For children with allergies who also suffer from asthma, the spring season can be life-threatening. But with the right medications and proper medical monitoring, children can stay on playgrounds with their friends without inviting an asthma attack. Dr. Karen Chilton, a pediatric physician with Wake Faculty Physicians, discusses with WRAL what you can do to [...]

You’re sick and you figure it’s probably just a cold so you don’t need to go see your doctor, right? Well, the flu and the common cold are both caused by viruses and they have similar symptoms. The flu is usually more severe and can cause death in certain vulnerable populations like the immunocompromised, elderly [...]

In a typical year, approximately 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the seasonal flu. For most people, the flu is a passing virus that makes you feel terrible for several days, but for some it can be more serious and require hospitalization. In fact, earlier this year a Cary High School student died [...]

Predicting the pattern for an upcoming flu season can be challenging. While this fall showed promise for a mild season, the number of patients in our emergency departments with flu or flu-like illness is now increasing rapidly, suggesting that perhaps the worst is yet to come.
Beginning the first of December and climbing within the last [...]

As of today, WakeMed Health & Hospitals is ending the age-related visitation restrictions (no children under the age of 18 permitted in patient care areas) that were created to help stop the spread of H1N1 flu. As always, visitors should consult WakeMed’s normal policies for visiting adult units, the pediatric unit and critical care units [...]

Dr. Courtney Mann, medical director of the WakeMed Children’s Emergency Department, provides prospective on how she made the decision to vaccinate herself and her two children for H1N1.
The H1N1 vaccine is slowly starting to be available in our community. As a health care provider and a parent, I am often asked by friends and neighbors [...]

The two hottest topics in health care these days are Health Care Reform and H1N1 (aka swine flu).  Today there are two local events on these exact topics.
Health Care Reform
U.S. Representative Etheridge is hosting a discussion on the impact of health care reform on senior citizens this afternoon from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm at the [...]

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for health care reform.  Here are links to a couple of interesting articles that sum up the conversation.
“Finance Committee Passes Bill With One GOP Vote” Washington Post
“Health-Care Reform Proposals” The Wall Street Journal – This chart compares various versions of health care reform legislation. We’ve posted several charts [...]

Yesterday, WRAL news interviewed WakeMed director of infection control about staying H1N1 free at the fair.  Most important – wash your hands.  Other good tips include not sharing food or drink and staying home if you are sick.  Watch and learn more.

Flu is officially widespread in North Carolina and WakeMed is already seeing more than 80 patients per day across our 5 emergency departments. This flu season it is more important than ever to know how to protect yourself from the flu – both H1N1 and seasonal.  Learn about prevention, signs and symptoms and when to seek health care by [...]