Radio Rounds

Stroke in children tend to have different causes than in adults. The most common cause of stroke in a child is a heart problem. Other causes for children include sickle cell disease (a type of blood disease passed down through families), infection, trauma, dehydration, blood clotting problems, and birth defects. In many cases, however, no cause can be found.

While strokes in children can be devastating, children appear to have a better ability to heal because of the greater ­flexibility and plasticity of their nervous system and brain. With physical?and speech therapy, many childhood stroke survivors recover?most or all the use of their arms, legs and speech.

In this segment, Kristin Guilliams, MD, Washington University pediatric neurologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital, discusses causes and treatment for stroke in children and when to refer to a specialist.

An estimated one-and-a-half to two million children are abused and/or neglected in the United States each year. Approximately 3,000 children die each year at the hands of a caretaker.

Adrienne Atzemis, MD discusses the warning signs of child abuse, how the protection program at St. Louis can help child abuse victims, and when a pediatrician should refer to St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Adolescence is a time of many changes. As girls grow into young women and become physically and sexually mature, they need additional care from health care providers. What is the typical age and progression of puberty, how do cycles regulate over time, are monthly menstrual periods are a sign of health?

Listen as Diane Merritt, MD discusses the importance of clinicians having an understanding of bleeding patterns in girls and adolescents, the ability to differentiate between normal and abnormal menstruation, and the skill to know how to evaluate young
patients' conditions appropriately.

It is hard to imagine that an estimated six million children are abused and neglected in the United States each year. These shocking statistics include different forms of maltreatment, ranging from physical, verbal, emotional and sexual abuse to physical neglect and medical neglect.

The Child Protection Program (CCP) at St. Louis Children's Hospital is a professional hospital-based program that provides clinical services and training. The program is staffed by pediatricians, pediatric nurse practitioners and licensed clinical social workers.

Jamie Kondis, MD, FAAP discusses the warning signs of child sexual abuse, as well as SLCH’s SAM (sexual abuse management) and SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) clinics.

The Pain Management Clinic at St. Louis Children's Hospital (SLCH) provides evaluation, treatment, education and support for pediatric patients experiencing either acute or chronic pain. It is the only clinic in the region offering these specialized services through providers with particular training in helping children deal with pain.

In this segment, Jacob Aubuchon, MD, Washington University pediatric anesthesiologist and director of the Pain Management Clinic at St. Louis Children's Hospital, discusses chronic pain in children and when a pediatrician should refer to a pain specialist.

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a set of complex genetic disorders that can affect almost every organ system, causing a predisposition for tumors to grow on nerves in the brain and throughout the body.

Listen as Stephanie Morris, MD explains that while there is no cure for NF1, research throughout the world is providing hope that new treatments and management strategies will eventually transform the practice of medicine for people affected with NF1. 

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.

The standardized guidelines developed for the diagnosis of autism actually involve two levels of screening for autism. Level one screening, which should be performed for all children seeing a doctor for well-child checkups during their first two years of life.  

The second level of screening should be performed if a child is identified in the first level of screening as developmentally delayed. It is common for children on the spectrum to have delayed speech development.

Listen as John Constantino, MD, Washington University pediatric psychiatrist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, discusses how timely detection and early intervention may mitigate the emotional, social and cognitive deficits of this disability and improve the outcome.

About 1 in 2,000 babies is affected by craniosynostosis, in which the sutures of the skull bones close too early. This leads to an abnormally shaped head not related to external factors.

Craniosynostosis can be hereditary and accompany other congenital defects or occur randomly in otherwise healthy children with normal intelligence.

Listen as Kamlesh Patel, MD, Washington University pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgeon at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, explains how this condition is treated and how the patient might be affected in the long term.

In the United States, nearly 6,800 babies are born with oral-facial clefts annually.

The Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Institute at St. Louis Children's Hospital, established in 1978 as part of the Division of Plastic Surgery, is the largest and oldest center of its kind in the Midwest. The team has treated more than 4,000 patients with cleft lip and palate, and another 2,800 with major craniofacial anomalies.

In this segment, Alison Snyder-Warwick, MD discusses cleft lip and palate in children and when to refer to a pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

Syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness and muscle tone caused by inadequate blood supply to the brain. Syncope is sometimes also called fainting.

Syncope accounts for 1 percent to 3 percent of emergency room visits and 6 percent of hospital admissions, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

However, many different problems can cause a decrease in blood flow to the brain.

Listen as Aarti Dalal, DO discusses symptoms, warning signs and how to treat and evaluate pediatric Syncope.