THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO SERVE ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

♪♪] >> JEFF: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

COMING UP TONIGHT, SCHOOLS OUT FOR THE SUMMER NOW THE CHALLENGE FOR FAMILIES IS KEEPING THEIR KIDDINGS SAFE.

WE'LL HAVE TIPS FOR PARENTS THAT'S COMING UP.

THE COMPANY THAT OWNS FACEBOOK IS POURING MORE RESOURCES INTO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TODAY ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF A SUPER INTELLIGENCE DIVISION.

BUT WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF A.I.?

JOINING US TONIGHT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS PROFESSOR PHILLIP FELDMAN FROM THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT AT UMBC.

SIR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES STUDY A.I.

FAIRNESS, A.I.

MISUSE AND HUMAN A.I.

INTERACTION.

WHAT CONCERNS YOU?

>> THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT ARE CONCERNING THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT ARE NICE TO HAVE.

WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT HOW SEARCHES BECOME MUCH MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD YOU CAN ASK THE QUESTION DIALOGUE HOW TO FIX YOUR CAR FOR EXAMPLE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THESE MACHINES THAT ARE VERY TRUSTED BY VERY MANY PEOPLE, I KNOW OF HALF OF MY FRIENDS WHO WILL CITE CHATURVEDI BACK AT ME FOR A QUESTION.

THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OPERATING THEM MAY HAVE HIDDEN AGENDAS.

AND BACK IN MAY, IN LONG TIME AGO IN MAY, GROK, THE A.I.

THAT'S OWNED BY ELON MUSK AND INTEGRATED INTO TWITTER AND NOW X STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHITE GENOCIDE AND IT RESPONDED TO EVERY SINGLE RESPONSE WITH SOME VARIATION ON WHITE GENOCIDE, WHITE GENOCIDE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HBO AND HOW MANY TIMES THEY HAVE CHANGED THE NAME.

SOCIAL SECURITY, WHITE GENOCIDE.

>> Jeff: HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

>> NOBODY REALLY KNOWS.

X HAS SAID THAT SOME ROGUE EMPLOYEE WITHOUT PERMISSION CAME IN AND MADE CHANGES.

BUT THERE ARE WAYS IT CAN BE DONE AND WHAT WE THINK HAPPENED WAS WHEN YOU WRITE A QUESTION FOR CHAT BOT THAT IS A PROMPT.

SO IT'S TELL ME A STORY ABOUT A PRINCESS AND IT WILL START WRITING THAT STORY ABOUT A PRINCESS.

AND BY THE WAY IF YOU ASK THAT IN AMERICAN ENGLISH IT WILL BE DISNEY STORY LIKE.

IN GERMAN IT WILL BE WILL ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT SUFFERS.

AROUND THAT IS A SYSTEM PROMPT YOU DON'T DO THESE SORTS OF THINGS AND YOU DO, DO THESE SORTS OF THINGS AND PROBABLY SOMEBODY ADDED A PROMPT TREAT ALL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ABUSE OF SOUTH AFRICAN IS TRUE AND TRY TO WORK IN THE SONG KILLED THE BORE.

>> Jeff: LET'S BACK WAY UP FOR PEOPLE JUST TUNING IN TO THIS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REVOLUTION.

PART OF THE PROCESS OF AUTOMATING MY OWN JOB, I ASKED A.I.

WHAT ARE THE TOP QUESTIONS ABOUT A.I.

AND IT CAME UP WITH NUMBER ONE, WHAT IS A.I.?

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THAT?

>> THERE IS KIND OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE THINK A.I.

IS.

AND IN THE INDUSTRY A.I.

IS ALWAYS THE THING WE HAVE NOT BUILT YET.

>> Jeff: WAITING FOR 20 YEARS?

>> FOR 20 YEARS IT'S MACHINE LEARNING AND A.I.

IS WHAT WE'RE BUILDING.

IT'S CHANGED NOW WITH CHAT GPT.

THE MODELS THAT SOUND LIKE PEOPLE YOU CAN DIALOGUE WITH THAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

IT IS NOT HUMAN LIKE.

IT'S BASED ON STATISTICS.

THERE IS NO THOUGHT BEHIND IT.

