just kids | fall 2013

JustKidsFall 2013ChildrensOmaha.org

LAINEY’S STORYHeart Transplant Gives New Hope 2

SIbLINg’S ShAdOw? Help Your Child Avoid It and Shine 5

FACT OR FICTION?Busting Health Myths 10

NOW PLAYING!

a Fun and Safe 3-D

Experience p4

Your Online Source for Health InfoFor the latest information and news, support groups, events, patient stories, recipes and perspectives from our physicians, check out these online resources:

Facebook.com/ ChildrensOmaha

YouTube.com/ ChildrensOmaha

Twitter.com/ChildrensOmaha

Pinterest.com/ChildrensOmaha

JustKids is published by Children’s Hospital & Medical Center to provide general health information. It is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained directly from a physician. © 2013. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

➍ Focusing on a Fun and Safe 3-D Experience

➎ New Electronic Medical Record

➏ Help Kids Avoid a Sibling’s Shadow

➐ Upcoming Parenting U Classes

➑ Immunizations: What Every Parent Should Know

➓ Tall Tale or Totally True?

Children’s Launches Sports Medicine Clinic

Contents

ChildrensOmaha.org JustKids Gary A. Perkins President and CEO Martin W. Beerman Vice President, Marketing

& Community Relations David G.J. Kaufman, MD Medical Advisor Dannee Schroeder Senior Editor

The nation has a new

pediatric heart transplant

program located right in the

heart of the country. Earlier this year,

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center

in Omaha received approval from the

United Network for Organ Sharing to

perform heart transplants on infants and

children, and just a few short weeks later,

performed its first transplant.

Lainey Wilkinson was born on March 22,

2013, delivered by scheduled cesarean section

at The Fetal Care Center at Children’s Hospital

& Medical Center in affiliation with Alegent

Creighton Health. She was listed for transplant

one week after her birth.

“Lainey’s heart had a very unusual

combination of one severe heart defect,

hypoplastic left heart syndrome, on the left

side, and another severe defect, Ebstein’s

malformation, on the right side,” explained

James Hammel, MD, transplant surgeon and

clinical service chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery

at Children’s. “We determined that these

anomalies could not be surgically repaired.”

Lainey’s mother, Jessica, said that talking

to Children’s team about a heart transplant

wasn’t as devastating as she and her husband

thought it might be.

“We knew a transplant was a possibility,

but we had confidence in the team. And, my

husband, Jeff, and I had already seen Lainey

do better than anyone had expected,” she said.

Dr. Hammel and a full team of pediatric

specialists performed Lainey’s heart

transplant when she was just 2 weeks old.

Children’s offers the only infant and pediatric

heart transplantation program in Nebraska. It is

the 41st pediatric heart transplant program in

the United States. Nationally, 370 pediatric heart

transplants (ages 0 to 17) were performed in 2012.

Lainey’s transplant went well, and she

continues to make strides in her recovery. Just

a month after receiving her new heart, Lainey

and her family were able to go home. Now that

Lainey is home, the Wilkinsons stay in contact

with her team of doctors at Children’s. She is

closely monitored through regular check-ups.

“This transplant represents the culmination

of a year-long collaboration throughout

Children’s,” said Dr. Hammel. “All of the

resources Children’s has assembled to provide

world-class cardiac care for families of children

with heart defects, we can now apply to provide

the best heart transplant care. Our goal is to

give every child the best chance at life, and

transplantation is a powerful tool we can

now use to do that in Omaha.”

ChILdREN’S STARTS hEART TRANSpLANT pROgRAm

2 To find a physician, call 1-800-833-3100

What’sNew?ChILdREN’S STARTS hEART TRANSpLANT pROgRAm

Our goal is to give every child the best chance at life, and transplantation is a powerful tool we can now use to do that in Omaha.

— James Hammel, MD, transplant surgeon and clinical service chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Children’s. He performed Lainey’s heart transplant.

ChildrensOmaha.org 3

More and more movies, TV programs, video

games and even classroom lessons are

becoming available in 3-D. Despite the potential

benefits of the new technology, some parents

have raised safety concerns. But you can take

steps to avoid or lessen the risks while still

having fun with 3-D.

Benefits of 3-D ViewingFor children who enjoy 3-D movies and

games, the most obvious benefit is the fun

of an enhanced entertainment experience.

