How to Treat Warts: Head to the Hardware Store for Some Duct Tape

In my book, warts are one of the more annoying realities of life.  Though they are harmless–they generally don’t itch or hurt except for some deep warts on the feet—warts are quite a nuisance.   They can be unsightly and uncomfortable.  And they are usually very difficult to get rid of.

Silly Questions

When did your finger start hurting? (To a 10 year old complaining of finger pain.)
“When I punched the wall.”  

When did you start feeling sick? (To a 9 year old with a sore throat and cough.)
“After my sister coughed in my face.”

When did your head start hurting? 
“When my teacher started talking about similes and metaphors”. (Ahh, 4th grade.)

And from a (very precocious) 4-year-old patient of mine: 
When did your throat start hurting? 
“I don’t know.” 
Well, was it yesterday maybe? 
“Don’t be ridiculous. It was *way* before yesterday.”

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Is Juice Kid-Friendly? Shocking Sugar Facts About Juice

When I was growing up, “juice” was standard fare for kids. Those were the Kool-Aid days…. But now we realize that even juice that comes from real fruits and not a packet of sugary powder is not necessarily healthful.

What is so wrong about juice or other sugary beverages? Isn’t a glass of orange juice an important part of a well-rounded breakfast?

Just a Bear

Me to my 2 1/2-year-old patient: “See you later alligator.”

Response: “I’m not an alligator!”

Me: “What are you then?”

“I’m just a bear, Dr. Kim.”

 

Glad to have cleared that up….

 

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H1N1 Update: Finding Laughter in a Global Pandemic

A firm believer that humor eases our stress in times of crisis, I wrote a previous post about my favorite moments in the virus-formerly-known-as-the-swine-flu epidemic (now pandemic).  But they just keep coming.  Here are several that hit my funnybone recently.

• Thanks to Dr. Rahul Parikh for pointing me to the variety of multimedia tools that the CDC has pulled out for this one! 
  • You can send your coworkers and friends an e-card to remind them to wash their hands, cover their sneezes, and keep their snotty little ones out of your kid’s school.  But please “send all”– I’m pretty certain I would be offended if I received one of these directed just at me.
  • You can browse flikr to see electron micrograph pictures of the dastardly flu virus itself.  There are also pictures of people getting immunizations, presumably part of a vaccine campaign:  don’t miss the black and white photo of a woman getting an immunization from a device that looks like a nail gun.  Now that’s going to make the kids rush in to get their flu shots!
• Dr Parikh also highlighted the potential of this outbreak to start a whole new fashion movement.  I’m heading in to work today with a sharpy and my favorite red lipstick to make sure that my N95 mask is tres chic.
• Many of my patients ask me about the prudence of so-called “chicken pox parties” but the idea of a swine flu party is altogether batty.  I agree with US officials who call it a “bad idea.”  Though most people who get swine flu have only a mild or moderate illness, young healthy people–both children and adults–have developed very severe illness and even died.  I would try to make a joke about swine flu parties about I cannot touch the British humor of Bryony Gordon.  

Are you finding some humor amidst the chaos and tragedy of this pandemic?  If so, please share.  We can all use a laugh in these trying times.

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Going Nuts: The Latest on the Pistachio Recall

First peanuts, now pistachios….  What can a hungry child eat anymore?

 

After Salmonella infections were identified in peanuts, many parents are nervous about feeding their young children products containing peanuts and have switched to alternative nut products.

 

Recently, however, Salmonella bacteria have been detected some pistachio products processed by Seton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc.

 

Salmonella is a bacteria that causes gastrointestinal infection:  vomiting and diarrhea.  These infections can be mild or they can be severe, especially in young children.

Keeping Fit as Parents: When Can You Use a Jogging Stroller

Many of the active parents in my practice, eager to stay fit in this new phase of their lives, want to know when they can go jogging with their new baby. 

A pediatrician friend of mine recently asked my opinion on the subject.
He also forwarded me an email he got from their pediatrician.

There’s a Hole in the Bucket….

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The Unbearable Lightness of Being

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Humor in Chaos: Watching The Swine Flu Epidemic Evolve

As I said in a previous post, being on the front line of a potential global pandemic is fascinating and not a little scary.  Since I shared my thoughts about swine flu, it appears that though the disease continues to spread, it is currently neither as contagious nor as deadly as experts feared.  We will see how it evolves and whether it adapts to become a serious threat or not.

In the meantime, because sometimes we have to find humor to ease our stress, I will share several of my favorite moments in the epidemic so far: