pediatric housecalls Robert R. Jarrett M.D. M.B.A. FAAP

Hello, and welcome to Pediatric House Calls. I am…
A Physician board certified in Pediatric medicine with Clinical experience including caring for infants, children and teens – well these days mostly children and teens up to twenty-one;
An Administrator experienced in top medical management for several national health insurance companies;
An Author of health care manuals, newspaper columns and even children's stories;
A Business Medical Consultant for drug companies, insurance companies and physician practices;
A Veteran of the US Navy in the Vietnam era;
And…
I make House-Calls.

Mahmut Gazi Yaşargil: Micro-Surgery, Neurologic Pioneer

Mahmut Gazi Yaşargil with students in the neuroanatomy lab

We’re at number 35 in our countdown of the top 50 most influential doctors in history and have come to a physician born in a cave, at gunpoint, in Eastern Turkey where his parents were being held by revolutionary/outlaws determined to challenge the new Turkish government in Ankara.

Born “baby” Yaşargil on July 6, 1925 he went on to become Neurosurgery’s Man of the Century (1950–1999) for his revolutionary achievements and advancements in micro-surgery; but… we get ahead of ourselves.
Read more →

Refresh: 15 Back To School Diseases

Reason NOT to ever share a hairbrush - Lice

I’ve written about back to school diseases and problems before but it seems that questions and issues just keep the topic alive and asking for an update.

This will be just a quick update of 15 back to school diseases your child may encounter now that school bells are ringing again.
Read more →

Medical Marijuana – What, If Anything, Is it Good For?

What, if anything, is marijuana "good" for?

We’ve explained that it’s the politicians and their meddling which has so far prevented medical research from delineating the truth about medical uses of marijuana, when it was clearly used hundreds of years ago for “medical purposes”—so-called: medical marijuana.

Misguided and incompetent laws have even prevented and delayed the finding of ways to remove the “drug’s” psychotropic side effects and make it safe for use!
Read more →

The “Art” Of Caring in Children’s Surgery

Ok, this is here because it rings a very loud bell in my head remembering Doctor Richard Elwin (1930-2004) at Primary Children’s Hospital. Anesthesiologist, physician’s physician par excellence! I was the student, he the mentor who taught me that: “when a child cries—you failed… everything else like surgery, procedures etc. is secondary.”

Dr. Elwin routinely did all that this doctor shows us and more—in the era of Sesame Street before PCs or internet. Dr. Rodriguez’s parent’s watched Sesame Street, he’s kickin’ it up a notch!

 

 

 

I’m terribly sorry.

This was one of my favorite video posts because it rang a bell in my personal memories so loudly. However, between Stanford University going through whatever they go through; and the videoplayer company this video was posted on (brightcove) deciding they only wanted to be a paid version; and the world conspiring to make anything having to do with caring for a child off-limits to the internet (I guess) — this video has been taken down from their servers. I can’t even give you a like to go find it on their servers.

See the video…

Medical Marijuana

Marijuana while pregnant is more damaging than tobacco while pregnant. Both commit children to life-long medical, emotional and educational issues

Perhaps most, if not all, of you think of gangsters, terrorists, drug dealers and low-life “users” when you think of the word marijuana. And, with all the idiocy going on by politicians over “legalization” you might also think of societal breakdown, corruption, destruction of families… loss of moral values.

Or, after being beaten into a frazzle by the constant bombardment of so-called “do-gooders” on the media, you may be starting to feel guilty for living the life you’ve always lived trying to do right, knowing what you know about human nature and thinking what you think about the good and evil you’ve seen all around you during your life.
Read more →

George Papanicolaou: Cytopathology, Cancer

Dr. George Nicholas Papanicolaou, inventor of the "pap smear" test for cervical cancer

If Dr. George Papanicolaou isn’t considered with our list of the top 50 influential physicians of all time; then, who is?

I must confess that I must have said the words “Pap test” thousands of times in my training without once thinking about the man whose name those words were associated with.
Read more →

Marijuana: Test What You Know

Marijuana: "It don't hurt nobody"-who the hell are you kidding?

Yea, I know there have been some reports about possible “benefits” of smoking Marijuana but you have to realize that I’m from THE generation where Leary convinced millions of gullibles to indiscriminately use drugs of all kinds with the sweeping generality: “look man, it don’t hurt nobody if I do it!”

That was looooong before the goofball that told me that had absolutely ANY proof of what he was saying… one way or the other. NOW we do!
Read more →