Primary Care Perspectives

How should a primary care physician evaluate neutropenia, and decide when it’s time to worry? Kandace Gollomp, MD, pediatric hematologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses: tips for evaluating a CBC with differential; absolute neutrophil count (ANC) parameters for mild/moderate/severe neutropenia; when to worry about increased risk of infection, both in previously well children and i...

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) have skyrocketed as a result of the ongoing opioid epidemic. Celina C.S. Migone, MD, attending neonatologist, CHOP at Einstein Montgomery, discusses inpatient management of NAS and NOWS, including a new scoring system (replacing the Finnegan) and a move away from pharmacologic management (morphine dosing), and how th...

The AAP recommends that infants get 400 IUs of vitamin D per day; fewer than 40% meet this guideline. Erica Schwab, RD, LDN, a clinical dietitian who supports the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses: why most babies, whether breast- or formula-fed, need vitamin D supplementation; how to know when to stop supplementation; good sou...

Anxiety disorders collectively are the third most common psychiatric condition in children. Katrina Fletcher, MD, psychiatrist, and Jason Lewis, PhD, psychologist, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, review: tools to screen and assess anxiety disorders; other diagnoses to consider in your differential or as co-morbidities; med...

Chalkin’ Your Walkin’ is a pandemic-era project to chalk inspirational messages on the South Street Bridge in Philadelphia, over which many healthcare workers walk and bike to work. The messages are created by Katie Woo Castelo, MSN, CRNP, a nurse practitioner in the Emergency Department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, with help from her kids. In this 15-minute episode, Castelo explains wh...

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, or FPIES, is a rare and different food allergy with a complex etiology and management.  Amy Dean, MPH, RD, CSP, LDN, clinical dietitian, Gayle Diamond, MD, attending gastroenterologist, Terri Brown-Whitehorn, MD, attending allergist, who all work together in the FPIES Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, provide a review. Their discussion incl...

One in 5 children will experience the death of a loved one before age 18. Consuelo Cagande, MD, Division Chief, Community Care and Wellness Program, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, reviews the difference between grief and mourning; how children may grieve differently and the William Worden stages, which may be more applicable than the Kubler-Ross model; “masked” somatic and behavioral symptom...

Symptoms tend to be worse in the morning. Approximately a quarter of cases present without pain. And erythema is not generally a sign. Jay Mehta, MD, MS, attending physician, Division of Rheumatology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, reviews juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. He discusses: questions for a useful history; what to look for...

Bridget Sullivan Garmisa, MSN, MS,CRNP, RD, a nurse practitioner and registered dietitian at a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia primary care practice, discusses: tips for helping parents deal with picky eaters; importance of role-modeling by parents; how to help parents with common household challenges, such as having time to prepare a healthful dinner; suggestions for breakfasts teenagers migh...

More and more pediatric healthcare systems are incorporating acupuncture for pain management and other purposes. Dr. Winona Chua, attending physician, Division of General Pediatrics, and Douglas McDaniel, licensed acupuncturist, Cancer Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discuss: a review of what acupuncture is, its history, and theories about why it is effective for some patients; why re...

Sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring and sleep apnea, affects up to 17 percent of youth, and the AAP recommends screening for it at every visit. Ariel Williamson, PhD, DBSM, psychologist, and Ignacio Tapia, MD, attending pulmonologist, of the Sleep Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, provide a review of high-risk populations for sleep-disordered breathing; how to screen for sle...

A team discusses a CHOP program called Picture This, in which colorful and interactive murals are used in primary care exam rooms to encourage parent-child interaction and facilitate care. Danielle Erkoboni, MD, primary care pediatrician, CHOP Care Network, Melanie Hoynoski, CCLS, STRS, child life specialist at CHOP, and Steve Wilmot, MSW, Associate Vice President of Primary Care, CHOP, talk about...

Did you know that if a new mom is suffering from postpartum depression, the chances are high that the new dad or partner may be struggling as well? David Levine, MD, pediatrician and board member, Postpartum Support International, discusses perinatal mood and anxiety disorders(PMADs) in dads, partners, and adoptive parents. Among the topics: prevalence and risk factors for postpartum depression an...

As children and teenagers return to summer activities and school sports, particularly after the pandemic down-time, injuries, including fractures, are on the rise. Brendan Williams, MD, attending pediatric orthopaedic surgeon, Sports Medicine and Performance Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses: physical exam findings that raise suspicion for fractures; the Ottowa Ankle Rules; cl...

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting about 80% of all teens. While some teens will only experience mild symptoms, others may develop scarring, hyperpigmentation and negative psychosocial effects. Amanda Shepard-Hayes, MD, an Attending Pediatrician specializing in dermatology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses the importance of recognizing and treating this condi...

Did you know that the pincers of head lice are perfectly suited to the caliber of children’s hair? And they need a blood-meal every 24 hours to survive? If you hate lice – and love puns – tune in for this discussion with Albert Yan, MD, pediatric dermatologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He reviews: the epidemiology of lice, including why they may be more common in certain types of hair;...

At what age should pediatricians worry if a patient hasn’t had their first period? How can they help patients manage chronic period pain? What is “period poverty” and how can doctors help? Shelby Davies, MD, a fellow in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses a variety of period-related topics, including: a review of the normal sequence of puberty and me...

Colleen Lukens, PhD, psychologist, and Sherri Cohen, MD, MPH, medical director, the Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discuss how their multidisciplinary clinic would manage this case, and review: some underlying causes for feeding disorders; common reasons for referral to the center; when an additional referral to GI might be appropriate; important feed...

Approximately 15% of school-age children and adolescents in the U.S. are thought to have an emotional or behavioral disorder, and nearly two-thirds receive no formal mental health care. Pediatricians are increasingly being called on to screen for and treat mental health problems. Billie Samantha Schwartz, PhD, a Psychologist in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Scien...

Parents often have questions about organic foods and environmental toxins such as BPA and phthalates. This conversation will help provide answers. Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, Jim G. Hendricks, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and author of “Sicker, Fatter, Poorer: The Urgent Threat of Hormone-disrupting Chemicals to Our Future...and What We C...

In celebration of the 100th episode of the Primary Care Perspectives podcast, Dr. Katie Lockwood welcomes a special guest, author Jessica Lahey, to discuss her most recent book, “The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence.” Lahey, whose perspective is informed by her own recovery from alcohol addiction and her experiences as a writing teacher and parent, writes for...

A baby who can’t sit up by 7 months of age. A “clumsy” child who struggles with tasks such as riding a bike. A teenager experiencing dizziness 2-3 months after concussion. What do these patients have in common? They may benefit from assessment for a vestibular disorder. Robert O’Reilly, MD, attending physician, Division of Otolaryngology, and director, Balance and Vestibular Program, Children’s Ho...

Ergonomics is the science of fitting a given environment to a person, to limit exposure to physical stressors that could lead to discomfort or injury. Ian Leahy, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with the Sports Medicine and Performance Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses: the basics of a good home set-up; whether to recommend a standing desk; advice to help parents avoid unnecess...

Matthew Elias, attending cardiologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses COVID-19’s impact on the heart and how it affects outpatient care for children who have recovered. Includes: a refresher on clinical symptoms of myocarditis, which vary by age and can be subtle; review of EKG findings with myocarditis (again, tricky); other cardiac effects of COVID; the potential for long-term ca...

Fifteen million children are exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in the U.S. every year, with 50% of those exposures severe. This podcast offers perspective from Kalena Brown, an advocate and mother whose primary care pediatrician helped her and her three children safely leave a domestic violence situation; Ashlee Lynn Murray, MD, MPH, attending physician, Emergency Department, Children’s H...