Search Results
You searched for emergencies
-
Blog
There are few things parents look forward to more than Christmastime. They can take a break from playing disciplinary bad-cop and simply threaten kids with Santa’s toy-withholding judgment. In the past, the mere mention of Santa got kids to behave....
-
Pregnancy
When you are pregnant and deciding where you want to deliver your baby, most expectant parents think about many of the same things: How close is the hospital to my house? Does the doctor or midwife I like deliver there? Have my friends had babies...
-
Pregnancy
-
Health
As a parent, it’s probably not news that most unexpected medical issues happen outside of your pediatrician’s regular business hours. And while your local emergency room is always open, it’s not always necessary to spend hours waiting in a busy ER....
-
Pregnancy
After giving birth to your baby, the placenta naturally separates from the wall of the uterus as it is no longer needed. However, this sometimes occurs before your baby is born. This premature separation of the placenta from the uterus is called...
-
Health
If your child has to be admitted to the hospital, you may assume your own pediatrician will take care of him or her. Many people are surprised to find out this may not be the case. An increasing number of hospitals are hiring hospitalists to take...
-
Blog
Millions of families rely on having an epinephrine autoinjector available for their child. Epinephrine is the only effective treatment for a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can occur from food allergies, venom allergies,...
-
Blog
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if your child got the measles? As pediatricians, I know my husband and I never did. Despite receiving medical training in different parts of the world, neither one of us had actually ever even seen a...
-
Parenting
While most young children are healthy, pediatric surgical procedures are fairly common and can be anxiety-provoking for families. Even for young children, it is important they are prepared for surgery in order to minimize their anxiety. While some...
-
Baby
As your little one nears the five-month mark, your pediatrician may have approached the subject of introducing solid foods into her diet. While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusively breastfeeding through the first six...
-
Health
In America, nearly 15,000 children are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes each year. While this disease puts a tremendous physical and emotional strain on children and their families, it also causes a significant financial burden on both the patient...
-
Health
Babyproofing and car seats are essential tools in keeping your infant safe, but the most dangerous part of your household is likely in your medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 70,000...
-
Health
Having a child with asthma can be downright scary. Oftentimes, your child’s symptoms worsen at night or when the doctor’s office is closed, leaving you to wonder when or if you should be offering treatment. This is where an asthma action plan comes...
-
Parenting
About every 8 minutes, a child under age 6 is given the wrong dose of medication, according to an October 2014 study in the journal Pediatrics. The medication mistakes typically involved younger children taking pain or cough medication. The...
-
Parenting
-
Parenting
Carbon Monoxide, or CO, is a color and odorless gas that is given off by gas- or oil-powered household appliances and cars. Unfortunately, CO is toxic when inhaled and causes over 450 deaths and tens of thousands of injuries annually in the United...
-
Health
Gas is a natural part of life for all people—but many babies seem to have more than their fair share. This is because babies swallow a lot air when crying, sucking on a pacifier, and eating. Their digestive tract also releases gas when breaking...
-
Baby
All new parents should obtain CPR certification, if possible. Infant CPR classes are generally inexpensive, and depending on where you live, you can find a convenient one through a local hospital, the American Red Cross, or your healthcare...
-
Health
Summer is a great time to be outside with the family, but when it comes to summer heat, there can be too much of a good thing. Heat waves—temperatures equal to or higher than the 95th percentile for a particular area and that last for at least two...
-
Health
Croup is a common childhood condition that causes swelling and inflammation of the upper airways, particularly the trachea and larynx. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the illness typically affects children between the ages of...
-
Health
Laryngotracheitis, otherwise known as croup, is a common upper respiratory illness of childhood. The condition usually affects children 6 months to 3 years old. Symptoms of croup usually include: a hoarse, dry, barking cough (sometimes described as...
-
Health
Your special needs child requires a babysitter who not only cares for everyday needs, but also is familiar with specific medical procedures and/or medication administration. In addition to many online babysitter finder resources, such as Care.com,...
-
Parenting
Which of your toddler’s toys do you think is the most dangerous? According to the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), toy vehicles account for more than 11,000 injuries every year, or 13 percent of all reported toy-related injuries,...
-
Health
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a condition that generally occurs in children as a result of infection from a toxic strain of bacteria called Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. This infection commonly begins as diarrhea (which is often bloody)....
-
Health
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate medical treatment before it turns life-threatening. It happens when your child’s immune system reacts to an allergen. Some allergic reactions can be mild, resulting in itchy hives....
-
Health
Reye’s syndrome is a rare but serious disorder that can result in the death of a child if it’s not recognized and treated early. Though the exact cause is unknown, Reye’s syndrome often occurs in children and teens who have taken aspirin to help...
