Seattle Mama Doc

Brothers And Sisters Who Fight

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:03:33 +0000

Lots of people ask me how my boys get along. I never know quite how to answer. They are pals most of the time, they play and invent and create games and fun together. But they also fight. I suppose I expect it as a mother but I admit that even as a pediatrician, ex [...]

End Of School

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:39:59 +0000

Last day of school this week. The backpack is nearly as big as his body; that’s no optical illusion and the body-to-backpack proportionality serves up a dutiful reminder for me that my little boy is still small. To me it feels like he’s perfectly diminutive amidst the big surroundings of his school– it’s boards and [...]

CT Scans And Cancer Risk

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:36:34 +0000

” Yesterday’s news,” my husband said when I shared a study published, well, yesterday. Yet what we do with yesterday’s information is of course the news today. A JAMA Pediatrics article found that the use of pediatric CT scans rose in the late 1990′s and early 2000′s. Further, research shows that these CT scans can [...]

Teens Girls And Pelvic Exams

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:49:10 +0000

Typically, teen girls do not need a pelvic exam until they are 21. Most parents are surprised to hear this, especially if they know their teen is sexually active. About 1/2 of teen girls are sexually active during high school which puts them at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unwanted pregnancy. However, for [...]

Hepatitis A Outbreak: A Vaccine For That

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 22:31:27 +0000

The CDC declared an outbreak of Hepatitis A over the weekend that has affected over 30 people in 5 states. Preliminary information confirms the source of the outbreak stems from organic frozen berries that were sold at Costco stores (including stores in Washington) yet sickened people thus far are in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, [...]

Value Of Well Baby Check-Ups

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:08:21 +0000

Some new data published in the American Journal of Managed Care finds increased value in preventative well baby and toddler check-ups. Not because it keeps pediatricians busy, but really because it potentially can save suffering and hospitalizations for young children that would otherwise hopefully not occur. A study published this month evaluated over 20,000 babies [...]

Love The Sun, Protect Your Skin

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:01 +0000

Sun protection is essential in childhood. Here’s 3 golden rules, backed by science, for you to use when purchasing, applying/re-applying sunscreen, and protecting children from the sun. Remember, more important than any ingredient or any particular SPF number or brand is the way you use a sunscreen: the best sunscreen is one used early and [...]

Emergency Preparedness: Make A Communication Plan

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:34:53 +0000

The news from Oklahoma today is heart wrenching and terrifying. Often we feel helpless when we’re far away from a disaster. A donation to The Red Cross is a good use of your time. Today, in addition to providing donations and support for those suffering the loss and tragedy in Oklahoma, do something really productive [...]

The Lunchroom, ADHD, And Obesity

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:17:00 +0000

Last week I served lunch at my son’s school. It was a hoot, really, serving an entire K-8 school lunch. Dishing out lasagna, broccoli, pizza, and grilled cheese provided all sorts of insight into what lunch is like in 2013. My son didn’t choose exactly as I’d predict (see below). When a 33-year prospective study published [...]

The 7-Minute Workout

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:10:07 +0000

Exercise got thrown out the window for me in a routine way after my boys were born. It wasn’t a lack of interest, just a lack of organization of our time. Just now, as my boys get older and more independent, I’m integrating regular exercise back into my life. My experience with malignant melanoma this past year also was [...]

Texting And Other Risky Moves

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:53:00 +0000

I’m going to sound very middle-aged in this post. Whenever I talk about texting and driving I tend to show my age. I don’t know how it happened or when it was that I truly became a grown-up, but when it comes to texting and driving I feel nothing like a sixteen year-old. Unfortunately, teens [...]

Day In, Day Out

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:25:18 +0000

There happens to be whole, large parts of adult American life that no one talks about in commencement speeches. It’s the season for commencement speeches. A season I love, I keep a post-it note on my own computer from Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement address. The post-it note is faded and bent, worn and tired. [...]

No More Clean Plate Club

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:00:37 +0000

Some new advice allows us to do less, not more. Turns out, new research finds that controlling parenting styles may hinder children’s healthy eating habits. New data published in April 2013, finds that not only are controlling, food-related, parenting practices common, they aren’t helping teens maintain a healthy weight. In the Pediatrics study, researchers found [...]

Home Births: Polarizing Views

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:08:06 +0000

Like so many controversial parenting topics, discussing home births brings out dynamic opinions. These controversial topics unfortunately often tease us apart from one another. This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement on home births that will hopefully help inform. In general, the policy statement identified data confirming it’s safer to have [...]

Plan B Approved For All Girls 15 And Older

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:34:49 +0000

The FDA announced today that it is approving Plan B for all girls age 15 and up without a prescription. This is good news for girls in the US of A. The easier the access to contraception, the less likely girls will have an unintended pregnancy. As many as 80% of pregnancies in teen girls [...]

Work Trip Kiss

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 03:22:58 +0000

Leaving our children for any reason makes our hearts hurt. Fortunately, the technology of our time provides incredible proximity. Tonight I got a kiss from my 4 year-old from 2000+ miles away while in a Google Hangout. Every parent has tricks that allows them to endure working trips or distance from their children created by time [...]

I Love Being A Working Mom

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:04:01 +0000

I love being a working mom. This is really the first time I’ve known it like I do today. I had one of the best days of my life two weeks ago, seriously ranking up there in the top 5 thus far. And unsurprisingly to me, it was a work day. However unlike ever before, for [...]

Modern Parenthood, Vaccines, And Myth With Mnookin

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:09:24 +0000

This Tuesday evening, I’m joining Seth Mnookin at Town Hall in Seattle to discuss vaccines, modern parenthood, and (mis)information about vaccinations online. Although you may know Seth Mnookin secondary to his crucial role in the Boston Marathon Bombings story this past week, at his other day job he’s the co-director of the graduate program in [...]

Beads Of Courage

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:15:12 +0000

I met Lowie backstage, about an hour before my own talk earlier this month. I had butterflies in my stomach for all sorts of reasons. I’d read about him prior to arriving and perused the blog he’s written about his daughter’s cancer and his family’s journey during her life and death (you can have Google [...]

Boston Marathon

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:49:03 +0000

Another tragedy in our country today has us all bracing ourselves. I’m so sorry to hear about this horrific tragedy at the Boston Marathon and so hopeful that the chaos quickly comes to a close and injuries are rapidly treated with compassion. I’m not sharing the news about the bombing with my boys. I’ve been [...]