1. family and parenting
2. children

A Publication of Schneider Children’s Hospital | Spring 2008 | www.SchneiderChildrensHospital.org
INSIDE: Stay Safe This Summer | New Neonatal Transport System | Ambulatory Chemo Unit
Expanded Ambulatory Chemotherapy Unit
Focuses on Comfort
Besides 16 infusion bays, the
Ambulatory Chemotherapy Unit
will have a family dining area,
nurses’ station and offices.
T
his fall, an expanded Ambulatory
Chemotherapy Unit will make children
and their families at Schneider
Children’s Hospital (SCH) more comfortable
during their frequent chemotherapy treatments
and transfusions. Designed to offer privacy,
flexible room space and pleasant distractions
during treatment, the new unit is part of the
hospital’s overall expansion plan.
With ambulatory chemotherapy, patients can
receive medication through portable pumps that
allow them to walk around during treatment.
The unit will treat children with cancer and
serious blood diseases, including sickle cell
anemia, bone marrow failure syndromes,
bleeding and clotting disorders, leukemia,
lymphoma and solid tumors.
With Kids’ Comfort in Mind
“We have one of the largest oncology and hematology programs in the New York metropolitan
area,” said Jeffrey Lipton, MD, PhD, chief of
pediatric hematology/oncology and stem cell
transplantation. “Since 1999, we’ve almost tripled
our patient population and consequently outgrown
our space, so we need to build an appropriate
infusion area with a pleasant atmosphere.”
The Ambulatory Chemotherapy Unit will have
16 infusion bays (areas curtained off for privacy),
a family dining area, nurses’ station and offices.
On the Cover:
The Rainbow Jam collage in Schneider Children’s
Hospital’s lobby features hundreds of toy cars on
their way to fun places. Created by Discover the
Smile’s Lisa Martin Epstein and her eldest son,
Jesse, and daughter, Emily, the piece took weeks to
assemble. “We want to encourage children not just
to look at a picture, but to look at the elements
that make it up,” said Ms. Epstein. This sparks
conversation and creativity alike, she added.
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Schneider Children’s Hospital • New Hyde Park, New York
The unit overlooks the atrium, providing an
open, bright and serene environment. Each bay
will have its own bed or crib and entertainment
center. The rooms will be adaptable so kids can
open their curtains and sit together to play video
games or watch movies during treatment. There
will be a small playroom with a table, so teens
can play cards and board games or access the
Internet. Two of the 16 bays will have walls
designed for treatment that requires privacy.
Coordinated Care Is Better Care
The new Ambulatory Chemotherapy Unit will be
housed on the hospital’s fourth floor. This floor
will offer children with cancer and blood diseases
“one-stop shopping” for services including
ambulatory chemotherapy, bone-marrow transplant and hematology inpatient care. This means
that children who begin ambulatory chemotherapy
or transfusion services as outpatients can move
seamlessly to inpatient care, if necessary.
“The new unit is a modern facility that reflects
the scope of services we provide for children with
cancer and serious blood diseases,” said Dr. Lipton.
“We attract patients from all over the world. This
new space reflects what we have in intellectual and
physical capital. It’s what our patients deserve.” r
Stay Safe This Summer
Take a Hike from Lyme Disease
S
ummer is the height of tick
season, and with it comes
the risk of Lyme disease.
But you can protect your kids from
this bacterial infection and still
enjoy the great outdoors.
Recognizing Lyme Disease
Lyme disease occurs when an infected
deer tick — a tiny tick the size of a
sesame seed — connects itself to the
human body and injects harmful bacteria. A red bump develops at the site,
which is surrounded by a ring of redness that can look like a bull’s eye (see
example, right). The rash grows
Preventing Infection
over several days — reaching
Although antibiotics can successfully
the size of a silver dollar or
treat Lyme disease, reduce your
larger. Then, after a number
child’s risk by doing the following:
of days it often goes away.
