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Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents (from newborn to age 18-21). The word pediatrics is derived from two Greek words paidi (παιδί) which means "boy" and iatros (ιατρός) which means "doctor". Most pediatricians are members of a national body, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, the Royal College Of Paediatrics and Child Health, Norsk barnelegeforening (The Norwegian society of pediatricians) or the Indian Academy of Pediatrics
Pediatrics differs from adult medicine in many respects. The obvious body size differences are paralleled by maturational changes. The smaller body of an infant or neonate is substantially different physiologically from that of an adult. Congenital defects, genetic variance, immunology, oncology, and a host of other issues are unique to the realm of pediatrics. Increasingly effective health care also means that diseases such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis are more often treated by pediatricians, though many or most patients grow into adulthood. Issues revolving around infectious diseases and immunizations are also dealt with primarily by pediatricians.
Pediatrics is also a springboard for any specialty of general medicine, each with its own unique aspects. Pediatric cardiologists deal with heart conditions in children, particularly congenital heart defects, pediatric oncologists often treat leukemias and lymphomas. Every subspecialty of the adult doctor exists in the pediatric field (with the exception of geriatrics), but some are unique to pediatrics, such as adolescent medicine, sports medicine, and neonatology.
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Childrens Conditions and Diseases
Children's Grief :: Grief, Loss and Bereavement
Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Share Genetic Roots
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:45:00 -0400
A trio of genome-wide studies -- collectively the largest to date -- have pinpointed a vast array of genetic variation that cumulatively may account for at least one third of the genetic risk for schizophrenia. One of the studies traced schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, in part, to the same chromosomal neighborhoods.
Imaging Technique Allows Researchers to Monitor Protein Changes in Mouse Tumors
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:05:00 -0400
A new imaging technique can monitor, in living mice, the HER2 protein found in above-normal amounts in many cases of breast cancer as well as some ovarian, prostate and lung cancers. This new approach, once validated in mice and pending further experiments, could provide a real-time noninvasive method for identifying tumors in humans who express HER2 and who would be candidates for targeted therapy directed against this protein. It may also provide real-time information that will help clinicians optimize treatment for individual patients. The study, published in the July 2009 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, was conducted by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, both parts of the National Institutes of Health.
Dynasty: Influenza Virus in 1918 and Today
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:10:00 -0400
The influenza virus that wreaked worldwide havoc in 1918-1919 founded a viral dynasty that persists to this day, according to scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. In an article published online on June 29 by the New England Journal of Medicine, authors Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., Ph.D., and David M. Morens, M.D., argue that we have lived in an influenza pandemic era since 1918, and they describe how the novel 2009 H1N1 virus now circling the globe is yet another manifestation of this enduring viral family.
CNN.com - Health
Police: Hospital worker swiped shots, spread hep C
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:18:42 -0400
A former hospital employee may have exposed hundreds or thousands of surgical patients to hepatitis C when she replaced clean needles filled with the powerful painkiller fentanyl with her own dirty needles filled with saline solution.
Health.com picks top beach, lake getaways
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:47:40 -0400
We know your summer vacation time is precious: You want to land where you can truly relax, breathe fresh air, get in some exercise and eat well -- without breaking the bank. That's why we teamed up with a panel of travel and health experts to help us find the healthiest of the nation's most popular beach and lake towns.
Bandaides and Blackboards - Supports kids, teenagers and adults who are dealing with having a medical problem. Advice about teasing, what to expect in a hospital, poetry, and shared stories.
Adolescents Psychological Complications of Chronic Illness - Information from The Child Health Library of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Meta Description: [ Detailed information on psychological complications of chronic illness and teens from Child Health Library of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh ]
Children and Grief - Discusses how children handle grief and loss and which signs indicate they have difficulty coping (AACAP Facts For Families).
Meta Description: [ Discusses how children handle grief and loss and signs of problems. ]
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Chronic Illness: New and Old Ideas to Care for Children - Slide show by National Center of Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs explains two new options: Chronic Care Model and Medical Home Project.
Dealing With a Health Condition - Explains teenagers how to cope, to take control, deal with others.
Meta Description: [ If you suffer from a chronic illness or know someone who does, you know it can be anything but fun. But you have the opportunity to be better informed and more involved in your care and wellness than ever before. Read on for information and resources to help you deal. ]
Living with Childhood Illness and Disability - Resources page by the Center for Children with Special Needs includes handouts on safety, Disability Act, school preparation, the Internet.
Meta Description: [ resource for families and professionals caring for children with special needs and chronic health conditions ]
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Pain and Chronic Illness in Children - Short paper on the importance of pain management.
Parental Advise on Coping with Chronic Illness of your Child - Tips how to explain, deal with emotions, use discipline, keep a family routine, and cope with strangers.
Promoting Resilience in Youth with Chronic Conditions and their Parents - Paper on family centered care, describes impact, principles, assessment, healthy family functioning.
Shared Vision - Complete article (also as PDF) on longterm needs, financial and medical planning.
Starbright Foundation - Features empowerment programs for seriously ill children. Includes chatrooms, videos, comic books, and cd-roms.
Teenagers and Coping with Chronic Illness - Tips and strategies for parents with newly diagnosed teenagers.
Meta Description: [ Chronic illness - questions and answers ]
The Child With a Long-Term Illness - AACAP Facts For Families describes the risk for developing associated emotional problems as the child must must cope with a disease that is here to stay and may even get worse.
Meta Description: [ The child with a serious medical illness is at risk for developing associated emotional problems. Unlike a child with a temporary sickness such as the flu, the child with a chronic illness must cope with knowing that the disease is here to stay and may even get worse. ]
What is a Chronic Illness? - Explains to children what their ill friend or relative experiences and what they can do themselves.
Youth in Transition - Article on transitions in youth with chronic health disorders advises their caregivers in assisting to gradual independence and self-management.
Meta Description: [ Patients with chronic health conditions of any kind experience the same transitions in life as anyone else. The difference is that there are additional needs and concerns that should be addressed and met by all the concerned caregivers including the family support system. Unfortunately this doe... ]
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