Pediatrics

Host: Mark DeLegge, MD

Guest: Miriam Vos, MD, MSPH

Although it's important to consider the many factors that contribute to childhood obesity when designing a weight loss plan, sugar may be one of the most important components to target. Specifically, how does fructose influence childhood obesity? Dr. Miriam Vos, assistant professor in the department of gastroenterology at Emory University and author of the book The No-Diet Obesity Solution for Kids, published by the AGA Institute Press, offers tips for discussing a healthy lifestyle with parents of overweight children. Dr. Mark DeLegge hosts.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: Emil Kakkis, MD, PhD

Host Dr. Bruce Bloom welcomes Dr. Emil Kakkis, an advisor at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. and author of numerous published articles on mucopolysaccharidosis I, or MPS I, to discuss current treatment options. They discuss the benefits and risks of enzyme replacement therapy with laronidase.

Don't miss these other programs on MPS I, with host Dr. Bruce Bloom:

Challenges in Management of MPS I

Immune System Irregularities in Lysosomal Storage Disorders

Musculoskeletal Aspects of MPS I: Diagnosis and Management Considerations

Host: Janet Wright, MD

Guest: Mostafa Youssef, MD

This week on Heart Matters, we'll explore the terrain of cardiovascular care in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with one of the country's leading experts, Dr. Mostafa Youssef, founding director of the Prince Salman Heart Center at King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh. It is a country with vast cultural differences compared to the Western world, and yet we find physicians in Saudi Arabia treating many of the same cardiac conditions that we see in the United States. Host Dr. Janet Wright talks with Dr. Youssef about the challenges of treating a very young population with a high incidence of risk factors and distinctive pathologies, efforts parallel to those in the U.S. to develop information technologies in health care, as well as opportunities to connect with global cardiovascular leaders to continue to improve the quality of care and health outcomes across the country.

Host: Steven Edelman, MD

Guest: Susan Phillips, MD

The incidence of diabetes is increasing per year in the US and globally. The trend data suggests that obesity may be driving autoimmune beta cell failure. Some have questioned whether excess obesity or adiposity might be playing a role in this increased incidence of type 1 diabetes or whether healthcare professionals are not recognizing type 2 diabetes in youth. Join host Dr. Steven Edelman and his guest, pediatric endocrinologist and clinical researcher, Dr. Susan Phillips, as they discuss the challenges facing healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in childhood.

Host: Jack Lewin, MD

Guest: Nancy Brown

Decisions our young patients make now can have metabolic consequences for the rest of their lives. It's hard to overstate, not only how crucial it is that we reduce the incidence of childhood obesity, but also how difficult it has been for us to turn the corner on this issue. These concurrent themes are central to a campaign put forth by the American Heart Association (AHA) that aims to make major progress on childhood obesity in the years to come. Host Dr. Jack Lewin gets the details on this campaign during his conversation with the AHA's chief executive officer, Nancy Brown. How is the AHA partnering with schools to empower kids to make healthier decisions about their consumption habits and lifestyle choices? How can we help fellow clinicians move beyond the feeling that their efforts to reduce childhood obesity aren't having the desired effect?

Host: Mary Leuchars, MD

Guest: Paul Ehrmann, DO

The general public and medical community alike face a difficult question on childhood obesity: are we witnessing the development of a supersized generation of children? Could this generation even fail to outlive their parents? Dr. Paul Ehrmann, a family practice physician and award-winning community activist, argues that this potential outcome is a reality. Host Dr. Mary Leuchars overviews Dr. Ehrmann's leading efforts with the novel Children's Health Initiative Programs (CHIPs) to counter national trends toward 'Generation XL' at the community level.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP

Guest: Barry Sarvet, MD

Research tells us that roughly one in 20 teenagers in the United States suffers from clinical depression. The problem is most are not receiving treatment because they haven't been diagnosed. In a recent report, the US Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation for the routine screening of all adolescents in the primary care setting, even if they don't show signs of depression. Is this recommendation practical? And, can our healthcare system accommodate the likely increase in teens who would subsequently become candidates for mental health treatment? Dr. Barry Sarvet, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, joins host Dr. Jennifer Shu for a discussion of the pros and cons of routine depression screening for teenagers.

Host: Lee Freedman, MD

Guest: Wesley Burks, MD

Peanut allergy is an increasing public health concern in the United States. Children with peanut allergy may remain allergic for life, unlike children with more often outgrown allergies to milk or egg. Dr. Wesley Burks, professor and chief of the division of pediatric allergy and immunology at Duke University Medical Center, describes recent success with peanut immunotherapy in a few groups of children. Do these studies provide hope for all patients with peanut allergy, including adults? Dr. Lee Freedman hosts.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD

Guest: Subodh Kumar Singh, MD

The Oscar-winning documentary film Smile Pinki depicts a little girl who undergoes a cleft palate operation, and experiences a very changed life as a result. Host Dr. Maurice Pickard welcomes Pinki’s surgeon, Dr. Subodh Kumar-Singh, director and chief of plastic surgery at GS Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital in Varanasi, India. Dr. Kumar-Singh also works with the non-profit organization Smile Train, which provides cleft surgeries to underserved children worldwide. Tune in to learn more about the significant problem of cleft lip and palate in India, and worldwide.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP

Guest: Robert Pass, MD

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection causes auditory, cognitive and neurologic impairment in thousands of infants each year in the United States. Recognition of infection in pregnant women is difficult because CMV often produces few symptoms, and antiviral treatment during pregnancy may have toxic effects. Could a new experimental vaccine hold the key to preventing maternal CMV infection during pregnancy and decrease the incidence of congenital CMV infection and its sequelae? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu evaluates the progress toward a CMV vaccine with Dr. Robert Pass, professor of pediatrics and microbiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. Dr. Pass also explains the proposed mechanism of action for the vaccine.