OB/GYN

Vigilant monitoring and management are the keys to keeping the healthy, full-term infant with hyperbilirubinemia healthy and heading off the danger of brain damage.

As more mothers breastfeed, and for a longer time, pediatricians and their staffs are being called on to answer a wide variety of questions. These lactation experts show you how to respond to worries ranging from babies with too many or too few bowel movements to concerns about engorged breasts.

Some pediatricians consider hospitalists a threat to their professional scope and to continuity of care for their patients. But when conditions are right, hospitalists can be just what the doctor ordered.

For almost 20 years, pediatricians have hesitated to use acyclovir for "minor" ailments like fever blisters and chickenpox. These authors make the case that even minor illnesses deserve this proven therapy--especially now that it is off-patent and reasonably priced. See if their argument persuades you.

A newborn infant is cyanotic, hypoxemic, tachypneic, and grunting. Despite endotracheal intubation with 100% oxygen delivery, his percent oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry is only in the twenties. There seems to be a difference in oxygenation.

A gentle, patient approach is important when examining a prepubertal girl. Pay special attention to anatomic and pathophysiologic differences in the child. Emphasize setting the stage to make the examination a positive experience for your young patient.

Physicians have known for three decades that taking high doses of oral contraceptive pills afterunprotected intercourse can prevent ovulation and implantation. Isn't it time you considered offering adolescent patients this effective means of avoiding unintended pregnancy?

Whether to circumcise a newborn son is one of the first decisions parents must make for their child. Pediatricians can help them sort through the confusion and controversy surrounding the issue by providing accurate information and answers to their questions.

Despite promising developments such as the new rotavirus vaccine, acute diarrhea won't disappear from pediatric practice any time soon. This straightforward strategy for office management rests on the cornerstones of oral rehydration and continued feeding.

Is that "bruise" or "burn" really a sign of child abuse? To avoid a misdiagnosis that can have profound consequences for the child, family, and suspected perpetrator, be sure you consider the full range of possibilities.

Is MIS the best bet for a patient with Hodgkin's disease who needs a splenectomy? What about an ordinary hernia repair, or a child who may have appendicitis, or the teenager who might have an ectopic pregnancy?

In this symposium, two obstetricians and a pediatrician reflect on more than two years of experience with the CDC guidelines for prevention of perinatal Group B streptococcal disease. They address the effectiveness of prophylaxis, unforeseen problems with the guidelines, and more.

At a routine visit you note multiple skin tags in the perianal area of an otherwise healthy 12-month-old girl. Her mother first noticed a small bump near the anus when the child was 2 months old but didn't mention it to you because it did not seem to bother the child.

Pregnancy-prevention programs that succeed--and many don't--have certain characteristics in common. This review will help you evaluate the adolescent health services available to your patients and may suggest some new ways of looking at the counseling you offer during office visits.