Charting Pediatrics

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 ....

  One of the most concerning trends in child health is the increase in suicide rates over the last two decades in the United States. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in teenagers and young adults, and we should be alarmed both as pediatricians and citizens. We also need to ask questions about what this says about our society, what kind of promise and opportunity kids see for themselves...

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...

Sudden unexplained infant death, commonly known SUID, SIDS or crib death, affects approximately 3,400 infants each year. Sudden unexpected infant deaths usually occur when an infant is sleeping, and causes can include suffocation, unknown infection, ingestion and other unknown causes. Not only has there been minimal improvement in rates of sleep-related deaths over the past two decades, but racial...

In 2020, firearm injuries were the leading cause of death in Americans 18 years old and younger. There was a total of 3,230 children's deaths, of which 63% were homicide, 30% were suicide, 4% were unintentional injury, 2% were undetermined and 0.4% were legal intervention. Healthcare providers who interact regularly with parents and children are well - positioned to discuss evidence-based strategi...

No day is the same as the last when you work in pediatrics . Not only are viruses and public health outbreaks always changing, so are regulatory and administrative factors that impact pediatric healthcare and caring for patients. In this episode, we look at the ever-changing landscape of pediatrics , including the evolving trends in pay o r mix and common pediatric diseases including RSV, diabetes...

Sinusitis is a common viral or bacterial infection that causes swelling in the sinuses. Although some patients need prescription medication, often sinusitis can be triggered by allergies or the common cold. In general, s inusitis is overtreated with antibiotics. In the United States, there are five million antibiotic prescriptions for children and adolescents with acute sinusitis , and a round 65%...

Necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC, is a life-threatening illness with a mortality rate as high as 50% that almost exclusively affects neonates. The complex pathophysiology of NEC is based on an immature intestinal system that makes babies more susceptible to injury once they are fed. Ultimately, this can result in a breakdown of the gut, necrosis and then sepsis and death. There's still no known c...

An article published this spring reported that between 2008 and 2018, there was a 250% increase in suicide rates among 13- and 14-year-old youth in the United States across categories of gender, race and region. There are many factors that contribute to the startling suicide rates in the U.S., including the instability we experienced after the end of this study with the pandemic disrupting our liv...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we couldn't bring folks together to learn about and discuss important concepts in clinical medicine. Nationally, pediatrics board exam passage rates have been fall ing every year since 2019 , hitting its lowest point of just 80% in 2023. For this episode, we talk with a group of residents who saw conference attendance dwindl ing at their institution and use d Kotter's...

In the emergency department, sepsis is a common problem and often lands patients in the ICU. Although there are many reasons patients may develop sepsis, it's critical to diagnose and treat this condition in a timely manner . In today's episode, we discuss sepsis and the point at which delays in antibiotics delivery increases the risk of mortality .     Roni Lane , MD , works in the Division of Pe...

Pediatricians see an array of patients with unique and individual needs, and each child requires their own specialized and unique care plan. As the rate of children diagnosed with autism continues to increase, it's important that pediatricians adapt and tailor visits to the needs of their patients. In this episode, we discuss some of the simple changes primary care providers can make to ensure pat...

Today on the podcast, we are going to be doing something a little different. As pediatricians and health care professionals, we dedicate our lives and our careers to helping others. Day in and day out we spend our time making sure our patients receive the best care possible to live life to the fullest. Although this can be one of the most fulfilling careers out there, it can also be physically and...

As primary care providers, it's easy to assess a patient based on the symptoms and circumstances they present with when they walk in the door. However, patients who had adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may have psychological injuries from that trauma that are more difficult to recognize. These patients also have a lifelong risk for health problems. What if healthcare professionals changed thei...

Children spend the majority of their time either at home or at school. In the state of Colorado, most children spend over 180 days, or 1,080 hours, a year at school. With so much time spent in the school environment, pediatric healthcare workers can collaborate with school health professionals by sharing a child's medical history, allergies, and medications to ensure children are receiving the bes...

The transition from adolescent to adult care can often be a series of challenging obstacles for patients, families, and providers. This time of adjustment can be both overwhelming and difficult, especially for patients with congenital health conditions. Moving from a parent supervised visit to an independent patient model takes time and often takes a lot of discussion. In this episode, we are goin...