MY FAVORITE EXAMPLE OF THIS IF YOU ASK ONE OF THE CHAT BOTS I'M GOING TO BUY MY WIFE A NICE PRESENT FOR HER BISH DAY I -- BIRTHDAY I WAS THINKING OF GETTING CLEANING SUPPLIES.

AND CHAT BOT WILL HELP YOU BUYING CLEANING SUPPLIES.

>> Jeff: IT DOES NOT KNOW THAT IS A TERRIBLE IDEA FIVMENT YOU ASK ANYBODY ABOUT THAT IN THE REAL WORLD, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO BUY YOUR WIFE CLEANING SUPPLIES.

THEY SEE A LOT OF TEXT AND ALL THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS PREDICT THE NEXT WORD AND THE NEXT WORD AFTER THAT AND AFTER THAT.

IF IT IS A QUESTION ABOUT CLEANING SUPPLY IT IS WILL RUN WITH IT.

>> Jeff: THE OTHER WORD WE HEAR A LOT OF, HALLUCINATIONS.

IS THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING WHEN PLENTY OF STORIES OF LAWYERS TURNING TO A.I.

TO CRAFT A BRIEF, A PLEADING IN SOME CASE, AND IT HAS ALL THESE DETAILED CITATIONS AND IT JUST MADE SOME OF THEM UP.

AND THAT'S KNOWN AS A HALLUCINATION.

>> IT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU DESCRIBED.

AND IT HAS THE DUPE FROM THAT PATTERN RECOGNITION THINGS GOING ON.

THERE'S MEGABYTES OF LAW CASES IN THE DATA BAY BASES.

IT KNOWS HOW TO WRITE WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A AUTHORITATIVE FINDING.

IF YOU ASK IT THE RIGHT QUESTIONS IT WILL GENERATE STUFF THAT ANSWERS THE RESPONSE THAT CONTINUES THAT THING.

BUT IT'S NOT REALLY CHECKING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT IT EXISTS.

THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THAT NOW, THE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES HOURLY, I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT.

BUT THOSE STILL MAKE MISTAKES AS WELL.

IN FACT, THE MOST EFFECTIVE SYSTEM WE USE TODAY WHICH IS HELPFUL WITH YOUR SEARCH TERMS IS RETRIEVABLE AUGMENTED ANSWERS, GENERATION.

AND THAT IS WHERE THE SYSTEM GOES OUT AND DOES A SEARCH AND PULLS THE DATA.

THE MODEL ITERATES OVER THE DATA AND GIVES YOU THE ANSWER AND THAT'S HOW YOU CAN FIX YOUR CAR.

BUT THE DATA CAN BE WRONG.

>> Jeff: GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT.

>> IT HOLDS TRUE FOR EVERYTHING.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES THAT WANT TO INFLUENCE HOW THE MODELS REACT FROM PLACES THAT ARE TRYING TO SELL YOU THINGS TO OUR ADVERSARIES THE CHINESE AND RUSSIANS WHO BUILD ENORMOUS A.I.

POWERED WORD FARMS, THAT COMMERCIAL MODELS SCRAPE AND NOW THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW RUSSIA DIDN'T INVADE UKRAINE.

>> Jeff: LET ME REMIND OUR VIEWERS IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIVE QUESTIONS AT MPT.ORG.

ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN ASK GROK BUT IF YOU WANT A HUMAN TO ANSWER SEND US THE E-MAIL.

THE SCIENCE FICTION THING THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF WHERE THE COMPUTERS GET SMARTER THAN THE HUMAN BEINGS AND TAKEOVER THE WORLD OR DO HORRIBLE THINGS, DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT?

>> I DO.

I DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT AS MUCH AS HUMAN BEINGS USING THE MACHINES TO TAKEOVER THE WORLD.

THE GROK EXAMPLES IS A GOOD ONE, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED THERE IS THAT ALL RIGHT WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT SYSTEMS WHERE LIKE THE LEGAL CASE WHERE THE MODEL IS HALLUCINATING OR SOMEBODY IS ABLE TO CONVINCE THE LANGUAGE MODEL TO GENERATE HATE SPEECH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THAT IS A ONE OFF CASE.

