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Children’s health

1,495 articles · Since 2011

Articles, page 36

Conditions and diseases

Best practices in head CT imaging: How are we doing?

Computed tomography, or CT scanning, is one of the most powerful diagnostic tools to emerge during my medical career. Just look at the detail in the brain images above, taken at 90-degree angles through the brain. And I was there…

Computed tomography, or CT scanning, is one of the most powerful diagnostic tools to emerge during my medical career. Just look at the detail in the brain images above, taken at 90-degree angles through the brain. And I was there at the beginning. I remember well when I was a medical student taking neurology, and the first CT scanner arrived at the Mayo Clinic. By today’s standards, it was incredibly …

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Best practices in head CT imaging: How are we doing?

Conditions and diseases

The decision to not vaccinate is driven by fear and misinformation

5

I was browsing the internet one day and came across a photo of a group of women who appeared educated and influential. They were wearing blue T-shirts with claims that vaccines cause autoimmune diseases, seizures, ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity…

I was browsing the internet one day and came across a photo of a group of women who appeared educated and influential. They were wearing blue T-shirts with claims that vaccines cause autoimmune diseases, seizures, ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, death, autism, sudden infant death syndrome and infertility.

I couldn’t help but laugh at them! I shared this photo on my Facebook page. To my surprise, one of …

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The decision to not vaccinate is driven by fear and misinformation

Physician voices

How to survive a medical liability lawsuit

4

I do not feel that I truly survived my lawsuit. Sure, I am alive, but the emotional toll it took on me during the four years that we co-existed was tremendous. That being said, I do feel that it taught…

I do not feel that I truly survived my lawsuit. Sure, I am alive, but the emotional toll it took on me during the four years that we co-existed was tremendous. That being said, I do feel that it taught me several things that may be helpful to others.

My lawsuit occurred very early in my career. The series of events that led up to it happened when I was a …

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How to survive a medical liability lawsuit

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Physician voices

A physician takes a leap of faith

About two years ago, I made a big career move — I took a leap of faith. I left full-time clinical practice as a neonatologist to become a national medical director for a neonatal resource team. The job was appealing…

About two years ago, I made a big career move — I took a leap of faith. I left full-time clinical practice as a neonatologist to become a national medical director for a neonatal resource team. The job was appealing because it was a new challenge for me. I had the opportunity to use my skill set as a neonatologist while learning the business aspect of medicine.

The job also provided …

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A physician takes a leap of faith

Physician voices

You are more than an eating disorder

2

As you sit here in the office, waiting for this visit to be over, I wonder if you would let me share just a few things with you. Despite your impeccable eyeshadow, your impressive GPA, and the smile you flash…

As you sit here in the office, waiting for this visit to be over, I wonder if you would let me share just a few things with you. Despite your impeccable eyeshadow, your impressive GPA, and the smile you flash so readily, I sense that there are things left unsaid. I am curious if there is more to your story that you wish could be told. But I know that …

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You are more than an eating disorder

Physician voices

What my young patients taught me about parenting

Despite meticulous time management and delegation as a doctor, there were times when I found cobwebs on the laundry left on the clothesline too long, or a moldy school lunch or squashed banana forgotten at the bottom of a school…

Despite meticulous time management and delegation as a doctor, there were times when I found cobwebs on the laundry left on the clothesline too long, or a moldy school lunch or squashed banana forgotten at the bottom of a school bag at home. I would ensure all the important school dates were in my diary, but I was often tripped up by the curriculum day when school was suddenly off …

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What my young patients taught me about parenting

Physician voices

My younger brother’s brush with death

“Do your parents realize that he could die?” I had been summoned to the workspace of the ED physician who was trying to save my brother’s life. I remember noticing that he was short with thick brown hair and a…

“Do your parents realize that he could die?”

I had been summoned to the workspace of the ED physician who was trying to save my brother’s life. I remember noticing that he was short with thick brown hair and a crisp white coat which were both too tidy and incongruent with the message he was delivering. He struck me as someone who was earnestly playing the role of a physician instead …

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My younger brother’s brush with death

Physician voices

A pediatrician finds her “why”

2

Last Friday, as I sat finishing up notes on the last of my almost 30 physicals (this number is never any surprise for us pediatricians this time of the year, it’s back to school week, so every Thomason, Dickinson, and…

Last Friday, as I sat finishing up notes on the last of my almost 30 physicals (this number is never any surprise for us pediatricians this time of the year, it’s back to school week, so every Thomason, Dickinson, and Harrison is lining up for sports physicals and regular physicals and all sorts of clearance and medication forms that need to be filled out and turned in “yesterday.”) I took …

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A pediatrician finds her “why”

Physician voices

Why your child should have a black, male doctor

8

When I was 20 years old, I boarded a flight from St. Louis, Missouri to Houston, Texas. It was Fall and the temperature had begun dropping. That being the case, I was dressed like a typical college student at that…

When I was 20 years old, I boarded a flight from St. Louis, Missouri to Houston, Texas.  It was Fall and the temperature had begun dropping.  That being the case, I was dressed like a typical college student at that time of year: sweatpants and a hoodie.  After taking my seat, a middle-aged white woman sat next to me.  Little did I know what I was in for.

Over the course …

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Why your child should have a black, male doctor

Conditions and diseases

Remembering the age of polio

“Polio. I’ve seen polio.” Last night, I was speaking with one of the most experienced pediatricians I’ve ever met, Dr. Jack Burstiner. I’ve known him for 50 years. I would have known him even longer if I had been born…

“Polio. I’ve seen polio.”

Last night, I was speaking with one of the most experienced pediatricians I’ve ever met, Dr. Jack Burstiner. I’ve known him for 50 years. I would have known him even longer if I had been born earlier. He lived in my neighborhood, two doors down. He was my pediatrician.

