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

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Showing posts from: Recent News

Prenatal Marijuana (Cannabis) and Brains

To my way of thinking the very thought that medical researchers are forced to stop what they are doing on important issues beyond our control and do research to prove that marijuana is bad for you and shouldn’t be used as a “toy” is unconscionable to the extreme.

We just can’t let the scammers and dealers destroy unborn babies like they did pushing tobacco however; so, that’s just what researchers had to do.
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Physical Signs of Hidden Heart Disease in Children and Teens

Once upon a time doctors were almost thought of as wizards; not so much any more and it all has to do with the ability (and desire) to do a thorough physical exam.

No kiddin’. Before the invention of so much gadgetry physicians relied on their acute senses for ever-so subtle clues the body gives when it’s not running full on all cylinders but before a part gives out entirely.
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Guidelines: Fruit Juice Intake For Children

I learned the adage “if a little is good, a lot is better” just after sitting in my pharmacology class and seeing Dr. Goodman hold up a book entitled: “Two For A Horse, One For A Human.”

Most generation of parents eventually find something to get “wrong” (especially if you ask the children) but it seems the current generation of parents is getting picked on… a lot. The latest? Fruit Juice.
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Intussusception In Children – Diagnosis and Treatment

There are four causes of bowel obstruction in children: Herniation, Adhesions, Volvulus and Intussusception. I’ll describe the four (shown in photo) but expand a bit on intussusception—which is the topic of this article.

A bowel obstruction, inability of food to pass completely through the intestinal system unimpeded, can occur at any age and there are many causes; but, time has shown us that we can narrow the most probable causes down a bit based upon age.
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Rotating Brain WA Animation

These well done graphics were developed and published by Jeff Bryant, a fellow over at Wolfram Alpha in Champaign, IL., to highlight the capabilities of Wolfram’s “Mathematica” computer language they’ve been developing. They call it: “AnatomyPlot3D” via the Wolfram Language in Mathematica 11.

The Medical Graphics of Jeff Bryant
Astronomy, Cataclysmic Variable Stars… Wildlife Photography

Rotating Head

Rotating Torso

Erasing Arm

Mandible

A Doctor At A Patients Funeral

This is perhaps the most odd post I’ve written for this site in many years. It’s been on the possibles list for a year or so while I tried to figure out how to present it, and I’ve had difficulty: A doctor going to a patient’s funeral.

I never respond with a comment on someone’s blog; but, when I read an article by another physician about going to a patient’s funeral it hit me so strong that I simply had to. Then the more I thought about it, I felt that both his article and my comment should find a place on my site as well.

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Puberty Time Lapse

The incredible bodily change during puberty never ceases to amaze me. In this project I have a couple other observations as well.

Frist, I’m a bit envious of the technical skills it took to create such a time-lapse montage. Even the calendar on the wall progresses through the months and years, and I’m positive it’s more than one year.

And second, think of what it must have taken to keep his son’s cooperation through that many years! An incredible joint project through a (normally) difficult time of life for a teen where cooperation through long term projects is hard to come by.

Four “Bad” Stages of Childhood

You take your boy to the doctor—in the hopes that he’s seen this rash before and knows what to do about it. You commiserate with your women’s group about your daughter—thinking they will know what you’re going through, at least give you sympathy and perhaps even some things they’ve tried.

You talk to your pediatrician about growth, development and parenting during the “rough ages”—correctly knowing that they’ve seen thousands of parents who’ve already gone through exactly what you’re going through.

That’s what we do. That’s all we do. So we have seen thousands of parents go airborne as they hit the speed bumps of their kids lives in various stages… there are FOUR of them— you knew that, right?
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Diagnosing and Treating Spider Bites in Children

It may surprise you, but spiders use their venom when they’ve decided they want to eat—not to scare you off your “tuffet” [whatever that is… do you still have one of those anyway, those are sooo yesterday!]

If a spider rushes out of its hole when their web jiggles to only find something the size of a horse’s head stuck in it, almost none of them (in North America) are going to waste the effort. On the other hand, if something tries to poke it with a stick… all bets are off!
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Immunization Strategy – What The Anti-Vaxxers Don’t Want You To Know

The Immunization Strategy
HIV and Influenza What The Vaccine Haters Don’t Want You To Know

Malaria, smallpox, Polio and some other 30 odd diseases have been controlled by substantial immunization programs — which, it seems, the vaccine-haters didn’t want to happen.

Sitting here in the 21st century, most of us really don’t have a clue how much real suffering humanity has endured in all aspects of their lives since the beginning of time, from malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia, diarrhea, influenza… and the list goes on.

Historical evidence reveals that even less than 100 years ago parents were so demoralized by the amount of uncontrollable disease that they were reluctant to even give their newborn infants a name until they had “proven” that they would make it through life for a couple of year! Can we comprehend what that must have been like?

Then there was the spark of hope when Smallpox seemed to be controllable—Polio, Diptheria, Tetanus… all through immunization efforts.

Seth Berkley is an epidemiologist and the CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the global health organization protecting lives by improving access to vaccines in developing countries. [No, they are not pharmaceutical salesmen—they don’t make money from production or sale of immunizations.]

With more than half a billion children immunized, he is leading Gavi’s efforts to reach a further 300 million children in the next five years and build sustainability into country immunization programs.

Prior to Gavi, he spearheaded the development of vaccines for HIV as founder and CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.

Joy, For Only A Quarter

A little girl gives coins to an older and smartly dressed street musician and surprisingly learns about joy in return. The kids these days call this a “flash mob” but what a way to give back to the community.

Additionally, it’s obvious what effect Beethoven’s Ode To Joy gives to the hearer—and makes one wonder why we don’t fill our children’s lives with the opportunity to grow up with such masterpieces more than we do.

Watch the looks on the kids faces and see the definition of joy. I wish I would have been there.

Donny Osmond, Matthew English – Any Dream Will Do

The Osmond family is no stranger to hearing difficulties and has a legacy within the arena of hearing impairment. They not only have proven themselves consummate performers but altruistic humanitarians as well, by being integral promoters, sponsors and drivers for the Children’s Miracle Network and the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund named after the mother of their clan.

If you were touched by seeing the absolutely incredible (yet I can attest innate) kindness of Donny in how he treated Matthew on stage, I encourage you to follow the link to the Olive Osmond page and see how they are quietly and without fanfare, helping thousands of hearing-impaired children around the world. It’ll do ya good!

You may also want to visit Justin Osmond’s page, a son of Merrill and Mary Osmond who is hearing impaired and has become a noted Speaker, Author and Producer.

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