Kidbits! | Summer 2004

Summer 2004

Inside This Issue...

GREAT! Grandfathers

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Page Area merchants have formed a partnership to support our pediatric patients.

Kevin Wall, R.N., explains the pediatric transport equipment to the some of the grandfathers who contributed toward a new pediatric ambulance.

Pictured from left to right are: Kevin Wall, R.N., Pat Burlison, M.D., Huntsville Hospital CEO Joe Austin, Henry Chase and Richard Holloway.

As you send your children back to school this fall, give some consideration to one of their heaviest burdens: their backpacks.

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Kids’ Ambulance Becomes a Reality

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Meet the friendly staff of the region’s only pediatric emergency department. You can count on our specialized team to provide the best care to your child’s body and feelings in an emergency.

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Vaccines have banished some of the worst childhood diseases, but kids still need to be immunized.

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A group of caring grandfathers is giving the gift of life to children in north Alabama and south central Tennessee — and it’s quite a gift, too!

These generous men are raising funds to provide a special ambulance for Kids Care, a new pediatric critical care transport program.

Kids Care is a joint project of Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children and Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (HEMSI) to serve hospitals in north Alabama and south central Tennessee. The Kids Care team is on call 24 hours a day to respond to requests from referring physicians and to transport pediatric patients from outlying areas to Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

Coordinators of the program, which was established in September 2003, predicted that the Kids Care team would transport 100 pediatric patients in its first year of service. In fact, they surpassed that goal in just five months.

With the overwhelming success of the program came the critical need for a specialized ambulance dedicated solely to the transport of children from outlying hospitals.

The new Kids Care ambulance will be custom-designed with the pediatric patient in mind. It will be equipped with child-size stretchers, monitors, ventilators and IV needles

for even the tiniest of patients. Each Kids Care transport team includes a pediatric registered nurse, a pediatric respiratory therapist and a paramedic — all trained in pediatric critical care.

Pat Burlison, M.D., Henry Chase, Richard Holloway and Olin King are leading the fundraising effort. They have recruited 47 other grandfathers so far, and are diligently working to raise the funds needed to purchase the ambulance. These special granddaddies have generously donated funds to the Huntsville Hospital Foundation in honor of their grandchildren, but also for the benefit of all children in the Tennessee Valley. We appreciate the support of the kind gentlemen who saw the need for the Kids Care program, and who are seeing to it that our children have the very best emergency care when they need it the most.

Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children has the region’s only Pediatric Emergency Department and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and is home to north Alabama’s Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. With 38 pediatricians and 19 pediatric subspecialists on staff, Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children is taking the care of sick and injured children to the next level.

Pediatric Partners Support Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children Area merchants have joined forces with Huntsville Hospital Foundation to increase awareness and encourage support for the only dedicated women and children’s hospital in north Alabama and southern Tennessee. These merchants, called Pediatric Partners, are displaying special boxes in their businesses to collect change and small contributions from customers.

Funds received through this new Pediatric Partners initiative will provide equipment, technology and patient comforts for pediatric units and the nurseries. From ventilators and vital sign monitors to rocking chairs, the need is constant and always growing.

Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children offers pediatric programs that are unmatched in the

region and serve all children regardless of their families’ ability to pay for treatment. Community donations help ensure the availability of the very best care for children. The staff and facilities at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children make it possible for children to stay close to home to receive pediatric medical attention.

If you would like to be a Pediatric Partner, please contact the Foundation office at 256-265-8077.

Pictured are Nicole Newby, owner of 2Skirtz, a trendy clothing store for women, and Wendy Dilbeck, owner of children’s specialty shop The Funky Monkey. Both are Pediatric Partners of Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

The Backpack Attack Despite their popularity, they can be a pain in the neck Of all the burdens schoolchildren must shoulder, their backpacks are probably the heaviest.

Crammed with everything from lunches to laptops, overloaded bags can cause stiff necks, sore shoulders and aching backs. The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that in one year, more than 10,000 children ages 5 to 14 see doctors with backpack-related complaints.

