Like Seattle rain, the tears were persistent and recurrent for months. Hearing the words, “Your prenatal screening shows a high probability of Down syndrome,” followed two days thereafter by an ultrasound and the doctor’s words, ̶…
Category: Pediatrics
Stopping the cycle of bullying: How empathy and inclusion can change lives
The most vivid memory of my childhood is of me, a six or seven-year-old boy, crying in the playground corner every day for months. It is so intense that I wonder if that is a product of imagination. However, the same scene, with the blue bench, in the …
How a pediatrician fought back against a manipulative CEO [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, we speak with Karla Lester, a pediatrician and certified life and weight coach, about her experience with gaslighting in the workplace. Karla shares her story of encounteri…
How a pediatrician fought back against a manipulative CEO [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, we speak with Karla Lester, a pediatrician and certified life and weight coach, about her experience with gaslighting in the workplace. Karla shares her story of encounteri…
A pediatrician’s view on critical self-talk among patients and doctors
A young teen patient, eyes averted, clutching a cell phone, sits in my office. It’s a scheduled annual exam, and the patient reports some ailments—fatigue, anxiety, and poor sleep. Across the room, the parent sits in apparent composure, but as my…
What I’ve learned from 10,000 needle procedures
How can health care professionals put patients at ease before and during stressful procedures? A new virtual reality (VR) technology might be the answer for millions of patients with fears and concerns about visiting the clinic. Needles are the most co…
A pediatrician’s memorable experience with a patient with Down syndrome
Recently, two of my most beloved teachers came to our continuity clinic as Mrs. Melendez brought in her daughter, Maria, for her annual physical (not real names). I have known the Melendez family for nearly the entire 18+ years I have been at this clin…
The alarming decline of adolescent medicine physicians: How the political climate is leaving youth behind
This year’s Match Day for graduating medical students had the highest number of unfilled pediatrics residency spots in recent years. Fewer pediatricians means fewer pediatric subspecialists. Like too many of our deepest health disparities, this h…
Childhood obesity in the U.S.: a growing health crisis affecting millions and demanding action from pediatric health care practitioners
Childhood obesity has become a health crisis in the U.S. across all socioeconomic levels. CDC statistics from 2017 through 2020 indicate the following for children and adolescents ages two through 19: Obesity prevalence was 19.7 percent and affected ab…
Words matter: Caring for pain patients with suspected opioid use disorder
“We need an urgent pain consult for patient Lucy Bee in room 5621. She’s a 17-year-old drug addict and is screaming and wanting morphine,” I was told. Lucy Bee is not a real patient, but a composite of patients I have cared for either…
