PEMBlog – Page 2 – A Pediatric Emergency Medicine education destination

Probiotics don’t improve outcomes in children with acute gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis affects millions of children in the U.S. every year, leading to emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), have been commonly used as a treatment, but evidence supporting their effectiveness has been limited. A new study conducted by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) aimed to determine whether LGG could reduce the severity of gastroenteritis in children. The trial found that LGG did not significantly improve outcomes compared to placebo.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-10-31T10:15:17-04:00October 31st, 2024|Infectious Diseases|

Medical Music Mondays: Terror of the Night

Night terrors are super scary. And the kid doesn't even remember them! They're more like sleep walking than nightmares and parents are often worried that it's a seizure or something more serious.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-10-31T12:16:10-04:00October 28th, 2024|Music, Neurology, Prevention|

Medical Music Mondays: The Pinworm Shuffle

Pinworms! Ahhhhh! They itch at night and they're scary. Fortunately they are easy to treat and eradicate. They're still gross.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-10-21T18:45:34-04:00October 21st, 2024|Infectious Diseases, Music|

Caring for Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in the Emergency Department: A Problem-Based Approach

Emergency care for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) patients involves managing respiratory failure, cardiac dysfunction, and orthopedic risks. Prioritize non-invasive ventilation, MRI for cardiac assessment, and vigilant monitoring for fat embolisms. Use Cystatin C and bilirubin for renal and liver function evaluation.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-10-17T22:29:42-04:00October 18th, 2024|Cardiology, Neurology|

Medical Music Mondays: Lipase High!

Did you know that pancreatitis is mostly caused by viruses in kids? They don't drink alcohol or get gallstones like grown ups. Also, scorpion bites apparently cause it. But that's silly and only something you see in board review books. Anyway, this would be a better Broadway musical than most retreads of 1980s & 90s movies.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-10-12T22:29:19-04:00October 14th, 2024|Music, Toxicology|

Medical Music Mondays: Factor First!

Children with Hemophilia who present to the ED need to get a dose of Factor First! Don't delay and give their home factor if they have it.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-10-04T19:13:29-04:00October 7th, 2024|Music, Toxicology|

Scope This! A Podcast on Gastroesophageal Reflux and Gastritis

In this episode of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast, host Brad Sobolewski delves into gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and gastritis in children. He distinguishes between gastritis, diagnosed via endoscopy, and symptom-based dyspepsia. The episode covers GER/GERD's pathophysiology, diagnostic strategies, lifestyle and dietary management, and pharmacological treatments, including PPI and H2 blockers. Sobolewski stresses the importance of proper diagnosis and evaluation, differentiating from other conditions like pancreatitis and gallstones, to optimize care in pediatric emergency settings.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-10-02T14:08:39-04:00October 2nd, 2024|Gastroenterology, Podcasts|

Medical Music Mondays: Fear the Reefer (Cannabis Hyperemesis)

Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome can make habitual smokers miserable! They will got some relief from hot showers - but many need fluids, ondansetron, topical capsaicin, and even Haldol.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-09-30T05:37:30-04:00September 30th, 2024|Music, Toxicology|

EmergiQuiz 2024 Online Case Diagnoses Revealed

EmergiQuiz is an annual case-based presentation sponsored by the AAP Section on Emergency Medicine that challenges the audience to think through the differential diagnosis for four amazing cases. Traditionally these cases are presented live at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition. Since 2020 the AAP Section on Emergency Medicine has also been sponsoring the publication of online cases on EmergiQuiz.com. This is part two of the 2024 online case series.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-09-25T08:38:50-04:00September 26th, 2024|EmergiQuiz|

PEMPix 2024 Online Case #4: Frozen Ever After

PEMPix is the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine’s annual visual diagnosis competition. This year, in addition to the 10 finalists Maneesha Agarwal will be presenting at the National Conference and Exhibition we will be sharing four cases online in advance of the conference. This is the last of the four cases.

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2024-09-14T10:43:21-04:00September 26th, 2024|PEMPix|