Did you know there are other benefits to

3-D technology? Not only are 3-D lessons

presenting material to students in fun new

ways, but some evidence points to improved

levels of concentration and test scores.

Since 3-D viewing is a more sensitive

test of vision than the standard eye chart,

it might help find previously undetected

vision problems in your child. If your child

mentions any difficulty with viewing

something in 3-D, visit an eye doctor.

Some of these problems can be treated.

3-D Viewing Is Safe for Most PeopleAccording to the American Optometric

Association, a 2011 survey found that 53

percent of parents believed 3-D harms kids’

eyes. Most of those worries are unfounded.

However, the parents in that same survey did

report that their children had the following

problems after 3-D viewing:

• Headaches: 10 percent

• Nausea: 7 percent

• Dizziness: 6 percent

Children who have a type of epilepsy triggered

by flashing lights or who take medications that

can lower their seizure threshold could face

trouble with 3-D technology.

Take Proper PrecautionsWhen it comes to 3-D viewing or any other

type of screen time, don’t overdo it. Children

shouldn’t spend more than two hours a day

viewing a screen. That includes all electronic

screens, such as TVs, video games, computers,

tablets and others.

If you want to help give your child’s eyes

some rest during screen time, consider

the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes,

take a 20-second break and look

at something at least

20 feet away.

feature story

Focusing on a Fun and Safe

The BOTTOM lINe: Following

manufacturers’ instructions, using

common sense and enjoying 3-D in

moderation are likely to result in a

fun experience for most users.


ReADY TO CONNeCT? To learn more about our online health portal, visit www.ChildrensOmaha.org/Connect.

Children’s New electronic Record System ensures even Better Care

Children’s hospital & medical Center has implemented a new electronic medical record system called Epic Enterprise. with the new system, Children’s patients now have one electronic health record that caregivers can access, no matter their location or specialty. by taking advantage of the latest technology and a single health record, Children’s is able to provide you and your child with even better care. here are four ways that Epic improves your health care experience:• IMPROVeD SAFeTY — The new electronic

system includes safeguards against errors, automatically flagging potential data-entry mistakes or conflicting information.

• IMPROVeD QuAlITY — One health record gives caregivers a more complete picture of your child’s past and present health, and helps them have a better, more effective dialogue with you.

• IMPROVeD eFFICIeNCY — providers have quicker access to your child’s test results, medical history and more, resulting in more timely, efficient care.

• IMPROVeD CONVeNIeNCe — Our online health portal, Children’s Connect, allows you to request appointments and view test results, immunizations, medications, growth charts and more from any Children’s specialist. This fall, Children’s also plans to debut patient check-in kiosks where patient families can sign in for appointments, pay co-pays and update information electronically.

Children’s is excited about Epic and the benefits it provides patients, families and staff. Our team appreciates your support as we embrace this new system of care.


hELp KIdS AvOId A

SIbLINg’S ShAdOwwhat can parents do to ease family tension when one child is more successful or popular than another?

sibling rivalry


As challenging as sibling rivalry can be for families, it’s

normal and bound to exist in any household with more

than one child.

The tenor of the rivalry between brothers and

sisters—jealousy, competition, perceived favoritism and

trouble getting along—often depends on the children’s

temperaments, ages and developmental needs. Clashes

can result from children’s natural competitive drive to

be the best at everything and win parents’ favor.

In turn, the child who thinks a sibling is more intelligent,

athletic, attractive, popular or successful is likely to grow

jealous and insecure.

The tensions of sibling competition aren’t likely to

vanish from your household, especially if one child is

more talented than another. Still, you can use parenting

strategies that help your children respond more positively

to such conflict. The key is getting children to balance

their emotions and express their feelings constructively.

Steps to TakeHow well the following approaches work to ease competition

among your children will depend on their ages, genders,

birth order and relative success at school, sports, work or

social skills. With that in mind, consider these tactics:

• Avoid comparing your children’s individual talents

and achievements. True, your children may compete

with one another on their own. But a perception that

you view one with more favor or pride than the other

can feed a feeling of inferiority and competition in the

child who may not be excelling. Take special care not

to say something like, “Adam, why can’t you be more

like Ashley and get on the honor roll?” That’s likely to

make the underachieving child feel even worse about

his performance. He may feel that without achieving

equal success, he’ll fail to win your love and approval.

