10 signs that a child ’s stomachache could be something serious
Follow me on Twitter @drClaire
Stomachaches are incredibly common in children. Most of the time they are nothing serious at all. Most are just from a mild stomach bug, or some constipation, or hunger — or are a child’s way of getting out of something they don’t want to do. But a stomachache can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem.
A stomachache worries doctors when…
1. The pain is severe. By severe, I mean that the child cannot be distracted from it, and is crying or otherwise showing that they are extremely uncomfortable. Any severe pain warrants a trip to the doctor, whether it’s unrelenting or it c...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - November 21, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Claire McCarthy, MD Tags: Children's Health Digestive Disorders Parenting Source Type: blogs
Why Medicare cannot stay solvent: a case study
My spry, 90-year-old patient decided she had a urinary tract infection two weeks ago. She had difficulty urinating and the constant urge to void with no fever, no chills, no back pain, no bloody urine. She was advised to come in for an appointment the same morning, but this didn’t suit her. The alternative choice was to see her urologist who made time available that same day. She decided this was not convenient either.
I called her and took a history and attempted to negotiate a visit but she declined strongly. She chose to void into a sterile container she had at home, put it into the refrigerator for storage and start ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - October 26, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/steven-reznick" rel="tag" > Steven Reznick, MD < /a > Tags: Policy Emergency Medicine Hospital-Based Medicine Urology Source Type: blogs
Medgadget Visits The Medical Alley Innovation Summit in Minneapolis 2017
MedTech Strategist working together with The Medical Alley Association for the very first time brought their premier innovation summit to Minnesota, a place now considered by many to be the global epicenter of health innovation and care. Over the two-day long event more than 35 start-up and emerging medical companies presented their technologies and devices to representatives of leading venture capitalist and investment banks, and also to large medical device companies.
Considering that funding is of major importance to the field of medical innovation, this event gave both investors and entrepreneurs a chance to explore fu...
Source: Medgadget - October 19, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Kenan Raddawi Tags: Exclusive Source Type: blogs
Jump Aboard the Nurse Wellness Express
Once upon a time, I was talking on the phone with a colleague who is not a nurse himself but who interacts with nurses on a regular basis in his professional life. His comments about nurses and their self-care (or lack thereof) were extremely thought-provoking.Like I ' ve said on this blog many times before, nurses are renowned for not taking good care of themselves, ostensibly because they ' re so busy taking care of others and living the lives of the saints that they are perceived to be. Let ' s face it. We all know that nurses aren ' t saints, while we also acknowledge that many nurses come close to sainthood vis-a...
Source: Digital Doorway - October 16, 2017 Category: Nursing Tags: nurse nurse self care nurse wellness nurses nursing self-care Source Type: blogs
Please make primary care as sexy as Grey ’s Anatomy
Dear Shonda Rhimes, the brilliant mind behind my favorite television show,
We need to talk about “Grey’s Anatomy.”
I’m a fan. A really, really big fan. The kind of fan who — in the last 48 hours — rewatched all of last season’s episodes to prepare for the season premiere, and who has blocked off every Thursday night this fall to get lost in the drama at Grey Sloan Memorial.
We all have our vices, and “Grey’s” is mine.
But something occurred to me as I was bingeing on last season. From the lifesaving surgeries to the metastasized cancers, half of the plot lines and patients on “Grey’s Anatomy...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - October 11, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/elizabeth-metraux" rel="tag" > Elizabeth M étraux < /a > Tags: Policy Mainstream media Primary Care Public Health & Source Type: blogs
New Test Reveals Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in 30 Minutes
Researchers at Caltech have developed a new rapid test for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can give results within 30 minutes.
Antibiotics are becoming less effective with the rise of multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria. At present, a doctor doesn’t know if their patient is infected with a drug-resistant strain without sending a sample to a lab, and it can take as long as three days to get the results back.
This means that most antibiotic treatments are a shot in the dark. A new test, developed by Caltech researchers, could help change this. The research team aimed to develop a simple test that could be complet...
Source: Medgadget - October 10, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Medicine Pathology Source Type: blogs
Consure Medical: Improving Ease-of-Use and Comfort of Patients Requiring Fecal Management [Interview]
You may not think that the topic of fecal incontinence (FI) and management sounds very lucrative or interesting, and within demanding and stressful healthcare environments it is usually last to receive attention. Even if healthcare workers do think about these issues, they often do not have as much time as they would like to invest in fecal management, and they have had few options to choose from until now.
Consure Medical has developed Qora, a novel stool management kit, that not only improves management, patient care, and provides ease of use with no compromise of patient safety, but it also greatly reduces overall hospi...
