My child's doctor mentioned the word murmur at our last visit. Â What is that?
Over the millennia the heart has been revered and imagined as the center and master of the body and soul. In ancient Egypt, it was preserved with the mummy while the brain was removed and thrown away. Â All of the great writers, from the ancient Greeks through Shakespeare to those of the twenty first century, center on the heart. Â It is so strong, yet it breaks so easily. Â The sound of it beating reminds us we are alive.
When a physician evaluates a child, one of the
Prenatal Testing
by Tom Seman MD FAAP January 3rd, 2013 | Pediatrician on Call
I am pregnant with my first child, and I am over 30 years old. My doctor
 keeps recommending that I get my blood tested and have an ultrasound to
 make sure that the baby is ok. No matter what, I do not want to terminate
 the pregnancy. Is it really important to do all of these tests?
Congratulations! People have often wondered if there is a reason to do all
 of the tests, especially when they know that they will have the baby no
 matter what. After all, just a generation ago, there were not as many tests 
to tell what
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Congratulations! People have often wondered if there is a reason to do all
 of the tests, especially when they know that they will have the baby no
 matter what. After all, just a generation ago, there were not as many tests 
to tell what
Diabetes and Children
by Tom Seman MD FAAP November 8th, 2012 | Pediatrician on Call
My 4 year old son has been toilet trained for he last 12 months and has been dry at night for at least the last 6 months. Over the past 2 weeks, he has been wetting the bed and having accidents. Should I be concerned?
Fitting question for November since it is National Diabetes month. Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (Type1 DM) or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus was once known as Juvenile Diabetes since it most frequently occurred in children. It received its name, mellitus, from the Greek word for honey.
Type 1 DM occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that
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Fitting question for November since it is National Diabetes month. Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (Type1 DM) or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus was once known as Juvenile Diabetes since it most frequently occurred in children. It received its name, mellitus, from the Greek word for honey.
Type 1 DM occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that
Temper Tantrums
by Tom Seman MD FAAP October 11th, 2012 | Pediatrician on Call
My two year-old daughter is starting to throw terrible tantrums. If I don't give in to what she wants, she cries so much that she vomits. I am at my wit's end. What can I do?
This can be a difficult situation, especially when out of the house; therefore, it needs to be tempered as quickly as possible.
Most children who vomit easily with lots of crying and screaming typically had issues with gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD) as infants. This condition typically heals itself over the first year of life, but approximately 5% continue on until older. Those adults are the target
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This can be a difficult situation, especially when out of the house; therefore, it needs to be tempered as quickly as possible.
Most children who vomit easily with lots of crying and screaming typically had issues with gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD) as infants. This condition typically heals itself over the first year of life, but approximately 5% continue on until older. Those adults are the target
Apraxia?
by Tom Seman MD FAAP August 16th, 2012 | Pediatrician on Call
My 5 year-old still has trouble talking. She can speak many words one day, but some days those same words don't come easily for her. My friend said she might have Apraxia. How do I find out?
There are several possible reasons for the issues that your five year old is having. Hearing loss, poor tone of the mouth, tongue and face as well as a variety of developmental delays such as autism can account for such difficulties.
Furthermore, there are several sounds and sound combinations that are not fully mastered by a child until approximately 6 years old. Most of these can be diagnosed
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There are several possible reasons for the issues that your five year old is having. Hearing loss, poor tone of the mouth, tongue and face as well as a variety of developmental delays such as autism can account for such difficulties.
Furthermore, there are several sounds and sound combinations that are not fully mastered by a child until approximately 6 years old. Most of these can be diagnosed