Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/295194
IN THE NEWS 3 | | | N E W S N O T E S | CHILDREN'S NATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS RECEIVE $485,000 AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN SICKLE CELL DISEASE STEVEN J. HARDY, PhD, and KRISTINA K. HARDY, PhD, pediatric psychologists at Children's National Health System, are recipients of a $485,000 Doris Duke Innovations in Clinical Research Award for their unfolding research into whether computerized cognitive training programs used on a mobile app can help children with sickle cell disease overcome memory and attention deficits. They received the funding based on their proposed research study titled, "Feasibility and Efficacy of a Home-Based, Computerized Cognitive Training Program in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease." PSYCHOLOGIST LEADS STUDY ON ADVANCE CARE PLANNING CONVERSATIONS WITH TEENS MAUREEN LYON, PhD, ABPP, clinical health psychologist at Children's National, explored teens' acceptance of advance care planning conversations; their emotional reactions in discussing death and dying; and the impact of these conversations on their quality of life and spiritual well-being three months after participation. The study, published in January's issue of Journal of Adolescent Health, shows that the Family-Centered Advance Care Planning for Teens with Cancer (FACE-TC) intervention is "extremely effective" in navigating sensitive conversations about future medical treatment and end-of-life care. SWADDLING: UNEXPECTED DEATHS ARE UNCOMMON BUT SAFE SLEEP PRECAUTIONS STILL VITAL Children's National pediatric resident EMILY MCDONNELL, MD, and pediatrician and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) researcher, RACHEL MOON, MD, reviewed incidents reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission from 2004 to 2012. Their study, published online in the Journal of Pediatrics, found that the reporting of sudden unexpected deaths among swaddled infants is rare but that swaddling should not take away from creating a safe sleep environment, including having babies sleep on their backs. People IN THE NEWS JOSEPH WRIGHT, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President of Community Affairs and head of the Child Health Advocacy Institute, was appointed to a three-year term on the American Hospital Association (AHA) governing council of the Section for Maternal and Child Health. The council advises the AHA on public policy issues, advocacy positions, and best practices in the field related to health reform implementation, quality, and patient safety. GERARD GIOIA, PhD, Director of the Safe Concussion Outcome Recovery and Education (SCORE) Program at Children's National, was recognized for his insightful contributions to the American Academy of Neurology's dissemination campaign for the evidence-based guideline update, "Evaluation and management of concussion in sports." Dr. Gioia offered feedback and assisted in the creation of high-quality tools for patients, families, coaches, and athletic trainers. ALLISON JACKSON, MD, Division Chief of the Child and Adolescent Protection Center, received the Administration on Children, Youth and Families Commissioner's Award from Mayor Vincent C. Gray and leaders in Washington, DC. Dr. Jackson will be awarded at the 19th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect in New Orleans, La., in honor of her contribution toward the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect.