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‘I Know What it Feels Like’ | How Meagan’s Patient Journey Shaped Her Career Path

November 25, 2022  |  General Comments Off on ‘I Know What it Feels Like’ | How Meagan’s Patient Journey Shaped Her Career Path

PART TWO: From witnessing exceptional care and compassion given to children in their own lives, to receiving treatment first-hand, this weekly series features Seattle Children’s employees and the life experiences that drove them to pursue careers in healthcare.

Meagan Newman was a Seattle Children’s patient three decades ago

Meagan Newman’s relationship with Seattle Children’s began 30 years ago.

At just 3 years old, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and spent the next two and a half years in and out of the hospital for treatment.

“At the time, my dad was an anesthesia resident at the hospital and he suddenly had a glimpse into the day-to-day challenges of managing care for a child with cancer,” she explained.

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Talking to Kids and Teens about Risky Viral ‘Challenges’

November 22, 2022  |  Health and Safety, Media and Technology Comments Off on Talking to Kids and Teens about Risky Viral ‘Challenges’

As featured in Good Growing

It’s important for parents and kids to talk about the dangers of viral ‘challenges.’

These dangerous stunts can involve ingesting things, such as biting into a liquid laundry pod or eating an intensely hot pepper. Other challenges can include dares that urge kids to get high or faint by taking several antihistamines, hyperventilating or through choking.

Some challenges circulating in schools push kids to steal items such as the restroom soap dispenser or a teacher’s coffee cup. There are also dares that involve shoplifting specific items from a grocery store.

Not surprisingly, many of these challenges are designed to create sensational social media, urging kids to capture their stunts on video and share them online. These viral moments, however, have caused serious injury among youth, school suspension or even arrest and prosecution.

Social media often glamorizes these kinds of stunts, so tweens and teens can feel the temptation to try them. Youth do not always think through the real risks or consequences, and stunts that seem silly or fun can result in injury. This is true for games like the ‘duct tape challenge,’ which boasts the goal of escaping after being bound by friends in the super-sticky, heavy-duty tape.

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‘Cancer Doesn’t Always Win’ | Sofia’s Personal Connection to “Hope. Care. Cure.”

November 18, 2022  |  Cancer and Research, Patient Stories Comments Off on ‘Cancer Doesn’t Always Win’ | Sofia’s Personal Connection to “Hope. Care. Cure.”

PART ONE: From witnessing exceptional care and compassion given to children in their own lives, to receiving treatment first-hand, this weekly series features Seattle Children’s employees and the life experiences that drove them to pursue careers in healthcare.

Sofia Carlo was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma as a child

Shortly after Sofia Carlo finished the sixth grade, she started experiencing bouts of intense back pain.

“I went to see my primary care provider who thought I may be developing some scoliosis,” she recalled. “Upon receiving that scoliosis X-ray, I was referred for an MRI because the radiologist noted on my X-ray that I had osteophyte on a portion of my vertebra.”

Osteophyte is an abnormal bone growth, also known as a bone spur. Within a week of Carlo’s MRI, she was being treated at Seattle Children’s where she received a biopsy.

“That MRI revealed a mass growing in my spine. I was then officially diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma bone cancer at just 12 years old and was getting chemotherapy within two weeks of that original scoliosis X-ray,” she said.

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Pediatrician Discusses Steps Parents Can Take to Keep Kids Protected in Poor Air Quality Conditions

November 15, 2022  |  Health and Safety, Pulmonology Comments Off on Pediatrician Discusses Steps Parents Can Take to Keep Kids Protected in Poor Air Quality Conditions

For several consecutive days this year, Seattle was ranked among the top major cities with the worst air quality in the world, according to data compiled by IQAir.

As the smoky air covered large portions of Western Washington due to weeks of wildfires, many parents wondered what they could do to keep their kids protected.

Breathing in wildfire smoke is unhealthy for everyone, however children are at extra risk for negative health effects. Infants and children under age 18, whose lungs and airways are still developing, breathe more air per pound of body weight compared to adults.

Dr. Jonathan Cogen, an attending physician in Seattle Children’s Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, spoke with KUOW’s Soundside to share key safety measures families can take to stay as healthy as possible during poor air quality conditions.

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Meet Seattle Children’s Chief Operating Officer, Jamie Phillips

November 8, 2022  |  General, Leadership Comments Off on Meet Seattle Children’s Chief Operating Officer, Jamie Phillips

Jamie Phillips, Seattle Children’s senior vice president and chief operating officer

 

Seattle Children’s is thrilled to welcome Jamie Phillips as its senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO).

