I never thought that this particular disease would make a comeback in the United States. But here we are. Measles. As of May 2019 there have been cases reported in over 20 states. Declining vaccine rates and international travel to areas with local measles epidemics have led to a sharp rise in the number of […]

Constipation is an incredibly common problem in the Pediatric Emergency Department and amongst children who visit the Emergency Department with complaints of abdominal pain. This episode of PEM Currents, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine podcast features an interview with Danny Mallon, a Gastroenterologist from Cincinnati Children’s @dannymallon24 who is an expert in managing pediatric constipation. Our discussion […]

You will no doubt see a child with anaphylaxis in the Emergency Department. Recognition, management and disposition are all key questions that feel incredibly fluid at this juncture. I had the pleasure of interviewing Tim Dribin, an Emergency Medicine Attending from Cincinnati Children’s who recently published a paper in PLUS ONE focusing on admissions for […]

Did you know that up to 9% of URIs are eventually complicated by acute sinusitis in children? This episode of PEM Currents, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine podcast focuses on making the diagnosis of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis clinically and when to pull the antibiotic prescription trigger. PEMBlog.com @PEMTweets References Chow AW, Benninger MS, Brook I, Brozek […]

Acute testicular pain is a common presenting complaint in the Pediatric Emergency Department. In this episode of PEM Currents you will learn about testicular torsion, epididymitis, torsion of the appendix testis and appendix epididymis, inguinal hernias and more. And remember, first and foremost, time is testicle! PEMBlog.com @PEMTweets References Jefferies MT, Cox AC, Gupta A, […]

This episode of PEM Currents features an in-depth interview with the lead author on the recent New England Journal paper on the use of probiotics in gastroenteritis. David Schnadower was kind enough to sit down with me and James Gray, a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow from Cincinnati Children’s to talk about the study and its […]

I am delighted to bring you this special episode of PEM Currents, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine podcast. It’s all about intranasal ketamine and its use for acute pain management in the Pediatric Emergency Department. I had the pleasure of interviewing Theresa Frey, Assistant Professor from the Division of Emergency Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s. Theresa is […]

Pop goes the apophysis! In teenage athletes the apophyseal cartilage is the weak point along the pelvic rim. Learn about these common injuries in this edition of PEM Currents, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine podcast. Find more great educational content at PEMBlog Follow me on Twitter @PEMTweets References Kocher MS, Tucker R. Pediatric athlete hip disorders. R.Clin Sports […]

Acute Flaccid Myelitis is a rare but serious disease characterized by rapid onset of muscle weakness. Diagnosis also requires an MRI with lesions in multiple spinal levels or CSF pleocytosis. cases have been reported over the past several years and though a specific cause is unknown strains of enterovirus are suspected culprits. Check out more […]

With summer pool season in full swing allow me to freestyle a little on a common topic that many Emergency Departments and Urgent Cares seem to be swimming in every summer. This episode of PEM Currents dives right into Otitis  Externa – AKA Swimmer’s Ear and reviews diagnosis and treatment. If you were treading water […]

Kawasaki Disease, AKA Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome, is one of the most common vasculitides of childhood. The hallmark is fever ≥5 days plus 4/5 of the following; mucous membrane changes, conjunctivitis, polymorphous rash, extremity changes and lymph node enlargement. It can also lead to coronary artery aneurysms, which is why its so important to make […]

OK, so this is the least exciting topic in Pediatric Emergency Medicine… With that being said, you will all see it. And we need to be good at looking at ears, diagnosing acute otitis media, and appropriately choosing when and which antibiotic to prescribe. Follow @PEMTweets on Twitter References Karma PH, et al., Pneumatic otoscopy […]

To tell you the tooth you’ll probably see quite a few kids with dental related complaints in the Pediatric Emergency Department. This can range from cavities to invasive infections. Brush up on all things dental infections in this episode of PEM Currents. And yes, those puns were intentional. I must’ve flossed my mind! PEMBlog Briefs: […]

You don’t need a flu test to diagnose the flu! But there are situations where rapid antigen testing or PCR is valuable. Listen to this episode of PEM Currents, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine podcast, to learn more about the test characteristics of common assays and when to obtain testing when prevalence rates for the flu […]

Hyperkalemia is more than just peaked T-waves on an EKG. Learn why an elevated serum potassium level can put patients in the danger zone and how to acutely manage patients in a goal directed manner. Check out more great educational content on PEMBlog.com Follow me on Twitter @PEMTweets