It's a morning of (mostly) well-child check visits. I move between rooms. I caution the parents of a newborn about sudden unexpected infant death (SUID, which includes sudden infant death syndrome) in one. I recommend seatbelts to a 14-year-old in another. I advise safe storage of medications and cleaning products to the mom of a 2-year-old in a third.
There is a seasonal variation to this anticipatory guidance. During the summer months, I will mention sunscreen. Beginning in October and through the holidays, caution about lights and fragile decorations find their way into my daily spiel.
Anticipatory guidance is the medical version of Ben Franklin's aphorism, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Essentially, the name of the game is to decrease morbidity (pain, injuries, and trips to the office for nonfatal accidents or issues) and mortality (death). General pediatricians and other clinicians who care for children spend time at each well child checkup asking about things that can lead to bad outcomes and recommending certain courses of action to decrease the likelihood of that event.
Primary care involves relationships. One family at a time. It is the equivalent of retail politics, knocking on one door, making that one connection.
Medscape Pediatrics © 2018 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Pediatrics by the Numbers: Putting Our Time Where It Works Best - Medscape - Jun 04, 2018.
'This Pandemic Still Has Legs': COVID-19 Expert Q&A
Q&A: Long COVID Symptoms, Management, and Where We're Headed
Q&A: Get Flu Shot Early This Year? Same Time as COVID Vaccine?
RSV Kills 100,000 Kids Under Age 5 a Year Worldwide
COMMENTARY
Pediatrics by the Numbers: Putting Our Time Where It Works Best
L. Gregory Lawton, MD
DisclosuresJune 04, 2018
It's a morning of (mostly) well-child check visits. I move between rooms. I caution the parents of a newborn about sudden unexpected infant death (SUID, which includes sudden infant death syndrome) in one. I recommend seatbelts to a 14-year-old in another. I advise safe storage of medications and cleaning products to the mom of a 2-year-old in a third.
There is a seasonal variation to this anticipatory guidance. During the summer months, I will mention sunscreen. Beginning in October and through the holidays, caution about lights and fragile decorations find their way into my daily spiel.
Anticipatory guidance is the medical version of Ben Franklin's aphorism, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Essentially, the name of the game is to decrease morbidity (pain, injuries, and trips to the office for nonfatal accidents or issues) and mortality (death). General pediatricians and other clinicians who care for children spend time at each well child checkup asking about things that can lead to bad outcomes and recommending certain courses of action to decrease the likelihood of that event.
Primary care involves relationships. One family at a time. It is the equivalent of retail politics, knocking on one door, making that one connection.
Medscape Pediatrics © 2018 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Pediatrics by the Numbers: Putting Our Time Where It Works Best - Medscape - Jun 04, 2018.
Tables
References
Authors and Disclosures
Authors and Disclosures
Author
L. Gregory Lawton, MD
Pediatrician, CHOP Primary Care, HighPoint, Chalfont, Pennsylvania
Disclosure: L. Gregory Lawton, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.