It really wasn't the boy's fault. He was playing in his yard when a stray dog wandered over. The dog jumped up and bit the boy on the side of his face. The dog fled and Animal Control couldn't find it. Rabies is in the area and…
This week's column is from Dr. Susila Shanmuganathan, a family practice resident at the University Hospital and Clinics here in Lafayette. Another runny nose? Don't they know this is an Emergency Department, and cold viruses…
On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the icy Potomac River in Washington during take-off. Joe Stiley, one of the few survivors, saw the crash coming, seeing out his window how the plane was falling to the river…
This week's guest columnist is Dr. Devan Szczepanski, a family practice resident at the University Hospital and Clinics here in Lafayette. Mrs. Breaux gets a phone call at work from Sue's daycare. Sue needs to be picked up…
A high school friend of mine, Alice Flaherty, was a picky eater. Alice could only stomach a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. She went on to become a famous Harvard Neurologist and had a picky eater for a daughter. So…
This week's guest columnist is Dr. Frank Betanski, a family practice resident at the University Hospital & Clinics here in Lafayette. If you have kids, especially a son, you may know the feeling: waking your child in the…
I walk into the room, introduce myself, and ask my usual lead-in question: "When did things first start going wrong?" The mom answers "She started with this rash last night, and this morning it has spread all over. Just look at…
A lot of my columns are about how to keep your child out of the Pediatric Emergency Department. Possible fractures, though, are one time where coming in is the best move. More on this from our two guest columnists, Dr. Nicole…
I see it almost every day in the Pediatric Emergency Department: a little one running about the unit yelling, throwing toys, crawling under the curtains. The parent says something like "Come back here or you'll get a whipping…
This week's guest columnist is Dr. Yamuna Jaladanki, a Family Practice resident at the University Hospital and Clinics here in Lafayette. The other day in the ER I saw two kids from the same family, one 11 months old and the…
All doctors get dogged by patients and parents for missing diagnoses. I see it when a parent brings their child into the Emergency Department. The kid has had a cold and fever for a few days, and their regular doctor called it "…
Today's guest columnist is Dr. Jamie Collins, a Family Practice resident at the University Health Center here in Lafayette. It was the start of a great day for Kevin. It was Saturday and no school and no homework. However, Kevin…