“The extra stress placed on the spine and shoulder from the heavy loads is causing some unnecessary medical problems,” says Steven Buckley, M.D., pediatric orthopedic surgeon with Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

Packs typically strain back and shoulder muscles when the load is more than 20 percent of a child’s body weight. A poorly fitted or worn backpack can worsen posture or hinder circulation, causing numb or tingling arms, says Jan K. Richardson, Ph.D., president of the American Physical Therapy Association.

“Have your kids use both straps and make frequent stops at their lockers throughout the day to avoid carrying all their books at once, and leave non-essentials at home,” she says. “Above all, urge your children to tell you if they are in pain or have discomfort before a problem becomes serious.”

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Making children’s packs easy on their backs ♦ Buy a pack with wide, padded straps to minimize pressure on the shoulders and collarbone. ♦ Consider the empty pack’s weight.

Leather is fashionable, but it’s heavier than nylon. ♦ Carry the pack on both shoulders to spread the weight; tighten straps to hold it about 2 inches above the waist. ♦ Load the heaviest items closest to the body to ease strain on back and abdominal muscles, and try to keep everything in place. ♦ Use proper lifting techniques when hoisting a heavy pack.

Bend both knees rather than leaning over. ♦ Use the hip strap to help stabilize a heavier load. ♦ Consider a backpack with wheels to ease long walks.

Curb Antibiotic Abuse

Little Hands Like to Stay Busy

Unwise use can ruin the value of these drugs

The Pediatric Child Life staff at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children gives patients love, support, play activities and entertainment to lessen their anxiety during their hospital stay. Child Life specialists provide the types of games and activities that children are accustomed to, allowing them to enjoy some of their normal activities and have fun during their stay in our special hospital.

The Angels for Women & Children at Huntsville Hospital and various community organizations support the Child Life program by supplying craft packets for pediatric patients. After choosing a seasonal theme, the groups assemble individual packets complete with supplies and the instructions needed to create the craft. Craft suppliers include Girl Scout troops, church youth and Bible study groups, school clubs, and individual volunteers. If you are interested in supporting the Angels’ craft program, please call the Huntsville Hospital Foundation at 256-265-8077.

Your child has a runny nose, a cough, a sore throat and a fever, so you go to the pediatrician. The doctor knows a virus caused this infection, which will just run its course. You’re worried, so you push the doctor to give your child an antibiotic. The doctor gives in.

Who’s wrong? Both, experts say. “Physicians and parents do not understand why antibiotics are not necessary for the majority of infections seen in the pediatrician’s office,” says pediatrician Carol J. Baker, M.D., an infectious disease expert and spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“These medications are great when they’re needed, but they’re only useful against bacterial infection, never against viral infection,” adds Robert Stewart, M. D., pediatrician with Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

Overuse of an antibiotic can help breed strains of bacteria that the drug won’t kill.

This antibiotic resistance can make a wonder drug useless.

“At least three-quarters of the infections most pediatricians see in an office are viral, with no complications,” says Dr. Baker. Viruses cause colds, for instance, and symptoms can last five to 10 days.

“Making sure the child is getting adequate fluids and tender loving care is all that’s necessary.”

Antibiotics also can cause various side effects, such as stomach upset, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

So how do you know when your child needs an antibiotic? Leave that to the doctor, but don’t bite your tongue — ask if it’s needed and if not, why?

“If you have questions or you’re not sure, call the pediatrician or make an appointment,” Dr. Stewart says.

Doctors suspect bacteria when a young patient has resistant symptoms of upper respiratory infection with temperatures of more than 102 degrees or lasting longer than seven to 10 days.

Overuse of an antibiotic can help breed strains of bacteria that the drug won’t kill.

“These medications are great when they’re needed, but they’re only useful against bacterial infection, never against viral infection.”

Robert Stewart, M. D., pediatrician with Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

Dr. Bob Stewart

Volunteers assemble craft packets for pediatric patients.

Join the Chase and Have Some Fun For more than 20 years, Huntsville Hospital and the Angels for Women & Children have hosted the annual Autumn Chase Fun Run. With approximately 2,200 participants last year, this non-competitive run for children continues to be enormously successful. Runners range in age from pre-school to eighth grade. There is no charge to participate, but donations are gratefully accepted for the Pediatric Unit at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. Prizes are awarded for each age group; however, the real winners are the hospital’s pediatric patients. This year’s Fun Run is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 16, at the John Hunt Complex on Airport Road. For more information, please call the Huntsville Hospital Marketing Department at 256-265-8317.