• Treat each of your children as an individual with

personal strengths and weaknesses. Avoid labeling

one child “the smart one” or “the star athlete.” This

can make the less successful child feel even more

insecure, worsening the rivalry.

• Encourage and praise each of your children for his

or her various accomplishments.

• Avoid contributing to the rivalry. Try to treat and

respect each child fairly.

• Organize your day to allow you to spend some time

alone with each of your children. Doing so will help

them feel special and successful.

• Encourage cooperation rather than competition. For

example, instead of having your children race each other

to complete a task, time them together against the clock.

• Ensure that each of your children has time and

space to play with his or her toys and friends

without a sibling tagging along.

• Foster appreciation among siblings by asking them

what they like about their sisters and brothers.

• When resolving conflicts between your children,

avoid taking sides or backing one child over the

other. Instead, help them strive for win-win solutions,

where each child is respected and gains something

he or she wants.

Take comfort in knowing that sibling relationships are

fluid and bound to change over time. Helping your children

respect each other and easing competition based on success

or lack thereof can teach brothers and sisters to treasure

each other as friends instead of rivals.

with the arrival of a child, there are some things parents learn automatically, like how little sleep an adult actually needs to function and that polar bears may be hiding in your closets.

For other lessons, there’s parenting U from Children’s hospital & medical Center, free classes given by professionals known for their knowledge of children to help you through some of a parent’s most challenging times.

Each session will be held in the glow Auditorium at Children’s hospital & medical Center from 6 to 7 p.m. Space is limited, so call 800-833-3100 or log onto ChildrensOmaha.org/ParentingU today to register for one or more of our upcoming educational sessions.

Oct. 15Effective Time Out TechniquesAshley harlow, phd, NCSpChildren’s behavioral health

Oct. 22Preparing for Your NewbornJoe Straley, md, FAApChildren’s physicians

Oct. 29Baby’s First YearsTina Scott-mordhorst, md, FAApChildren’s physicians

Upcoming parenting U classes this Fall

help for YoU:


ImmunIzatIons:what Every parent Should Know

Many of these diseases still thrive in other parts of the world, and have the potential to make a

comeback in the United States due to inadequate immunization. Travelers can—and do—bring

these viruses back to the United States. Without the protection of vaccines, these diseases could

easily spread here again.

Diseases such as polio and pertussis are rare, so why are vaccines necessary?Q

Some children have minor side effects from being vaccinated, such as a slight fever or swelling at

the injection site. The risk of death or serious side effects is so small that it is difficult to document.

Claims that vaccines cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), autism or other diseases have

been carefully researched and never proven.

Don’t vaccines cause harmful side effects and illnesses?Q

Many studies have been done to assess the safety of multiple vaccinations. None has shown that

multiple vaccinations cause a problem. Scientists agree that the tiny amount of virus or bacteria

in vacines is not enough to harm a child.

Won’t giving babies multiple vaccines at once overload their immune system?Q

Do you know if your child’s shots are up-to-date? Check out the chart at right with

recommended ages for routine childhood immunizations to make sure. Keep in mind that in

order to be fully protected against common childhood diseases, your child may need several

shots spread out over months or years.

Is Your Child up-To-Date?Q

ask the experts

vaccines protect children from serious infectious diseases—and save lives. millions of parents immunize their children each year without concern. Yet some parents have heard rumors that vaccines can cause serious health problems.

It can be confusing for parents. deciding who is credible and who is not can be difficult. If you have questions, talk with your child’s doctor who knows your child’s health and medical needs better than anybody. Another resource for in-depth information on vaccine safety is the Centers for disease Control and prevention (CdC). You can check its website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.

here are some frequently asked questions about immunizations:


Birth to age 4 months

Ages 6 to 18 months

Ages 4 to 6 years

Ages 11 to 18 years

hepatitis B 2 doses 1 dose

Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP) 2 doses 2 doses 1 dose

haemophilus influenzae type b (hib) 2 doses 1-2 doses*

Polio (IPV) 2 doses 1 dose 1 booster dose

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)

1 dose (when child is at least

12 months) 1 dose

Varicella (chickenpox)1 dose

(when child is at least 12 months)

