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In the development of health and disease there are key moments where future trajectories are established. This early programming sets the stage for long-term health and also the prevention of future diseases. These so called critical windows were originally known as the “Baker Hypothesis” Baker identified an association between fetal malnutrition and hypertension later in […]

The suicide rate among doctors remains among the highest in the general population and statistics suggest that male physicians die due to suicide at a rate nearly twice that for other men. For female physicians the risk is three-fold higher. This data may surprise some patients and even some doctors who are enjoying a career […]

According to the World Health Organization, 10% of all births worldwide are either low birth weight (weight below 2500 grams) or premature (birth prior to 37 weeks of gestation). Premature birth and a lower weight at birth impact early brain development and set the stage for future neurological outcomes. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics […]

EPIGENETICS A few years ago the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that one of their four top priorities will be epigenetics. At that time I was curious as to how many pediatricians—both in Canada and the USA— were able to explain to the public what the science of epigenetics may involve. Very few doctors felt […]

Not so long ago I had a father in my office. He was also a general practitioner who trained in the Middle East. One of his concerns was that his 4 year old daughter received numerous antibiotics—and strong ones–in the past. He felt the doctors who cared for her over-prescribed antibiotics and questioned if this […]