“You find joy that people are doing better because of what you did for them.” #BornToHeal
Courtesy of the American Medical Association (AMA).
This resident’s childhood friend inspired him to help other children as a physician
For many, American football is a beautiful game that is simple to enjoy but complex to master. Choreographed with a mixture of artistry and brutality, it features the occasional “big hit” or bone-jarring tackle, forcing a fumble and turning the tide of the game.
But with this part of football comes justified concern about the long-term health effects of engaging in this type of activity over time, concerns that abound in …
Concussions and CTE are more complicated than even the experts know
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 …
Why a pediatrician does what he does: Lessons from Caleb
I am a child psychiatrist who is also a patient, a mother of patients and the wife of a patient. I have lived all sides of health care and appreciate the complexity that is our American health care system. After a recent move to a different part of town, we decided to find a new pediatrician for our daughters.
I knew that we had several good options near our home. When …
A letter from a parent to her child’s pediatrician
I’ve had some of the most wonderful experiences of my entire medical training working with kids and their families. And this, to me, is not surprising. After all, I envisioned myself as a pediatrician long before I ever entered medical school.
However, I remember that more frequent news of declining vaccination rates at one point temporarily gave me pause: What would it be like to take on the tremendous responsibility of …
Why the anti-vaxxer label makes this medical student uncomfortable
Last night, my son was reading a book that was required summer reading for 6th grade. This book was published over 30 years ago. When he got to a sentence that used the word “retard,” he stopped and innocently asked, “Mom, what does that word mean?”
At first, I was shocked that he did not know the meaning, but as I thought about it more, I realized this term was no …
Food allergies are frightening, not funny
I had the pleasure of traveling to Rochester, Minnesota for a wedding this summer. Minnesota is home to more people from Somalia than any other state. My home of Columbus, Ohio is also a hub for people from Somalia. As a pediatric resident, I take care of Somali-American children and work with Somali American healthcare providers every day.
It was surreal, then, to set foot in a state recovering from a …
Minnesota and measles: Andrew Wakefield targets refugees
Charlie Gard was a one-year-old boy who had a rare genetic disease leaving him blind, comatose, and unable to breathe on his own. This metabolic disorder can be fatal and has no known cure.
Charlie’s parents wanted him treated with experimental drugs in the hope that a miracle would happen. As reported in the press, the British medical and legal community considered this care futile and blocked …
Planning for the end of life: What baby Charlie can teach us
Just as summer is in full swing, the back-to-school advertisements are running. This time of year can be exciting for many — the first day of elementary school, high school or college. For the rest of us, we try to be lifelong learners: learning from our successes and failures, learning from others and if we are lucky learning by reading.
Reading is a skill learned in the early school years. Children …
Literacy is a health care problem no one talks about
We in the medical community believe wholeheartedly in the prevention of all illness, especially by vaccination. Science and history continue to show that vaccination dramatically decreases both the mortality (death rate) and morbidity (severity of illness) of infectious diseases. And, more than 98 to 99 percent of the general population (non-medical) agrees with those statements as well.
Yes, it is absolutely frustrating when parents refuse to follow our advice and protect …
Why pediatricians should not kick out unvaccinated children
At 3 1/2 years old, my son was the picture of health. I have an actual picture. He is in jammies, wearing my sunglasses, laughing and chalk coloring the driveway while the sun is shining on his blond hair. That picture frequently flashes in my mind. I posted it on Facebook, my happy, healthy boy. There was no warning and nothing to prepare me for the months ahead.
First, it was …
How Frozen saved my son in a way medicine couldn’t
I struggle with customer service. I truly never anticipated that it would be such a big part of my career. I never fathomed that it would be something that I struggle with on a daily basis. Well, honestly it does not happen every day and does not occur at every facility that I work at. Yet, it happens often enough that it has affected where I work, how I interact …
A physician struggles with customer service. Can she still be a good doctor?
We cannot let the anecdote rule over us. We don’t make sound policy if we are swayed by isolated emotional vignettes. Of course, a vignette describes a living, breathing human being, but we must consider the greater good, the overall context and the risk of letting our hearts triumph over our heads when making general policy. Consider these examples.
If an expensive drug treatment program keeps five addicts clean for six …
The risk that genetic engineering will be used to achieve non-medical results
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“I think my friend has attempted suicide” an 11-year-old child haltingly admitted after I introduced myself as a crisis counselor with a national hotline and asked how I could help.* Over the next half hour I learned that this child and her friend had been facing ongoing cyber- and face-to-face bullying at school that was such a common occurrence the caller sounded nonchalant. The caller’s friend, however, had already attempted suicide at least …
How the show 13 Reasons Why can help you in the exam room
I sit in my living room at the end of a long day. I open my laptop to complete the day’s clinic notes. I look up to see my daughter busy painting (she’s two years old, so less than half the paint is going on the coloring book and most is being smeared over her hands and feet). I hear the distant clatter of dishes as my husband loads the …
Here’s how being a parent changes you as a physician
Even after all this time, the phone calls aren’t always easy to make.
“Hi, Mrs. Smith, this is Dr. Kass at camp, don’t worry, everything is OK.” I usually get that out in one breath, then immediately transition to concrete details. “It’s a finger. It might be broken.” It doesn’t matter if I’m calling about a cough, a fever or a bite from the camp pet pig — I know that …
Being a camp doctor is the most rewarding physician job I’ve ever had
In the spirit of World Breastfeeding Week, I want to highlight all we can about breastfeeding; why it’s great for you and your baby, some ways to make it easier, and how to manage common challenges.
But one challenge that often gets ignored in the offices of doctors and lactation consultants is the issue revolving around the ethics of breastfeeding. That is, addressing uncomfortable questions like these:
Let’s talk about the ethics of breastfeeding
I just wanted to let you know that we’re fighting for your kids. Because, whether you realize it or not, they are in danger.
You usually see us in the office, or maybe making rounds in the hospital. We decorate our offices with bright colors and sea creatures, and we give your kids stickers when they’re cooperative (and even when they aren’t). In general, we’re a pretty friendly bunch.
We’re people — …
Dear parents: We’re fighting for your children
My wife and I married in our mid-thirties. Over the next five years, we had three sons. When our boys were young, we had no real desire to go anywhere or do anything unless it involved our family. Traveling and entertainment were a low priority unless it involved a Disney character, the Power Rangers and the like. My serious passions such as hunting and fishing were put on hold until …
Don’t be one of those sports parents
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, overwhelmed parents and patients are often laser-focused on the path to cure. Even though parents do not welcome pain or discomfort for their child, they may feel that symptoms are a necessary cost of curative care. Likewise, it is easy for us, as pediatric oncologists, to accept symptoms and side effects of treatment as normal. Important new research challenges this assumption and challenges …
We must address young patients’ pain and suffering from the start of their cancer journey
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