Party Like a Kid The day was filled with more children in one place than anywhere in north Alabama. It was, of course, the annual Preemie Reunion Party in April. The special guests were parents and 2-year-olds who were neonatal intensive care newborns at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. Hosts were Angels for Women & Children and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nursing staff. Each year, the party reunites the guests with the nurses and physicians who cared for them in the hospital. A favorite this year was the special appearance by Huntsville Hospital’s volunteer clown troupe. And, as usual, picture-taking, hugs and smiles made the party an event to remember for all who attended.

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The Pediatric ER Staff Front (l to r): Sheila Shah, M.D., and Dorothy Hardnett, unit secretary; Row 2 (l to r): Linda Broadley, R.N., Vicky Huff, R.N., and Lynn Lee, R.N. (nurse manager); Row 3 (l to r): Diane Hughes, R.N., Susan Mackenzie, R.N., Sandra Toles, R.N. (clinical area supervisor), and Tim O’Connor, M.D.

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Pediatric ER Staff Treats Children’s Bodies and Feelings A visit in any emergency department can be a stressful time for you and your child. At Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, we work hard to minimize that stress. And, as north Alabama’s only pediatric emergency department, we care for newborns to teenagers. No matter what time or what day, you can count on our specialized team:

★ Emergency department physicians ★ Pediatric emergency department nurses ★ Pediatric emergency department respiratory therapists ★ X-ray technologists ★ Certified child life specialists Patients who are critically ill or injured are treated first. During triage assessment, a nurse will perform a medical history and ask questions about medications and allergies. This information helps the emergency department physician determine the severity of your child’s illness or injury.

One of our many goals is to reduce any pain, discomfort or anxiety. Our clinical team also relies on the input of parents to help in determining the level of comfort and need.

Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children also is home to Kids Care, a critical care transport ambulance that is operated jointly with Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. (HEMSI). Kids Care travels throughout north Alabama and southern Tennessee transporting pediatric patients to our pediatric emergency department and pediatric intensive care unit. For more information, please call 256-265-7061.

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Athletes Need Plenty of Fluids Dehydration can lead to serious heat illness Odds are you wouldn’t let your daughter play catcher in a baseball game without a face mask. You wouldn’t send your son onto a football field without a helmet, either. But here’s a sports precaution you may overlook — getting kids to drink water and other healthy fluids.

During hot weather, young athletes face the risk of dehydration, which can lead to serious heat-related illness. The cause: failure to drink enough.

“Drinking is like any other piece of protective equipment used in sports,” says Dewayne Manning, certified athletic trainer and coordinator of Huntsville Hospital Sports Center. Children face a higher risk of dehydration because: ♦ Their bodies aren’t as efficient as adults’ at cooling themselves by sweating. ♦ Their muscles generate much more heat than adults’. ♦ Their bodies have a greater surface-area to body-mass ratio than adults. The smaller the children, the faster they absorb the sun’s heat.

Signs of Dehydration ♦ Decrease in reaction time ♦ Decrease in physical performance ♦ Apathy ♦ Dry lips and mouth ♦ Disorientation ♦ Thirst ♦ Nausea ♦ Irritability ♦ Headache Children with any of these signs should be taken to the shade and given water or sports drinks. Inability to drink or pale skin indicates a serious condition that should be treated as a medical emergency.

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Mr. Manning suggests serving children sports drinks in a flavor they like.

Research has shown that children will drink almost twice as much if they’re given sports drinks, he says. Many nutritionists say that water is best and that children should avoid caffeinated beverages such as sodas.

To keep children hydrated, have them drink 12 ounces of fluid 30 minutes before they take the field. Then, for every 20 minutes of activity, they should drink 5 ounces if they weigh 90 pounds or less and 9 ounces if they weigh more. During the first hour after activity, children should drink every 20 minutes.

Mr. Manning says you should be especially wary during the first two weeks of warm weather. The body must adapt to the heat and tends to sweat more. That makes it crucial for children to take it easy at first and gulp down healthy fluids (one gulp equals about half an ounce).