-
Health
Meningitis, or inflammation of the protective membrane that surrounds the brain or spinal cord, ranges in severity from mild to a life-threatening emergency. Because of this wide range, it’s important to recognize the early symptoms of...
-
Pregnancy
Every expectant mom has her list of what to bring to the hospital when she has her baby. And while that list is certainly important (don’t forget the car seat!), sometimes what not to bring is just as important. 1. Anything valuable. Here’s the...
-
Pregnancy
Most times, the placenta — which is the organ that your body specifically grows to help nourish your developing baby — attaches to the wall of the uterus for the duration of your pregnancy and detaches within minutes of giving birth. Sometimes,...
-
Health
The sight of blood can be very frightening, both for a child and a parent. If your child is bleeding, the most important first step is to remain calm so you can figure out where the blood is coming from. The following first aid tips can help after...
-
Health
Many parents are surprised to hear that young children can suffer from appendicitis. The appendix is a small finger-like tube attached to the large intestine in the lower right side of the abdomen. If the opening to the appendix becomes blocked,...
-
Health
Children are notoriously prone to accidents, whether it is the 12-month-old wobbly walker or the 3-year-old who falls off a tricycle. Watching your little one tumble to the ground and hit their head with a loud “thud” is frightening,...
-
Health
Of all the congenital deformities affecting infants, abnormalities of the fingers and toes are among the most common. Two of the most common deformities include extra digits (polydactyly) and webbed digits (syndactyly). Extra fingers and toes occur...
-
Parenting
No secret agent–style mission is more important than ensuring your child is well cared for when you leave him or her with your babysitter. While in a perfect world you would love to trust your child’s caregiver, it’s understandable you may want...
-
Parenting
Gun safety should be a priority in any home that has both children and firearms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of firearm deaths among children younger than 13 in the US remains 25 times higher than the...
-
Baby
At five months, you may be asking yourself where the time went. By this age, so much has changed so quickly it can be hard to keep up. Where it used to be about colic and gassiness, now your baby may be rocking on his or her hands and knees,...
-
Baby
How do you know if your child has a fever? Feeling your child may give you an idea but is not a good way to determine how high the fever is. If you really want to know if your child has a fever, be sure to use a thermometer. How does a parent know...
-
Pregnancy
Many women are told that when they are admitted to the hospital in labor they will have restrictions on what they can eat and drink. Some are told they can only have ice chips, while others are allowed to drink liquids but are not given any solid...
-
Parenting
As a parent of a hospitalized child, you can’t avoid being stressed, however there are actions you can take to help make your stay less stressful and maybe even productive. Bring pen and paper to the hospital: Chances are you may see your child’s...
-
Pregnancy
In a perfect world, labor always goes smoothly and every mom is able to have a quick, painless vaginal delivery. The reality, however, is that sometimes issues arise during labor that make a C-section necessary. Furthermore, if a problem occurs...
-
Health
When you walk into your pediatrician’s office, you expect to see a receptionist, nurses, and of course, a couple doctors. But many pediatricians also work closely with pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs). These medical specialists are nurses who...
-
Pregnancy
A shoulder dystocia is a complication encountered at the time of vaginal delivery. This occurs when a baby’s head has delivered, but the shoulders are stuck in the birth canal and do not deliver using standard delivery technique. Complicating...
-
Pregnancy
-
Parenting
You’ve done everything possible to babyproof your house: crawled around on the floor to look for dangers, plugged all the sockets, put cushions on sharp corners, and gated off dangerous areas. But when it comes to the bathroom—a room full of...
-
Parenting
No parent wants to think about their child needing to be admitted into the hospital, but the reality is more than 3 million children in the US are hospitalized each year. If your child must spend time in the hospital, there are a few things you can...
-
Health
Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Children (and adults) who are diagnosed with bacterial meningitis are admitted into the hospital for treatment. At the hospital,...
-
Pregnancy
Despite planning otherwise, sometimes babies arrive a little too quickly! While the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists doesn’t endorse home births, you may find yourself going into labor before you even reach the hospital. Here’s...
-
Health
Each day, hour, minute, and second, your heart is beating to a regular rhythm that provides life-giving oxygen, blood, and nutrients to your body. If something occurs to disrupt the normal heart rhythm, the effects can be fatal. A sudden arrhythmia...
-
Pregnancy
Almost every pregnant woman notices swelling at some point in her pregnancy, whether it is in her feet, legs, hands, or face. It’s important to know that while most of the time this swelling is not a problem, there are a few signs you should not...
-
Pregnancy
-
Health
Many people think that strokes only affect the elderly. Stroke, however, can and does occur in children. In fact, statistics show that up to 13 children out of every 100,000 have suffered from the neurological event. Boys are slightly more likely...
-
Pregnancy
An amniotic fluid embolism, or AFE, is thankfully an extremely rare complication of birth. It only occurs in about 1 in 40,000 deliveries, but it can be deadly, with a 20 to 60 percent mortality rate. Here we will break down what it is and how it...
