just kids | fall 2011

fall 2011

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center

justkids

Global Reputation, Exceptional

Care

• Acetaminophen: What Parents Should Know• Protect Your Child from the Flu

To reduce a child’s pain or fever, more parents turn to acetaminophen than to any other drug. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), acetaminophen is generally considered safe and effective when used according to the label directions. But using too much can cause liver damage.

Lowering the RiskIn late June 2009, medical experts

advised the FDA to reduce the maximum adult daily dose of acetaminophen, and require just one standard formula for the nonprescription liquid acetaminophen for young children. Right now, the infant drop formula is three times as strong as the children’s liquid formula. This means that giving a child a child-sized dose of the infant formula could result in an overdose.

The transition of infant acetaminophen to the new formula is underway. All manufacturers of infant acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, will be changing their products. It should be completed at some point in 2012. Until the transition is finished, products with both the old and the new formula may be on store shelves. It is important to read labels carefully to ensure your

child gets the proper dose. Another thing to consider is that there

are currently about 600 different products on the market containing acetaminophen, including cough and cold medicines. Thus it’s possible to give your child an overdose if you happen to give them two medications at once that both contain acetaminophen.

Using Acetaminophen SafelyHere are some of the FDA’s

recommendations regarding how to safely give acetaminophen to infants, children and teenagers: ■ Check the active ingredients in all the medicines that your child is taking or may take. Your child should never be taking more than one medicine containing acetaminophen at a time. You might see acetaminophen abbreviated as “APAP” on prescription medicines.■ Read all the information given by your child’s doctor and follow directions. ■ Read the information on the “Drug Facts” label on over-the-counter (OTC) medications or on the prescription label and follow directions. ■ Choose the right formula and the right dose based on your child’s weight

and age. On OTC medicines, the “Directions” section of the “Drug Facts” label gives you this information. If it’s not clear what is right for your child, ask your pharmacist or doctor what to do.■ Use the measuring tool that comes with the medicine. It will give the exact dose. If you don’t have the right measuring tool, ask a pharmacist. Don’t use a spoon that’s meant for cooking or eating.■ Give your child the medicine only as directed. Don’t give them more. If the medicine isn’t helping them feel better, talk to your pediatrician.

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

ACEtAminophEn: What Parents Should KnowManufacturers are making changes to lower the risk of an overdose

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 1-800-833-3100.

Don’t Skip Playground Safety

Playgrounds are great places for children to get exercise and have fun, but it’s important for parents and caregivers to take steps to protect kids from potential dangers.

“Most playground injuries involve minor cuts and scrapes, but they can also be much more serious,” says Tracy Rouse, coordinator of the Injury Prevention Program at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. “We want kids to be outside playing and having fun, but we want to help them do it safely.”

Parents can help keep kids safe on playgrounds by following a few guidelines:• Supervision – Be present when kids are

playing outside. Lack of supervision is a contributing cause to many playground injuries.

• Age Appropriateness – Children should only play on equipment that is appropriate for their age and level of development.

• Fall Surfacing – The playground surface should act as a cushion for falls. Asphalt, dirt, concrete and grass are not safe.

• Equipment Maintenance – Make sure the equipment isn’t broken or damaged. Look for gaps or openings that can cause injury.

Kohl’s department stores and Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, under the Kohl’s Keeps Kids Safe program, have developed an entertaining playground safety video. Since 2000, Kohl’s has donated more than $1 million in support of child injury prevention programs. Scan the Microsoft Tag above using your smartphone to watch the video. To learn how to use Microsoft Tag, visit www.ChildrensOmaha.org/2DCode.

ChildrensOmaha.org | 3

The Place to Go for Your Child’s Ear, Nose and Throat

Whether it’s a simple solution to chronic ear infections or dealing with a complex airway disorder, children are benefiting from the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Clinic at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and the expert physicians who oversee their care. Drs. Debora Goebel and Ryan Sewell are two of the only three board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric ear, nose and throat specialists in the state.

“Together, we can offer expertise for complex pediatric cases that previously may have been referred to other institutions distant from Omaha,” says Dr. Goebel. These cases include some that require complicated airway reconstructions or those that may be addressed by the latest in minimally-invasive (endoscopic) procedures.

Rhonda Wachholtz can attest to this expert care. Her 7-year-old son, Charlie, has seen Dr. Goebel since infancy. Charlie was born with a malformation that caused his airway to collapse repeatedly and required a tracheotomy tube insertion. Thanks to the expert care Charlie has received, his trach was removed two years ago and he now visits the ENT Clinic only for maintenance.

