just kids | fall 2014

JustKidsFall 2014ChildrensOmaha.org

PURPLE CRYING?Here’s What to Know 6

TWEENS AND TEENSGet the Care They Need 8

FACT OR FICTION?Common Health Questions 10

Calories Count

for Kids p4

Children’s is bigger, busier and attracting more patients regionally and nationally than ever before.

— Gary A. Perkins, Children’s president and CEO

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:

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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. © 2014. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

➍ Calories Count for Kids

➎ Staying Active– One Step at a Time!

➏ Understanding the Period of Purple Crying

➐ Children’s Is a Regional Milk Depot

➑ Getting Tweens and Teens the Care They Need

➓ Fact or Fiction: 5 Common Health Questions

Receive Appointment Reminders Via Text Message

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

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

What’sNew?

Upcoming Parenting U Classestuesday, oCt. 28 at 6 p.m.preparing For your newbornAnnie Zimmer, MD, Children’s PhysiciansChildren’s Hospital & Medical Center, 8200 Dodge St., Omaha, NE 68114

tuesday, deC. 2 at 6 p.m.preparing For your newbornChandrika Razid, MD, Children’s PhysiciansChildren’s Hospital & Medical Center, 8200 Dodge St., Omaha, NE 68114

Call 800-833-3100, or log on to Childrensomaha.org/parentingu to register today.

Construction is underway for the new Carolyn Scott Rainbow House, which

will be located at Farnam and Beverly Drives, close to Children’s. Since 1983,

the current Rainbow House at 7815 Harney has been a “home away from

home” for parents and family members of children receiving care at

Children’s who live 60 miles or more away from Omaha.

In 2013, the Rainbow House served approximately 2,000 families

from more than 25 states. The evolving needs of patients and families,

as well as a steady increase in hospital volume and growing demand

contributed to the decision to build a new facility.

“Children’s is bigger, busier and attracting more patients regionally

and nationally than ever before,” explains Gary A. Perkins, Children’s

president & CEO. “There are many nights when the Rainbow House is

full, and important new services, including the Heart Transplant program

and Fetal Care Center, will continue to stretch our supply of rooms.”

The new three-story, 43,500-square-foot Rainbow House will feature

56 guest rooms, compared to 31 in the current Rainbow House.

Families who stay at the new Rainbow House will enjoy a large

kitchen and dining area and each family will have access to a private

mini-refrigerator. When they need a break from the hospital, families

will be able to relax and socialize with other guests in the Rainbow

House media room, game room, children’s playroom and fitness center.

They’ll be able to take advantage of two guest laundries, an outdoor

patio and a playground during their stay.

There is no formal charge to stay at the Rainbow House–just

a suggested donation of $10 per night. Like Children’s Hospital

& Medical Center, no child or family is ever turned away because

they are unable to pay.

The new Rainbow House will open in January 2015.

NEW Rainbow House OPENS SOON

ChildrensOmaha.org 3

Calories Count FOR KIDS

healthy eating


According to a national survey, nearly one in

three children and adolescents is overweight.

In the last two decades, the number of obese

children has doubled. Overweight children face

an increased risk for heart disease, asthma and

diabetes when they grow up. And studies show

that obese children tend to become obese

adults, which poses even more health risks

down the road. In the meantime, they are often

the brunt of teasing and bullying from their

peers. But you can stop the cycle.

According to a study published in

The New England Journal of Medicine, when

it comes to weight loss, cutting calories is key.

If you have an overweight child, making these

simple changes will help reduce calories,

which can lead to weight loss:

• Make sure your child eats breakfast

every day. Eating breakfast prevents

overeating later.

• Eat meals together at the table. Watching

TV while eating is distracting and can lead

to mindless overeating.

• Never force your child to eat when he or

she isn’t hungry. It’s OK if your child doesn’t

clean his or her plate.

• Stock your home with low-calorie snacks

like fresh fruit, carrot and celery sticks and

low-fat yogurt instead of junk food like

chips and cookies.

• Don’t buy sugary drinks like juice and

soda—even if they’re labeled “natural” or

“organic.” Offer your child water, plain or

flavored seltzer or low-fat milk instead.

