One of the more controversial topics in children’s healthcare is the issue of male circumcision. Steeped in tradition, circumcision is now a hot button debate topic with some referring to it as “genital mutilation.” Its proponents point to mild advantages, such as slowing the spread of AIDS, as far outweighing any rare downfalls. These debates make (more…)

The United States ranks 34^th in the world in infant mortality rates among United Nations countries. It is estimated that 5.9 infants out of every 1,000 live births will die. While that is a vast improvement over fifty years ago, when the rates were five times higher, infant mortality is still a problem. The United States ranks last among industrialized (more…)

It is difficult to provide children with quality and comprehensive care. Adding to the difficulties is the fact that health care providers do not typically share information about patients they have in common. This lack of coordination can lead to wasted resources, diminished quality of care, and duplicated efforts.

Primary care providers are becoming (more…)

Patient safety is a new health care discipline that focuses on analysis, prevention, and reporting of medical errors. The extent of medical errors leading to adverse outcomes was not well known until the 1990s when countries began reporting on such errors. The World Health Organization called patient safety a major concern after discovering it affected (more…)

Since the 1980s, the rates of childhood obesity in the United States have more than tripled. A 2008 study found that the rate of obese and overweight children was at 32 percent. This rate even holds for infants nine months old to two years old. This infant weight status is strongly associated with preschool weight status and so on.

Childhood obesity, (more…)

Emergency rooms in the United States are incredibly busy. Last year, there were over 130 million emergency room visits. That means, on average, one out of every two American went to the emergency room. One-fifth of those ER visits were patients under the age of 18. As more people use ERs as their first choice in health care, ERs around the country are (more…)

Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures that disrupt communication between brain cells. Though it is treatable through surgery, diet, and medications; epilepsy can have a lasting, life-altering impact on those who suffer from it. 25 million Americans will have at least one seizure over the course of their (more…)

Emergency rooms in the United States are incredibly busy. Last year, there were over 130 million emergency room visits. That means, on average, one out of every two American went to the emergency room. One-fifth of those ER visits were patients under the age of 18. As more people use ERs as their first choice in health care, ERs around the country are (more…)

When reading health insurance materials or listening to all the talk about “Obamacare,” it is easy to get confused very quickly. Yet, in order to receive the best healthcare possible and to know what one will be paying, one must understand what all the terminology means. Unfortunately, this is not typically something they teach in school.

This entry (more…)

In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control estimated one in fifty children had been diagnosed with some autism spectrum disorder (ASD.) ASD occurs in all cultures and ethnic, socioeconomic, and racial groups. It is also five times more likely to occur in boys.

ASDs are characterized by a restricted range of interest, repetitive behavior, delayed language, (more…)