Radio Rounds

For young athletes, coaches and parents, the beginning of various sports seasons means young athletes of all ages face the challenges of injuries that range from sprains, cuts and bruises on up to more serious problems.

This year there's also a new state law in Missouri aimed at protecting student athletes from concussions.

Jeffrey Nepple, MD joins the show to help pediatricians, coaches and school personnel take the steps necessary to keep kids on the field and healthy when they play sports.

The Neurofibromatosis Comprehensive Care Team at St. Louis Children's Hospital provides detailed patient assessments and works with referring physicians, allied health professionals and agencies to deliver state-of-the-art medical services both locally and nationally.

Neurofibromatosis affects different people in different ways. As a team, we work with our patients and their families to care for the whole person.

To do so, all team members at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University meet regularly to discuss current standards of care and to discuss exciting new developments. These meetings not only include health care professionals, but also research scientists. Through regular communication, our team is able to provide the most up to date and progressive treatment plans.

In this segment, David Gutmann, MD, PhD, Washington University pediatric neurologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, discusses Neurofibromatosis Research and clinical care.

Eating less to lose weight or play better can lead to big problems for girls who play sports. If young female athletes don’t get enough calories to make up for what they burn during practices and games, they might miss their periods and have weak bones. The combination of a poor diet, periods that aren’t regular and weak bones is called the female athlete triad.

In this segment, Terra Blatnik, MD discusses the symptoms of the female athlete triad, how it can cause health issues later in life, and when a patient should be referred to a specialist.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infectious disease are caused by pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi) that spread directly or indirectly from one person to another.

The most common infectious diseases are the common cold, flu, strep throat, the stomach flu, and urinary tract infection (UTI). Depending on the type of infectious disease you might in contact with, the symptoms can vary. For example, symptoms for the common cold include: runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, congestion, sneezing, slight body aches, and a low-grade fever.

Listen in as Jason Newland, MD, Washington University pediatric infectious disease physician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital explains what infectious diseases are, the warning signs/symptoms and when you should seek medical treatment.

On Jan. 5, an expert panel sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), issued new clinical guidelines regarding the prevention of peanut allergies in children. The guidelines are based on groundbreaking studies conducted in recent years.

The panel issued three separate recommendations determined by the level of risk babies have for developing a peanut allergy.

In this segment, Dr. Avraham (Avi) Beigelman, MD, a Washington University allergy, immunology and pulmonary medicine specialist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital discusses these new guidelines for children with peanut allergies and when a pediatrician should refer to a specialist.

Are you planning to travel overseas? Then St. Louis Children's Hospital Travel Clinic should be one of the first stops on your itinerary.

Whether you're traveling for work, leisure, volunteering or studying abroad, it's important to see a specialist that will help you plan for a safer, healthier international trip.

Why is it so important to consult with a specialist prior to traveling overseas?

Listen in as Rachel Orscheln, MD shares the most common infectious diseases, why you should consult with a specialist before traveling, and the types of services the International Travel Clinic St. Louis Children's Hospital offers.

A normal spine, when viewed from behind, appears straight. However, a spine affected by scoliosis shows evidence of a lateral, or side-by-side curvature, with the spine looking like an "S" or "C" and a rotation of the back bones (vertebrae), giving the appearance that the person is leaning to one side. The Scoliosis Research Society defines scoliosis as a curvature of the spine measuring 10 degrees or greater.

In over 80 percent of cases, the cause of scoliosis is unknown — a condition called idiopathic scoliosis.

In this segment, Munish Gupta, MD discusses idiopathic scoliosis and when a pediatrician should refer a patient to St. Louis Children's Hospital.

In the US alone, more than 2 million Americans will be diagnosed in 2010 with nonmelanoma skin cancer, and 68,130 will be diagnosed with melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society.

Fortunately, skin cancers (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma) are rare in children. When melanomas occur, they usually arise from pigmented nevi (moles) that are large (diameter greater than 6 mm), asymmetric, with irregular borders and coloration. Bleeding, itching, and a lump under the skin are other signs of cancerous change. If a child has had radiation treatment for cancer, moles in the radiated area are at increased risk of becoming cancerous.

In this segment, Carrie Coughlin, MD, Washington University pediatric dermatologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital, discusses nevi (moles) and melanoma in children and when to refer to a specialist.

Between 1997-2007, the number of emergency room visits for concussions doubled in children ages 8-13 who play organized sports.

Part of the reason is greater awareness, according to Mark E. Halstead, MD, pediatric orthopedic surgeon at St. Louis Children's Hospital and assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine.

In this segment, Dr. Halstead, shares information for pediatricians on recognizing the signs of a concussion, the appropriate treatment and when to refer to a specialist.

In this segment, Frederick S. Huang, MD, Washington University pediatric oncologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, discusses low Hemoglobin, treatment options and when to refer to a specialist.