Morris A. Wessel

The pediatrician and the adolescent. "An extraordinary opportunity to be helpful".

on taking care of these youngsters by continuing to offer comprehensive care in a pattern similar to that which he formerly provided for them as infants and young children. There is great need for medical supervision and advice in the second decade of life, even though morbiclity and mortality are low. The parents of the adolescent often wish to seek help and guidance, and the teenager himself often feels an intense need to develop a relationship with a doctor who will accept his concerns with interest and respect. The pediatrician who chooses to offer optimal care for his adolescent patients must adjust his approach to provide for both the teenagers and their parents. His manner must convey clearly his conviction that he

Bereavement—An etiologic factor in peptic ulcer in childhood and adolescence?

Bereavement in childhood and adolescence is a relatively common experience. This case report and two studies suggest that the ulcer-prone adolescent may develop clinically significant symptoms under the stress of adapting to a recent loss of a loved one.

The Grieving Child

a few days saying to a child of‘ three or older, &dquo;You know Grandpa is very sick. He may die. I want you to know this is why we are all feeling sad.&dquo; Adults caring for a bereaved child must appreciate the limits of‘ what can be done to alleviate his sadness. They need to be able to accept and respect a child’s feelings. Their primary task is to comfort and support a child as he longs for the return of his loved one, grapples to understand the permanence of the loss and, in his unique way, experiences the mourning process. Professionals serving

Psychologic Principles in Pediatric Residency Training and Practice

1. A mother requests a home visit for her three-year-old youngster because of fever and severe ear pain. As the pediatrician completes his examination, advises appropriate medication and is about to leave, the mother asks a question about her older child, age four and one-half. &dquo;Vhenever I leave him for a few minutes, he becomes upset and cries.... He becomes almost hysterical. He never used to be this way. I ivarn him like it says on television not to touch the

How I Got to Be What I Wanted to Be

It is a unique honor to receive the Aldrich Award. I first became aware of Andy Aldrich in 1942, my third year in medical school, when I discovered Babies Are Human Beings 1 in the Yale Pediatric Library. This book set a goal as to the kind of a pediatrician I hoped to become. I was fortunate in 1947 to receive a Pediatric Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. I sought this position because of my interest in the Rochester Child Health Project that Dr Aldrich created to serve children and to study “what a child is doing in the process of growing up.”2 I recall with appreciation Dr Aldrichs extraordinary clinical skill and his ability to discuss young childrens behavior in language easily understood by students and house officers. This award is particularly meaningful as I recall many discussions with Dr Aldrich 50 years ago during my Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. I wish to discuss briefly the contributions of six previous recipients of the Aldrich Award, namely Benjamin Spock, Edith Jackson, Milton Senn, Albert Solnit, Sally Provence, and Anna Freud. These teachers were important mentors during my training. They had a passion for ideas, a clarity about what they believed, and a love of communicating with students and house officers. Their approach has particular relevance today as the role of the primary pediatrician assumes increasing importance in the reorganization of the health care system in this country. I first met Ben Spock in 1947 when he joined the staff of the Rochester Child Health Project. His persistent commitment to a pediatricians role as a citizen inspired me to assume a comparable position in my community. Also, like so many other pediatricians, I read Baby and Child Care 3 from cover to cover! In 1948, I received a Fellowship …