More than a decade later, the “Competency Checklist for the Neonatal and High-Risk Infant Therapist,” written by Nancy Forero-Lilienfeld, PT, Janet Lurie-Hauser, OTR/L and former Children’s therapist Edith Mak, OTR/L, has been sold and used throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Now in its third edition, the manual is one of the only of its kind. It can be purchased on the Medical Products page on CHLA.org. The book is widely regarded as an important source of information for neonatal intensive care unit therapists.

“When we wrote the first edition in 1999, we saw a need for a uniform, baseline of knowledge and skills,” says Forero-Lilienfeld. “There were gaps in knowledge that led us to want to create a more thorough system.”

In the NICU, therapists are charged with ensuring that acute patients with a variety of conditions hit developmental milestones, some of which include acquiring motor skills, range of motion and learning how to feed. Helping these children to close that gap plays a critical role in their future development.

The checklist the trio created provides a detailed curriculum for NICU therapists to acquire with the guidance of senior therapists, who must sign off after a particular skill set is mastered, explains Lurie.

“It’s very handy and useable,” Lurie-Hauser says. “Those who use it are always amazed by the scope of knowledge we present.”

The visit was organized by actor Matthew Lillard (“Decendants”), who has played the voice of the iconic “Shaggy” since 2002.  Lillard and his family recently joined the hospital’s Ambassador Program and committed to supporting the CHLA mission through fundraising and awareness.

Lillard brought with him well-known voice actors:

• Frank Welker, voice of Scooby Doo and Curious George
• Grey DeLisle, the voice of Daphne as well as Wubbzy of Wow Wow Wubbzy and voice of Mandy in the Cartoon Network TV show The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

The group made bedside visits in the Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and the Medical/Surgical inpatient unit, eliciting smiles and laughter with recreations of humorous scenes from the movie, taking pictures, recording funny greetings and ringtones on patient’s phones and handing out Scooby Doo coloring and activity books.

Over in the Creative Oasis, Scooby Doo voice director Collette Sunderman and Tony Cervone, animator for Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes and other notable cartoon hits gave the patients a glimpse behind the scenes of his illustrations. Cervone put pencil to paper and personalized drawings of Scooby for each patient and offered a few animation tips for their own art creations.

The visit by the cast gave the patients a chance to interact with some of their favorite animated characters and learn coloring tricks from an expert animator. It was the energy and enthusiasm of the group that made it a memorable event for all ages.

Bailey and the L.A. Kings Ice Girls were on site to help encourage new platelet donors. And through Platelets for Playoffs, you helped us reach the following goals:  

• 46 platelet donors
• 38 donors gave double to triple units
• Over 90 children will be helped through these donations
• Gained over 2,200 new @ChildrensLA Twitter followers

Thank you all for the support in saving the lives of our patients!

Schedule Your Appointment

For more details about blood or platelet donation, visit CHLA.org/DonateBlood. You can also call 323- 361-2441 or send an email to request more information or schedule a donation appointment.

Teenagers are a wondrous species:

• They are smart and funny, part child and part grown up.
• They are trying to pull away from parents, but very dependent on their peers.
• There is peer pressure to engage in risky behavior.

As a result, adolescents are at risk for injury and health problems. And for teens with chronic disease (some examples might be: asthma, transplants, cystic fibrosis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) who want to be responsible for their own health, there is an even greater danger.

The latest research on teenagers with chronic diseases and medication and treatment compliance indicates that, unfortunately, teens are less adherent than children when it comes to taking their medications for chronic diseases, especially when their medication regimens can be complicated and time-consuming.

My goal with this post is to help you keep your teenager out of the hospital due to medication non-compliance.

Reasons for Low Medication Compliance in Adolescents

First, you’ll want to know the real reasons that may be keeping your teen from complying with their medication regimens:

1. They may not understand the reason for all the medications.
2. They don’t want to be different from their friends. Some may even be teased or bullied.
3. They may feel isolated (e.g. low blood counts may prevent them from hanging out with friends or asthma may keep them from participating in sporting activities).
4. Some have low self-esteem and may be suffering depression or anxiety over their health.
5. They may also feel like their health is  unpredictable and frightening and that they are expected to be able to handle the stress and “know better.”

All of these things can contribute to a teenager not taking medications or treatments and having a hospitalization that is avoidable.

Helping Teens Cope and Comply

The good thing about the research is that I’ve also been able to read about strategies which have been effective in helping teenagers cope and comply with their treatments.