“I love that the ENT Clinic is now at Children’s,” she says. “It makes more sense to be there because of all the additional resources that are right there at her disposal, and at our disposal.”

The ENT Clinic is one of more than 30 housed in Children’s new state-of-the-art Specialty Pediatric Center, which was designed in a module format, meaning that related-discipline clinics are located in the same hallway on the same floor in the building.

To learn more about the services

offered through our ENT clinic, or

any of our 30 outpatient specialty

clinics, call 1-800-833-3100.

“Being in a clinic space integrated with other specialties, and able to share ideas and plan with other physicians sitting next to me in the workroom, makes communication so much easier,” says Dr. Goebel.

“Take, for instance, a child with comprehensive airway issues and gastrointestional problems. These kids and families work with a team of pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, ENT specialists, feeding and swallowing therapists and dieticians,” says Christy Babutzke, ENT clinic RN. “We can offer these families one-stop shopping and we’re the only one in the state that can offer that.”

“I recommend Dr. Goebel and Children’s to everyone,” says Rhonda. “She really knows her stuff and she cares. I love her.”

Visit www.ChildrensOmaha.org and click the “Find A Doctor” tab to learn more about Drs. Goebel and Sewell.

Debora Goebel, M.D.

Ryan Sewell, M.D.


Children’s helping Anxious Students SucceedChildren’s Behavioral Health is

helping students succeed in Westside District 66 with a program that teaches children to identify when they are having difficulty at school, and ways they can improve their ability to concentrate, through the use of breathing techniques to relax and focus.

“Wild Divine” is a computer program that uses sensors attached to three fingers that monitor breathing rate, heart rate and body temperature. These readings then become part of various interactive video games that encourage the child to utilize deep breathing exercises to help relax. The better the child becomes at using deep breathing techniques, the further the child progresses in the games.

Keys to Success“There are four words that come to my

mind when describing the program: collaboration, outreach, prevention—which is the key to helping these children—and intervention,” says Jody Kollath, Children’s Behavioral Health manager. “Helping children learn different ways to handle stressful situations helps the child, family, school and the community.”

The program is available to elementary through high school

students within the Westside district, starting with children as young as age 6.

“The breathing is the most important aspect,” says Kathy Brandt, clinic coordinator with Children’s Behavioral Health. “There are images so the child can see his or her success. The visuals help them see what it looks like when they’re relaxed or not.”

Another device that helps students regulate their anxiety is called an “emWave.” This hand-held device measures body temperature from the thumb and sets off a red, green or blue light. The red light indicates stress and anxiety, the blue indicates a lower level of anxiety and the green indicates complete relaxation. Students may take home the “emWave” overnight and practice relaxation techniques.

“We hope students will identify themselves getting stressed or overwhelmed and then use these relaxation tools in other settings and do their breathing,” says Kollath.

The students have the opportunity to use the program when they need it and not just during their school sessions. They can apply the breathing techniques to calm down any time they feel overwhelmed. Hopefully a trip to the

dentist won’t become so stressful or giving a speech in 4th period won’t be so scary.

Getting ResultsBrandt goes into the schools and

trains the counselors and psychologists to use the equipment in order for students to have individual or group sessions with the “Wild Divine” program. Brandt gives a pre- and a post-evaluation form to students and teachers to ensure progress is being made throughout the school year. Teachers, parents and students have offered extremely positive feedback.

Based on the success with the Westside district, Brandt and Kollath hope to expand the program into other schools throughout the region, and even the nation.

Is Your Child Anxious?The Anxiety Disorders Clinic at

Children’s offers specialized

diagnostic services and treatment

groups for children and youth who

have fear or anxiety symptoms. If

you think your child and family

may benefit, call 1-800-833-3100.

HEROES Clinic at Forefront of Childhood Obesity Issue

Childhood obesity has taken center stage on the national scene. The prevalence of high body mass index (BMI) among children and teens in the U.S. ranges from approximately 10 percent for infants and toddlers to approximately 18 percent for adolescents and teenagers (JAMA, 2010).

The HEROES (Healthy Eating with Resources, Options and Everyday Strategies) Program at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center serves this population of children who have a body mass index (BMI) of greater than the 85th percentile with a weight-related illness or a BMI of greater than the 95th percentile for age and height.

