Monthly Archive for: ‘June, 2011’

The Cost of Human Error

The Cost of Human Error

In September 2010, a seasoned pediatric intensive care unit nurse administered an accidental overdose to a critically ill baby, giving ten times the amount of calcium that was prescribed. Five days later, this baby, with an already tenuous heart condition, died. The nurse recognized her mistake immediately, informed her superior, and also told the family […]

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Pertussis Can Be Fatal: Get Vaccinated

Pertussis Can Be Fatal: Get Vaccinated

I’ve heard so many reasons from parents, both in my office as well as on the playground, why they choose not to vaccinate their kids: “I’m terrified that they will be that one kid with a rare metabolic disorder who becomes autistic FROM the vaccine”. “She’s so little. I don’t want her body exposed to […]

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Don’t Smoke. Really.

Don’t Smoke. Really.

The FDA issued a statement this week (June 20, 2011) that cigarettes packages and cigarette ads will have not only harsh warning labels, but will also have graphic photos demonstrating the nasty effects of this habit. Some of the photos include a man who’s had his voice box removed (presumably as a result of a […]

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Tonsils: Take ‘em or Leave ‘em

Tonsils: Take ‘em or Leave ‘em

Tonsillectomy used to be a routine rite of passage for children worldwide. Literally millions of kids would get their tonsils out each year in the United States alone. Oftentimes, if one child in the family was having their tonsils removed, the siblings would follow suit, often without a clear medical indication to do so, but […]

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