Charting Pediatrics

Suicide is the second l eading cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults ages 10 to 24. Roughly 7 % to 8% of adolescents attempt suicide each year and 17% report significant suicidal ideation. However, while so many kids are affected, diagnosing them isn' t so simple. "We know the numbers have climbed significantly. If you look at the trends, we'r e probably nearly doubl e what we...

One goal in our healthcare improvement is to achieve  equitable access to high quality emergency care for kids, regardless of where that child is physically located . Children have unique characteristics and needs , especially in the emergency setting, and the reality is that not all kids have access to specific pediatric care . In fact, 80% of children receive emergency care in general emergency...

2023 has been an impactful year. We kicked it off by c ontinuing to cover topics under our mental health series. The rise of teen substance abuse and addiction, the intersection between physical and mental health, as well as depression and other mood disorders are just a few of the topics we dove into. Season 6 wrapped up by discussing the trauma and care around gun violence and highlighting some...

In 2021, federal rules from the 21 st Century Cures Act mandated that most clinical notes be made available in real-time, online and free of charge to patients. This practice , commonly known as "open notes , " was a significant step towards enhancing medical information transparency –– a vital step in reinforcing trust in the provider-patient relationship. However, it also introduced complexities...

Vaccines are so successful that many people have never seen the diseases they prevent, resulting in misperceptions that vaccines are not needed. While anti-vaccination sentiment and misinformation increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, about 88% of Americans still say they feel the overall benefits of childhood vaccines outweigh the risks. Communicating vaccine science to the public is even more...

For most of our careers, our treatments for genetic - based diseases have been supportive, not curative. Our medication recommendations for patients have been based on the expected response of the average individual , but as experts explain, these practices are going to change fast. We are on the cusp of a revolution for two main reasons. First, the ability to understand one's unique genetic profi...

Our medical community stretches far and wide , with experts that wear many hats. One prevalent group making an impact on the future of childhood medicine is our pediatric trainees. In 1989 , the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) founded the Section on Pediatric Trainees with a goal to empower and enable pediatric trainees to be strong leaders and advocates for the health and well-being of child...

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is one of the most common causes of childhood respiratory illness, resulting in annual outbreaks among all age groups. In the United States, an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 children , the majority of whom are under 6 months of age, are hospitalized each year. Approximately 100 to 300 kids die from this infection each year. RSV is the single most common cause of deat...

    The preteen and teenage years are taxing and have become increasingly difficult for a multitude of reasons. This is a part of the patient population that pediatricians really worry about. Part of the angst of this time of life has always been the changes that occur to kids' bodies as they grow –   p articularly for young girls . T his experience is different as they experience menarche , the o...

We live in a country where medical experts are breaking barriers and changing outcomes on a daily basis, so it's always exciting when we get to celebrate one of our own. Recorded at the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D . C. , this episode honors David Keller, MD, who was recently named the recipient of the 2023 AAP Job Lewis Smith Award....

In the United States, 77% of vector-borne diseases are transmitted by ticks and numbers have increas ed dramatically in recent decades.  While Lyme disease may be the most common in the country, with an estimated 475,000 new cases each year, there are many other vector-borne diseases affecting people every day.   Information is constantly shifting related to current and predicted changes in the ep...

For parents expecting a newborn, their top priority is bringing a healthy baby into this world. But it's not just their responsibility while their baby is in the womb. As newborns, important screenings are changing health outcomes. Over 98% of U . S . newborns are screened for hearing loss and about 6,000 U . S . infants born are identified early with a permanent hearing loss. In all 50 states and...

We have listeners all over the world, many of whom are  Spanish - speaking . Did you know we have a sister podcast, Pediatras en Línea ? It stands out as one of the only podcasts in Spanish that focuses on medical education . About two and a half years ago , Pediatras en Línea launched and became a critical resource for pediatricians all throughout the U . S . and Latin America. Fast forward to to...

Miracles happen every day and  it's an honor when we can celebrate them. This year marks the 60 th anniversary o f the start of newborn screening in the United States. Th e program identifies infants with specific genetic conditions that are asymptomatic at birth and ensures they can receive prompt, lifesaving medical interventions. Over its lifespan, th e program has saved countless lives. New re...

During the 2022-2023 admission cycle, about 22,700 students enrolled in medical school in the United States. In this country alone, we have 154 medical schools offering an MD program. Many of these schools are actively working to incorporate modern learning principles into their structure. It's all a part of a larger goal to align the forces affecting the delivery of care with educational prioriti...

The relationship between a child and their furry friend is a very special one, especially when that relationship benefits their physical and mental health. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that animal - assisted therapy helps children cope with and heal from health problems. In addition, we know that interacting with a gentle, friendly pet can decrease pain, reduce anxiety, and encourage co...

In the United States, nearly 68 million people speak a language other than English at home. That number has virtually tripled over the last three decades. As our country continues to experience this soaring growth, qualified medical interpreters are becoming more essential to improving health outcomes and achieving health equity goals. Patients with hearing loss or limited health literacy may also...

Our pediatricians hear it time and time again: "My child is a picky eater." Many times, it starts when kids are young, which naturally creates worry for parents. "It's so innate in us that parents want to feed their children," Dr. Dan Nicklas, our host, says. Researchers looked at the habits of children between 4 and 9 years old and found that because picky eaters don't tend to grow out of it, par...

For many practicing doctors today, advancements in science currently unfolding seemed futuristic during their years of training. Fetal care and in utero surgery are at the forefront of these advancements. Specifically, over the last 50 years, growth of maternal-fetal medicine and the importance of fetal care centers have grown exponentially. Medical evolutions have paved the way for specialists to...

Welcome back to another exciting season of Charting Pediatrics! For our long-time listeners, we are thrilled to have you back , and for anyone new to our audience, we couldn't be more excited that you've joined us. In this first episode of Season 7 , we dive into the world of Type 1 d iabetes (T1D) . Did you know that one in 300 individuals under the age of 20 is affected by this condition? O ur g...

It's time to jump back into the ever evolving world of pediatrics. On this new season of Charting Pediatrics, one of the top 5 pediatric podcasts in the world, we expand our horizons, discuss cutting edge research and cover hot topics among the medical community. Season 7 will push new boundaries, answer lingering questions and take us on the road for in person interactions. Get ready for August 2...

In this episode, we discuss food allergy, a very important topic for the general pediatrics community . Matthew Greenhawt , MD, joins us for this d iscussion as an expert in pediatric allergy and a leader of pioneering international studies looking at how we treat life - threatening food allergies in kids.   Guest:   Dr. Matthew Greenhawt specializes in p ediatric a llergy and i mmunology and is t...

Imagine y ou have a new 13-year-old patient in your practice. When you perform a return - to - school physical examination , you notice healed linear cutting marks on both of their wrists. The remainder of your exam is normal. In light of this finding, what are your next steps? What questions should you be asking the family and the patient , and what should you be concerned about today?    As part...

The important but ever-elusive goal of work-life balance is still more out of reach for women than men. Studies of home workloads for physicians indicate that the bulk of the nonprofessional work at home still falls to women. As a result, female physicians experience more work-family conflict than their male counterparts. This dynamic can lead to decreased job satisfaction, fewer women seeking pro...

The gut microbiome is a fascinating area of human health that we just start ed to better understand in the last two decades. With the arrival of PCR sequencing and advanced PCR techniques, we've been able to characterize the microbiome by looking at what organisms live there and how they vary by location and diet, as well as how the microbiome is influenced by things like exposure to antibiotics ....