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…
Norton Healthcare Providers should have a conversation with patients and parents/caregivers about safeguarding medications. All medications, including over-the-counter, herbal supplements and vitamins, should be stored out of the reach of children and locked up if possible. “It’s a simple, short conversation,” said Ashley N. Webb, Pharm.D., a board-certified clinical toxicologist and director of the Kentucky…
Transitioning healthy young women from pediatric to adult health care can be a challenge. However, patients who have undergone reproductive surgical procedures during their childhood present added complexity. Adolescents with gynecological anomalies, disorders of sexual development (DSD) and other ovarian conditions can benefit from communication and long-term planning about their care. Paige Hertweck, M.D., pediatric…
In 2011, Norton Children’s Heart Institute identified an area where we could improve the care provided to families in our region. We have been working hard to make things better ever since. We reviewed the records of all babies who had heart surgery at Norton Children’s Hospital. We found that only about one-third of the…
The Norton Children’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine team provides pregnancy care for women carrying multiples, facing premature labor, or experiencing maternal hypertension, diabetes or other pregnancy-related conditions. Our dedicated team also provides diagnosis and counseling for fetal abnormalities and inherited conditions. Outreach clinics To better serve patients throughout Kentucky and surrounding states, we offer outreach clinics. Women…