Pediatric House Calls > Purveyors of most excellent Medical Stuff and Advice since 1980.            sitemap

Pediatric House Calls is a collection of medical and parenting advice articles from a pediatrician's "inside" perspective.  All are written in a down to earth, conversational style punctuated with many examples and stories from years of medical practice and caring for infants, children and adolescents: My avocation.  Originally composed for inclusion in newspapers, they are being rewritten for the web. Articles are in the following categories:

    In this site are the following subMENU's:

  1. Keepin' em Well: Wellness, Preventive Care, "Well Baby," "Physicals," Sports — "If it aint broke don't fix it" doesn't apply to the nuture and development of children – that is, unless you think the 1800's had the best medicine. Remember that EVERY parent back then knew what it was like to have a child die, some many. These articles include Well Child physical exam schedules, Immunization lists and MUST READ accident prevention necessities. They are MUST READ because they will teach you how to save your child's life in an emergency. And there is more to child health than exams. Children aren't usually happy unless their lives are filled with active Things To Do such as sports, games and learning opportunities.
  2. Makin' em Better: Illnesses, Injuries, Infections, "Boo-boos" of all kinds — Kissing the "boo boo's" isn't the only thing necessary to be a parent of a active child. These articles are about recognizing, diagnosing and treating the many illnesses of childhood. From Acne to wood stoves, from Urinary Tract Infections to alcohol poisoning.
  3. Raisin' em Right: Parenting, Discipline, Preparing for independance and success — Most parents don't feel "adequate" unless they have given their children pretty much all that they want. But, most of the best gifts don't cost money. These articles could be considered the most important in the web site, if you are trying to raise a competent, kind and pleasant child.
  4. Livin' with Conditions: Genetics, Cronic Conditions, Developmental Problems — Most of us, to varying degrees, must deal with something that we're either born with or wich doesn't go readily away. These articles deal with things a bit more difficult to resolve.
  5. Dealin' with Doc's: Choosing a "good one," Bills, Appointments, Expectations, Inside Information — This might be the most difficult task of all. The medical system as a whole has changed – dramatically – and not all for the better. Much of the angst you read about, has its origins in foibles of base human nature: avarice, greed, lazyness and fear. Prices which have gotten unreasonably high, most wanting someone else to pay for it, providers wanting to "maximize" their profit and "minimize" their effort. These articles describe "what to expect," "how to choose," "what should be" and "where to find."
  6. Resources and Links — This section includes references to medically related web Resources which have been selected for their: lack of bias, truthfulness and completeness – these days, not so easy to find.
  7. .


Although the medical information contained in this site is not meant to treat any specific patient, some have chosen to email with questions relating to their child.  Below are the answers given; but, edited to remove any specific identifying information, and to give generally applicable information in order to assist in effectively parenting infants, children, and adolescents.  The period of infancy, childhood and adolescence is a unique time requiring a good relationship with a trusted pediatrician.

    Recently answered questions:
  1. Adenoidectomy - speech problems are very rarely reasons for doing it.
  2. Acne - historical treatment with radiation
  3. Dental ID of Children
  4. Dental ID of Children
  5. Dehydration - under two years of age
  6. Drooling, excessive nighttime - Excessive nighttime drooling in an infant with a pacifier
  7. Head injury - complications, followup
  8. Jogging - with children, readiness, preventive care
  9. Leg Cramps in Children - more than growing pains, treatment resources
  10. Leg Cramps in Children - How to help, treatment, diagnosis
  11. Scabies - updated article, treatment
  12. Spinal tap in children - indications, complications
  13. Spinal tap in children - what is done, followup testing
  14. Sore Throat, Tonsillitis - assessing/finding care
  15. Tonsillectomy - possibly hastily recommended
  16. Tonsillectomy - jumping the gun to perform
  17. Tonsillectomy - was recommended for "recurring vomiting"
  18. Tonsillectomy - making the decision
  19. Tonsillectomy - death rate with surgical procedure
  20. Tonsillectomy - speech rationale very unlikely
  21. Tonsillectomy - malocclusion rationale very unlikely cause
  22. Urinary Tract Infection - recurrent, with vulvovaginitis, 8 year old
  23. Urinary Tract Infection - diagnosis, followup
  24. Compliment on website
  25. Website good for fever help