The Scope Radio

Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen breaks down the numbers on the five most common reasons people go to an ER. He talks about when to visit the emergency room versus when to visit urgent care or your primary care physician. He also advises to err on the side of caution when it comes to certain pains in the body.

Mental prowess is just as important as athletic ability in sports. How do athletes bounce back from a major mistake and continue to perform at their best? Sports psychologist Nicole Detling talks about preventing meltdowns and how to not “get stuck in the suck” during athletic performance. She also discusses tips for athletes to get out of their own heads and let go of errors to always play their best game.

Counting calories and obsessing over carbs... Having strict rules and saying, “I can never eat that.” Is there a difference between an eating disorder and eating too healthy? Nick Galli, Ph.D., from the University of Utah’s Department of Health Promotion and Education, talks about listening to your body and giving it the nutrients it needs. He also discusses why fad diets that cut out essential nutrients can be dangerous.

It can be a challenging conversation for pediatricians when a parent comes into the office and has doubts about childhood immunizations. How should a doctor approach the topic with a parent? Dr. Edward Clark, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah asks Seth Mnookin, author of the book “Panic Virus,” what a physician should keep in mind while having the conversation with a concerned parent.

When a child is growing in the mother’s womb, it’s extremely vulnerable. Everything a mother does, from the air she breathes to how she manages stress can affect the development of organs and susceptibility to disease. In the case of smoking, it can actually change the physical make up of the lungs making it more likely the child will have lung related problems that might not even show up until years later. Lisa Joss-Moore, Ph.D. and associate professor in the Division of Neonatology, talks about how a mother’s smoking while pregnant is more damaging to a baby’s development than you might have thought and about her research to understand what causes these changes in an effort to treat them.

Imagine you’re a pediatrician and you have a child in your office that you suspect is being abused. What kind of questions would you ask to ensure you were correct before you elevated the case to the next level? Turns out that some doctors might be asking the wrong ones. New research from Dr. Kristine Campbell with The Center for Safe and Healthy Families at the University of Utah is examining the types of questions physicians ask and how effective they are in determining if a child is a victim of abuse.

Immunizations can be a sensitive and emotionally charged subject. But, it’s one that needs to be discussed for the safety of our children. Dr. Edward Clark, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah asks Seth Mnookin, author of the book “Panic Virus,” the best way for parents that have doubts about vaccinations to bring the topic up with their pediatrician.

An autism diagnosis typically comes from a child’s primary care physician, but there might be a new way to tell if a child has autism. Dr. Jeffrey Anderson says this new method of looking at the brain could be up to 90 percent accurate. He’ll tell you how an MRI can detect autism in the brain, and its pros and cons compared to a diagnosis by a physician.

Your child drank some drain cleaner, and you’re wondering whether to rush her to the ER. Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen discusses this situation and his answer might surprise you.

Headaches are a major public health issue. Everything from your daily caffeine intake to the amount of sleep you get can contribute to headaches. Dr. Tom Miller and nurse practitioner Susan Baggaley, M.S.N., discuss the differences between daily headaches and migraines and offer advice on when a headache is severe enough for a visit to the doctor. They also talk about treatment and recovery options for a throbbing headache.

More than 65 percent of Americans say they occasionally drink, and that number is increasing. Is there a fine line between drinking responsibly and drinking too much? Dr. Jason Hunziker talks about the connection between mental health and alcohol addiction, and why some people don’t realize they have an addiction.

Helmets can reduce the risk of severe head and brain injuries by 88 percent, yet 50 percent of kids ride their bikes and scooters without a helmet. Dr. Cindy Gellner explains why some kids don’t wear helmets, and gives tips on getting your child to willingly use one. She also talks about how to pick out the right helmet to fit your child’s head.

30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder at some time in their life – and those are just the reported cases. Nick Galli, Ph.D., from the University of Utah’s Department of Health Promotion and Education, discusses the signs and symptoms that define an eating disorder and why so many people suffer from one. He also talks about the factors that can cause eating disorders and ways to prevent a bad eating habit from becoming an eating disorder.

Colorectal cancer will kill 50,000 Americans this year. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in America - and it is absolutely preventable. Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Dr. N. Jewel Samadder talks about the different options for colorectal cancer prevention, including lifestyle changes. He also discusses the risk factors and signs of colorectal cancer.

Dr. Wolfgang Baehr, a professor of ophthalmology who has spent his career researching the genetic causes of blindness, says you have to be fearless to make advances in science. He talks about the risks he has taken and the breakthroughs he has made. His accomplishments have earned him a career award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), the largest society for vision research.