism. Dad proceeded to …

How squeaky brakes reminded this doctor of the joys of primary care

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

March 23, 2018

Our local media, in an effort to raise awareness and increase vaccination rates, devoted a lot of time to the unusually harsh flu outbreak this winter. While well intended, the stories about children getting morbidly ill inadvertently led to a flood of families coming to our emergency room and urgent care centers fearful that their child would be next to get very ill or die.

On one of my recent Friday …

The patients behind the cool cases

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

January 2, 2018

“Wow, cool case,” was the response from the residents in continuity clinic on Monday morning as I told them about a patient I had seen over the weekend at our main campus urgent care. Ironically, or maybe more tellingly, I thought the same thing; “that was a cool case.”

The “cool case” was a senior in high school who was eagerly looking forward to her college career but woke up with …

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The patients behind the cool cases

The patients that make you realize that we are part of a larger human family

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

November 11, 2017

T was the last patient of a busier than usual morning. “New patient, establish care” was her reason for visit. As I would soon find out with the help of our remarkable Arabic interpreter, T and her family recently moved to our area after spending the better part of 3 years moving from refugee camp to refugee camp trying to escape the ravages of the civil war in their native …

Don’t to forget to walk in your patients’ shoes

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

September 29, 2017

With summer vacations over and school back in session, I should have gotten up earlier. The usually tough morning commute into Columbus was downright brutal, and I found myself getting repeatedly annoyed as I rushed to make it to clinic on time. Somehow, legally, I managed to make it right at 8 a.m., the start of my weekly asthma clinic. Though I arrived a bit later than usual, I still …

Why a pediatrician does what he does: Lessons from Caleb

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Physician

August 22, 2017

A tired but beaming mom greeted me as I entered the room. In her lap was a content appearing, slightly chubby, cherubic faced baby.

“This is Caleb … isn’t he beautiful” mom gushed. “He is named after his dad …” but then added in a softer voice, “but I’m not sure how much he plans to be involved.” Mom’s smile waned for a moment but quickly came back. “Looking forward to …

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

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