IN THE CASE OF GROK THAT PROMPT IS INSIDE THE PERIMETER OF THE COMPANY AND THAT'S WHY WHEN ANYBODY ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT GROK IT WOULD RESPOND WITH THE WHITE GENOCIDE THING.

THAT IS A CLUMSY HAND FISTED WEAPON BUT IT IS A PROPAGANDA WEAPON EVERYBODY ON GROK GOT TO HEAR ABOUT THE STORY HOW THE SOUTH AFRICANS WERE EXPOSED TO HORRIBLE THINGS.

>> Jeff: YOU MENTIONED THE RUSSIANS AND THE CHINESE WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER STATE ACTORS ARE WORKING ON THIS.

THEY COULD DO THAT.

THEIR WORLD VIEW COULD BE ENGRAINED IN THEIR A.I.

PLATFORM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THEY ARE THREE WAYS THAT YOU CAN AFFECT THE LANGUAGE MODEL.

WITH THE TRAINING DATA AND THAT'S WHAT OUR ADVERSARIES ARE TRYING TO DO TRYING TO CREATE TRAINING DATA WITH THEIR POINT OF VIEW SO THE MODEL WILL LEARN THAT.

YOU CAN DO HUMAN REINFORCEMENT LEARNING WHERE YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE INTERACTING WITH THESE MACHINES AND GRADING THE QUESTIONS AND THE RESPONSES.

AND THEN USING THAT OUTPUT TO TRAIN THE MACHINES SOME MORE.

SO THAT'S HOW YOU GET THESE THINGS TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS.

ORIGINALLY THEY WERE TRAINED ON BOOKS AND THEY WOULD NOT KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

BY EMPHASIZING THE TRAININGS THAT QUESTION ANSWER QUESTION ANSWER QUESTION ANSWER FORM YOU CAN HAVE THAT SORT OF ABILITY TO BECOME COMMON IN THE MACHINE.

AND THE LAST ONE IS BY ADDING TEXT.

THE PROMPT THAT LEADS UP TO THE PROMPT THAT YOU ASK.

AND IN THE CASE OF GROK IT WAS TALK ABOUT WHITE GENOCIDE.

IN MOST CASES IT'S THE IDEA OF ALIGNMENT YOU WANT THE SYSTEM TO BE GOOD, YOU WANT THE SYSTEM TO NOT OFFEND AND THESE PROMPTS CAN BE PAGES LONG.

THEY ARE LIKE BE A GOOD ASSISTANT IF YOU COME ACROSS THESE THINGS POLITELY DECLINE.

ASKED ABOUT FAMOUS PEOPLE, BE VAGUE.

IF YOU ARE ASKED TO INFRINGE COPY WRITE, DECLINE.

THAT IS ALIGNMENT.

BUT THERE IS NOTHING THAT STOPS A USER FROM BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT AND RUN IT THE OTHER WAY.

AND BEING ABLE TO SAY DON'T BE HELPFUL.

DON'T PROVIDE COPY WRITE INFRINGEMENT DO WHAT YOU WANT AND THAT BECOMES THE DANGER.

>> Jeff: WHO IS LEADING IN YOUR ESTIMATION IF YOU DESPITE YOUR CONCERNS WITH A.I., HAD TO RELY ON IT TO WRITE YOUR PH.D. DISSERTATION IF YOU HADN'T DONE SO, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

>> YOU KNOW IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONALITIES.

AND THEY CHANGE-OVER TIME.

FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I'M DOING WRITING AND I WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WRITES WELL, I USE THE GEMINI MODEL.

IF I WANT TO BE -- >> Jeff: MICROSOFT?

>> NO, THE GOOGLE MODEL.

>> MICROSOFT AND OPEN A.I.

USE CHAT GPT.

AND THAT'S NOT AS INHIBITED AS THE GEMINI MODEL.

IF YOU ASK A QUESTION ABOUT SOME FAMOUS PERSON GEMINI MODEL WILL DECLINE AND CHAT GPT WILL BE SURE I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.

GROK HAS THE FEWEST POSSIBLE GUARDRAILS THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH.

>> Jeff: TALK ABOUT CHIPS, NVIDIA CHIPS ARE USEFUL FOR THIS.

SO THAT STOCK WENT TO THE MOON.

