Monthly Archives :

April 2017

In Extremely Preterm Babies, SNAP-II Score Predicts Brain Impairments at Age 10
In Extremely Preterm Babies, SNAP-II Score Predicts Brain Impairments at Age 10 150 150 Kevin Mayhood

Measures taken in first 12 hours of life are associated with a host of deficits. Children born extremely preterm are known to be at increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairments, but not all babies born the same early date and weight are equal. Researchers have found that for children born at less than 28 weeks, a…

The Maternal Microbiome: How Stress During Pregnancy Impacts Female Offspring in Adulthood
The Maternal Microbiome: How Stress During Pregnancy Impacts Female Offspring in Adulthood 150 150 Tiasha Letostak, PhD

A recent study suggests a critical window of pregnancy where stress is able to influence the microbiome and intrauterine environment, with lasting behavioral consequences. Previous research has demonstrated that stress during pregnancy changes the composition of the intestinal microbiota and is related to the emergence of behavioral disorders such as anxiety and depression. A new…

Balancing Immune Activation and Suppression After Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Balancing Immune Activation and Suppression After Cardiopulmonary Bypass 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD

Understanding how the immune system responds to CPB could dramatically impact postsurgical outcomes. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a relatively routine procedure, generally with favorable outcomes. However, among the risks posed to patients is the over- or under-activation of the immune system following the surgery. Mark Hall, MD, FCCM, division chief of Critical Care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital,…

Bracing for Buckle Fractures
Bracing for Buckle Fractures 150 150 Jeb Phillips

Shifting from casts to splints for distal radius buckle fractures has saved time and money for providers and families. The traditional treatment for distal radius buckle fractures involves immobilization in a short- or longarm cast. A 2015 multi-institutional study found that more than 70 percent of pediatric orthopedic specialists use this as their standard of…

Survey: Physical Barriers, Not Fear, Keep Homeless Youth From Receiving Care
Survey: Physical Barriers, Not Fear, Keep Homeless Youth From Receiving Care 150 150 Brianne Moore

Research survey investigates barriers to care in unstably-housed youth. Every year, an estimated 1.6 to 1.7 million youth in the United States are living on the streets, in shelters or in other temporary living situations. Earlier studies have suggested that homeless youth do not seek medical services because of fear-based barriers – distrust of doctors,…

In Sight: Three Procedures, One Surgery
In Sight: Three Procedures, One Surgery 388 320 Jeb Phillips

Colorectal Surgery, Urology and Gynecology coordinate to save tissue and time. A child with a complex colorectal and pelvic condition may require several surgeries over months or years before they are able to successfully manage their urine and stool. With advance planning and coordination it can be possible to treat many issues at once and…

A Narrow Focus: Perfecting Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts
A Narrow Focus: Perfecting Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts 1024 575 Abbie Miller
image of heart with fontan conduit highlighted

A pair of surgeon-researchers is perfecting tissue engineered vascular grafts through bench, clinical and computational modeling studies.

Intervention for Medically Complex Children Improves Health, Saves Money
Intervention for Medically Complex Children Improves Health, Saves Money 800 533 Kevin Mayhood

The population-based program features coordinated care, education and feeding tube management. A population-based intervention for children with medical complexity in central and southeast Ohio led to fewer admissions, shorter hospital stays and a reduction of inpatient charges of nearly $11.8 million over 30 months, all while making children healthier. Nationwide Children’s Hospital and its affiliated…

The Equity Equation
The Equity Equation 1024 575 Deena Chisolm, PhD

Deena J. Chisolm, PhD, director of the Center for Population Health and Equity Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, applies a health equity approach to improving infant mortality outcomes. Health care quality and outcomes differ by race, ethnicity, wealth and place of residence. In fact, we know that health outcomes such as life expectancy, health-related quality…

Discovery to Drug Development: Expanding the Role of Academic Centers
Discovery to Drug Development: Expanding the Role of Academic Centers 1024 575 Abbie Miller

As more researchers at academic centers become involved in drug development, institutions are responding with support and guidance. Researchers at academic institutions regularly make discoveries about disease processes and potential therapeutic agents. Translational medicine is focused on moving these discoveries out of the laboratory and into the clinic where they can potentially help patients. But…

How to Solve Feeding Disorders Without a G-Tube
How to Solve Feeding Disorders Without a G-Tube 1024 575 Jeb Phillips

Babies in a neonatal intensive care unit must have a safe way of receiving nutrition in order to go home. Full oral feeding is ideal, of course. But for those patients with persistent difficulty feeding by mouth, there were two primary options before 2002 to guarantee nutrients by the time of discharge. Both had their…

Best Practices in Severe BPD Treatment
Best Practices in Severe BPD Treatment 150 150 Jeb Phillips

To help standardize care, the Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Collaborative has published a comprehensive review of evidence-based approaches for treatment of patients with severe forms of the disease. Infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have high risks of late morbidities and mortality, but the best ways to manage these vulnerable patients are still debated. In fact, it’s…

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Help Children With Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Can Help Children With Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD

A psychological intervention improves kids’ function and quality of life even years after a concussion. For most children and adolescents that experience concussions, symptoms resolve after a week or two. However, a small subset of kids has persistent symptoms lasting for months or even years after the injury. These symptoms can be disruptive and stressful,…

How a QI Intervention Lowered Breast Milk Errors in a Busy NICU
How a QI Intervention Lowered Breast Milk Errors in a Busy NICU 150 150 Kevin Mayhood

Bedside barcode scanners and dedicated milk preparation technicians helped drive the decline. A quality improvement (QI) initiative in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been associated with a substantial reduction in errors administering mother’s milk to these vulnerable infants. The total number of scanned errors declined from 97.1 per 1,000…