• Limit trips to fast food restaurants to no

more than once per week. Fast food is

high in calories and low in nutrition—

even most items that are marketed as

healthier options.

By making lots of little changes over time, your

child’s health—and weight—will improve.

In addition to eating healthy, encourage physical activity and active play. Children need a minimum of one hour of physical activity every day.

Here are some easy changes you can make to help your kids exercise more during the day:• Makeaplanforphysical

activityforyourfamilyeachday.If you don’t have a full hour at one time, plan three 20-minute sessions throughout the day.

• Keeptheactivitiessimple.It can be as simple as walking together or playing a game. All you need is a piece of chalk

to play hopscotch. Or, your child might like spinning a hula hoop in the front yard or tossing a flying disc at a grassy area.

• SettimelimitsforTV.Children should have no more than two hours of screen time a day. If your family does watch TV, be active during commercials, such as stretching or doing sit-ups.

• Makesurephysicalactivitiesarefunfor your children so they’ll be more likely to participate again.

Be sure to praise your child for being active. Encouragement is always a good thing.


HEAlTHY KOHl’S KIDS

Healthy Kohl’s Kids is a partnership between Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and Kohl’s Department Stores focused on educating children and families on the importance of good nutrition and fitness. The program’s website, Childrensomaha.org/HKK, features up-to-date fitness and nutrition info and advice for children and parents. The site also has a library of healthy recipes with how-to videos of young chefs making nutritious meals and snacks.

Healthy Kohl’s Kids invites parents to engage via social media on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter (@HealthyKohlsKid). Share your own healthy recipes, activity ideas and fitness- and nutrition-related links, and receive updates about future Healthy Kohl’s Kids events.

Staying Active–One Step at a Time!


baby care


You’ve fed, burped, changed, and rocked your

baby, but he or she is still crying—and crying.

You may wonder if something is wrong with

your baby. If your baby has no apparent signs

of illness or injury, chances are he or she is

simply going through a normal phase in

development.

In the past, an inconsolable crying infant

used to be labeled as “colicky,” but experts

now describe this time as the Period of

Purple Crying.

The Period of Purple Crying begins around

2 weeks of age and peaks during the second

month. The amount of crying will then

decrease through ages 3-5 months. All babies

will go through the Period of Purple Crying,

with some babies crying a lot more and

others very little.

Your baby will not turn purple during these

crying episodes. It’s just an acronym used to

help describe what babies and parents will

experience. The word Period is used to indicate

this is a temporary stage in your baby’s

life—and it will end.

The acronym PURPLE stands for:

peak of Crying: Crying peaks during

2 months of age and decreases after that.

unexpected: Crying comes and goes

unexpectedly, for no apparent reason.

resists soothing: Crying may continue

despite all soothing efforts by caregivers.

pain-like Face: Infants look like they

are in pain, even when they are not.

long-lasting: Crying can go on for

30-40 minutes at a time, and often for hours

evening Crying: Crying occurs more in

the late afternoon and evening.

Inconsolable crying can frustrate parents, but

remember to never shake your baby. Often,

frustrated parents feel that shaking their baby

is a harmless way to make the baby stop

crying. In fact, the main reason a baby is

shaken is due to inconsolable crying. However,

shaking a baby is not harmless. This forcible

shaking causes fragile blood vessels in the

brain to shear off and break. Almost 25 percent

of all babies with Shaken Baby Syndrome die.

If you are frustrated and feel the urge to shake

your baby, place her in the crib for a few

minutes and simply walk away or have

someone else take care of her until you

are calm again.

Experts recommend these tips to soothe

your crying infant:

• Carry infant in a sling

• Go for car rides

• Rock gently

• Vacuum

• Sing to baby

• Bathe baby

• Breast-feed

• Use a pacifier

• Skin-to-skin contact

• Direct eye contact/kiss baby/

direct contact

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Understanding the Period of

purple Crying

For babies whose mothers cannot supply sufficient milk for their little ones’ special needs, donor milk is a wonderful alternative. In fact, breast milk has been called “liquid gold” for its ability to help these babies grow and thrive.

