Pediatric Dental Health: Navigating Halloween’s Candy Craze

Halloween – a time filled with costumes, fun, and, for kids, a seemingly endless supply of candy. While it’s an exciting season for children, it can be a challenge for nurse practitioners caring for pediatric patients. The increased sugar intake can lead to heightened risks of cavities and tooth decay. As nurse practitioners, it’s important not only to understand the dental concerns associated with Halloween but also to educate families on...

Read more

Pediatric Athlete Injury Prevention

Feel that in the air? Yep, it’s fall sports season! But let’s be honest – these days, it seems like youth sports never really stop. With year-long practices, seasons blur together, and before we know it, our kids haven’t taken a break from organized sports in ages. While the physical and emotional benefits of sports are undeniable, the demands on young athletes are higher than ever. 

Read more

Time Management Pearls for Clinicians: Optimizing Efficiency

As healthcare professionals, our days are filled with many tasks, such as patient encounters, documentation, and administrative work, not to mention keeping track of a household or family. Time management becomes crucial in ensuring that we provide quality care while maintaining our well-being. In this blog, we'll explore some valuable pearls for efficient clinical time management, and I’ll note some tips that have worked well for me.

Read more

Tongue-ties and Breastfeeding: What You Need to Know

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about six months, continuing breastfeeding for two years or longer as mutually desired by parent and infant. But with increasing diagnoses of tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) in recent years, conversations among pediatricians, lactation specialists, and parents have ramped up. So, what’s the deal with tongue-tie, and when does it really matter?

Read more

Introducing Practical Pharmacology: An Outpatient Audio Course

Nowhere is the gap between book learning and clinical practice quite so apparent as in the world of pharmacology. The best medication for Diagnosis X is Drug Y on the boards, but what about when your real-life patient is allergic to that medication? What if they can’t afford it? What if there’s a drug shortage?

Read more

Practical Pearls for Head Lice Management

As I walk into the classroom to pick up my young child from school, I am greeted with a battlefield of zombie-like bodies strewn across the colorful carpet. I quickly scoop my son up off the floor, but my heart begins to race, thinking about that communal carpet, and I can’t help worrying about the possibility of head lice… 

Read more

Drawing a Line: Boundaries in Pediatrics

Picture this: You’re sitting on a white sand beach, enjoying the breeze in your hair and the bright blue skies. You take a deep breath, about to breathe in some much-needed vacation vibes. Suddenly, your phone pings. It’s a message from work. Your patient has an issue and needs your help. 

Read more

The Schoolhouse Rock of Vaccines: From Concept to Clinic

Much like the classic "Schoolhouse Rock" episode, "I'm Just a Bill," we're here to explore how a vaccine goes from a brilliant idea to a lifesaving shot. In this discussion on Peds RAP, Sol and Dr. Paul Offit kicked things off with a playful nod to "I'm Just a Bill," reminding us of the catchy tune that taught us about legislative processes. But this time around, it's all about vaccines!

Read more

Don’t Bug Out! A Guide to Insect Bites & Prevention

Insect bites and stings are a common nuisance during warm summer months when people spend more time outdoors attracting insects with their body heat, sweat, and odor . While most bites and stings are harmless, it’s important to recognize the potential for severe medical conditions.   Here’s a breakdown of common insects and what you might expect from their bites or stings.

Read more

Baseball Season: Prime Time for Pediatric Eye Trauma

As a physician in the pediatric emergency department, I see a surge in sports-related injuries with the arrival of summer and baseball season. Baseballs (and sometimes bats!) have a particular affinity for finding the pediatric eyes that make their way to my hospital. The eyes are one of those “black box” organs with their own language and pathology. 

Read more

Clinicians Are Only Human

Recently, one of my primary care patients sent me a routine question through the electronic medical record, asking when they should get a specific blood test to guide their medication dosing. When an hour went by and I hadn’t responded, my patient called the front desk of our clinic to ask the question over the phone and inquire why I hadn’t written back. They also wrote me another message, voicing their disappointment that I hadn’t...

Read more

"I Messed Up"

In the high-stakes world of medicine, where every decision holds weight, the inevitability of human error can loom large over clinicians. It's a reality we all face, yet admitting our mistakes and grappling with their aftermath can be one of the most challenging aspects of our profession. How do we reconcile our desire for perfection with the reality of fallibility? How do we move forward gracefully and resiliently after making a clinical...

Read more