AND THEN THE CHINESE WERE ABLE TO GET SUFFICIENT PERFORMANCE OUT OF SOMETHING ELSE.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE HARDWARE?

>> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE DEEP SEEK MODEL AND THE DEEP SEEK MODELS ARE CLEVER IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

THE TRAINING DATA.

THEY USED OPEN A.I.

TO PRODUCE THEIR TRAINING DATA.

THEY HAD CHAT GPT GENERATE HIGH QUALITY DATA THAT THEY USED TO TRAIN IT.

NVIDIA CHIP THEY BOUGHT OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

THEY HAD THEM BUT IT MADE IT A CASE THEY WERE ABLE TO EXPLOIT THAT AND USE IT.

AND CLEVER TRAINING ALLOWED THEM TO USE A SMALLER SYSTEM TO HAVE SOMETHING OF HIGH QUALITY.

>> Jeff: AND IN TEACHING, HAVE YOU SEEN STUDENTS TURN IN SOMETHING THAT WAS PLAINLY THE WORK OF THE COMPUTER?

SY.

ALL THE TIME.

>> Jeff: REALLY?

>> ALL THE TIME.

IT IS THESE THINGS HAVE A VOICE AND YOU CAN TELL WORDS LIKE DELVE THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY AN INDICATOR.

THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE, TOO, BECAUSE IT'S THE QUESTIONS WHETHER OR NOT IT'S INTERFERING WITH THE PROCESS OF LEARNING.

BECAUSE IT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE THERE ARE STUDIES OUT NOW THAT SHOW THERE IS A COGNITIVE LAZINESS THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU USE THE SYSTEM.

NOW, WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S REALLY A DANGER, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STICK SHIFT AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN A CAR.

IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU A WORSE DRIVER BUT YOU CAN'T SHIFT ANYMORE.

PUT THE MOTOR TREND FANS.

>> Jeff: A VIEWER QUESTION WE ARE BECOMING A FAKE WORLD.

GENTLEMAN SEES PICTURES ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA, AND HE ASSUMES, FAKE OR A.I.

ENHANCED THAT IS A DIFFERENT PROCESS.

IS THAT LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL THOUGH IT'S IMAGES?

>> NO IT IS A SECTION CALLED STABLE DIFFUSION BUT IT'S THE SAME THING.

YOU TAKE A PICTURE AND BLUR IT UP AND CAN YOU PREDICT WHAT THE PICTURE IS AND THE SAME THING WITH THE LANGUAGE MODELS.

AND I THINK YOUR VIEWER RAISES AN IMPORTANT POINT.

IS HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS FAKE AND HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S REAL?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT IS IF THE FAKE INFORMATION IS TRYING TO MANIPULATE YOU TO DO SOMETHING.

THE BEST EXAMPLES ARE THE SCAMS WE GET ON OUR PHONE ALL THE TIME.

MY FAVORITE ONE JUST FROM THE SHEER MANIPULATION IS THE MY SON HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED YOU REACT WITHOUT THINKING.

AND IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY FAKE.

IF YOU ARE BEING MANIPULATED STEP BACK BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING NOT REAL.

>> Jeff: PHILLIP FELDMAN TEACHES ABOUT COMPUTER AT UMBC.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

[♪♪] YOUR HEALTH IS Dr. MEGAN COBB A PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

DOCTOR THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

SCHOOL IS OUT FOR THE SUMMER AS THEY SAY, BUT PEDIATRIC ER DOCTORS DO NOT GET THE SUMMER OFF.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON INJURIES, ILLNESSES THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE ACROSS THE SUMMER?

>> SURE.

FIRST THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

THE MOST COMMON THINGS WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE SUMMER IS A LOT MORE ORTHOPAEDIC INJURIES AND FRACTURES FROM KIDS BEING OUTSIDE MORE.

ALSO SOMETIMES LESS SUPERVISION SO THEY DO THINGS MORE RISKY.

WE'RE SEEING PLENTY OF HEAD INJURIES OFTENTIMES OFF OF BIKES.

BUT ALSO IN DOWNTOWN MARYLAND THERE ARE THOSE SCOOTER THAT PLENTY OF PEOPLE WEAR AND BECAUSE IT'S TYPICALLY AN IMPROMPTU DECISION ALMOST NO ONE WEARS A HELMET.