Give Immunization Your Best Shot Millions of children go without immunizations that prevent serious illnesses Thanks to vaccines, some illnesses that once ravaged our children are little more than memories. In the United States, immunizations have helped cut cases of polio, whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria up to 99 percent.

But your child still needs to be vaccinated, because these diseases haven’t gone away completely, according to the Centers for disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The viruses and bacteria that cause them still exist in this country or in developing nations just a plane ride away.

Without vaccines, those diseases could return.

Before the measles vaccine, for instance, nearly everyone in the United States got measles. Easily spread, measles caused more than half a million illnesses and 400 deaths a year. U.S. programs for immunization reduced the number of deaths from several childhood diseases, such as measles, to near zero.

Still, many U. S. children don’t get all their shots under age 2 — their years of greatest risk. Some parents don’t catch up until their children go to schools that want proof of up-to-date immunizations.

Parents may slip because they’re not sure when their children should get vaccinations.

“Most parents — and many physicians, as well — think that a baby with the sniffles or a low-grade fever or an ear infection should not get a shot,” says Debra Williams, M.D., a pediatrician at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, and the assistant health officer for Huntsville/Madison County Health Department. “These types of minor illnesses aren’t enough reason to delay an immunization.”

Other parents cite fear of side effects for skipping shots. The risks of the diseases that vaccines prevent are much greater than the risks of immunization, which are small.

Parents can also miss news about new vaccines. At this time, the CDC recommends immunizations against 11 childhood diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), meningitis, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, invasive pneumococcal disease, polio, and varicella (chicken pox). By 18 months of age each of the 11,000 babies born each day in the United States should receive up to 20 doses of vaccine against the 11 diseases.

To keep your child’s immunizations up-to-date, work with your physician. The two of you should map out a schedule while your baby is a newborn.

“Most parents — and many physicians, as well — think that a baby with the sniffles or a low-grade fever or an ear infection should not get a shot.

These types of minor illnesses aren’t enough reason to delay an immunization.”

Debra Williams, M.D., a pediatrician with Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, and the assistant health officer for Huntsville/Madison County Health Department

Dr. Debra Williams

Some tips: ♦ Try to get your child’s shots during well-baby visits. ♦ Remember that your child can often get two or more shots at once. ♦ Keep your own record of your child’s shots in a safe place. ♦ Check your child’s immunization status whenever you visit your doctor.

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New Web Site Nets Parents News and Knowledge Visit www.childrenshospitals.net All children need children’s hospitals, and all parents need the new NACHRI Web site, www.childrenshospitals.net.

On the site, a visit to the “Parents Community” provides you with all the information you need on children’s health in one place — so you can spend less time online and more time with your kids. You’ll find daily news on research, wellness and prevention in “Today’s Headlines,” as well as recent updates on legislation working to keep all children healthy.

Want to help advocate for the bills you’re reading about but don’t know how? The “Parents Community” directs you to contact information for your members of Congress and provides easy-to-understand summaries of issues important to children’s wellness and safety.

But keeping kids safe begins at home. Did you know unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in children under age 14?

That’s why children’s hospitals lead efforts to prevent both unintentional and intentional injuries in their communities. The “Parents Community” provides families with

comprehensive articles and links on topics such as car seat safety and child abuse prevention.

Looking for a simple way to find out what outreach projects your children’s hospital and others across the country are working on?

“Hospital Search” lets you explore a database of more than 180 children’s hospitals by what community programs they offer, by research they’re working on, or by what clinical services they specialize in. You can even find a comprehensive list of camps for children with special health care needs.

Just as children’s health care needs grow and change daily, so do the resources on www.childrenshospitals.net. Bookmark the Web site today, for your child’s healthier tomorrow.

NACHRI National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions

Articles in this newsletter are written by professional journalists or physicians who strive to present reliable, up-to-date information. But no publication can replace the care and advice of medical professionals, and readers are cautioned to seek such help for personal problems. ©2004 Health Ink & Vitality Communications, 780 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067, 267-685-2800. Some images in this publication may be provided by ©2004 PhotoDisc, Inc. (304)

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