Pediatrics

Host: Tim Rush

Host Tim Rush welcomes Dr. Ali Kavianian, who after retiring, decided to go back to practicing medicine. Dr. Kavianian founded a group called Pediatric Surgical Associates and later became Surgeon-in-Chief at a pediatric hospital in Southern California. He is now able to enjoy the benefits of retirement and work locum tenens assignments.

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Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP

Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Nancy Fan, practicing OB/GYN at Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington, DE and current Chair of the School Health Committee for the Medical Society of Delaware, to discuss challenges and controversies surrounding breast feeding recommendations in maternity care practice.

Host: Paul Rokuskie

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a significant public health issue, affecting over 1% of all American children under the age of 18. One organization, Autism Speaks, is accelerating the care of these individuals and their families to the next level through their Autism Treatment Network, which creates collaborations that bridge multiple discplines across the United States. Joining host Paul Rokuskie to elaborate on this initiative is Dr. Dan Coury, Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at Ohio State University and Medical Director of the Autism Treatment Network.

Host: Paul Rokuskie

For some time, serotonin and vitamin D have been proposed to play a role in autism, but until recently no causal mechanism has ever been established. Autism researchers Dr. Bruce Ames and Dr. Rhonda Patrick of Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) join host Paul Rokuskie to discuss their study on the demonstrated impact of Vitamin D on social behavior associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Their research implicates vitamin D as an activator of serotonin, oxytocin, and vasopressin, three brain hormones that affect social behavior related to autism.

Host: Prathima Setty, MD

According to the American Heart Association, childhood obesity is the number one health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking. How is it diagnosed? How is it treated? To discuss this epidemic, host Dr. Prathima Setty welcomes Dr. Janine Rethy, pediatrician and director of community medicine at Healthworks of Northern Virginia. Dr. Rethy has won numerous awards and grants in response to the obesity epidemic. She is founder and directs the Healthworks PALS program, a multi-disciplinary community-centered approach to pediatric obesity.

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Host: John Russell, MD

In 1998 Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist with a history of self-promotion, published a paper with a shocking allegation: the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine might cause autism. The media seized hold of the story and, in the process, helped to launch one of the most devastating health scares ever. Yet despite the numerous studies that failed to find any link between childhood vaccines and autism, it has since been popularized by media personalities, and declining vaccination rates have led to outbreaks of deadly illnesses like Hib, measles, and whooping cough. In The Panic Virus: The True Story Behind the Vaccine-Autism Controversy, author Seth Mnookin draws on interviews with parents, public-health advocates, scientists, and anti-vaccine activists to tackle a fundamental question: How do we decide what the truth is?

Host: Paul Rokuskie

It has been over 10 years since the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, has been updated and released in its fifth edition. There has been much anticipation and controversy over the many changes that have been incorporated, and among the most carefully scrutinized are those pertaining to autism spectrum disorder. Joining host Paul Rokuskie to discuss important DSM-V updates in the diagnosis and classification of autism are Dr. David Kupfer, Chair of the DSM-V Taskforce, and Dr. Catherine Lord of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Workgroup.

Host: Paul Rokuskie

For children with autism, negative health care experiences early on can deter them from seeking further medical care later in life, which can lead to significant cognitive and social impairments in adulthood. Creating a positive atmosphere in this environment therefore becomes an important responsibility for health professionals, but how can physicians and healthcare executives ensure that their medical practices or larger organizations are "autism-friendly?" Joining host Paul Rokuskie to discuss evidence-based approaches for effective interactions with autistic patients and their families is Dr. Judith Miller, a clinical psychologist and Clinical Training Director for the Center for Autism Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Host: Paul Rokuskie

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is considered a safe and effective treatment approach for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but it is often misconceived by parents and teaching professionals in school settings. Joining host Paul Rokuskie to discuss research behind ABA techniques for increasing positive, useful behaviors and reducing those that may cause harm or interfere with learning is Dr. Gina Green, Executive Director at the Association of Professional Behavioral Analysis.

Host: Paul Rokuskie

Autism Spectrum Disorders have major impacts on three important building blocks of an individual's social skills: interactions, communications, and interests. Joining host Paul Rokuskie to discuss methods that clinicians can use to address socialization challenges with autistic patients is Carol Gray, Director of The Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding in Grandville, Michigan.