Primary Care Perspectives

A baby who can’t sit up by 7 months of age. A “clumsy” child who struggles with tasks such as riding a bike. A teenager experiencing dizziness 2-3 months after concussion. What do these patients have in common? They may benefit from assessment for a vestibular disorder. Robert O’Reilly, MD, attending physician, Division of Otolaryngology, and director, Balance and Vestibular Program, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses vestibular issues in children and teenagers. Includes: a review of the vestibular apparatus; clinical symptoms and signs of chronic vestibular issues; review of common causes of vestibular issues; when to refer for post-concussion dizziness or post-concussion positional vertigo; and more.  Published March 2021.

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2021 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

A baby who can’t sit up by 7 months of age. A "clumsy" child who struggles with tasks such as riding a bike. A teenager experiencing dizziness 2-3 months after concussion. What do these patients have in common? They may benefit from assessment for a vestibular disorder. Robert O’Reilly, MD, attending physician, Division of Otolaryngology, and director, Balance and Vestibular Program, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses vestibular issues in children and teenagers. Includes: a review of the vestibular apparatus; clinical symptoms and signs of chronic vestibular issues; review of common causes of vestibular issues; when to refer for post-concussion dizziness or post-concussion positional vertigo; and more.

Ergonomics is the science of fitting a given environment to a person, to limit exposure to physical stressors that could lead to discomfort or injury. Ian Leahy, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with the Sports Medicine and Performance Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses: the basics of a good home set-up; whether to recommend a standing desk; advice to help parents avoid unnecessary costs; tips for laptop users; importance of variability of position; tips to encourage movement; how static positions can cause adaptive shortening and trigger soft-tissue injury with return-to-sport; what to ask in the history to elicit information about home learning set-ups; relationship between forward head posture and new onset of headache; and more.

Ergonomics is the science of fitting a given environment to a person, to limit exposure to physical stressors that could lead to discomfort or injury. Ian Leahy, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with the Sports Medicine and Performance Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses: the basics of a good home set-up; whether to recommend a standing desk; advice to help parents avoid unnecessary costs; tips for laptop users; importance of variability of position; tips to encourage movement; how static positions can cause adaptive shortening and trigger soft-tissue injury with return-to-sport; what to ask in the history to elicit information about home learning set-ups; relationship between forward head posture and new onset of headache; and more.  Published March 2021.

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2021 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

Matthew Elias, attending cardiologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses COVID-19’s impact on the heart and how it affects outpatient care for children who have recovered. Includes: a refresher on clinical symptoms of myocarditis, which vary by age and can be subtle; review of EKG findings with myocarditis (again, tricky); other cardiac effects of COVID; the potential for long-term cardiac effects; lack of knowledge about the extent to which other pediatric viruses affect the heart; significance of troponin levels in adults versus children; guidelines for return to sport following COVID infection, with age and severity of infection as factors; when to consider referral for EKG and outpatient cardiology evaluation; symptoms of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C); differences between MIS-C and Kawasaki disease; whether patients with congenital heart disease are at higher risk; and more.  Published February 2021.

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2021 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

Matthew Elias, MD, attending cardiologist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses COVID-19’s impact on the heart and how it affects outpatient care for children who have recovered. Includes: a refresher on clinical symptoms of myocarditis, which vary by age and can be subtle; review of EKG findings with myocarditis (again, tricky); other cardiac effects of COVID; the potential for long-term cardiac effects; lack of knowledge about the extent to which other pediatric viruses affect the heart; significance of troponin levels in adults versus children; guidelines for return to sport following COVID infection, with age and severity of infection as factors; when to consider referral for EKG and outpatient cardiology evaluation; symptoms of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C); differences between MIS-C and Kawasaki disease; whether patients with congenital heart disease are at higher risk; and more.

Fifteen million children are exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in the U.S. every year, with 50% of those exposures severe. This podcast offers perspective from Kalena Brown, an advocate and mother whose primary care pediatrician helped her and her three children safely leave a domestic violence situation; Ashlee Lynn Murray, MD, MPH, attending physician, Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and Melissa Dichter, MSW, PhD, associate professor, Temple University School of Social Work. They discuss the importance of routine screening for IPV in primary care; barriers to disclosure; co-occurrence of IPV and child abuse; how to screen under and over the age of 2; safety in screening and documentation; how to manage a positive screen; how to offer support when the family isn’t ready to be directed to resources; importance of longitudinal relationships between pediatricians and families; and more.  Published February 2021.

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2021 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

Fifteen million children are exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in the U.S. every year, with 50% of those exposures severe. This podcast offers perspective from Kalena Brown, an advocate and mother whose primary care pediatrician helped her and her three children safely leave a domestic violence situation; Ashlee Lynn Murray, MD, MPH, attending physician, Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and Melissa Dichter, MSW, PhD, associate professor, Temple University School of Social Work. They discuss the importance of routine screening for IPV in primary care; barriers to disclosure; co-occurrence of IPV and child abuse; how to screen under and over the age of 2; safety in screening and documentation; how to manage a positive screen; how to offer support when the family isn’t ready to be directed to resources; importance of longitudinal relationships between pediatricians and families; and more.

Kerri Heckert, MS, RD, LDN, CEDRD-S, clinical dietitian, and Eleanor Benner, PsyD, psychologist, of the Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), discuss the most recent (and more inclusive) diagnostic criteria for anorexia and bulimia; the relatively new diagnosis ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder); the role of growth charts in diagnosis; red flags to look for in a primary care setting; strategies for promoting positive body image; indications for inpatient admission; CHOP’s inpatient protocol for eating disorders; resources for parents; family-based treatment; how to make a referral, and more.  Published January 2021.

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2021 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.

Kerri Heckert, MS, RD, LDN, CEDRD-S, clinical dietitian, and Eleanor Benner, PsyD, psychologist, of the Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), discuss the most recent (and more inclusive) diagnostic criteria for anorexia and bulimia; the relatively new diagnosis ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder); the role of growth charts in diagnosis; red flags to look for in a primary care setting; strategies for promoting positive body image; indications for inpatient admission; CHOP’s inpatient protocol for eating disorders; resources for parents; family-based treatment; how to make a referral, and more.