Source: Medgadget - September 15, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Alice Ferng Tags: Exclusive Geriatrics Medicine Source Type: blogs
Your Doctor in a Kiosk; A New Variant of Telemedicine
Various types of new healthcare delivery strategies and venues are constantly being introduced. For example, I have reported how retail drug stores are being used for both walk-in clinic visits (see:Details about CVS' MinuteClinic POCT Strategy) as well as patient service centers for national reference laboratories (see:National Reference Labs Expand Their PSC Footprint in Groceries& Retail Pharmacy). In this same spirit, various types of telemedicine are being offered from the care of minor problems (see: Details of Cleveland Clinic's MyCare Online Virtual Telemedicine Visits; Kaiser Permanente Ann...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 30, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Healthcare Delivery Healthcare Information Technology Medical Consumerism Telemedicine Source Type: blogs
Dealing with Difficult Behavior Caused by Alzheimer's Dementia
I often get asked questions about how I dealt with my mother when she engaged in difficult to manage behaviors.I read these six coping strategies for dementia-related behavior problems some time ago.Dr. Peter Rabins is a Johns Hopkins neurologist. He touches on the following behaviors: outbursts, agitation, aggression, wandering, vocalizations, hoarding and hiding things, and inappropriate sexual behavior.Learn More - Dementia Patients Can Deceive Others to the Distress of Their CaregiverPeople living with dementia often exhibit aggression and behaviors that are frustrating, embarrassing, and sometimes even dangerous ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 27, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: 36 hour day alzheimer alzheimer dementia alzheimer's behavior Alzheimers aggression alzheimers dementia stages help for caregivers help with dementia care Source Type: blogs
Caregivers Operate at a Very High "Station In Life"
While operating as a caregiver for someone living with Alzheimer's, or any type of dementia, we are performing at a very high "station in life".Caregiving is often arduous and burdensome.At times it can be heartbreaking.But the ordinary acts we perform each day can bring meaning and purpose to our lives.The Frightened, Angry, Anxious, Mean Dementia PatientBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomIt is my belief that we are all searching for meaning in our lives. I can think of few things as meaningful ascaring for someone who needs us so much.Article - Alzheimer's Care - "The Power of Purpose in Our Lives"If allow ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 15, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: care of dementia patients caregiver caregiving dementia care elderly dementia care help alzheimer's help with dementia how how to care Source Type: blogs
The Connection Between UTIs and Worsening Dementia
Dementia can be suddenly worsened by an undetected UTI (urinary tract infection).Are you aware of this?Urinary tract infections are the bane of existence for caregivers -a cause of great psychological and emotional pain.Alzheimer's and Urinary Tract infectionsBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomFew caregivers are aware of the connection between UTI and dementia. This is especially true if you are new to dementia caregiving.Nobody said it better than Carole Larkin -Think UTI First.Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:I would encourage you to read this hair raising article that Carole wrote for the Alzheimer's Re...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 29, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer awareness alzheimers care alzheimers caregiving alzheimers urinary tract infection dementia help for caregivers family caregiving help alzheimer's help with dementia help with dementia care Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's Care, Delirium, and Urinary Tract Infection
Delirium is a sudden alteration in mental status -- brain failure in a vulnerable individual, often an older adult with multiple health issues, caused by something else such as medications, urinary tract infection, lack of sleep, excessive light or noise or pain.Fact: an estimated 80 percent of patients in intensive care units experience delirium during their hospital stay; however, delirium is unrecognized in 60 percent of patients who experience it.Looking for Answers? How to Get Answers To Your Questions About Alzheimer's and DementiaStatistically having delirium is as serious as having a heart attack. Once deliriu...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 4, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: care of dementia patients care of dementia patients at home delirium dementia care dementia confusion Hallucinate home care memory care Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's Care, Acceptance, Recognition, Change, and Life
In order to care effectively for a person living with dementia you must accept the way things are; and then, introduce change into your life.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomDementia patients find it difficult, sometimes impossible, to make decisions. When they say NO they are trying to tell you they can't decide.The word "NO" is one of the most frequently used word in the Alzheimer's World dictionary.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaTopic -Alzheimer's Communication Tip, No More Blah Blah BlahAs I began to write here in the Alzheimer's Reading Room in 2009,I was forced to think about my own ca...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - June 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care Alzheimer's Dementia dementia care dementia help for caregivers help alzheimer's help with dementia care memory care Source Type: blogs
Infections May Speed the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Types of Dementia
...I remember the effect that my mother-in-law’s urinary tract infection and later, her pneumonia, had on her dementia. While she lived two years after clearing up the pneumonia, her quality of life had taken an irreversible dive. I always felt that her infections accelerated her dementia. These studies certainly correlate with my experience.
Read full article on HealthCentral about how infections may speed up the progression of dementia:
Support a caregiver or jump start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders of Minding Our Elders e-mail Carol
Related articles
Hospital Compa...
Source: Minding Our Elders - June 1, 2017 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Carol Bradley Bursack Source Type: blogs
Death Rates from Alzheimer ’s Disease Jump by 55 Percent How? Why?
This study is the first to provide county-level rates for deaths caused by AD.Death by Complications from Alzheimer's, What does this mean?CDC researchers analyzed state- and county-level death certificate data from the National Vital Statistics System to identify deaths with AD reported as the underlying cause.According to the analysis, possible reasons for the increase include:the growing population of older adults in the U.S.,increases in diagnosis of AD at earlier stages, increased reporting by physicians and otherswho record the cause of death, and fewer deaths from other causes of deaths for the elderly, su...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - May 27, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: care of dementia patients death rates death rates alzheimers dementia care dementia help for caregivers health help alzheimer's help with dementia care memory care facility nursing home Source Type: blogs