◾ Carefully check your child’s
A tick bite
“Just because the ring
looks like a skin every night. “A tick must be
goes away, don’t ignore it,” bull’s-eye.
on the body for at least 12 to 24
advised Lorry Rubin, MD,
hours in order to cause Lyme dischief of pediatric infectious
ease,” explained Dr. Rubin. “By
diseases at Schneider Children’s
detecting and removing ticks each
Hospital. “The Lyme disease bacteria
night, you essentially remove the risk
are still in the body and can cause
of disease.”
significant illness in children — like
◾ Use tweezers to pull ticks from
meningitis — if not treated. Call your the skin. Never crush or use bare
pediatrician right away.”
fingers to remove them. You may
spread the
harmful
bacteria.
◾ Reduce
your child’s exposure,
especially when playing around
high grasses or bushes where ticks
live. Whenever possible, dress your
kids in long pants tucked into their
socks. And make sure they are
wearing bug spray. r
For more information about
Lyme disease, contact Dr. Rubin
at (718) 470-3415.
Protect Your Kids from Sizzling Summer Rays
A
s parents, we want our kids to live long, healthy lives.
Besides efforts like feeding our children nutritious foods
and buckling them up on the road, it’s just as important to
protect their skin from the sun.
“Most of a person’s sun exposure occurs during the first 18 years of
life,” explained Leonard Kristal, MD, pediatric dermatologist for Schneider
Children’s Hospital. “This exposure has a cumulative effect. The more the
skin is damaged by the sun, the greater the risk of developing skin cancers
later in life. Even one blistering sunburn can increase the risk.”
That makes protecting our children’s skin at a young age even more
important. So, how can you safely enjoy outdoor activities this summer?
◾ Each morning, apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least a 15 SPF
on your child’s exposed skin. “Even if you don’t have outdoor activities
planned, it’s still important,” said Dr. Kristal. “Lots of little exposures —
like walking from the car to the grocery store — add up.”
◾ During outdoor activities, reapply sunscreen every two hours or after
swimming or sweating.
◾ Try to avoid sun exposure when rays are the strongest — from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. each day. Remember, ultraviolet rays are still dangerous when
it’s cloudy.
◾ Dress your children in protective clothing whenever possible. Longsleeve shirts and long pants, hats and sunglasses all shield the sun’s rays.
UV protective swim gear can also help.
If your child does get sunburned, ease discomfort by applying cool
compresses. If the burn blisters, call your pediatrician. r
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Schneider Children’s Hospital • New Hyde Park, New York
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To order our FREE brochure on tips for staying healthy and happy
during the summer season, e-mail your name and address to
KidsFirst@nshs.edu with “Summer Safety” in the subject line.
Taking the Sting out of
Summer
S
ummer is full of outdoor fun. But it
can be cut short when insects invade.
Here’s how to avoid the pain, itching
and swelling of bites and stings this season.
kids’ wellness
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C sociatre for Dads
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As
Babying a Bee Sting
Generally, bees, wasps, yellow jackets and hornets don’t bother humans unless we bother them.
Teaching your children not to swat at stinging
insects and to cover food and drink outside can
help them avoid getting stung. But if it happens:
◾ Check to see whether the stinger is still in
the skin. If so, scrape it off with a credit card.
Never use tweezers, which can squeeze more
venom into the wound.
◾ Apply ice or a cold compress.
◾ Consider giving your child over-the-counter
antihistamine formulated for kids.
◾ Watch for allergic reaction. “It’s normal to
experience swelling, pain or itching at the sting
site,” explained Marie Cavuoto, MD, pediatric
allergist for Schneider Children’s Hospital.
“But if your child begins to react in other areas
of the body, call 911 immediately since such
reactions can be fatal.” Reactions can include
hives, swelling of the face or throat, wheezing
or difficulty breathing, dizziness or vomiting.
Taming Mosquito Bites
Wearing kid-friendly bug spray and avoiding
the outdoors in early morning and at dusk can
help prevent mosquito bites. But if your child
CA Inc.
What’s a dad to do when his “little girl”
is suddenly a teenager? Following are
some ideas on how dads can keep the
lines of communication open and
relate with their daughters during
the teen years.
gets bit, it’s usually not harmful. The real
problem is infection.
“Mosquito bites can become infected —
not from the bite itself, but from scratching,”
said Dr. Cavuoto. “This allows bacteria on
little hands to enter the body.”
An infected mosquito bite may cause fever
and ooze yellow or form a crust around the
site. It may also be surrounded by redness.
