Dr. Patrick James Gries MD

Recommended Articles

• What Is Progeria?

  Progeria or Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), is a rare genetic condition characterized by a rapidly aging appearance in children. Newborns and infants born with this condition typically look healthy and normal, but may physically display characteristic facial features, such as prominent...

• Encephalitis in Children

  Encephalitis in ChildrenEncephalitis means inflammation of the brain. The condition is usually caused by viruses. Encephalitis is a rare disease that affects approximately 0.5 per 100,000 individuals. Children, the elderly, and those with an impaired immune system are commonly affected by the...

• Century-Old Drug Could Be a New Approach to Autism Treatment

  What is suramin?Suramin is a drug that was developed about 100 years ago to treat parasite-borne illnesses such as African sleeping sickness and river blindness. The drug has been around since then, and is actually relatively cheap to manufacture and distribute. A single one-month dose to treat one...

• New Studies Look for Signs of Autism Before Birth

  For many years medical providers have primarily relied on analyses of a child’s behavior in order to diagnose autism. While the behavioral differences between a child with autism and a neurotypical child are sufficient to provide a diagnosis, it can be a lengthy process. At a young age, behavioral...

• How Long Should my Child Be Sleeping?

  The amount of sleep a child needs varies depending on the child and the child's age.1-4 weeks oldNewborns usually sleep for 15 to 18 hours per day, but this sleep usually occurs in short periods of two to four hours at a time. The duration of sleep is generally longer for babies who are born...

• A Guide to Recognizing the Early Signs of Shingles

  Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a disease that occurs due to the reappearance of the varicella-zoster virus, which is the causative agent of chickenpox. Shingles usually starts with a skin rash. These skin rashes occur either in the form of a band or a strip covering a small area on your...