Luke Coward, a Southern Indiana firefighter born with Ebstein anomaly of the tricuspid valve, never felt limited by the condition. From the time he was diagnosed at 18 months old, he maintained an active childhood and adolescence. Then, as he grew into adulthood, he began presenting symptoms. At age 20, Luke began having intermittent heart…
Episode 11 of the “MedChat” podcast is now available. This episode, “Vaccine Hesitancy: Scope and Solutions,” discusses one of the top 10 threats to global health. This episode will help providers describe factors that influence a family’s tendency to be hesitant to vaccinate, discuss effective strategies to address vaccine hesitancy with parents and understand the…
The first patients have moved into the Jennifer Lawrence Cardiac Critical Care Unit (CICU) at Norton Children’s Hospital. More than 60 staff members lined the hallway to welcome caregivers who will be working on the unit and the first official patient in early January 2020. “This is a very exciting day,” said Deanna R. Todd…
You’ve seen the look. You’ve suggested a parent’s daughter may benefit from taking birth control. Emphasizing the purposes that have nothing to do with birth control can help explain your recommendation. The pill can regulate certain hormone levels and make life a little more bearable for the young patient. Here’s how the pill can help:…
Walter L. Sobczyk, M.D., pediatric cardiologist with Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with the University of Louisville, has treated hundreds of children born with life-threatening heart abnormalities. Thanks to advances in surgery and treatment over the last decades, most of these children are now living into adulthood. “Some of these heart conditions are very serious,…
“Text neck” describes the repeated stress or pain in the neck resulting from constantly looking down — either watching or texting — on a handheld device for an extended time. Symptoms include nagging or sharp pain in the neck or shoulders; general shoulder pain and tightness; and headaches, which are made worse when looking down or using a phone or…
By Kim Huston From working in a genetics lab to teaching yoga, Melissa Lee Perrotta, M.D., has found a way to blend all of her passions into one career. Her drive to understand and solve complex medical issues and her interest in integrative healing have led her to caring for patients with adult congenital heart…
Norton Children’s Neurosurgery, a Part of Norton Neuroscience Institute, now has Surgical Theater virtual reality (VR) technology. It creates an immersive, 3D view of a patient’s brain. This allows neurosurgeons, patients and families to see inside the patient’s brain to get a greater understanding of the condition and any potential procedures. Norton Children’s Hospital is…
By Chris L. Johnsrude, M.D. It is important to understand that sometimes a recorded heart rate can confirm if a child or teenager is in supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), but not always. SVT is a common cause of abnormally fast heartbeats in children and teenagers, but the range of heart rates in SVT is pretty broad….
Specialists with Norton Leatherman Spine and Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville can diagnose and treat pediatric patients with mild, moderate or severe scoliosis. Scoliosis may be a concern if a child’s shoulders are uneven, a curve in the spine is visible or the pelvis appears to be tilted. Depending on the type of scoliosis, it…
Phimosis and paraphimosis are issues that affect the foreskin of the penis. Phimosis is when the foreskin can’t retract (pull down) from the tip of the penis. Paraphimosis occurs when the foreskin is retracted but can’t be replaced over the glans penis. They are common conditions in boys, but serious complications can happen if left…
Overuse of antibiotics is a worldwide problem, reducing the drug’s effectiveness and making serious bacterial infections resistant to treatment. For its efforts to improve antibiotic prescribing, Norton Children’s Hospital has been named an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence. The Infectious Diseases Society of America awards the distinction to hospitals that effectively prescribe antibiotics and combat…