As a leader with over 25 years of healthcare administration experience, Phillips comes onboard with both an exceptional resume and a genuine desire to serve and make a difference for Seattle Children’s patients, families and workforce.

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Spider Bites, Bee Stings and Bed Bugs, Oh My! Creepy Crawler Signs and Symptoms to Watch Out for All Year

October 28, 2022  |  General, Health and Safety Comments Off on Spider Bites, Bee Stings and Bed Bugs, Oh My! Creepy Crawler Signs and Symptoms to Watch Out for All Year

Across the country, children both young and old are preparing to celebrate another evening of Halloween, filled with costumes, activities, sweet treats and fun with friends. In fact, in 2021 alone, over 42 million kids between the ages of 5 and 14 went trick-or-treating, according to the latest data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau.

But beyond the one night that adults will undoubtedly spot child-sized creepy crawlers scurrying along the sidewalks and near brightly decorated homes and in doorways, many actual insects and arachnids are also lurking all year long.

Parents and caregivers often have questions about what to do if their child gets bit or stung, and when to watch for signs of infection. On the Pulse compiled some resources below to help families stay safe and healthy.

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‘The Ultimate Gift’ | Young Girl Flourishing After Receiving Life-Saving Transplant

October 25, 2022  |  Patient Stories, Transplant Comments Off on ‘The Ultimate Gift’ | Young Girl Flourishing After Receiving Life-Saving Transplant

4-year-old Ruby was born with biliary atresia and had a transplant in 2022 at Seattle Children’s

After receiving a life-saving liver transplant at Seattle Children’s, 4-year-old Ruby Josephine Mwamba is thriving and living a dramatically different life than she was at this time last year.

Ruby was born with biliary atresia, a liver condition that occurs when a baby’s bile ducts do not form normally and are unable drain bile. Bile is the liquid that helps the body break down fats, from the liver. When it doesn’t drain, it can cause scarring of the liver and yellowing of the skin and eyes called jaundice.

Ruby’s parents Melissa and Gabriel Mwamba learned about Ruby’s disease shortly after she was born. At only a few months old, Ruby had surgery to try to correct her condition, but unfortunately the relief was short-lived.

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Improving Urologic Outcomes for Newborns and Young Children with Spina Bifida

October 20, 2022  |  Patient Stories, Urology Comments Off on Improving Urologic Outcomes for Newborns and Young Children with Spina Bifida

10-year-old Stella is a patient at Seattle Children’s

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have teamed up with clinicians at Seattle Children’s to identify and evaluate the best urologic management for newborns and young children with spina bifida in a nationwide study called (Urologic Management to Preserve Initial REnal function (UMPIRE).

Launched in 2014, the multi-site, multi-year UMPIRE program aims to increase the understanding of kidney, bladder health and function, which are closely linked, in the early years. It also brings together a unique collaboration of doctors and nurses from more than 20 clinics across the country including Seattle Children’s Urology Program, which has been ranked among the top 10 pediatric urology programs the United States for the past three years by the U.S. News & World Report.

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How to Discuss Your Child’s Health Condition at School

October 11, 2022  |  General, Health and Safety Comments Off on How to Discuss Your Child’s Health Condition at School

Back-to-school is in full swing and with each new school year often comes new questions for many parents about their child’s health. For children with health conditions, understanding when and how to best communicate with teachers and school staff about a child’s medical needs, determining the proper amount of information to disclose, and identifying the right programs and services for students who need specially designed instruction or accommodation plans is important but can sometimes be puzzling.

Dr. Ashley Moss, a pediatric psychologist at Seattle Children’s, shares some key advice on how parents and caregivers can talk about their child’s health conditions at school.

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Uniting to Innovate Early Learning in Seattle’s Othello Square

October 4, 2022  |  General, Odessa Brown Children's Clinic, Philanthropy Comments Off on Uniting to Innovate Early Learning in Seattle’s Othello Square

 

A child enjoys the new outdoor space at the Tiny Tots Development Center in Othello Square

A new outdoor space focused on nature-based learning is the newest addition to the 98118 ZIP code in Southeast Seattle’s Othello Square, one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the United States.

The Tiny Tots Development Center opened the first-of-its-kind outdoor classroom just before the start of the new 2022-2023 school year, funded by grants from Seattle Children’s and the PNC Foundation. The new open-air teaching space features trees, raised garden beds, natural bench seating, and hands-on activities that promote sensory-focused learning, and is part of a larger urban renewal effort in a historically underserved area with limited natural spaces.

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