Musculoskeletal pain in the lower extremity is very common in children. By observing your child, providing your pediatrician a complete history and arranging for a thorough physical examination the right decision can be made about what tests and evaluations are necessary to assess and diagnose the pain. Common causes include traumatic strains, sprains, dislocations and […]
Eye and vision examinations are important and need to be included in newborn and subsequent well child health supervision visits. If an infant or child is at high risk for a problem they need to be seen by a pediatric ophthalmologist or an ophthalmologist experienced in the care of children. At risk children include those […]
Foodborne illness is a major problem. Over 40 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the US each year and most of the cases do not require seeing a doctor. Most of the episodes resolve with routine measures including drinking adequate fluids and changing your solid food intake to a complex carbohydrate diet for several […]
This is a type of diarrhea that is chronic and non-specific. It is often called chronic non-specific diarrhea (CNSD). It is felt to be due to a problem with intestinal absorption. The onset of symptoms is typically between 6 and 30 months. The diarrhea is often increased by the ingestion of fruit juice. On occasion […]
This is an immune mediated disease that is due to exposure to gluten protein found in barley, wheat and rye. It can begin at any time from infancy to adulthood. Children commonly begin to have symptoms 6-24 months after the introduction of gluten into their diet and should be considered in the evaluation of any […]
Infants frequently have bowlegs and as they age into early childhood they develop knock knees. The development of bowlegs during late childhood is unusual and often is associated with load bearing sports participation. Although physical activity is healthy the participation in certain sports that stress the lower skeleton of children can lead to knee changes […]
Children often avoid taking medication due to the taste, aftertaste, smell or texture. Some medications are bitter or gritty and this is a problem for many children. As children age their number of taste buds decrease and their emotional preferences for foods and flavors change. Most children prefer sweet tasting substances. The addition of sweeteners […]
These are two words no parent wants to hear. Head lice infections are common and each year between 6 and 12 million US children between the ages of 3 and 11 years are infested with head lice. Household members of these preschool and school aged children are also at risk for infestation. The biggest concern […]
If your child has sleep disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea with a history of restless sleep, snoring, gasping and sleep pauses your child will be referred to an ENT for a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy evaluation. A sleep study is usually not needed. Adenoid enlargement alone may be the cause of obstructive symptoms. Often a […]
A tonsillectomy is commonly performed to improve breathing and decrease sings of upper airway obstruction. Common signs include restless sleep, neck arching during sleep, snoring and difficulty swallowing chunky foods. It is also helpful for children who suffer from recurrent episodes of pharyngitis. The potential benefits of a tonsillectomy, usually in combination with an adenoidectomy, […]
