Radio Rounds

Palliative care is often misunderstood. Oftentimes palliative care is associated with end-of-life (hospice) care or “giving up.” In reality, palliative care together with curative treatment is appropriate for any stage of illness.

Joan Rosenbaum, MD , part of the Pediatric Advanced Care Team (PACT) at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, is here to share how PACT offers an additional layer of support by specialists to provide relief from the symptoms, pain and psycho-social, emotional and spiritual stress of serious illness for both the patient and the family.

Doing the right thing is often simple and clear. We find the medical problem and we do all we can to heal, to comfort, and make life better for our young patients and their families. But sometimes doing the right thing isn’t easy, simple or clear.

In addition to medical questions, families and caregivers sometimes have moral or ethical issues. These come up when it is not clear what is "right" – the question is what should be done, not what can be done. Most of the time, even hard questions are answered through open and honest talking between children, parents and their health care professionals. When we don't all agree, it can be useful to ask for help.

Jay Malone, MD, MS, PhD is here to let you know that in order to provide such help with some of these problems, the St. Louis Children's Hospital Medical Ethics Subcommittee can help.

Motion analysis technology and expertise in interpreting findings and making recommendations are vital components in helping kids in need achieve the greatest mobility possible. Pooya Hosseinzadeh, MD discusses the newly-opened Motion Analysis Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital which aims to do just that-- and it's the only one in the St. Louis area.

Although many adolescents today are overweight, there are some teens whose extreme obesity causes serious medical complications, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome, just to name a few. These teens often are unable to lose weight through diet and exercise. However, not losing weight — and continuing to gain — is a dangerous path for them.

Shaina Eckhouse, MD discusses The Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program at Children's and how studies show that obese adolescents remain so into adulthood, with the consequence of worsening medical conditions that limit their activities and shorten their lives.

As 3D technology transforms health care and becomes more commonly used, St. Louis Children’s Hospital now has “in-house” 3D printing capabilities. Munish Gupta, MD, Washington University orthopedic spine surgeon, discusses this technology and how it has been life-changing for patients with spinal deformities.

Sport-related concussion is a “hot topic” in the media and in medicine. It is a common injury that is likely underreported by pediatric and adolescent athletes.

Mark Halstead, MD, SLCH’s leading expert on concussions, discusses the AAP’s updated concussion recommendations to support children and teens engaging in light physical activity and returning to school as they recover. The report, revised for the first time in eight years, also advises against complete removal of electronic devices. Dr. Halstead, an associate professor of pediatrics and of orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine, is the lead author of the AAP report.

An increasing number of boys and girls are playing recreational and organized sports. As a result, there is a rise in the number of overuse injuries seen among children and adolescents. The majority of sports and overuse injuries are due to minor trauma involving soft tissue injuries--injuries that affect the bone, muscles, ligaments, and/or tendons. One such injury is Spondylolysis, or a pars defect, which is marked by back pain.

Brian Kelly, MD discusses the ways in which Spondylolysis is classified. He shares treatment and prevention advice and when it is important to refer to the specialists at St. Louis Children;s Hospital.

The 2019 Clinical Pediatric Update is designed to offer the primary care provider clinical approaches to problems common in pediatric and adolescent practice. Expect to explore current recommendations in adolescent medicine, urology, dermatology, endocrinology, allergy and pulmonary, psychiatry, orthopedics and genetics- all for CME credit.

Joining the show is Dr. Brian Kelly. He's a Washington University pediatric orthopedic surgeon at St. Louis Children's Hospital, and is one of many conference presenters at the upcoming conference, which will take place on Friday, March 29, at Marriott West in St. Louis.

Dr. Kelly will speak about the main topics on the agenda this year, and what attendees can expect.

Mary Fournier, MD, MPH, discusses the current state of STDs and birth control in the millennial generation. She shares what has changed, any  new methods available and how pediatricians can help frame this conversation for parents and patients.

For children diagnosed with congenital heart disease, physical activities may come with limitations. The St. Louis Children’s and Washington University Heart Center combines the benefits of exercise with the expertise of pediatric cardiologists specializing in exercise physiology to aid children with heart disease.

Dr. Orr joins the show to discuss exercise physiology services at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and when to refer to a specialist.