Archive for primary care
Asthma, softball, and COVID-19: Gwen’s story
Gwendolyn Castro has a competitive streak. Whether playing softball or debating topics like universal health care, the 15-year-old wants to be the best at whatever she does. Her mom, Alicia Cacho, doesn’t want Gwen’s asthma to hold her back in any way. Over the years, both have learned that the best way to keep asthma ... Read More about Asthma, softball, and COVID-19: Gwen’s story
Monitoring for breast cancer after childhood chest radiation: When and how?
Chest radiation is used to treat children with Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as lung metastases in various solid tumors. But radiation itself is a potential cancer risk. That includes an increased risk for breast cancer later in life. Girls receiving chest radiation for childhood cancer face a breast cancer risk as high as ... Read More about Monitoring for breast cancer after childhood chest radiation: When and how?
Addressing racial and ethnic health disparities within primary care
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased awareness of existing racial and ethnic health disparities and inequities. The team at the Boston Children’s Hospital Primary Care Center serves a large population of Black and Latino children and recognizes that adults in these groups are at much higher risk of contracting — and dying from — ... Read More about Addressing racial and ethnic health disparities within primary care
In the coronavirus crisis, when should your child see the doctor?
If your child is sick or is due for a checkup or vaccine, you may wonder if it’s okay to go to the doctor right now. With more pediatricians seeing patients remotely in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, the majority of routine and sick visits can be managed via telehealth. But there are still some ... Read More about In the coronavirus crisis, when should your child see the doctor?
Pediatric stroke: Do you believe these three myths?
Think fast: How much do you know about pediatric stroke? If you’re like many clinicians, you may not even realize that kids can have strokes. Yet knowing the signs of stroke in children, as well as when to refer, is crucial for primary care providers as well as specialists. Here, Miya Bernson-Leung, MD, EdM, a ... Read More about Pediatric stroke: Do you believe these three myths?
Developmental milestone checklists don’t always agree, finds study
Developmental milestones, such as sitting unsupported or babbling, are a cornerstone for tracking a child’s development and spotting potential delays. Yet fewer than half of pediatricians actually use formal developmental assessments. Hoping to make the process easier, Carol Wilkinson, MD, PhD, in the Boston Children’s Hospital Division of Developmental Medicine, set out to incorporate a ... Read More about Developmental milestone checklists don’t always agree, finds study
Predicting and preventing asthma exacerbations in children
Some pediatric primary care providers in Massachusetts have a powerful new way to identify and prevent uncontrolled asthma in children. The Medical Home Asthma Program (MAP), modeled after the Community Asthma Initiative (CAI), is offered to practices in the Pediatric Physician’s Organization at Children’s (PPOC). MAP helps providers leverage electronic tools to identify at-risk children ... Read More about Predicting and preventing asthma exacerbations in children
Startup uses Uber to get patients to their medical appointments
Getting to the doctor will soon get easier for some struggling patients. Boston Children’s Hospital has joined forces with the ride-hailing service Uber to pilot a non-emergency medical transportation platform. The online, HIPAA-compliant tool, called Circulation, connects with health care information systems, enabling hospitals to schedule Uber rides for patients. The pilot will serve Boston Children’s, Mercy Health ... Read More about Startup uses Uber to get patients to their medical appointments
BabySee: Mobile app lets you see through an infant’s eyes
David Hunter, MD, PhD, chief of Ophthalmology at Boston Children’s Hospital, gets a lot of questions from parents, but the number one question is: “What can my baby see?” That depends. How old is the baby? Five days after birth, she might see something like the image at left; at 3 months, the image at ... Read More about BabySee: Mobile app lets you see through an infant’s eyes