Jack is almost 90 years old. But he still looks like a pediatrician. He’s got a smile a child …

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Remembering the age of polio

Conditions and diseases

10 things a pediatric oncologist wants you to know

1. Cancer is not rare. Technically, childhood cancer is rare compared to adult cancer, but it’s not as rare as you think. Outside of my work, I can think of 3 people who I know personally that had a childhood…

1. Cancer is not rare.  Technically, childhood cancer is rare compared to adult cancer, but it’s not as rare as you think.   Outside of my work, I can think of 3 people who I know personally that had a childhood cancer.  A teammate on my high school basketball team, my sister-in-law, and a high school debate teammate.   My guess is that you also know someone from church, a coworker’s …

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10 things a pediatric oncologist wants you to know

Conditions and diseases

Being a mom doesn’t make you a medical professional

4

As a mom to two little girls, I understand the lure of online forums. With so many accessible tools — including Google, Instagram, and online support groups like Facebook groups — before a parent brings their child to the doctor,…

As a mom to two little girls, I understand the lure of online forums. With so many accessible tools — including Google, Instagram, and online support groups like Facebook groups — before a parent brings their child to the doctor, they will inevitably first post their inquiry online.

They post a picture: “What’s this rash?”

Or they’ll write: “My baby has had a fever of 135-degrees! Do I need to take her …

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Being a mom doesn’t make you a medical professional

Physician voices

Perils of a postpartum pediatrician

2

During my first pregnancy, I frequently dreamt of my baby. I couldn’t remember the details of facial features or hair color, but I always knew that I was going to have a girl. Three years passed after Claire was born,…

During my first pregnancy, I frequently dreamt of my baby. I couldn’t remember the details of facial features or hair color, but I always knew that I was going to have a girl.

Three years passed after Claire was born, two more heartbeats were identified and then lost somewhere deep within my abdomen. On two occasions, I watched blood seep from my body and stain my clothing, realizing that I didn’t …

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Perils of a postpartum pediatrician

Physician voices

Inner-city teens still have a dream

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I see their eyes light up as they smile, and get prepared to answer this very important question. For some of them, it is the only smile I have seen…

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I see their eyes light up as they smile, and get prepared to answer this very important question. For some of them, it is the only smile I have seen during the entire visit. And for me that makes the entire visit worth it.

I move my eyes away from the computer and solely focus on their face as I hear …

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Inner-city teens still have a dream

Physician voices

With every hardship comes ease

“Where is my baby?” I awoke upset that my belly, which hours before was bulging through my doctor scrubs, had surprisingly been flattened. No one had asked for my permission to deliver my baby. They told me he was delivered…

“Where is my baby?” I awoke upset that my belly, which hours before was bulging through my doctor scrubs, had surprisingly been flattened. No one had asked for my permission to deliver my baby. They told me he was delivered emergently — at 32-weeks gestation — to save both our lives.

I was a third-year pediatric resident, the senior for the pediatric ICU, on the night of my son’s birth. My …

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With every hardship comes ease

Physician voices

Medical office design matters

3

Fresh out of residency and having just turned 29 years old, I started my first job as a general pediatrician in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. One of the first official tasks of my new position involved picking out brand new…

Fresh out of residency and having just turned 29 years old, I started my first job as a general pediatrician in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. One of the first official tasks of my new position involved picking out brand new office furniture for my private windowed office which was housed along the perimeter of the multi-specialty clinic I had joined. I went with a blond L-shaped desk and shelf unit …

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Medical office design matters

Physician voices

Primary care pediatrics is more than medicine : It is a calling

I have been working in pediatric primary care for nearly 5 years post-residency and truly love my work. I currently am dealing with very painful post-herpetic neuralgia and many people with this quit working. At some personal cost, I have…

I have been working in pediatric primary care for nearly 5 years post-residency and truly love my work. I currently am dealing with very painful post-herpetic neuralgia and many people with this quit working. At some personal cost, I have continued my practice because I find my work day so rewarding I simply can’t imagine not being a practicing pediatrician.

On a given day I might see a newborn fresh from …

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Primary care pediatrics is more than medicine : It is a calling

Physician voices

The story of a new physician mother

My baby was crying non-stop as soon as we got her home. She tried to latch and did well, but I had no way of knowing how much nutrition she was getting. I counted the diapers, and the numbers were…

My baby was crying non-stop as soon as we got her home. She tried to latch and did well, but I had no way of knowing how much nutrition she was getting. I counted the diapers, and the numbers were just barely on track, and she was making small quantities. I was trying to Google more tips with one hand and nurse her with the other. She was suffering, and …

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The story of a new physician mother

Physician voices

We’re doctors, but we’re humans too

We are human, we are not indestructible. We have feelings and emotions that can get hurt, probably more than the average person based on the careers we have chosen. Yes, we will pass up on our well-being (such as sleep,…

We are human, we are not indestructible. We have feelings and emotions that can get hurt, probably more than the average person based on the careers we have chosen. Yes, we will pass up on our well-being (such as sleep, hygiene, exercise, relationships with family and friends) to be there for our patients. To receive our critical training to be able to care for others. This is our sacrifice, and …

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We’re doctors, but we’re humans too

Physician voices

Why this physician quit her job

So last week, I did the bravest thing I have done in a very long time — I quit my job. Yes, I put in my 60-day notice. This was my dream job post service in the U.S. Air Force.…

So last week, I did the bravest thing I have done in a very long time — I quit my job. Yes, I put in my 60-day notice. This was my dream job post service in the U.S. Air Force. I had dreamed of working in this establishment for months before my service time was up. I could not have been happier when I joined their team, a group practice …

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Why this physician quit her job

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