Charting Pediatrics

A question that commonly presents to those of us in primary care is what role dairy should play in a child's diet. Rich in nutrients and health benefits, most dairy products are key components for building and maintaining strong bones. Today, we are going to be discussing both the blessings and the challenging implications dairy can have on a child's health. Today, I am happy to be speaking with m...

Many children struggle with certain behavior challenges such as aggression, impulsivity, and poor listening skills. Although this is normal for a typically developing child, over 90% of children with Down Syndrome experience one or more behavioral problems on a weekly or daily basis. These behaviors not only impact the child, but also can become major stressors for parents and caregivers. In this...

Each year hundreds of children are listed for liver transplants across the United States. Whether these children have chronic liver disease or acute liver failure, too many children spend months or even years waiting for an organ. Historically, deceased organ transplants have been the most common type of organ donation. However, the outcome for many children with chronic liver disease is to experi...

Many people view mental and physical health as two separate and unrelated issues. However, there are many intersections between the two. For example, it is not uncommon for children and adolescents to develop and experience emotions as physical symptoms. Children who experience Somatic Symptoms, or SSRDs, account for 10-15% of medical visits to primary care providers. Today, we are going to be tal...

Children these days face a myriad of social pressures. Kids come from different homes and backgrounds. They grow at different rates. They walk, talk, and act differently. This diversity and individualism can be something to embrace, but often leads to insecurities about being different and not fitting in socially. These insecurities can have detrimental effects on the mental health of kids during...

Happy Holidays from the Charting Pediatrics team! 

In past episodes of Charting Pediatrics, we have discussed the health equity challenges that organizations and healthcare systems face and the importance of a diverse workforce. Differences such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status are all associated with the disparities we see in health care systems each day. An important step to help providers close this gap, starts within healthcare profes...

About 14 out of every 1,000 healthy infants born full term develop a fever during the ages 8 days to 60 days old. While most fevers do not lead to severe illness, it can be challenging to immediately identify the cause of a baby's fever and identifying infants who may be at risk for developing serious bacterial infections. In this episode, we will discuss the updated AAP guidelines for well-appear...

Data from multiple countries have shown an uptick in eating disorder presentations in youth during the pandemic. Here in Colorado, we have certainly seen an increase in medically unstable eating disorder patients admitted to the hospital. As part of our series this year on mental health today we will focus on disordered eating, which encompasses a spectrum of different problems in children. I am j...

In our series, the Resident Files , we feature the thoughts and work of talented pediatric residents here in Colorado and around the country. The section on pediatric trainees has implemented several initiatives into making pediatrics a more diverse and inclusive workforce. This group is working towards achieving child health equity in a global sense. The equity, diversity, and inclusion work grou...

Although Acute Appendicitis(AA) is the most common acute surgical conditions encountered by children, multiple aspects of the approach to management of AA remain well debated. Despite recent advancements in management, including scoring systems, imaging, antibiotics, the variations in management options, from appendectomy to a laparotomic approach to non-operative management (NOM) remain topics of...

Today, a vast majority of teenagers and adolescents dedicate their time to athletics. In fact, nearly 8 million students participate in high school sports. With the increasing popularity of club sports, most kids are practicing and playing their dedicated sports year-round. Participating in organized sports allows kids to become a part of a team and improves both physical and mental health. Howeve...

It is no surprise that more and more kids are experiencing stress and anxiety. With the recent current events including COVID-19, these last few years have been stressful for everyone. As kids get older and begin to take on more responsibility and experience more changes in life, stress becomes more apparent. Today we are going to talk about strategies that provider can incorporate into clinic, th...

Today's episode is underwritten by Transamerica, a proud supporter of Charting Pediatrics and Children's Hospital Colorado. Transamerica is committed to helping improve the overall wellness within all communities. Their partnership supports the urgent need in our community of pediatric mental health. Thank you Transamerica. When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, it is important for the...

Getting your tonsils out used to mean spending a few days in the hospital and getting ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, or T&A, is the second most common childhood surgery performed. It is important for pediatricians to have a detailed understanding of indication for referral, pre- and post-surgical management, and how this procedure has evolved over time...

Approximately 35 to 45 million youths, 6 to 18 years of age, participate in some form of athletics. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of the lives of children and families, including youth sport activity. As children present for health supervision visits and preparticipation physical evaluations, parents and athletes likely will ask questions about how best to ensure safety when cons...

Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revised clinical guidelines on hyperbilirubinemia and how to treat infants born at at least 35 weeks. Although it is common for many newborn infants to experience jaundice, it is important for physicians and primary care providers to understand and monitor newborn babies to ensure they don't develop hyperbilirubinemia.  In this episode, we are goi...

Primary care providers and Pediatricians play a vital role in the identification, prevention, and management of pediatric mental health. With the increased need for mental health services and limited access to resources, early detection is a crucial first step. On this episode, we are going to discuss the importance of routine mental health screenings and the tools and resources primary care provi...

In the early 1950's, Polio was one of the most unknown and feared disease in the United States. According to the CDC, polio caused hundreds of thousands of cases of paralysis before the development of a vaccine. Since the vaccine, there have been no new cases, until now. In addition, we are seeing the continued spread of another virus that can cause paralysis, Enterovirus D68. Today we will talk a...

Toilet training is a natural milestone that many children master by the age of 3. Although accidents are bound to happen from time to time, consistent day time wetting may be linked to a more serious medical condition. On average, daytime wetting, or Diurnal enuresis, happens in about 3-4% of children and is commonly associated with dysfunctional voiding. Today, we are going to unpack some of the...

It is not uncommon for newborn babies to have slight imperfections in their heads. Most of the time, these imperfections will fix themselves over time, or once they begin to develop. However, sometimes a more serious diagnosis will require medical interventions. Craniosynostosis is a condition where a baby's skull begins to fuse together too early. This occurs at birth or shortly after and if not...

The youth mental health crisis in America is not a new problem. The pandemic drove unprecedented numbers of kids to seek care at all levels and really brought this to the public's attention. In 2021, to highlight the mental health crisis in the United States, the surgeon general's office issued the Youth Mental Health Advisory. Today, as we begin our season 6 focus on mental health with our Charti...

Since 2020, life as we know it has been turned upside down. Every person has had to deal with the repercussions of the global COVID-19 pandemic in their own individual ways. Pediatrics is no different. Pediatrics has changed immensely over the last few years, and as we emerge from the pandemic, many people are anticipating the "normal" of life to come back.  However, it is important to understand...

Sleep is an essential function that is vital to the health and well-being of every individual y et millions of people either neglect or have trouble sleeping. Sleep issues in kids are among the most common problems that parents report when visiting their Primary Care provider. In fact, 20% of all children suffer from some type of sleeping problem. In today's episode, we are going to discuss common...

When our pediatric and adolescent patients are diagnosed with cancer or another life-altering conditions, the focus is often on treatment and not the changes chemotherapy, radiation and surgery may have on their body's long-term function. In this episode, we are joined by Leslie Appiah, MD to discuss the innovative topic of fertility preservation for pediatric and adolescent patients -- both at ca...