Infection & Disease
Measles Outbreaks – Why You Should Protect Your Child
Measles infection (also called rubeola) is caused by a Morbillivirus and is highly contagious. It is spread quickly and easily through respiratory secretions when a person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. It initially infects the respiratory tract but spreads to affect…
Symptoms of Illness: Cold vs Flu
When people describe an illness as “the flu” in my office, it can mean many things. A bad cold, influenza, a gastrointestinal illness. To medical providers, “the flu” always refers to an infection with the Influenza virus. On the contrary,…
Seizures in Children
A seizure occurs when the electrical signals in the brain become disorganized, causing a sudden temporary change in movement, awareness, behavior, and consciousness. They can occur quickly and without warning. The outward or visible manifestation of a seizure depends on…
Lead Exposure – Rare But Important
Heavy metals are a prominent part of our environment. These heavy metals include lead, mercury and arsenic. Unfortunately, most of them also have significant negative effects if ingested in large amounts, or even in smaller amounts that accumulate over time.…
Respiratory Syncytial Virus – Old Problem, New Solutions
Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, has long been a known cause of bronchiolitis in infants and children under age two. Bronchiolitis is an infection of the smaller airways of the lung. It can be caused by several different viruses, but…
Insects Love Summer, Too
The warmth of the summer months is something that is almost universally enjoyed by humans. Children play outside more and families spend more time together in outside activities. Unfortunately, it is also the time when we see the most exposure…
“My Tummy Hurts” – An Overview of Abdominal Pain in Children
Abdominal pain is a frequent complaint in the pediatric office. Children of nearly all ages will complain at some point of tummy aches, and the number of potential diagnoses for these visits is just as broad. Stomach pain in children…
Sudden Cardiac Arrest – When the Heart Stops
In January 2023, the sudden collapse and subsequent resuscitation on the field of NFL player Damar Hamlin brought to harsh light the uncommon phenomenon of sudden cardiac arrest in apparently healthy young athletes. It also brought confusion to many people…
