About Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd

Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd is a Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and an Associate Director for the Pediatric Residency Training Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. He is on Twitter/X @PEMTweets, on Instagram @BradSobolewski, authors the Pediatric Emergency Medicine site PEMBlog and is the host and creator of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast. All views are strictly my own and not official medical advice.

Lupus Emergencies in Children and Adolescents

By |2025-05-21T12:32:13-04:00May 28th, 2025|Rheumatology|

Children with SLE can present to the Emergency Department with rapidly evolving, life-threatening complications. This post reviews high-risk lupus emergencies—including nephritis, MAS, neuropsychiatric disease, and more—with a focus on ED-relevant signs, diagnostic strategies, and treatment considerations for clinicians caring for acutely ill pediatric patients with lupus.

Predicting Pediatric Pneumonia Severity in the ED: A New Multinational Model from PERN

By |2025-05-20T15:42:00-04:00May 27th, 2025|Infectious Diseases|

A new multinational PERN study developed a pragmatic clinical prediction model to assess pediatric pneumonia severity in the ED. Using eight bedside variables, the model accurately distinguishes mild from moderate or severe disease, supporting better disposition decisions and resource use. It performed well across diverse global emergency care settings.

Advanced Imaging of Children in the ED: Ultrasound, CT, and MRI

By |2025-05-20T14:29:37-04:00May 20th, 2025|Podcasts, Radiology|

In this episode of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast, Brad Sobolewski interviews Dr. Jennifer Marin from UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. They discuss evidence-based strategies for using advanced imaging—ultrasound, CT, and MRI—in the pediatric ED, including how to reduce low-value imaging, improve communication with families, and ensure every scan is the right scan.

Building POCUS Expertise: How PEM is Shaping Training and Quality Standards (An AAP SOEM Virtual Education Session)

By |2025-05-14T19:24:08-04:00May 14th, 2025|Radiology|

Watch this recorded session for answers to questions such as, “why is my division making everyone learn how to do ultrasound? and “how did they make the decisions on what scans we have to learn and how many do we need to have?” and even “won’t Radiology get mad if we take their money?"

Parvo Podcast! Erythema Infectiosum, Fifth Disease, and more!

By |2025-04-30T12:50:31-04:00May 1st, 2025|Infectious Diseases, Podcasts|

Parvovirus B19 is back on your differential. Best known for causing fifth disease, this common pediatric virus can also trigger aplastic crises, fetal complications, and chronic anemia in immunocompromised patients. In this episode of PEM Currents, we explore its clinical spectrum, diagnostic nuances, and management strategies—plus a reminder on when kids are (and aren’t) contagious.

Promoting Compassionate Emergency Care for Children with Autism

By |2025-04-22T12:58:54-04:00April 22nd, 2025|Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics|

Children with autism spectrum disorder often face heightened challenges in the ED due to sensory sensitivities, communication barriers, and difficulties with transitions. Without appropriate accommodations, care can become distressing and ineffective. Stakeholders emphasized the urgent need for ASD-focused preparation, tailored communication strategies, and staff training to deliver compassionate, individualized emergency care.

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