Larissa Hirsch, MD

How old does a child need to be before we can count on the accuracy of his or her response?

One of the most common illnesses we treat in general pediatrics is asthma-often in children who have not yet entered their teen years. While we ask the parents what symptoms they have noticed in their child, we don’t always ask younger children directly. How reliable are their answers?

In recent years, adolescents have begun to turn to unconventional sources of drugs to abuse. One such drug that is becoming more and more popular among teenagers is dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in many cough and cold medications. In large doses, dextromethorphan is broken down into dextrorphan, which can produce euphoria and hallucinations--effects similar to those of phencyclidine

Lately, the media has been riddled with news about a recent study pertaining to brainstem abnormalities in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). How pertinent are the findings to your everyday practice? Should this study change the anticipatory guidance that you provide to new parents?

Your last appointment of the day is with a 16-year-old boy who needs medical clearance to participate on the school basketball team. You have read about young athletes who die suddenly on the field. Is there anything you should do in addition to a history and physical examination to assure yourself that it is safe for your patient to play sports?