All posts by Clay Jones

Clay Jones, M.D. is a pediatrician and a regular contributor to the Science-Based Medicine blog. He primarily cares for healthy newborns and hospitalized children, and devotes his full time to educating pediatric residents and medical students. Dr. Jones first became aware of and interested in the incursion of pseudoscience into his chosen profession while completing his pediatric residency at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital a decade ago. He has since focused his efforts on teaching the application of critical thinking and scientific skepticism to the practice of pediatric medicine. Dr. Jones has no conflicts of interest to disclose and no ties to the pharmaceutical industry. He can be found on Twitter as @SBMPediatrics and is the co-host of The Prism Podcast with fellow SBM contributor Grant Ritchey. The comments expressed by Dr. Jones are his own and do not represent the views or opinions of Newton-Wellesley Hospital or its administration.

New Study Reveals Increase in Babies Injured by Nursery Products

After years of steady decline, a new study reveals a concerning increase in overall baby product-related injuries since 2003 and a sharp rise in concussions.

/ May 5, 2017

Separating Fact from Fiction in the Not-So-Normal Newborn Nursery: Undescended Testes in Babies

There is a safe and effective science-based approach to the undescended testicle in newborns. This hasn't stopped some from proposing alternatives that are neither.

/ April 21, 2017

Do Canadian Babies Really Cry the Most?

Despite an exaggerated and largely inaccurate interpretation by the media, a recently published study in the Journal of Pediatrics does little to update our understanding of infant crying and colic.

/ April 7, 2017

Another Child Suffers From the Effects of Anti-Vaccine Propaganda…and Tetanus

As an Australian child suffers from tetanus, a horrific and virtually 100% preventable illness, a prominent local anti-vaccine propagandist goes on the attack.

/ March 24, 2017

Medical Lore in Modern Pediatric Practice

Examples of modern medical lore that are passed down from doctor to doctor are commonplace in pediatric medicine and share similar features with the most egregious examples of medical pseudoscience

/ March 10, 2017

Vaginal Seeding: To Swab or Not to Swab Your Newborn Baby

More mothers are requesting vaginal seeding, but does the evidence support this potentially risky intervention?

/ February 10, 2017

Acupuncture for Infant Colic Part 2: Acupuncture Boogaloo

A detailed discussion of infant colic plus a few more thoughts on why acupuncture does not play a role in science-based management.

/ January 27, 2017

Science-Based Satire: Invertebrate Research Reveals Clue to Evolutionary Origins of the Chiropractic Subluxation

New evidence calls into question the belief that chiropractic subluxations require a spine, much to the relief of millions of suffering invertebrate species.

/ January 13, 2017

Newborn Chiropractic, False Balance, and The Doctors

The vacuous TV docs on The Doctors have demonstrated once again why the show is a highly unreliable source for medical information of any sort.

/ December 30, 2016

The ACOG Releases Watered Down New Guidelines on Immersion During Labor and Delivery

In its new report, the ACOG remains clear on the lack of solid evidence in support of claimed benefits of water immersion during the first stage of labor. Inexplicably, though, it has inappropriately softened its stance on restricting underwater delivery to proper clinical trials.

/ December 16, 2016