Dr. Gwenn’s Huffington Post Blog
Technical Names: Urticaria, Angioedema Nicknames: Hives, welts (from Pediatric Physical Diagnosis Electronic Atlast, Zitelli and Davis) What are hives? Raised, red, itchy lesions on the skin that often come and go and can coalesce together in to larger, red, itchy [...]
I received an email a couple years ago that reminded me of a reality many of us take for granted:
Dr. Gwenn,
I am the mother of a little girl diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease Complex I. I’ve recently become involved in the Mitochondrial Disease Action Committee (MDAC), who partners with Mass General, Tufts-NEMC, Children’s and the Genesis Fund, among others….
Unlike your recent article, we are one of the families whose children see many specialists… it is exhausting, and heartbreaking, and there is no end in sight. But I’ve chosen to fight the enemy, so to speak, by getting involved and promoting awareness as I am now.
Have you ever wonder what makes a toddler tick? The recipe is simple: 1/3 Eveready Bunny, 1/3 weeble and 1/3 cute. If it weren’t for their endless energy, there really would be little need for Starbucks. The have a cute way of wobbling like weebles but unlike their toy cousins do fall – and often. They fall so often it can be difficult to decide which falls to worry about and which to ignore. Afterall, they can’t often tell us what hurts.
Traveling far from home is often a worth while trade off to experience some of the world’s most intriguing destinations. Yet the disruption from jet lag can put a snag in those early days of the trip. Understanding a bit about jet lag and why it occurs will help your family get on local time more easily and prevent it from shortchanging too much of your trip.
We’re all connected by our family tree. It’s uncanny how traits in families get passed on. Passions for cooking, sports, fashion, music all show up in varying degrees in different family members through the generations.
On the outside, we all have some understanding of these similarities and accept them. We even joke and talk about them in family gatherings. “She has my knack for clumsiness.” “Look at his cooking talents – he’s a chip off the old block.”
When my oldest daughter was 9, we went to see “A Bridge to Terabithia”. I was not prepared for the unexpectedly sad ending, nor was my daughter. The main character Leslie dying was a shock to most of the theater, in fact.
Worrying that perhaps I made a poor choice in thematic content, I was surprised when she remarked: “Mama, Jess will be just fine.
Q) Dear Dr. Gwenn: My 3 yr old had an injury to her left foot. It is still has some swelling and she limps pretty bad in the morning, when it’s cold, or she has to run. We have taken [...]
Q) Dear Dr. Gwenn: My 3 year old boy has been limping for a little over 6 months. At first we saw an orthopedic doctor who thought it was growing pains and put him on naproxen twice a day. That [...]
It used to be so easy – your child got sick, you took him to the doctor, an “ear infection” was diagnosed and an antibiotic was prescribed. And, sometimes, you were able to get an antibiotic “just in case” or over the phone. Nowadays the situation is so much more complicated it’s no wonder parents and doctors alike are confused.
Show # 11: Thursday May 28, 2009 7:30PM ETChildhood Asthma Update!! Asthma is the number 1 chronic condition in childhood with symptoms and treatment plans that perplex parents and kids of all ages. How can parents understand it better? How [...]