1 dose

Pneumococcal Conjugate (PCV) 2 doses 2 doses*

Influenza 1 dose annually** 1 dose annually** 1 dose annually**

Rotavirus 2 doses 1 dose (if needed)

human Papillomarvirus (hPV) 3 doses‡

Meningococcal, meningitis (MCV4)

2 doses (for children only with certain risk factors)

2 doses

hepatitis A2 doses

(when child is at least 12 months)

* Depending on vaccine used, a third dose at 6 months may or may not be required.** Two doses given at least 4 weeks apart are recommended for children age 6 months through 8 years who are getting a flu vaccine for the first time.‡ Can be given as early as age 9.

have a health

Question?If you have questions

about vaccines or other children’s health

topics, you’ll find a variety of health information on

our website. visit ChildrensOmaha.org/

HealthandSafety.

?


1Spinach is a good source of iron.

Fact. While it’s not the best source, it’s in the top

dozen. Half a cup of fresh cooked spinach has

about as much iron as 3 ounces of cooked beef.

Fortified cereals and white beans are rich in iron,

too. Iron-fortified infant cereal is an excellent

source of iron for infants age 6 months to 1 year

of age. A quarter cup provides 45 percent of the

recommended daily value of iron, so

I routinely recommend a quarter-cup

serving at least twice a day for my

patients ages 6 months through

1 year. Having said that, our

bodies absorb iron from animal

sources better than iron from

vegetables and grains. Your

child’s body may get more iron

from non-animal sources (including

spinach) if you serve them with foods

rich in vitamin C, such as orange juice or kiwi

fruit. Children need iron because it helps carry

oxygen throughout the body’s cells.

2 Sitting too close to the TV is bad for your eyes.

Fiction. There’s no evidence that plunking down

right in front of the TV set damages the eyes.

Children can focus up close without eyestrain

better than adults, so they often get into the habit

of sitting right in front of the TV or holding

reading material close to their eyes. However, if

your child is consistently sitting close to the TV

and always holds reading material close to his

or her eyes, this could indicate significant near-

sightedness. I recommend visiting your child’s

pediatrician for an evaluation if this is happening.

FIND The RIGhT DOCTORSelecting a physician who’s a good fit for your family is important. You—and your child—should feel comfortable with the physician. To find the right one for your family, call Children’s Find-A-doctor service at 800-833-3100.

Urban legends and old wives’ tales

about children’s health pass back and

forth among families, friends and

coworkers — along with solid advice.

David Kaufman, MD, FAAP, a

pediatrician with Children’s

Physicians at the Eagle Run office,

talks about five common beliefs and

offers the real information on

whether they’re fact or fiction.

3 You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating to swim.

Fiction. According to the American Red Cross,

you probably don’t need to wait that long. Still,

use common sense: If you’ve just had a huge meal

and you’re about to begin strenuous exercise, give

your body some time to digest your food.

4 eating carrots improves eyesight.

Fact. This one is true on a technicality. Carrots

contain vitamin A, which promotes vision health.

However, if a child eats a healthy diet that includes

daily servings of many fruits and vegetables, you

don’t have to focus solely on carrots. Spinach,

cantaloupe and vegetable soup are also good

sources of vitamin A.

5 Wounds need fresh air to heal.

Fiction? It depends. It makes sense to think that

wounds must breathe in order to heal. And, in

truth, the air aids healing by keeping them dry.

But large scrapes are best kept covered, moist and

clean to avoid excessive scarring and to promote

healing. It’s also wise to cover wounds in spots

that tend to get dirty or that may be irritated when

clothing rubs against them. Oxygen does promote

wound healing; however, it is equally important

to keep an open wound clean. A compromise is

to keep a wound covered during the day, but then

leave the wound uncovered at night while your

child is sleeping.

Tall Tale or Totally True?

David Kaufman, MD, FAAP

www.ChildrensOmaha.org/Kaufman


You don’t have to look any further than the mirror to

identify your child’s main role model.

Children naturally mimic their parents—that includes

their attitude toward exercise. If you want your child to

be more active, you can’t just talk the talk. You need to

walk the walk. And run the run. And bike the bike. Studies

show that children are more likely to exercise if their

family and friends are interested in physical activity.