Patients referred to the HEROES Clinic will be evaluated for program appropriateness given its duration and requirements for patient and family readiness. If the patient and family choose to enroll, the patient will be followed in regular clinic visits, receive nutrition and behavior modification education, participate in biweekly fitness classes, receive a log book to help monitor goals, and may be referred to other subspecialty clinics, such as Cardiology, Sleep Medicine, Endocrinology or Behavioral Health, as needed.

Since the clinic opened in October of 2009, more than 60 percent of patients evaluated choose to enroll. Patients range in age from 5 to 18. Patients and families that fully engage in the program have realized improvements in their BMI, waist circumference, resting heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol and other vital statistics. For more information on if the HEROES Program at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center is right for your family, talk with your child’s pediatrician or call 1-800-833-3100.


protect Children from the FluThe flu can be a nuisance. There’s the

fever, the muscle pain, the cough and the runny nose. You basically feel lousy for days.

But for some people, the flu can cause serious health problems, including death. Young children are in one of the groups of people that run a high risk of being hospitalized with the flu.

Get VaccinatedVaccinations and healthy habits can

help your family stay flu-free. Doctors now recommend a flu shot for everyone from age 6 months and up. If you care for children younger than 6 months, you should get the vaccine, too. Infants have a high risk for serious flu, but they’re too young to be vaccinated.

This year, the 2011-2012 flu vaccine will protect you against three groups of influenza viruses, including the 2009 H1N1 virus.

While an annual flu vaccine does not provide 100 percent protection against the flu, it comes close. In one study on children, flu shots were 77 to 91 percent effective against the flu virus.

October and November are good times to get immunized.

Good hygiene helpsThese hygiene habits can help protect

your family against either kind of flu and colds:■ Teach children to wash their hands thoroughly after wiping their nose and before eating.■ Help young children sneeze or cough into a tissue, then throw it away at once. If no tissue is available, cough into a sleeve.■ Clean kitchen counters and other surfaces, such as doorknobs and phones, with a disinfectant.

Learn more about our Weight Management Clinic, including how we are dedicated to helping your child succeed and

develop the skills to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Just use your smartphone to scan this Microsoft Tag above. Visit www.ChildrensOmaha.org/2DCode to learn how to use tags.


It’s a busy Thursday morning on the second floor of the Children’s Specialty Pediatric Center. Clinic is in full swing with a team of specialists bustling from room to room. Families greet one another, some giving hugs and medical updates. Though they come from the West Coast, East Coast and everywhere in between, they share a rare bond. Their children have been diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), or brittle bone disease.

Children’s is recognized as a top center for the treatment of OI, using a combination approach of medication and surgery customized for each individual child. No matter the severity of the disease, the goals are the same: reduce pain and fractures, and help every child have as normal a life as possible.

Eight-year-old Juliana Scheopner of

Omaha was diagnosed with OI just before the age of 3 when she complained of severe back pain after going down a playground slide. An X-ray revealed multiple fractures in her vertebrae. As her parents came to terms with the diagnosis, they discovered a silver lining. Juliana’s best option for treatment was right here at home.

Early Diagnosis“It is only because we were at

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center where some of the top OI experts in the world practice, that Juliana got a correct diagnosis from this single fluke accident,” says her mom, Jessica Scheopner. “Had this happened almost anywhere else, she would almost certainly have gone undiagnosed and, consequently, untreated.”

The diagnosis means that Juliana doesn’t jump on trampolines or do gymnastics. She doesn’t swing from monkey bars without an adult present to spot her. “But we don’t keep her in a bubble, either,” Scheopner says. “Because the Children’s team treats so many children with OI, they are in a great position to help us make determinations that take all aspects of Jules’ development into consideration. They have helped us to see OI as just one small part of who she is and to not let fear about breaks keep the rest of her from growing and being healthy.”

Living Life to the FullestThe condition isn’t slowing Juliana

down. She is representing Children’s and the state of Nebraska in the 2011 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Global Reputation, Exceptional CareLocal girl receives quality OI care close to home

Eight-year-old Juliana Scheopner shows her love

of horses with a giant smile as part of Children’s

new advertising campaign.

What Is OI?Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is rare, affecting about 50,000 people in the

U.S. It is a genetic disorder with 90 percent of cases involving a defect in type 1 collagen, the protein in bones and other connective tissues.

