Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects up to 2% of the population. Different neurologists have different criteria for diagnosing someone with epilepsy; some diagnose with as few as two seizures and others wait until there seems to be a clear pattern of seizures. There is also considerable heterogeneity... Read more →

Do you remember the dreaded sex talk given to you by your parents? Most likely you fall into one of two camps. You belong in the first camp if your only memory of this talk is the recollection of a flushed, burning face staring at the carpet hoping-no, praying-that this moment would mercifully end…... Read more →

I’ve been looking into violent deaths lately. And now I understand a few things.  Mostly, I understand what we don’t know about violent death in the United States. For instance, consider one of the most horrific kinds of violent death — mass shootings in public places like malls and... Read more →

Most people know the “typical” eating disorder patient: adolescent girl, over-achiever, perfectionist. This is an accurate description, since most patients with diagnosed eating disorders and patterns of disordered eating are females between the ages of 10 and 20. Currently, it is estimated... Read more →

A physician frequently gets stopped in the hall of the hospital or gets paged by another doctor for an unofficial consult. In medicine, this is called a “curbside consult.” Essentially, one physician would like some input on a case without getting the consulting physician officially involved... Read more →

Recently, I accompanied my sister to a pediatrician’s office — for the first (of many) vaccination appointment for her twin 8-week old girls. Fortunately for my sister, the nightmare ended after a few pokes of the needle and a few throaty bawls of protest. Sadly, not every parent’s... Read more →

I almost laughed when I saw the title of the Evidence-Based Mental Health journal article, “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with poorer academic performance.” Not a “ha, ha, that’s funny” type of laugh. More of a, “well yes, of course,”... Read more →

I’m glad I’m not in college. You see, the price of tuition at some U.S. universities has been increasing and my alma mater is one of them. When I do research on the various college savings funds available for my son, I always run into a few articles that discuss the need to save for retirement... Read more →

More than half of new mothers experience mild and transient mood changes or depression after the birth of a baby, often called the “baby blues.” New mothers may feel irritable, tearful, anxious, or fatigue, and may experience changes in sleep or appetite. These changes are likely caused by... Read more →

Should doctors be able to turn patients away if they disagree with their lifestyle choice? The article reads like many pregnancy stories. The happy couple finally become pregnant against all odds and eagerly anticipates the birth of their first child. This story, however, takes a twist that many people,... Read more →

I feel like such a rebel. The British Medical Journal recently featured an editorial, Improving uptake of MMR vaccine. As the title suggests, this article tries to isolate the reasons why some parents choose not to vaccinate and how to change this disturbing (in the authors’ opinions) trend. Part... Read more →