Your Whole Family Benefits Exercise as a family to make fitness fun for your family and

ensure that everyone is getting the recommended level of

activity they need. Children ages 6 to 17 should get at least

an hour of physical activity every day, according to the

Centers for Disease Control; adults require about half of that.

Besides the obvious physical benefits from exercise,

such as increased endurance and strength and maintaining

a healthy weight, active children are generally more

confident and are more likely to be successful both

in their daily school work and on standardized tests.

Many Ways to exercise as a FamilyHere are some activities for the whole family to try:

• Walk the dog together.

• Bike or walk to a neighborhood park.

• Take an exercise class designed for the entire family

such as yoga or aerobics.

• Split up into teams for a game of basketball, soccer

or kickball.

• Teach your kids the jump rope games from your youth.

• Play catch with a football, baseball, softball or Frisbee.

• Compete at an exercise-based video game such as

Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution.

• Go on an outdoor scavenger hunt for natural objects,

such as leaves of different colors, acorns or stones

of various shapes.

• When the temperature dips, make a snowman, have a

family snowball fight or try a more structured winter

activity such as cross-country skiing or snow shoeing.

• Challenge each other to see who can win a Presidential

Active Lifestyle Award. Anyone 6 or older is eligible

for the award. Go to www.presidentschallenge.org to

learn more.

Make physical activity as much a part of your family’s

daily habit as eating dinner together. That way exercise

will be just another part—maybe even the most enjoyable

part—of your family routine.

heAlThY KOhl’S KIDS

The healthy Kohl’s Kids program can help you find fitness activities for your children at www.ChildrensOmaha.org/HKK. The website also features how-to videos of young chefs making healthy meals and snacks, and it enables people to share recipe and exercise tips via Facebook, Twitter and pinterest.

Make Family Playtime a Priority


Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDChildren’s Hospital & Medical Center

8200 Dodge StreetOmaha, NE 68114402-955-5400

881MChildrensOmaha.org

SuBSCRIBe NOW To subscribe to health-e kids, our free monthly e-newsletter, visit ChildrensOmaha.org and click on the e-newsletter icon located on the right side of the home page.

eNewsletterSign-up

Like any exercise, playing a sport can help children control weight,

improve self-esteem and do better in school. There are dangers for child

athletes, however. More than 3.5 million Americans age 14 and younger

are treated for sports injuries every year.

To meet this need, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center launched a

new Sports Medicine Clinic. Intended for young athletes who participate

in competitive and recreational programs, the clinic provides specialized

care for sports-related injuries ranging from concussion to sprains,

strains and overuse.

“Sports injuries in adolescents and teenagers are different,” said

Kody Moffatt, MD, pediatrician and Children’s sports medicine specialist.

“The body, bones and joints aren’t fully developed. We want to make

sure these injuries are diagnosed and treated before they create a

chronic, long-term problem that could impact the child’s ability to

compete successfully down the road.”

Before becoming a pediatrician, Dr. Moffatt was a certified athletic

trainer in professional hockey. He has multiple degrees and credentials

in pediatrics, sports medicine and orthopaedics. He is eager to share his

expertise with young athletes.

“At Children’s, we’ve worked to develop an integrated program that

brings together my experience with sports-related injuries and the

experience of Layne Jensen, MD, a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon who

specializes in surgical repairs for young athletes who are still growing.”

Most injuries do not need surgery. However, Dr. Moffatt points out

that Dr. Jensen is available for on-site consultation. In addition, Children’s

pediatric cardiologist Chris Erickson, MD, contributes to the multi-

disciplinary focus with comprehensive heart evaluations when needed.

The Children’s Sports Medicine Clinic provides diagnosis and treatment

for a range of sports-related injuries. Concussion follow-up care is a

significant focus, particularly on helping injured athletes transition

back into the classroom, a process often referred to as “return to learn.”

Families can contact the Children’s Sports Medicine Clinic directly to make an appointment. The number to call is 402-955-PLAY (7529). A physician referral is not required. You can find more information about the Sports Medicine Clinic at ChildrensOmaha.org/Sports.

ChILdREN’S LAUNChES SpORTS mEdICINE CLINIC

TIP: when choosing health insurance,

be sure to select a plan that includes in-network (Tier 1) coverage for care provided by Children’s hospital & medical Center and its physicians.

just kids | fall 2013

Documents