The Osteogenesis Imperfecta Clinic at Children’s treats patients from across the United States and several foreign countries. Children’s is also involved in ongoing research to examine the effect of treatment on overall bone density and the impact of medical intervention on quality of life for OI patients. To learn more about our OI clinic, or any of our 30 outpatient specialty clinics, call 1-800-833-3100.

Join our Children’s Community

Keep up-to-date on pediatric health trends, share in memorable moments and post your own Children’s experience. Children’s Hospital & Medical Center is connecting with families from near and far on Facebook.

Regular posts highlight happenings at the hospital including special events and VIP visitors, as well as important fundraising activities from throughout the region. You can also find timely links to valuable health information from Children’s Physicians and Children’s online pediatric health library.

Check us out on Facebook! We think

you’ll like what you see. You can become

a fan and join our Children’s community

by visiting www.Facebook.com/

ChildrensOmaha.


Champions program. In February, she welcomed Miss America, Teresa Scanlan, to the hospital and more recently, the strawberry blonde with a love of horses took on a starring role in a new series of Children’s ads. These advertisements highlight the fact that Children’s has been named one of the Best Children’s Hospitals by U.S. News and World Report. Children’s ranks 41 in orthopedics.

The Double Diamond Ranch near Blair, Neb. provided the perfect backdrop for Juliana’s advertising debut. Mesmerized by the horses, the experience was unforgettable, says her mom.

“We are honored and humbled to have this opportunity to help more people understand OI and realize the best care for these children can be found right here in Omaha,” she explains.

With a strong faith, a commitment to education and a passion to support their “fragile friends,” the Scheopner family serves as unofficial ambassadors to out-of-town families who travel to Children’s for world-renowned care.

“We’ve sat in the surgery waiting room with moms, and we’ve held hands and prayed with a mom who was scared sick,” says Scheopner. “We’ve enjoyed numerous meals, visits to hospital rooms and special outings to the zoo and museums. And it’s so wonderful that the children get to spend time with other children who face similar challenges.”

Five years after Juliana’s diagnosis, Jessica looks at her little girl and smiles with pride. “It’s amazing to look back at where we started and to watch not only how Jules has come to own her diagnosis, but also to watch her seize opportunities to reach out to others and share experiences. It’s remarkable.”

Juliana, along with her father, Jason, and

brother, Johnathan, visit with reigning

Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan during

a visit to Children’s.

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. Postage

PAIDChildren’s Hospital & Medical Center

Printed on Recyclable Paper 881M

8200 Dodge StreetOmaha, NE 68114402-955-5400

October not only brings a change in the season, but it brings along several changes for Children’s Hospital & Medical Center.

On Oct. 4, Children’s opened a second Urgent Care location in La Vista. The after-hours Urgent Care Center, located at 9801 Giles Road, Suite 1, in La Vista, shares the same building as Children’s Physicians pediatricians John Andresen, M.D.; Fran Harrison, M.D.; and Rachel McCann, M.D., practicing at Val Verde. The new Urgent Care will have X-ray and lab services available on site.

Children’s also operates an Urgent Care Center at West Village Pointe, 110 N. 175th St. (175th and Burke). Both Urgent Care Centers are staffed by board-certified pediatricians and pediatric nurses and are designed to treat children of all ages suffering from:■ Ear infections■ Sore throats

■ Minor burns■ Minor asthma■ Small lacerations/cuts■ Sprains, fractures or broken bones

Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 6 to 10 p.m., and on weekends and major holidays from noon to 10 p.m.

Dundee RelocationOn Oct. 17, Drs. Jamie Drake,

Jillyn Kratochvil, Erin Loucks, Michael Moore and Patrick Specht, with Children’s Physicians, moved into a brand-new, single occupancy building on the south side of Dodge at 4801 Dodge Street. This new Dundee building has more exam rooms, a breastfeeding room, easy access parking from the south and will provide a new and efficient facility for patients and families. For more information, or to schedule a free get-to-know-you visit with a Children’s Physicians pediatrician, call 1-800-336-0304.

october Brings Changes to La Vista and Dundee Areas

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. © 2011. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Gary A. perkins, President and CEO

martin W. Beerman, Vice President, Marketing and Community Relations

David G.J. Kaufman, mD, Medical Advisor

Dannee Schroeder, Marketing Coordinator

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center has received accreditation or recognition from the following organizations for its delivery of extraordinary health care to children.

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just kids | fall 2011

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