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Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy, affecting nearly 16 of every 100,000 live male births in the United States. It causes progressive muscular damage and degeneration, which results in muscle weakness, loss of ambulation, motor delays, cardiomyopathy and reduced respiratory function. …Read More
Rethinking fever: New study redefines body temperature
Your first patient of the day presents with a sore throat and a temperature of 99.5 degrees. Although a little higher than normal, it’s not technically a fever, right? Jonathan Hausmann, MD, a rheumatologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, might disagree.
Hausmann, Fatma Dedeoglu, MD, and their colleagues from the Boston Children’s Hospital Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, recently published a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine that they hope will begin a larger dialogue among physicians and others about normal body temperature and the definition of fever. …Read More
Why expert care is crucial for aspiration
Aspiration, or the entrance of food or liquid into a child’s airway, is associated with oropharyngeal dysphagia and other swallowing problems. It is more common in premature babies and those with neurological abnormalities, although it can occur in any child. Parents typically bring their children to pediatricians when they observe choking, regurgitation, coughing and other symptoms related to feeding. …Read More
Concussions: Treatment and return-to-play guidelines
The end of summer and beginning of fall marks a time when physicians and athletic trainers begin to see a rise in concussions from athletes competing in both soccer and football. Though the football-concussion link is well-known, soccer also carries a significant risk for athletes.
In soccer, concussions are often the result of head-to-head contact or head-to-ground contact after an awkward fall. With players constantly leaping into the air to compete for lofted balls, it’s not surprising that these types of concussions regularly occur. Michael O’Brien, MD, director of the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital, details the updated protocols for return to play after concussion and what physicians and trainers should be aware of during the soccer season.