Mothers who breastfeed their babies may have excess milk and look for ways they can donate it. A safe way to donate milk that is ethical, as well as life-saving for sick, hospitalized babies, is to have mothers donate to a Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) Milk Bank. The closest milk bank to Omaha is located in Denver.

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center now serves as a milk depot for the Denver Milk Bank.

“Children’s works through the Denver Milk Bank to provide milk to babies in our NICU,” said Christina Schill, RN, BSN, IBCLC, lactation consultant. “Through the Milk Depot at Children’s, now we are able to give back to the Denver Milk Bank.”

Because Children’s Milk Depot is not a milk bank, it is only responsible for:• Receiving and storing frozen

milk from qualified donors who were approved by the milk bank

• Providing lab services for the blood draw

• Shipping the milk and blood to the milk bank for processing.

“When people think babies, they think of Children’s, and we believe it is important to give back to the Denver Milk Bank, while also providing this essential service to mothers and babies in the region,” said Christina.

Donor milk is much like blood donation. Some mothers have an abundance of milk and wish to share with mothers who do not. Mothers donating milk go through a stringent screening process, and must be pre-approved. Children’s serves as a conduit between the mothers and the Denver Milk Bank.

Here’s how the process works at Children’s:• Mothers who call Children’s Milk

Depot are directed to contact the Denver Milk Bank for a brief phone interview regarding their lifestyle.

• The Denver Milk Bank will send the mother paperwork and tubes for her to use for blood draws. These are sent directly to the donor mother’s home address. The mother will also receive a donor number to use for future donations. Donor moms can opt for a one-time donation.

• Once the donor mother receives her blood tubes by mail, she will call Children’s Milk Depot to set up a time to drop off her milk and have her blood drawn.

• Children’s Milk Depot will then ship the blood and the milk to the Denver Milk Bank.

Children’s Is a Regional Milk Depot


MOrE MIlK INFO

For more information, contact Children’s lactation consultants at 402-955-6152 or email [email protected].

HAVE A HEAlTH QUESTION?If you have questions about children’s health, you’ll find a variety of information on our website. Visit Childrensomaha.org/Healthandsafety.

adolescent health


They’ve gone from playing with dolls

and toy trucks to needing a weekend

curfew. Tweens and teens are in that

awkward stage where they are neither

children nor adults, yet they are

dealing with important physical

and emotional changes.

Adolescence is a vital time for

routine health care, yet their rate of

primary care visits is lower than that

of any other American age group.

Teens and tweens are forming habits

that will affect their health for the rest

of their lives. That’s why the American

Academy of Pediatrics and other

experts recommend that teens get

a checkup once a year.

Pediatricians are uniquely equipped

to care for adolescents through age 21.

They are specially trained to address

not only the physical changes taking

place, but the emotional and social

struggles as well. Plus, they know your

child almost as well as you do, and

your teen or tween may feel more

comfortable confiding in them than

in mom or dad.

Clued-In on Adolescents’ ConcernsDuring your child’s annual visit, his

or her pediatrician may:

• Provide guidance on how to

prevent sports-related injuries.

• Discuss the benefits of a healthy

diet and regular exercise.

• Check if your child has high blood

pressure or high cholesterol.

• Perform a Pap test on your

teenage daughter, if appropriate.

• Give your teen any needed

immunizations.

• Talk about the dangers of tobacco,

alcohol and drug abuse.

• Check to see if your teen might

have an eating disorder or a

problem with body image.

Remember that pediatricians have

been trained to care for young adults

up to age 21. And pediatricians are

concerned with more than just

physical well-being. Some teens

today are being drawn toward risky

behaviors that could endanger them

now or in the future. Those behaviors

may include sensitive topics like

substance abuse or sexual activity,

but some adolescents’ concerns about

confidentiality may keep them from

speaking up.

Pediatricians are actively involved

with the prevention, early detection

and management of these problems

that affect children and adolescents,

including:

• Behavioral difficulties

• Developmental disorders

• Functional problems

• Social stresses

• Depression or anxiety disorders

Remind your teens about the

importance of regular health checkups.