Education
Teenagers need individualized education to understand their diseases and medications, why they are necessary and when to take them.

• Make sure your teenager understands each medication and what it does for their health and their body.
• Next time you are at the doctor’s office, ask for individualized instruction for things like blood glucose checks, albuterol inhalers and, of course, medications.

Social Support
Social support is key for adolescents. They feel better when they can share with others who have the same conditions. Many parents have concerns about Facebook and social networking, but when teens feel isolated, Facebook could be the best medicine. If they can’t find a social network that fits their needs, encourage them to start a group. You may see your teen receiving moral support from peers and providing it for others as well.

Support from Mom and Dad
Try using tools your kids already use, such as text messaging, to send supportive reminders. Also, be realistic about compliance and monitor it in a non-judgmental way. Even though your teen wants to be independent, recognize that being a teenager makes non-compliance very likely. So, don’t leave it all up to them.

What Works in Your Family?

Do you have a special system that works in your family? If so share it here so others can benefits, especially teens.

The Light it Up Blue campaign is a global initiative to help raise awareness and shine a bright light on autism as a growing public health crisis.

Three Ways You Can Light It Up Blue!

• Visit the Boone Fetter Clinic booth near the entrance to the HBO Café on March 29 – 30 to participate in April’s autism awareness activities, including “Wear Blue to Work Day” and Walk Now for Autism Speaks.
• To help raise awareness about autism, please join us for “Wear Blue to Work Day” on Monday, April 2. We’d love to see any photos that you take of you and your team sporting blue for this important cause. Remember to snap a picture and share it with us on Facebook or Twitter!
• Register for the 10^th annual Walk Now for Autism Speaks event that’s taking place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, April 21 at 10 a.m. It’s free to register and participants are encouraged to fundraise. Visit the Team Page of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to register, sponsor a colleague or find out more information.

For information about the Boone Fetter Clinic at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, click here.

Individuals, Businesses and Landmarks Will Light it Up Blue!

• Family and friends are encouraged to share information and stories about autism with one another and through various social media platforms.
• Businesses are encouraging their employees to wear blue to work and to decorate their offices and shared spaces.
• Many landmarks and iconic buildings like Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock Observation Deck and Madison Square Garden in New York City, Hôtel de Ville in Paris, France, the famous Tokyo Tower in Japan, Canada’s CN Tower, the Sydney Opera House in Australia and Michigan’s Mackinac Bridge will be “going blue” for autism.

I have a little monkey of a toddler.

He is 18 months old and climbs EVERYTHING. In particular, he loves to climb up on our couch and watch the world go by outside. He leans on the window and giggles at the squirrels and birds in our yard.

The problem is, toddlers don’t have much in the way of safety awareness!  And my little one is no exception.

Since he’s become so mobile, I’ve had to start keeping the window behind the couch closed when he’s awake, so that he doesn’t push the screen out and accidentally fall out of the window.

Our house is a one-story ranch, so it wouldn’t be far for him to fall if he did accidentally do so, but being the safety-conscious, somewhat paranoid, pediatric rehab nurse mama that I am, I don’t want to take that chance! You see, I had no idea how frequently kids fall out of windows and experience life-threatening trauma as a result until I started working in the Division of Rehabilitative Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Most children suffer a traumatic brain injury after a fall from a window. Some tragically die. The highest cause of traumatic brain injury in children ages 0-4 years old is falls.
More information on falls – injury statistics and incidence rates

Even infants will climb sofas as they explore their environment.

Kids Fall Headfirst

Kids are top-heavy by nature because of how they are built. So they usually fall headfirst. The ground below an open window might be grass, it might be bushes, or it might be cement (not exactly a soft landing when falling headfirst).

Parents’ Remorse

Now that I work in “rehab,” the Rehabilitative Medicine Division at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, I have seen and heard grief-stricken parents sharing their remorse over what could have been prevented so easily. Some of the more heartbroken parents are the ones who saw the fall take place and didn’t get there in time. It is heartbreaking to hear them say things like, “I saw it happen, but I couldn’t get to Johnny in time,” or “I grabbed the edge of Susie’s dress, but it wasn’t enough and she slipped out of my grasp and fell.” Parents or other caregivers feel incredibly sad and guilty that they were not able to protect their child.

I see a photo like this and just cringe.

A Reason to Rearrange Your Furniture

I have become aware of how furniture is arranged in our house and the safety levels of each placement as a result of working in our hospital’s rehab department. I’m excited to share that there are some pretty simple ways to try to prevent a fall from a window. Most simply involve rearranging the furniture.

