PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast

PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast is an evidence-based podcast focused on the care of ill and injured children in the Emergency Department. The host is Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd author of PEMBlog.com and a Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s and the University of Cincinnati.
Episodes
Episodes
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Vitamin K Deficient Bleeding (Hemorrhagic disease of the newborn)
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Newborn infants need intramuscular injections of Vitamin K in order to produce critical clotting factors. If they don’t get it they can have potentially life threatening bleeding. PEMBlog @PEMTweets on… sigh “X” (Twitter) My Instagram My Mastodon account @bradsobo References Transcript Note: This transcript was partially completed with the use of the Descript AI Welcome […]
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Cellulitis
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
This episode will help you recognize cellulitis and even differentiate it from erysipelas which is totally a different thing. You’ll also learn about treatment, whether or not a blood culture is necessary, and a whole lot more! PEMBlog @PEMTweets on… sigh “X” (Twitter) My Instagram My Mastodon account @bradsobo References Chen AE, Carroll KC, Diener-West […]
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Laryngomalacia
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Laryngomalacia, is the most common cause of infant stridor. Early diagnosis is crucial as it can impact a child’s growth and development. Most infants get better on their own, but those with severe symptoms need surgical interventions like supraglottoplasty. Learn all about diagnosis and management of this common problem in this brief podcast episode. PEMBlog […]
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Meckel Diverticulum
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Meckel diverticulum is a congenital anomaly of the small intestine that can present with various clinical manifestations, including rectal bleeding and obstruction. Recognizing the characteristic features and understanding the differential diagnosis is crucial in managing patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. This episode will help you recognize and diagnose this surgical condition that you probably remember […]
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Respiratory viral panels
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Just because you can test for dozens of viruses with a single swab should you? Is this actually measuring a current infection, or a recent virus from which the child has since recovered. And what about the cost? Are these tests expensive (spoiler alert: They are!). Learn about the situations when we should get these […]
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Constipation: Diagnosis, X-Rays, and more
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Where else is the poop going to be? Constipation is by and large a clinical diagnosis. This episode reviews how to make the diagnosis, red flags, and why X-Rays don’t necessarily help assess stool burden adequately in most children. This podcast episode is designed to disseminate the important work of Choosing Wisely, an initiative of the […]
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Do we need labs or a head CT after simple febrile or unprovoked seizures?
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Labs or CT scans are not necessary to provide additional diagnostic information or reassurance for most children who recover completely following simple febrile seizures or unprovoked first time generalized seizures. The rate of abnormalities on these studies is very low, and the cost and downsides are too high to justify ordering them on a regular […]
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Do we need labs to medically clear a patient for psych admission?
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
For most children requiring admission to an inpatient psychiatric facility laboratory studies are generally not required. Many of the children and adolescents being admitted already have an established mental or behavioral diagnosis, and a reassuring history and exam. The heterogeneity of clinical settings makes it challenging to establish processes that account for the needs of […]
Tuesday Aug 29, 2023
Tuesday Aug 29, 2023
For most children with children with bronchiolitis, croup, asthma, or first-time wheezing chest X-Rays are not necessary. These X-Rays are often obtained due to the possibility of missing pneumonia. But, these radiographs are hard to interpret, increase length of stay and the cost of care, and expose children to excess radiation. This podcast episode is […]
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Henoch–Schönlein Purpura (HSP)
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Henoch–Schönlein Purpura (HSP) is a common vasculitis seen in younger children. The classic skin finding is palpable purpura in gravity dependent areas of the body (buttocks and legs). Children can also have arthralgias, abdominal pain and intussusception, and even nephritis. Learn about the diagnosis and management of Henoch–Schönlein Purpura (HSP) in this brief podcast episode. PEMBlog @PEMTweets […]
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Stings and Envenomations
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
It is summertime, so the bees and bugs are out! In this episode, Dr. Ben Grebber, a pediatric resident at Boston Children’s Hospital/Tufts Children’s Hospital, discusses Bee Stings and Spider Bites. A very common pediatric summer complaint in emergency departments, urgent cares, and primary care offices, this episode covers common signs and symptoms, some pathophysiology, […]
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Agitation Episode 5: The boarded ED patient
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
We are in the midst of a staggering mental health crisis. Thousands of children and adolescents spend days at time in Emergency Departments waiting for definitive mental health disposition. This podcast episode hosted by Brad Sobolewski (@PEMTweets) and co-authored by Dennis Ren (@DennisRenMD) is all about what we should consider when boarding children in the […]
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Agitation Episode 4: Safe prehospital transport
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
There are protocols in place that assist highly trained Emergency Medical Service providers in assuring that agitated children are safely transported to their destination. This podcast episode hosted by Brad Sobolewski (@PEMTweets) and co-authored by Dennis Ren (@DennisRenMD) is all about what pre-hospital providers should do to get these agitated children safely to the ED. […]
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Agitation Episode 3: Pharmacologic management
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
When we think of managing agitated patients we think of medicines – but that shouldn’t be our first option. However, medications can be adjuncts to non-pharmacologic means to help keep agitated children safe from harm. This podcast episode hosted by Brad Sobolewski (@PEMTweets) and co-authored by Dennis Ren (@DennisRenMD) is all about age-appropriate pharmacologic management […]
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Agitation Episode 2: Non-pharmacologic management
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Agitated children should always be treated with dignity and respect. This entails utilizing the least invasive non-pharmacologic means of assisting them, before moving to physical or chemical restraints. This podcast episode hosted by Brad Sobolewski (@PEMTweets) and co-authored by Dennis Ren (@DennisRenMD) is all about age-appropriate non pharmacologic management strategies for agitated children. It is […]