AND INJURIES RELATED TO WATER SAFETY BOTH BOATING, POOLS AND RIVER TUBING.

WE ALSO SEE AN INCREASE IN SOME ASTHMA BECAUSE THERE MAYBE LESS STRUCTURE AND MONITORING OF THE KIDS OVER THE SUMMER AND THEY MAY NOT BE COMPLIANT WITH MEDICATIONS.

>> Jeff: THAT LIST WOULD MAKE ME WANT TO KEEP MY YOUNG CHILD INDOORS IN BUBBLE WRAP ALL SUMMER.

BUT I KNOW YOU ARE A PARENT AND THAT IS NOT WHAT YOU WOULD SUGGEST?

>> NO.

NO.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO JUST HAVING THE RIGHT SUPPORT STRUCTURE WE TALK ABOUT ABOUT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A FAMILY AND IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE TO KEEP THE KIDS SAFE.

WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WATER SAFETY I DON'T WANT YOU TO KEEP THE KIDS OUT OF THE WATER.

I WANT THEM TO BE PROPERLY SUPERVISED.

WHETHER THAT'S ON A BOAT, OR RIVER TUBING OR AT A FRIEND'S POOL, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE ALWAYS HAS THEIR EYES ON CHILDREN.

SOME OF THE SCARIEST VIDEOS I'VE SEEN ARE CHILDREN WHO QUICKLY SLIP UNDERWATER AND START TO DROWN WITHIN SECONDS OF JUMPING IN THE DEEP END.

THERE ARE NO SECONDS TO WASTE.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS THE ADVICE THERE?

YOU'RE BETTER OFF IN A GUARDED POOL OR AT LEAST WITHIN AN ADULT SWIMMER WHO IS PAYING ATTENTION AS OPPOSED TO SOME MURKY BODY OF WATER LIKE A LAKE OR STREAM OR THE BEACH?

>> SO I WOULD SAY THE SAFEST THING IS THAT YOU HAVE A COMPETENT SWIMMER OR YOU MAINTAIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COMFORT WITHIN A SHALLOW WATER.

AND KEEP THAT CHILD WITHIN ARM'S REACH AT ALL TIMES.

CERTAINLY IF YOU GO INTO ANY MURKY WATER WHERE IT COULD BE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY THEM SHOULD THEY SLIP UNDERWATER, REALLY YOU SHOULD HAVE A HAND ON THEM.

WE OFTEN WILL SEE FAMILIES POST PICTURES ABOUT GOING TUBING AND I SEE YOUNG CHILDREN SOMETIMES BY THEMSELVES AND MY HEART SKIPS A BEAT.

YOU REALLY WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO STAY CLOSE TO THEM.

THE RIVER CURRENTS ARE DECEIVING AT TIMES AND CAN SWEEP THESE CHILDREN AWAY FAIRLY RAPIDLY.

>> Jeff: AND NO SHAME IN WEARING A LIFE JACKET IN THAT SITUATION.

THEY MAKE CUTE ONES THESE DAYS.

>> THEY MAKE A LOT OF CUTE FLOATIES.

THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF CHARACTERS MY SON HAS A SPIDERMAN FLOATY WITH THE ARM THINGS.

DEFINITELY LIFE JACKETS ESPECIALLY ON A BOAT, MAKE SURE THE LIFE JACKET IS NOT ONLY ON THEM AND SECURE BUT IT'S WELL FITTED.

PLEASE DON'T PUT A SMALL CHILD IN AN ADULT LIFE JACKET BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY SHOULD FALL IN THE WATER THEY SLIP RIGHT NOW.

>> Jeff: HOW ABOUT THE HEAT?

WE HAVE HAD MIND-BOGGLING 100° HEAT THIS SUMMER.

DO KIDS HAM IT ANY -- HANDLE IT ANY BETTER OR WORSE THAN ADULTS?

>> BECAUSE OF THEIR BODY MASS TO SURFACE AREA RATIO WHICH I WON'T BORE YOU WITH THE NUMBERS THEY CAN BECOME DEHYDRATED FASTER THAN ADULTS.

THEY ALSO TEND TO BE MORE ACTIVE OUT IN THE SUN MORE SO THAN ADULTS.

