Expectant mothers in Flint are coming together for open discussions and education on their health and how to care for their newborns. As a Health Educator with Hamilton Community Health Network (HCHN), I have observed a need for a program to aide mothers in transition and getting through the difficulties of motherhood.
Life can change in a split second. Just ask Flushing resident, Kenneth Woods, who was severely injured in May during a wind storm that toppled a half-ton tree on him. “The tree fell on me!” he exclaimed, “and I don’t remember any of it!” But he does remember the events that led up to the accident.
When my twin boys were two years old, they used to plop down in the family room and watch cartoons, just like any kid their age. One would sit up on the couch with my wife and me, and the other would sit on the floor. I didn’t think much of it at all, until I noticed that the one on the floor would slowly migrate toward the TV, until he was right in front of it. We would, of course, scold him and tell him he would “go blind if he stayed that close” and he would dutifully move back from the screen. Then, the whole process would begin again as he would inch back toward the TV!
What are the top health issues for Genesee County kids? This question was posed to Wendy Ringo, MD, MPH, Vice President of Medical Operations/Executive Director for Genesee Community Health Center. Before answering, Ringo said there are other issues that need to be considered. On the day we spoke, she had received a report that she found deeply troubling. New census data shows that Flint, again, is the most impoverished city in the U.S. “It’s really heart-breaking,” says the doctor. And in order to address childhood health issues, there are bigger problems and social deterrents lurking below the surface that must be addressed first.
With the kick-off of school sports in August, Hurley Pediatric Orthopedic and Sports Medicine specialist Stacy Frye, MD, notices an increase in injuries that often result from student athletes jumping into “practice mode” without prior conditioning. These “overuse injuries,” which can be caused by incorrect technique, poor conditioning or ill-fitting equipment, are examples of the many conditions Dr. Frye treats at her Grand Blanc Township practice. Take a child who has never jogged before, who suddenly goes out for Cross Country wearing shoes that don’t fit properly, and you have a candidate for shin splints or overuse injury of the hips, knees, feet and/or ankles.
Fear is a powerful motivator, but it can also be the one thing standing in the way of a patient seeking care. For those with diabetes, however, nothing should stand in the way of an annual dilated eye exam.
Hesham E. Gayar, MD, Chairman of Radiation Oncology and Associate Medical Director of the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren-Flint, has fostered the establishment and innovations of radiation oncology at the medical center since 1990. He has been influential in building one of the most advanced, innovative, high-quality and research-oriented radiation oncology programs in the country. He brought radiation oncology research to the area and was instrumental in bringing innovations and new technology to the field of radiation therapy.
A few ideas to help your child get off the tech, get outside and join the human race if your kids are with you while you’re reading this, take a look at them. I bet you a dollar they are looking at a screen. Go ahead, see what they’re up to … I’ll wait. Did I just become a dollar richer?
It’s amazing what a teeny-tiny camera can do. PillCam Capsule Endoscopy is an innovative, non-invasive procedure to aid physicians in detecting gastrointestinal disorders and patterns. According to Ghanem Almounajed, MD, Chief, Gastroenterology Department at Hurley Medical Center, the PillCam is an easy-to-swallow, disposable capsule that contains a tiny, wireless camera. “It’s used for evaluation of small bowel diseases after finding normal results from upper endoscopy and colonoscopy,” explains the doctor. The procedure is also used to evaluate patients who have iron deficiency anemia or chronic diarrhea and pain from unknown causes. “Patients with symptoms suggestive of small bowel diseases benefit from this procedure,” says Dr. Almounajed. It is also used to detect Crohn’s disease, blood vessel malformations (AVMs), small bowel polyps and small bowel cancer.
EXTRA LIFE is a grass roots fundraising program sponsored by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to save local kids through the power of play.