-
Health
Nosebleeds are very common in toddlers. While they can be downright messy at times, most nosebleeds are not a cause for concern. The nose has lots of vessels that provide a rich blood supply. When the lining of the nasal passage breaks down and...
-
Baby
A normal heart has a muscular wall known as the atrial septum that separates the organ’s upper chambers, or the left and right atria. If there is a defect in this wall, it’s known as an atrial septal defect. In a normal newborn’s heart, the heart’s...
-
Baby
From your diet to feeding issues, there are lots of reasons your baby might experience gas. Here are the top ten things you should know about infant gas (and a word of advice: don’t skip #9!).
-
Parenting
Access to toxic household substances is a serious problem. According to the Centers of Disease Control, over 300 children in the United States are treated each day in an emergency department, and two children die, as a result of being poisoned. 80...
-
Health
Tetanus, often called “lockjaw,” is caused by a specific bacterium (called Clostridium tetani) usually found as spores in soil, dust, and manure. These spores can enter the body through a break in the skin, most commonly through a cut or puncture...
-
Health
How many times have you rushed your feverish infant to the doctor or clinic, only to be told there’s nothing they can do and you just have to wait and watch? If it’s happened even once, you’ve probably wondered, “When should I take my baby with a...
-
Parenting
For many new parents, hiring that first non-family babysitter can be a harrowing experience. After all, you are trusting a virtual stranger with your baby. Fortunately, while first impressions are important during an interview with a prospective...
-
Parenting
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, you are covered by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) if all of the following are true: You have worked for your employer for at least 12 months (though not necessarily in consecutive order). Have at...
-
Health
Fevers can be downright scary, as your baby can feel like he or she is “burning up” while acting miserable. But rest assured, most fevers in babies over 3 months of age are nothing to worry about. A fever is simply your baby’s immune system trying...
-
Parenting
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law passed in 1993 that guarantees time off of work without threat of job loss during periods of family stress. It is best known for providing women time off work after pregnancy, but the law is...
-
Health
Medical marijuana, like any other medication, presents a safety risk to children who ingest it accidentally. But medical marijuana poses some unique risks: Access to medical marijuana is relatively new and therefore so are accidental poisonings....
-
Parenting
Laundry detergent pods are plastic-packaged, single-use items you can throw in with your laundry without having to measure liquid or powder detergents. While they provide a convenient way to get your clothes clean, their colorful packaging can...
-
Health
Of all the things that can potentially harm your children, lead is not likely to be near the top of your worry list. But did you know that there are at least 4 million households in the United States where children are being exposed to dangerously...
-
Parenting
There are many benefits to having your child exposed to animals, but what happens when your child is injured by a cat or dog? While many people worry about animal bites from strays or stranger pets, the fact is that the majority of animal bites are...
-
Health
Sepsis is a very dangerous medical condition that results from infection, usually by a bacteria, but a virus or fungus can also be a cause. Sepsis occurs when the infectious agent spreads from its initial area of infection into the bloodstream....
-
Health
Many young children love being swung by their arms, hanging between their parents, but this can be a dangerous game and potentially cause injury to a child’s elbow. How does it happen? Any forceful pulling of a child’s arm can cause the elbow to...
-
Health
When a child suffers a stroke—or a cerebral vascular accident—blood flow is momentarily cut off to the brain, leading to symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision, seizures, and more. Treatment options vary depending on a number of factors, including...
-
Blog
Pediatricians are not generally known for being outspoken politically. For the most part, our work focuses on children locally and child wellness and safety globally more than on federal policy. According to the American Board of Pediatrics, the...
-
Health
Fevers in babies over six months of age are handled a little differently than fevers in younger babies. By six months, your baby’s immune system is much more developed, making it easier to fight off common illnesses. Fever, which is defined as a...
-
Health
No parent wants to have a sick child, but a child who has a seizure while ill is downright frightening for any parent. Seizures that are accompanied by a fever are called “febrile seizures,” and occur in 2 to 5% of the population. Thankfully, most...
-
Pregnancy
If you are pregnant and planning for your delivery, you may or may not have heard of birth plans. A birth plan is simply a document to help expectant parents communicate their wishes during labor and delivery to their healthcare providers. In a...
-
Pregnancy
Both your period and pregnancy cause fluctuations in hormones. Because both events can bring on their own unique set of challenges, it’s easy to wonder if you can expect to get your period—or something like it—while you’re pregnant. About 25-30...
-
Pregnancy
“I’m pregnant – What can I do to help my baby grow during pregnancy? When does my baby’s brain begin to develop? Do I need to do anything to help support my baby’s growth?” Find answers to these questions and more, March 9th at 8pm ET, during our...