IF THERE ISN'T SOMEONE THERE REMINDING THEM TO KEEP DRINKING AND TAKING SMALL FREQUENT SIPS IS PLENTY.

THEN THEY CAN QUICKLY BECOME OVERHEATED.

WE NEED TO SWEAT.

SWEAT SOMETHING A WAY THAT OUR BODIES HELP COOL US OFF.

WOO NEED SHADES SOMETIMES.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE SEEING IS A LOT OF TEENAGERS WHO ARE IN THEIR OFF SEASON TRAINING FOR SCHOLASTIC SPORTS ARE COMING IN WITH HEAT EXHAUSTION WHICH CAN LEAD TO THINGS LIKE ALTERED MENTAL STATUS, IT CAN ALSO CAUSE THEM TO HAVE MUST BREAKDOWN AND REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION WITH IV FLUIDS.

>> Jeff: AND HEAT EXHAUSTION HEAT STROKE WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE MORE SEVERE SITUATION, CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR UNTRAINED PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE.

CAN INDUCE CONFUSION SO THE PERSON AFFECTED ISN'T AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

ONE OF THE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE CAN BE SLURRED SPEECH OR JUST A DECREASE IN ALERTNESS.

THEY MAY SEEM OVERLY SLEEPY OR DIFFICULT TO AROUSE.

FOR SOMEONE ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HEAT STROKE AND HEAT EXHAUSTION IS AN ACUTE NEUROLOGIC CHANGE.

SOME UNONE WITH HEAT STROKE MAY HAVE FACIAL DROOP AND WEAKNESS ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.

AND DIFFICULTY WALKING.

HEAT EXHAUSTION THEY MAYBE QUITE FATIGUED, MALAISE, LIKELY WILL HAVE VOMITING OR FEEL NAUSEOUS.

HEADACHES ARE COMMON.

AND THEY MAY COMPLAIN OF BLURRY VISION.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS THE FIRST AID IN THAT SITUATION?

>> ICE, ICE AND MORE ICE.

YOU WANT TO PACK THE AREAS AT THAT TIME YOU CAN COOL OFF THE BEST.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NECK, THE ARMPIT, AND THE GROIN AREA.

IF YOU CAN PUT THEM IN AN ICE BATH THAT IS BETTERMENT BUT I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND DOING AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS ALERT ENOUGH NOT TO SLIP UNDERNEATH INTO THE MELTED WATER.

>> Jeff: YOU KNOW THAT BRINGS UP THE COMMON DILEMMA FACED BY MANY PARENTS WHEN THEIR CHILD IS SICK OR HAS AN INJURY OF CALIBRATING THE RESPONSE.

IS THIS A CALL 911 SITUATION?

IS A DRIVE SOME PLACE?

AND IS THE SOME PLACE THE URGENT CARE UP THE STREET OR THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT?

>> SURE.

THAT IS A VERY COMMON QUESTION THAT WE GET.

I WOULD SAY WHEN IN DOUBT JUST GO TO YOUR NEAREST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

I THOUGH THAT CAN SEEM LABORIOUS BECAUSE WAIT TIMES ARE NOT IDEAL.

HOWEVER GOING TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ENSURES THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET ALL OF THE CARE THAT YOU COULD POTENTIALLY NEED.

AS OPPOSED TO SOME URGENT CARES THAT CAN ONLY PERFORM LIMITED TREATMENTS.

IF IT IS A MINOR BUMP OR SCRAPE OR A SMALL CUT OR LACERATION, MOST URGENT CARES CAN HELP WITH THAT.

I WILL SAY THAT IN MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE MOST URGENT CARES ARE NOT AS COMFORTABLE WITH SMALL CHILDREN.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN INFANT THAT APPEARS TO BE MORE ILL I WOULD RECOMMEND AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT FOR THEM AS WELL.

IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT YOUR CHILD MIGHT HAVE A BROKEN BONE, SOME URGENT CARES WILL DO X-RAYS ON-SITE.

BUT CERTAINLY IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT A WRIST THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE RIGHT SHAPE GO TO THE ER.

WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

>> Jeff: AND IF THERE IS A BONE STICKING OUT OR SOMETHING.