If your child has an infected bite, call the
pediatrician for treatment. r
Looking for a pediatrician? Please call
(866) 690-2006 or check out www.Schneider
ChildrensHospital.org. To learn more about
allergic reactions, contact the Division of
Allergy/Immunology at (516) 622-5044.
We’re Here for You!
Need immediate help for your child?
Go to Schneider Children’s Hospital’s
walk-in UrgiCenter Monday through
Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight, and
weekends 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Please
call (516/718) 470-3800.
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Schneider Children’s Hospital • New Hyde Park, New York
◾ Communicate on an emotional
level. When it comes to teenage
daughters, feelings are usually more
important than “just the facts.” Try to
put yourself in your daughter’s shoes
to determine how she feels.
◾ Be a sensitive listener. Although
your first instinct may be to give a lecture, sit back and let your daughter
speak long enough so that you understand the situation and can offer
fatherly advice.
◾ Show approval and affection.
Compliment her on her accomplishments. It’s OK to give her a kiss on the
cheek, a hug or gently touch her shoulder to demonstrate your affection.
◾ Verbalize to your daughter what she
means to you. Tell her that she is special and how much you appreciate
and love her.
◾ Help your daughter build self-esteem.
Encourage her to develop her talents,
which helps give her confidence.
◾ Learn about your daughter’s world
and partake! Ask your daughter
what she likes to do and join her —
whether it’s heading to the mall or
going to an amusement park.
New Neonatal Transport System Expands Capabilities
S
hortly after Jake Sangiorgi was born at
Huntington Hospital in October 2006, his lungs
collapsed. Doctors tried to help him, but he
needed lung rescue at an advanced neonatal
intensive care unit (NICU). Time was running
out. Jake was transported 30 miles to Schneider
Children’s Hospital (SCH) using a high-frequency ventilator with nitric-oxide gas.
“I knew Jake had a very small chance of surviving and they had to do something big,” said
his mother, Tricia. “They had to transport him
and get him breathing and functioning from one
hospital to the NICU at SCH. He would not
have survived without that special ventilator.”
Today, Jake is a happy, healthy little boy.
Neonatal transport to advanced lung rescue
centers like Schneider Children’s Hospital has
become more important than ever as doctors
across the region treat sicker babies, said Howard
Heiman, MD, SCH’s associate chief of the
Neonatal Division. “Our hospital can place critically ill infants on an artificial heart-lung machine
to allow their lungs to heal,” he said. The highfrequency ventilator builds a transport bridge for
babies with severe breathing problems from hospitals across the region to the lifesaving resources
at Schneider Children’s Hospital.
A Trial Basis
Two years ago, Schneider Children’s Hospital
at North Shore purchased the Bronchotron-I
transport ventilator and began to offer very
sick babies high-frequency ventilation in
transport on a trial basis. Compared with conventional ventilation, high-frequency ventilation with nitric-oxide gas brings more air into
a baby’s lungs in a gentle, balanced manner.
High-frequency ventilation also helps babies
avoid the need for an artificial heart-lung machine.
There are no similar transport
systems available within
250 miles of SCH.
Schneider Children’s
Hospital at North Shore soon
began to use the Bronchotron-I
to transport babies within the
hospital to the operating room
or for diagnostic imaging. “We
began to appreciate the value
of high-frequency ventilation
transport as a regular part of
our system,” said Dr. Heiman.
“We had been using it only on
the sickest patients when nothing else was available. But it
saved so many babies that we
decided to incorporate it as a
A special ventilator in SCH’s neonatal transport system saved
standard treatment in our lung
the day for Jake Sangiorgi and his parents.
rescue service.”
Need Info on Childhood Diseases?
Schneider Children’s Hospital’s Web site includes a children’s health library as well as
information on patient services, programs, physicians and other resources.
Check out www.SchneiderChildrensHospital.org.
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Schneider Children’s Hospital • New Hyde Park, New York
The Bronchotron-I ventilator is part of
Voyager Neonatal Transport by Airborne Life
Support Systems. The system includes intensive care equipment, an incubator to keep the
baby warm, monitors for heart and lung function and an oxygen and medical gas supply.
