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Adolescent Medicine

Lingering knee pain in a young football player

Carol von Michaelis, PA-C December 23, 2011

The earliest symptoms were mild swelling and minor instability first diagnosed as knee strain, but continuing pain demanded consultation with a pediatric orthopedist.

Childhood obesity: Complications, prevention strategies, treatment

Georgina A. Robinson, PA-C, Megan Geier; Denise Rizzolo, PA-C, PhD; Mona Sedrak, PA-C, PhD December 02, 2011

Obese children are at risk of acquiring a multitude of complications, and comorbidities of obesity may also leave them at risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke in adulthood.

Childhood obesity: Understanding the causes, beginning the discussion

Katie J. Perpich, PA-C, Rachel Russ, PA-C; Denise Rizzolo, PA-C, PhD; Mona Sedrak, PA-C, PhD December 01, 2011

Obesity in childhood is influenced by social and familial factors as well as the child's genetics and activity level. Understanding the problem is only the first step in combating it.

Immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura in a 21-year-old student

Shaun Grammer, MS, PA-C, Leamor Kahanov, EdD, LAT, ATC September 12, 2011

Diagnosis of the adult form and the pediatric form of ITP may be based less on the calendar than on individual patient presentation.

An effective tool in establishing the diagnosis of sport-related concussion

Jonathan Thomas Baird, MPAS, PA-C, ATC June 20, 2011

An objective assessment of concussion will benefit the athlete as well as aid clinicians in  accurately describing the injury to parents, coaches, and the athletes themselves.

Jaundice, fatigue, and intermittent abdominal pain in a teenager

Heather Trant, MPAS, PA-C June 17, 2011

A teenager experiencing worsening fatigue, jaundice, darkened urine, and vague intermittent abdominal pain presented for evaluation.

Should my son get an HPV vaccine?

Jessica E. Stabb, Rebecca Buckley, MHS, PA-C January 25, 2011

This information can help PAs understand the risks and benefits of HPV vaccines, enabling them to explain to parents and patients the importance of the vaccine, particularly in adolescent males.

A adolescent experiences difficulty focusing, mood swings, and insomnia

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C December 24, 2010

A 15-year-old male's ADHD medications seem to worsen his anxiety and other existing symptoms.

Heartache: When the diagnosis is just a click away

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C December 15, 2010

After a trying week, a young patient with puzzling heart pain reminds this clinician to breathe easy—and let his own chest discomfort subside.

What caused this hair loss on the scalp?

Joe R. Monroe, PA-C, MPAS December 07, 2010

A 10-year-old boy with hair loss in the vertex area of the scalp, chronic anxiety, and attention deficit disorder presented for evaluation.

Out of season: Coping with  an adolescent in crisis

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C October 20, 2010

An exchange with a troublesome adolescent girl incites contemplation about whether the teenage years are always a time for blooming.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: The race to find a fatal condition in athletes

Charles S. Lemasters II, PA-C; John M. Grosel, MD June 02, 2010

Conflicting opinions and concerns about costs inhibit the routine use of 12-lead ECG in preparticipation screenings for young athletes.

Safety and adherence: Complex issues that hinder childhood vaccination programs

Jamie Michelle Womack, PA-C January 06, 2010

Scrutiny of recommended childhood vaccines continues to support their effectiveness. Yet, many parents may still need reassurance.

Cough steadily increases in severity

Michael D. Jacobson, MSHS, PA-C September 22, 2009

A student reports a progressively worsening cough that comes in spasms and is accompanied by a choking sensation and an inability to catch his breath.

Rhyme and reason: Searching for poems in medical practice

Brian T. Maurer, PA-C August 20, 2009

A teen-age patient presents with fatigue and malaise. Her vague symptoms do not lead to a diagnosis, but the poem gleaned from her care is a treasured gift.

Extremes of opinion about this PA's 'Day'

July 09, 2009

A Day in the Life: Michelle M. Howe, MPAS, PA-C

Is continuity of care a victim of progress?

Willard R. Baker, Jr, MS, PA-C June 17, 2009

Somehow, with all the recent advancements we have made in medicine, we have lost an important element: continuity of care.

Spinal cord astrocytomas: Rare but life-threatening tumors in children

Johanna L. Chelcun, MHS, PA-C; Richard S. Pope, MPAS, PA-C June 15, 2009

These usually benign tumors require early surgical intervention to preserve neurologic function.

A Day in the Life: Michelle M. Howe, MPAS, PA-C

Michelle M. Howe, MPAS, PA-C June 11, 2009

Facing down protesters, reassuring anxious patients, and conducting research for a better future are all in a day's work for a PA working at a large family planning clinic.

CME Posttest: AIDS and aging; Is my child autistic?

January 13, 2009

January 2009

Can emergency contraception help to reduce teen pregnancy?

Lisa Waller, PA-C, MMSc; William Bryson, PA-C, MMSc June 01, 2007

The authors argue that PAs cannot provide optimal care to adolescents if they aren't familiar with all pregnancy prevention options—including emergency contraception.

Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents: Screening, diagnosis, and management

Karla V. Von, PA-C; Mary L. Hewett, PA-C, MS March 01, 2007

Once thought to primarily affect adults, type 2 diabetes is on the rise among the young. The increased prevalence is largely associated with increased obesity rates among children and adolescents.

Hypertension in children and adolescents: Lost between the age gap

Katia Murphy-Blount, PA-C; Shelia Palmer, PA-C, MBA, MHA March 01, 2006

In 2003, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) provided a large national database on normative BP levels throughout childhood and revised BP tables to include the 50th, 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles by gender, age, and height. These data permit clinicians to identify children with abnormally elevated BP and to define hypertension in children and adolescents as systolic BP and/or diastolic BP that, on repeated measurement, is above the 95th percentile (higher than 120/80 mm Hg).