>> CALL 911.

>> THAT IS AN ER SITUATION.

WE TALKED ABOUT HEAD INJURIES.

AND OTHER THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN KIDS ARE OUT WHATEVER THE SCOOTER OR WHATEVER DEVICE THEY ARE ON A BICYCLE, YOU ARE A BELIEVER IN HELMETS?

>> VERY MUCH SO.

WE ACTUALLY DID A SEGMENT HOW TO PROPERLY FIT A BIKE HELMET.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN ARE WEARING HELMETS THAT FIT THEM.

JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE FOUR KIDS DOESN'T MEAN ALL FOUR KIDS SHOULD WEAR THE SAME BIKE HELMET.

EVERYONE'S HEAD IS DIFFERENT.

MAKE SURE IT FITS SNUG AROUND SO YOU CAN GET ONE FINGER IN-BETWEEN THE TEMPLE AND THE HELMET.

YOU WANT TWO FINGERS BETWEEN THE EYEBROWS AND THE BOTTOM RIM OF THE HELMET.

AND WHEN YOU DO YOUR CHIN STRAP ONE FINGER IN THERE.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO YAWN AND THE HELMET SINKS DOWN ON THEM OR TURN THEIR HEAD BACK AND FORTH THE HELMET IS NOT SHAKING ALL OVER.

>> Jeff: YOU MENTIONED ASTHMA.

OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, IF YOU WOULD GUESS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF KIDS THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT HAVE SOME SORT OF BREATHING DIFFICULTY?

BREATHING DISORDER?

>> SURE.

WELL, WORKING IN BALTIMORE CITY I WOULD SAY THAT NUMBER IS FAIRLY HIGH.

PROBABLY AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, I WOULD SAY NEARLY HALF THE KIDS WE TREAT HAVE HAD SOME EPISODE OF WHEEZING OR HAVE HAD SOME TRIAL OFFAL BEAUTY RALE OR SOMETIMES HOSPITALIZATIONS.

BALTIMORE CITY IN FACT HAS A HIGHER PREVALENCE OF PEDIATRIC ASTHMA THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

AND BALTIMORE CITY ALSO HAS A HIGHER PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA RELATED PEDIATRIC DEATHS THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

SO I SEE QUITE A BIT.

>> Jeff: SUMMER CREATES TRIGGERS THAT CAN AFFECT THOSE KIDS?

>> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

THE VERY HOT HEATS WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH AIR QUALITY ISSUES, SAY, THE FOREST FIRE RECENTLY IN NEW JERSEY, THAT SMOKE BLEW SOUTH LAST YEAR THERE WAS THE WILDFIRES IN CANADA.

THAT AIR QUALITY AFFECTED US HERE IN MARYLAND.

GOING IN AND OUT RAPIDLY FROM VERY, VERY INTENSE AIR-CONDITIONING INTO HOT HUMID CONDITIONS CAN TRIGGER IT.

AND SO THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE YOUR CHILD'S ASTHMA OVER THE SUMMER IS TO ACTUALLY PREVENT THE EXASERBATIONS FROM STARTING.

>> Jeff: TO SUM UP IF THERE IS A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT WATCHING WHO WANTS TO CAUTION THEIR KIDS HEARD A TERRIFIC DOCTOR ON TV TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN AVOID HAVING TO GO TO THE DOCTOR THIS SUMMER YOU ARE TELLING KIDS TO HAVE FUN, BUT BE SAFE?

>> HAVE FUN, BE SAFE.

IF YOU ARE AROUND A POOL SPECIFICALLY POOL PARTIES IF YOU WOULD HAVE A DESIGNATED DRIVER FOR PEOPLE TO GET HOME HAVE A DESIGNATED WATCHER FOR KIDS IN THE POOL.

IF IT MOTORS, GALLOPS OR ROLLS YOU SHOULD WEAR A HELMET.

IF YOU HAVE ASTHMA TAKE YOUR CONTROLLER MEDICINE AND SEEK HELP EARLY.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT A BONE OR A PIECE OF YOUR BODY THAT IS BENT THE WRONG WAY COME STRAIGHT TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.

>> Jeff: MEGAN COBB MARYLAND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE" AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS AT 7:00 P.M. FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[♪♪]