And when your teen visits the

pediatrician, make sure they have

some private time to talk with the

doctor in confidence.

Getting Tweens and Teens the CareTheyNeed


Fact or Fiction: 5 Common Health QuestionsWe’ve all heard them–those simple tricks or bits of advice for your child’s health. Whether coming from your neighbor, colleague, family member or television commercial, it can be hard to determine what is true–and what isn’t. We’re tackling five common misconceptions when it comes to children’s health.

1Does mayonnaise really work for treating head lice?

no. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, there is no clear

scientific evidence that supports the notion

that mayonnaise effectively treats head lice.

Some people have wondered the same thing

about olive oil, margarine, butter or similar

substances, but again, no proof exists to

support these household goods being used

to treat head lice.

2 Does yellow or green nasal mucus mean that your child has something worse than a cold?

not necessarily. When a cold first starts, the

mucus from a runny nose is clear. After two to

three days, as immune cells begin fighting back,

the mucus changes to white or yellow. Then,

as bacteria that normally live in the nose start

recovering, the mucus may change to a greenish

shade. On the flip side, your child may have

a terrible ear infection or other condition,

but his or her mucus is still clear.

A better way to determine if your child has

something worse than a cold is to determine

if other symptoms of infection are present,

such as a fever or pain in a particular area.

3 Can young children really experience mental health

problems?

yes. Mental health concerns can pop up in

very young children. Most of the time, these

mental health problems can be clinically

diagnosable. Unfortunately, most children

ask the experts


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 or visit childrensomaha.org/findadoctor

and adolescents with diagnosable mental health

problems don’t receive the treatment they need. If

your child has unexplained changes in mood or

behavior, don’t ignore them. Talk with your pediatrician

who can help refer you to a pediatric mental health

provider. Seeking professional help early can make

a difference in your child’s development.

4 Vaccine-preventable diseases are almost nonexistent in the

U.S., so is it safe for my child to skip vaccinations?

no. While vaccination has helped reduce most

vaccine-preventable diseases to very low levels in

the U.S., some of them are still prevalent around the

globe. It’s possible for travelers to accidentally bring

diseases back into the U.S. And for diseases that

still exist within the U.S., if enough people aren’t

vaccinated, that relatively small number of cases

can grow into a full-blown epidemic.

It’s important to have your children receive all of

their vaccinations on time in order to protect them, as

well as those around them. A very small number of

people can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons. The

only chance of protection for these few is if everyone

around them gets vaccinated.

5 Can acne be cleared up quickly?

no. Despite the flashy television ads and promises

on product packages, acne treatment doesn’t work

overnight, or even in a few days. Improvement with

at-home treatment requires four to eight weeks. Once

acne clears, you must continue to treat the skin to

prevent breakouts. Prescription and over-the-counter

(OTC) products can treat the condition. OTC products

are usually the first step, but if they aren’t working,

it’s time to see a dermatologist.


Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDChildren’s Hospital & Medical Center

8200 Dodge StreetOmaha, NE 68114402-955-5400

881MChildrensOmaha.org

Selecting 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 or visit childrensomaha.org/findadoctor

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.

FIND THE rIGHT

DOCTOr

Text message reminders are available for families who have upcoming

appointments with Children’s Lab, Radiology, Behavioral Health, Children’s

Physicians or Specialty Pediatric Center outpatient clinics. The process for

enrolling in text reminders involves two steps:

1 You must share your cell phone number with a front

desk staff member.

2 Then, text “CHmC” to 622622 to receive hospital text reminders,

or text “pHysiCians” to 622622 to receive Children’s Physicians

text reminders. Families who have appointments with both a hospital

specialist and with a Children’s Physicians pediatrician must perform

both texts in order to receive text reminders from each entity.

Standard message and data rates may apply. Sign up today for an easy way

to remember upcoming appointments!

Families today are busy and constantly on the go. That’s why Children’s Hospital & Medical Center has made it easier to keep up with your child’s health care. You can now receive appointment reminders via text messages.

RECEIVE APPOINTMENT REMINDERS VIA TExT MESSAGE

just kids | fall 2014

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