Watch for “Climbable Furniture”

Don’t place “climbable” furniture under a second (or third, or fourth) story window. This includes couches, chairs, and ESPECIALLY a child’s bed. Don’t forget other rooms like dens, offices and sitting areas in bedrooms. Older children will even climb dressers as well.

Close and Lock Windows

If you are forced to place furniture under a window, keep that window closed AND locked when small children are present. If you have a low-to-the-ground window, keep it closed and locked at all times when children are present.

Bars on Windows

Some parents choose to install bars on windows to overcome this safety issue. Barred windows can prevent kids from falling through an open window. However they do not represent a foolproof safety solution because they need to be able to be opened in case of a fire.

Rooms with Accessible Windows

There may be some instances where you simply may not be able to find a simple solution for the accessible windows in your home. In these cases, it will be crucial to provide close supervision when small children are in a room with accessible windows. And be sure to cover this topic with relatives and babysitters who watch your child.

Avoiding Accidents

I hope I’ve helped provide you with a few helpful tips that will help you know what to look for to avoid needless falls from windows. In the meantime, please let me know if you found any problem areas in your home and how you plan to rearrange the furniture to prevent head injuries for your child.

Despite the fact that I am a nurse, it’s still scary when my son runs up to me with blood dripping down his face from a bloody nose.

It can be equally scary for both parent and child to figure out how to make a nosebleed stop. As with most things, remaining calm as a parent is one of the most important things you can do as a first step to helping your child remain calm as well.

And, below, I’d like to share some tips for you regarding prevention and stopping bloody noses at your house.

Why Do Nosebleeds Happen?

Most bloody noses are due to one of the following causes:

• Dry membranes in the nose (dry air, or heated indoor air)
• Frequent nose picking
• Trauma (such as a soccer ball hit to the nose)

SPECIAL NOTE:  If the bloody nose follows an accident or injury to the head then seek medical attention immediately.

Preventing Nosebleeds

• Use a soft tissue when blowing the nose.
• Don’t forcefully blow or pick the nose.
• If you have dry nose membranes, your doctor may recommend the use of a special lubricant or humidifier to moisten the inside of your child’s nose.

Don’t Stop a Nosebleed This Way

• Don’t panic. It is much easier for your child to listen to your instructions if you appear calm.
• NEVER tilt your child’s head back. This will only make the blood flow down the throat to the stomach, or into the lungs. Your child may vomit blood later due to irritation of blood in the stomach.
• Don’t pick the nose after a nosebleed.
• After the bleeding is controlled, do NOT let your child blow the nose or the clot may be released and the bleeding may reoccur.
  

  Do not ask your child to lean back to control a nosebleed. Check below for the correct position.

Stopping a Bloody Nose

Here are the tips to follow:

• Sit up and lean slightly forward.
• Pinch the nose just below the bony part using your thumb and index finger.
• Hold the pinch for NO less than 5-10 minutes straight without looking.
• After 5-10 minutes release the pressure. If the bleeding has not stopped then repeat pinching your child’s nose for another 10 minutes.
• You may also put an ice pack on your child’s nose after the bleeding has stopped to constrict the blood vessels in the nose.
• After the nosebleed has stopped, keep your child’s head above the level of the heart (in other words, don’t take a nap immediately after the nosebleed or lay on the grass – keep them upright, either seated or playing).
  

  Do ask your child to lean forward and pinch their nose to control a nosebleed.

   

  

  This photo shows a close-up of the area on the nose to "pinch" to control a nosebleed.

SPECIAL NOTE:  If your child’s nosebleed does not stop after a second or third try, please seek medical attention immediately.

I hope these tips help. Remember to talk to your doctor if your child is experiencing frequent nosebleeds or if they are difficult to control. In the meantime, let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment for me below.

Located in Monrovia, close to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Outpatient Center in nearby Arcadia, Children’s Optical offers one-stop shopping for patients needing prescription eye glasses, contact lenses, frame repairs, accessories and protective eyewear.

With dozens of frames to choose from, Children’s Optical offers kid-friendly frames that require proper fit to facial characteristics, nasal bridge and temple length to provide the best comfort. Children have smaller noses, which can lead to the glasses slipping down if they aren’t properly fitted. This is less of a problem if the frames are durable plastic, not wire, and made to fit the width of the face. The arms of the frame should be short or wrap around the back of the ear or use straps to secure the glasses. Because children are more active than adults, frames with durability and polycarbonate lenses are recommended for protection against glass shatters and UVA/UVB rays.

