News

The new world of managed care has brought at least one good idea: We should try to find out if the things we do, particularly the things that cost money, really make a difference in the lives of our patients.

A 3-month-old girl is brought to your office with diarrhea, poor weight gain, and hair loss. She was thriving until a month ago, when her parents said she became chronically irritable and developed loose stools and a scaly rash on her face and in the diaper area.

The public (that is, the parents of our patients) has begun to take the prevention and quick treatment of infectious diseases for granted. Recent events, however, have demonstrated that we cannot rest comfortably on past successes, and we cannot allow people to be poorly informed.

A thorough but speedy evaluation is essential when examining a child with possible appendicitis. In ambiguous cases, CT--especially when performed with rectal contrast--is an excellent adjudicator.

As more and more kids participate in recreational and competitive sports, pediatricians must be able to recognize and treat infectious diseases that commonly plague athletes and to make sound decisions about when athletes may resume play.

You can help parents defuse homework battles by asking questions that uncover why the child is having problems, then suggesting an appropriate intervention. Our parent guide and other anticipatory guidance can go a long way toward heading off homework wars before they begin.

We've learned much about diagnosing, treating, and preventing Lyme disease in the two decades since it was first described in the United States. The recent introduction of an effective vaccine has raised new hope for control, but standard protective measures remain the mainstay in avoiding disease.

The public (that is, the parents of our patients) has begun to take the prevention and quick treatment of infectious diseases for granted. Recent events, however, have demonstrated that we cannot rest comfortably on past successes, and we cannot allow people to be poorly informed.

A spoonful of sugar, Healthy people 2000: A report, Quality child care, AAP goes head to head with the generic drug industry--and wins, Breastfeeding tragedy: The last act; Eye on Washington

For many children, allergic rhinitis is not just a seasonal misery but a persistent condition that can adversely affect overall health. Recognition and effective treatment are the keys to minimizing complications.

Are self-regulation techniques, not pills, the best way to prevent and manage migraine and tension-type headaches? In many cases, this practitioner believes, the answer is Yes.

This electronic wizard can help you make an unusual diagnosis, generate management guidelines, or locate a support group more quickly and easily than any other resource in your office--if you understand a few basic principles.

Snake and spider bites occur frequently, but envenomations are rare. It's important to know when a bite is potentially serious. Here's how to recognize the signs and intervene appropriately.

Little girls and young women athletes will be teaching us a lot, if we'll just pay attention. We don't really know yet about all the ways athletics will affect the psyches and the physical health of our daughters and our female patients. What those girls and young women should know, however, is that we recognize that their bodies can help them succeed in ways never imagined.

Recognizing and treating an anaphylactic reaction are only part of managing this life-threatening condition. Equally important is preventing a recurrence by finding out what caused the episode.

Don't let the joys of summer be destroyed by the tragedy of drowning. Know how to manage this emergency and--better yet--how to teach parents about prevention.

Do you do a genital exam on your male adolescent patients? You should. These adolescent specialists demystify the process by teaching you where the landmarks are and what to look for.

Recognizing cerebral palsy in the first year of life has substantial benefits for both the infant and the family. Here are the risk factors and motor signs to look for.