Pediatrics

Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP

Guest: Kimberly Comparetto, NP

Alcohol, ecstacy and marijuana use has always been an issue for teens in the United States, but there are other alarming trends as well. More than five percent of 12 year-olds in this country say they have abused prescription drugs. As a medical professional on the front lines, how do you talk to teens and their parents if you suspect an addiction problem with your patients? Kimberly Comparetto, a psychiatric mental health NP who works in the adolescent in-patient unit of Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook, Maine, joins host Mimi Secor to talk about risk factors, warning signs, treatment options and ways to open the lines of communication between patients and parents who may have a child with an addiction problem.

Host: Mimi Secor, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP

Guest: Evelyn Resh, CNM, MPH

All parents want to make sure their teenage daughters are well-informed about issues related to sex, but how do advanced practice clinicians make sure teens are comfortable about their sexuality as they move into adulthood? Certified nurse midwife Evelyn Resh, director of women's health and sexuality counseling at Miraval Resorts, Tucson, Arizona, joins host Mimi Secor to talk about giving girls the knowledge and information they need to make healthy decisions about sex. They also discuss the impact that mothers have on their daughters' body image, and new sexual issues facing girls today.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Douglas Diekema, MD

Although female genital mutilation and circumcision are banned in the US, these brutal procedures are still part of a ceremonial ritual for some cultures. This issue was brought to national attention in the US when a recent statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested a pinprick or nicking procedure performed by pediatricians in this country might be an effective way to discourage families from traveling overseas for more disfiguring procedures. The statement was retracted soon after its release. Dr. Douglas Diekema, director of education for the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, and professor in the division of bioethics, department of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, discusses the original intent of this policy suggestion, and the greater issue of female genital mutilation and circumcision in the US and worldwide. How often do American pediatricians see girls who have had complications from these procedures? Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: Berish Rubin, PhD

Only a few years ago familial dysautonomia (FD) was a fatal disease, but some "Rediscovery Research" from the FD lab at Fordham University in Bronx, New York, is turning this killer into a chronic manageable disease. What have we learned from familial dysautonomia research, and how might this help patients with other diseases? Joining host Dr. Bruce Bloom to provide an update on current FD research and treatment is Dr. Berish Rubin, professor in the department of biological sciences and head of the laboratory for familial dysautonomia research at Fordham University.

Host: Steven Edelman, MD

Guest: Philip Zeitler, MD, PhD

The emergence of type 2 diabetes in both children and adolescents suggests a relationship between insulin sensitivity and puberty. What are we learning from recent studies and clinical research? Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado, Dr. Philip Zeitler as they discuss recent studies and clinical data that may shed light on this relationship.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Lynne Mofenson, MD

Although HIV transmission through breast milk is a significant global health issue, many mothers and their babies depend on breastfeeding for survival. About 90% of children who become infected with HIV each year are in sub-Saharan Africa. What therapeutic interventions are recommended for mothers with HIV in order to prevent transmission of the virus to their babies? Dr. Lynne Mofenson, chief of the pediatric, adolescent and maternal AIDS branch at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland, discusses two exciting new developments found to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mothers to their babies in places where replacement feeding for infants isn't available. Hosted by Dr. Maurice Pickard.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Jonathan Fanaroff, MD, JD, FCLM, FAAP

About 500,000 births in the US every year are pre-term, making premature delivery far from uncommon. And with the increasing survival of pre-term infants, parents and caretakers are having to make more difficult decisions then ever before. How are prenatal consultations beneficial, and when is the most appropriate time for physicians to have a prenatal discussion with parents? Dr. Jonathan Fanaroff, associate medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and director of the Rainbow Center for Pediatric Ethics in Cleveland, Ohio, suggests strategies for approaching this type of conversation with parents, and emphasizes the role of these discussions in strengthening the relationship and trust between physicians and parents. Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.

Guest: Anthony Alessi, MD

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD

Host: Michael Greenberg, MD

In this show, our hosts get an update from ReachMD host Dr. Anthony Alessi, from Haiti, six months after the earthquake. And, they question Dr. Andrew Wakefield, widely-known for his controversial and discredited research linking the MMR vaccine with autism. He has a new book about his experiences, Callous Disregard: Autism and Vaccines: The Truth Behind a Tragedy.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: Stephen Hunger, MD

What is the presentation of pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and how old are these children? What factors help determine the prognosis for a child? Dr. Stephen Hunger, section head of pediatric oncology and hematology, oncology and bone marrow transplantation, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, talks with host Dr. Bruce Bloom.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: Charles Mullighan, MBBS, MSc, MD

How does understanding the genetics of rare disease help us understand other pressing pediatric problems? Dr. Charles Mullighan is assistant member of the faculty, pathology department, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He joins Dr. Bruce Bloom to discuss the genetics of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.