Pediatrics

A pediatrician’s reflections on resilience and rebuilding in Asheville after the hurricane

Physician
October 7, 2024

Reflections: Day 5

It’s a strange feeling to look down at my phone calendar and realize that nothing will be grayed out because it happened, but only because time keeps ticking.

It’s interesting and beautiful to watch my kids keep moving forward as the community around us is so devastated: playing music, rediscovering the joy that is reading, helping clean up the yard, making a game out of who does which chore …

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How can you not love being a pediatrician?

Physician
September 22, 2024

Working as a pediatrician offers a unique and unparalleled joy—a privilege shared among those who dedicate their lives to caring for children and supporting families. This summer, while working on a U.S. military base in Germany, I experienced this joy in its fullest form. Rather than my usual role of just seeing sick kids in an ER, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to serve as a primary care pediatrician. Whether …

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Why it’s so hard to admit when we don’t like our jobs

Physician
September 22, 2024

February 2017: Second day on service in months, and already I feel wiped. It’s exhausting. I feel that it is meaningful but so draining. And still, I’m not sure that I am even doing a good job.

A month later, I came home from a multi-level marketing (MLM) party at a colleague’s house, announcing my excited plans to embark on a new venture. I was going to start selling MLM skin …

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How I overcame the challenges of ADHD parenting: a physician’s story [PODCAST]

Conditions
September 18, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with family physician Emma Hostetter, who shares her deeply personal journey navigating the challenges of parenting a neurodivergent child with ADHD. Emma opens up about the emotional toll, the gaps …

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The dual demands of a PICU physician

Physician
September 18, 2024

A physician in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) requires vast medical knowledge along with emotional resilience. I always thought I had a strong sense of compassion for my patients and their families until I had my own baby 1.5 years ago. It completely shifted my perspective. I started to understand parental grief and fear on a personal level, which reshaped my approach to work.

Before having a baby, I was …

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How a pediatrician fights vaccine misinformation in a small town

Physician
September 16, 2024

When I took the final exam after years of pediatric training, hearing my professors say, “You are now qualified and equipped to manage a pediatric clinic; congratulations” was a deeply touching moment for me. I felt fortunate to experience the profound satisfaction of seeing my efforts to help children recognized and appreciated. With eager anticipation, I awaited the assignment to the place where I would begin my journey as a …

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How a doctor with cerebral palsy defied the odds and transformed health care

Physician
September 10, 2024

About midway through my pediatric residency program at a well-known children’s hospital on the East Coast in the mid-1990s, I found out what was wrong with me.

I told the chief of the pediatric emergency department, a Jewish woman, that I had finally learned the name of a device after I had patients use it many times. I knew what it was for, but I hadn’t learned its name. It was …

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A doctor’s journey in embracing her identity

Physician
September 3, 2024

I am the combination of two very different worlds—my mother is originally from El Salvador and Catholic, and my father is from Pakistan and Muslim. My parents are original trailblazers in my mind, creating a life together despite the unsure gaze of their respective families, who questioned the durability of their relationship, largely because they had never experienced one like theirs before. As a child and into adulthood, I felt …

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Many kids benefit from GLP-1s. What happens when they have to stop taking them?

Conditions
August 24, 2024

At the November 2022 Obesity Week in San Diego, it was clear something big was happening. A late-breaking session released results of the STEP TEENS phase IIIa trial, showing 16 percent weight loss in adolescents with obesity treated with once-weekly semaglutide (Wegovy) for 68 weeks. The side effects were manageable and similar to those experienced in adults: nausea, vomiting, and constipation.