Learn more about Children’s Optical.

Children’s Optical is located at 509 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016.

Store hours are from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday.

Eye screenings are available at three Vision Center locations: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles main campus, Arcadia and Orange County. For more information, visit CHLA.org/VISION.

Even though there were a few negative comments, Hana enjoyed seeing the continuous chain of comments by those defending her. She said that she would “just like to hug the bullies because they are just hurting inside.”

“I really want to thank you for your words of love and standing up for me. You make my heart feel really happy,” says Hana.

With Hana’s video success, a rumor that she had passed away started an online chain of RIP messages and emotional comments, but Hana created her own video to put those rumors to rest. Hana and her family are still getting used to her new fame.

Fans who believed the rumor have spotted her at the mall when she was making her customized yellow cap. They were overjoyed that she was still alive and asked to take photos. Shortly after being spotted, one of her young fans posted a YouTube video defeating the rumors and showed the new photo of him and his sisters.

Hana says, “I’m thankful for all of you. I wish I could hug each and one of you in person and I love you guys so much and I’ll talk to you soon.”

Fox 11 News in Los Angeles followed Hana’s story and will be airing an update on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 10 p.m., right after American Idol (Hana will be in the audience).

Hana has since created her own website at www.HanaHwang.com to keep her new friends updated on her health and words of inspiration.

Chelsie Hightower of “Dancing With The Stars” traveled all the way from Utah to spend the day with the kids. Chelsie said while she is not particularly romantic herself, she would much prefer to spend the day giving back and making a difference in the lives of children. Chelsie was joined by friend and “Dancing With The Stars” champion, J.R. Martinez, who gave patients his undivided attention.  He was overheard sharing words of encouragement with the children and telling them how much they inspired him. 

View more photos on Flickr.

Also in attendance were Annika Marks (“The Surrogate”), Cory Almeida (host of “Pictureka!”), Meagan Tandy (“Jane By Design”), Neil Grayston (“Eureka”), Sufe Bradshaw (“Veep”) and Trevor Jackson (Disney’s “Let It Shine”), who spent time playing with the kids as they enjoyed frozen fruit treats from Yonanas, yummy turkey and veggie burgers from FatBurger’s FATMobile, Sabra’s grab n go hummus snack packs with pretzel crisps, refreshing sparkling juice by IZZE, and had their faces painted by Parties by Stacey. Patients and their mothers were also treated to glam makeovers by the beauty artists at Sue Devitt Beauty, who gifted all the ladies with a shimmery pink lip-gloss. Patients were also invited to pick out a pink or blue teddy bear from Build-A-Bear Workshop and CDs and DVDs filled with children’s music from Baby Genius. Additionally, EA games donated some of their most popular video games titles to the hospital’s Teen Lounge.

It was a family affair for two Hollywood families. “Royal Pains” star Mark Feuerstein attended with his wife Dana and their daughter Addie, while Nestor Serrano, whose new movie “Act of Valor” opens this month, attended with his wife Debbie and their daughter Lucy. The Feuersteins and the Serranos are big supporters of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as their daughters Addie and Amelia respectively, have both received incredible care at the hospital. Edwin Hodge, the newest addition to the hit ABC show “Cougar Town”, attended with his mom Yolette and were both having fun making Valentine’s with the kids. TV host Quddus Philippe stopped by to share love with the kids en route to the airport for his charity mission to Haiti. 

Corbin Bleu from the hit movie franchise “High School Musical”, made chocolate jewelry with patients courtesy of Grando Cioccolato. Guests loved Nancy Grando’s organic and gourmet Italian dark, milk and white chocolate “diamonds.”  Hollywood couple Rachael Leigh Cook (“Perception”) and her husband Daniel Gillies (“The Vampire Diaries”) spent time making custom Tiny Prints Valentines with the kids and their families. 

Guests were also serenaded by several amazing performances, kicking off with twelve-year-old Eileen Garrido, who sang a song she wrote for the hospital as thanks for the care she received. “American Idol” finalist and recording artist Elliott Yamin, who is a long time supporter of Children’s Hospital, also performed two songs from his new album due out in March. Austin Brown, rising star and nephew of the late Michael Jackson, closed out the music set with several acoustic sets from his album, which was released on Valentine’s Day.

Trueheart Events is a full service entertainment marketing firm specializing in special events, talent outreach, strategic marketing and public relations campaigns.