Newest Version of the Transporter
Schneider Children’s Hospital in New Hyde
Park has upgraded its neonatal transport
system and hopes to have it in operation by
midsummer. The transport system now has
an upgraded nitric-oxide delivery system
and a battery-powered stretcher for carrying
supplies. Every physician, nurse, paramedic
and respiratory therapist will be trained to
use the high-frequency ventilator.
“The new transport system allows
Schneider Children’s Hospital to move
these babies in the most stable manner,”
said Dr. Heiman. “The transport team can
take the most advanced forms of ventilation
and care to the sickest patients anywhere in
the community and bring them back to our
state-of-the-art lung rescue program. We can
bring the rescue to the bedside at the original
hospital, saving many more young lives.
The ventilator also helps preserve lung health,
since there’s less scarring and damage to
the lungs with high-frequency ventilation.
SCH is proud to continue our traditions of
being first to bring the best care to the
bedside of our patients.” r
Schneider Children’s Hospital thanks the
Billie and George H. Ross Charitable
Foundation, which will supplement funds
received from two other dedicated NICU
donor foundations, The Tender Loving
Care Foundation and The Alice T. Haviland
Foundation.
Need to find a d o c to r ? 1 - 8 8 8 - 3 2 1 - D O C S
Better Than
X-Ray Specs!
Why Schneider
Children’s Hospital?
ONE-STOP SHOPPING
Chase Turano sits on his mother, Joanne’s, lap while Jeffrey
Lipton, MD, PhD, and Donna Beck, RN, assess his veins for
needles and intravenous placement. Dr. Lipton and Ms. Beck
are using the VeinViewer by Luminetx, which helps them
“see” veins beneath Chase’s skin. This allows physicians
and nurses to assess whether vasculature is accessible or
not — which means fewer needle-sticks for kids.
It’s a convenient, central location for
your child’s medical, surgical, dental,
psychiatric and educational needs.
International Recognition
All staff is specially trained in pediatrics.
The hospital’s specialists and patients
come here from all over the world.
educational
center
The Medicine of Music
Since 1996, the Songs of Love Foundation has provided the
medicine of music for hundreds of sick kids. Through the
foundation, more than 350 musical artists craft personalized
songs for children — and their efforts never fail to lift spirits.
Many Schneider Children’s Hospital caregivers have seen
patients benefit from their own song of love. For more information, visit www.SongsofLove.org.
Access our Web
page for a wealth of
information about
childhood diseases.
Positive learning
experience
www.Schneider
Childrens
Hospital.org
Our playrooms,
school, Clown Program, Pet Therapy
Program, Art Program and Music Program
SCH Atrium on the Rise
make the hospital experience a positive one.
Schneider Children’s Hospital is building a
20,000-square-foot, four-story glassenclosed atrium at the heart of the hospital. The new atrium will feature a
playground for hospitalized children,
including a performance stage, winter garden and areas dedicated to pet, music and
art therapy. The construction is scheduled
for completion later this year.
On the cutting edge
Leading-edge equipment is designed
specifically for children.
In your backyard
Satellite treatment centers provide
specialists close to home in Commack,
Hewlett, Flushing, Brooklyn and
Manhattan.
we trained your doctors
Doctors come here from all over the
country for valuable training.
NORTH SHORE-LIJ HEALTH SYSTEM HOSPITALS
NORTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL • LIJ MEDICAL CENTER • SCHNEIDER CHILDREN’S • ZUCKER HILLSIDE • FRANKLIN •
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AFFILIATIONS: PENINSULA • NASSAU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
innovative research
Ongoing, up-to-the-minute research on
children ensures leading-edge care.
North Shore-LIJ Health System
Schneider Children’s Hospital
269-01 76th Avenue
New Hyde Park, NY 11040
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Michael Dowling
President and CEO
North Shore-LIJ Health System
Philip Lanzkowsky, MD, SCD, FRCP
Executive Director
Terry Lynam
VP, Public Relations
Maria Conforti
Publications Editor
Kids First is published by Schneider
Children’s Hospital. The information is
intended to inform and educate about subjects pertinent to health, not as a substitute
for consultation with a personal physician.
© 2008. Printed in the U.S.A.
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