A month later, semaglutide received FDA approval for weight management …

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The practice of delayed gratification in medical training: a double-edged sword

Physician
August 21, 2024

As I led small group sessions during our medical school’s recent orientation, I was struck by the nervous excitement and hope radiating from our new first-year students. Their enthusiasm was palpable yet tinged with apprehension about the challenging journey ahead. Two themes emerged from our discussions. The first was a desire to dive in and tackle challenges ahead. As one student stated, “Enough talking, let’s start doing.” The second was …

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Your baby is fine; her lips aren’t blue

Conditions
August 20, 2024

I remember these words as if it were yesterday. Those memories are etched into my mind forever. I can’t forget them, nor do I want to, because I know that these experiences are not unique to me but happen all too often.

When my second child was four days old, I had her home with me, surrounded by family. It had been a busy few weeks because, for this pregnancy, I …

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Battling burnout in pediatric intensive care [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 17, 2024
YouTube video

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We delve into the critical issue of physician burnout with Jillian Bybee, a pediatric intensive care physician. Jillian shares her firsthand experiences from the front lines of health care, discussing the unique challenges …

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Mediterranean diet boosts teen academic success

Conditions
August 14, 2024

In 2024, Chilean scientists reported their findings on interesting research. They investigated the correlation between adolescent academic achievement and eating style. The researchers studied over a thousand kids between the ages of ten and fourteen.

A portion of the kids enjoyed a balanced and healthy Mediterranean diet. When they used oil, it was most likely extra-virgin olive oil. They packed their plates with boatloads of vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts, and …

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Prevent youth suicide: essential steps for parents to secure their home

Conditions
August 13, 2024

This blog contains information about youth suicide which may be triggering for some readers. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal ideations, please seek attention from your own medical provider, call 988, or text 741741 for guidance and professional support.

As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I spent a fair share of my day speaking to parents about suicide prevention. Oftentimes, when a parent is thinking about how to …

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From Super Bowl to supermarket: How candy ads shape kids’ diets

Policy
August 12, 2024

A gummy candy shimmies on stage, dancing to Flashdance. The music swells; it pulls a chain and is showered in multi-colored candies. The ad, for Nerds Gummy Clusters, was one of dozens of food ads that 123 million people saw during the 2024 Super Bowl. While the nostalgic soundtrack entertained adults, the cartoon candies were engineered to appeal to a different audience: children.

And it …

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It’s time to pass federally mandated paid parental leave

Policy
July 25, 2024

“You’ve got some guts starting your residency pregnant!” I was that intern.

It was June 2011. A few months earlier, on Match Day—the day when the National Residency Matching Program releases results to applicants seeking residency in a specialty of their choice in the U.S.—I had found out that I’d gotten into my first-choice hospital residency program in pediatrics. I started my residency four months pregnant, and one of my attendings …

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Allyship in improving LGBTQ+ patient well-being [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 17, 2024
YouTube video

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Join pediatrician Uchenna Umeh as she shares her personal journey and professional insights on creating a more inclusive and affirming health care environment for LGBTQ+ patients. We delve into the challenges transgender individuals …

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How turning 50 and empty nesting sparked my academic surge

Physician
July 14, 2024

I can hear my husband chuckling from the cavern of journal piles and stacks of free conference tote bags he refers to as his home office. “I am looking at a graph of your publications,” he calls out to me as I putter around the house. An inauspicious start.

As I look over his shoulder at the laptop screen, he shows the tiny dot representing my singular publication—work I did as …

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GLP-1 medications for teens: Balancing weight loss and metabolic health [PODCAST]

Podcast
June 19, 2024
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

We’re joined by Karla Lester, a pediatrician and certified life and weight coach. Together, we explore the journey of Lizzie and her mother, Jackie, as they navigate the complexities of health, weight, and …

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Allyship in action: Supporting your LGBTQ+ patients

Physician
June 10, 2024

“Mom, when I walk in the room, all they see is a deviant Black man.”

Those were the words my transgender daughter said to me after a recent visit with her primary care physician. She felt like everyone was judging her, and the doctor acted like she had a contagious disease. He was also preoccupied with her name choice and whether she would be getting a “sex change” surgery, and he …

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