All Children's Hospital Foundation

6 All Children's Hospital Foundation | www.givetoallkids.org People RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO HELP MORE KIDS Mykenzie still has some work ahead of her. She will need to maintain this new phase for a period of time and eventually will be tapered off the medication she is taking. Cavitt is pleased with her results, and he points to Mykenzie as one example of how great the need is for this type of specialized, research-based treatment to improve outcomes for the kids in our care. "Mykenzie's issue started with medical symptoms," Cavitt says. "It was only with consultation and evaluation that we saw there was a significant psychological component. We were able to document that what looked like a seizure wasn't a neuro-electrical seizure, which arises from physical activity in the brain. It was actually her body's way of manifesting anxiety. You and I might get butterflies; Mykenzie got nonepileptic seizures with stress. "There are literally dozens of treatment options out there for a child like Mykenzie and many more children like her with issues that are difficult to diagnose," Cavitt continues. "Mykenzie could well have ended up going through years of psychotherapy without a whole lot of effect had she not come to All Children's." Previous research helped physicians understand Mykenzie's condition, but there is much more research to be done with patients who have overlapping medical and psychological issues or issues that appear to be medical but really have psychological causes. The research needs to be done so more of these complex problems – and their solutions – can be better understood. And the funding needs to be there to accomplish the research. "Grants are a wonderful start, but the funding rate is only about 9 to 10 percent from the National Institutes of Health," explains Storch, who works closely with Cavitt in the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center, which also houses IBPS. He works with colleague and Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry director Tanya Murphy, M.D. Storch is conducting research in the areas of cognitive behavioral treatment for childhood and adult obsessive-compulsive disorder and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, as well as how to treat anxiety in youth with autism spectrum disorders. FUNDING WILL HELP HIRE MEDICAL STAFF A top priority for the Mind Body Branch is recruiting and installing fellows and interns in order to step up research and clinical service immediately. "We need two general psychologists to improve our consultation liaison services and a pediatric psychiatrist," Cavitt explains. "We currently have two psychiatrists, who can only see so many patients, and we are underserved right now as a children's hospital. There are chronic disorders that need to be addressed. When there is a backlog, kids and families are waiting to be helped. It is an unhappy reality that we are doing everything we can to address, but we need financial assistance." One family already onboard includes Chip Newton and Liz Smith. Newton is on the Foundation's Board of Trustees. "I have been involved with All Children's Hospital for four years, because it is an organization that I completely believe in," Newton says. "The board gives me the opportunity to study many areas of the hospital and, while I've yet to find one that isn't worthy of philanthropic support, I have to say I've been extremely impressed with the opportunities for medical discoveries in the area of brain health and in the Mind Body Branch. I'm pleased to tell you we have backed that up with our own gift to this program and look forward to much progress in the near future." Mykenzie's story shows that research is not just about advancing knowledge – it flows directly into the care we provide and the outcomes we achieve for our patients. The benefits of research – especially for kids like Mykenzie, who is no longer hiding in her room, but out playing softball with new friends – exponentially outweigh the cost. If you would like to learn more about how the Mind Body Branch will help kids, please contact the ACH Foundation at 727-767-4199. Think about it. Just a few years ago, five of the six causes of pediatric disability were behavioral health issues. – ERIC STORCH, PH.D., DIRECTOR OF PEDIATRIC BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, MIND BODY BRANCH All Children's was the best choice for our family. It couldn't have been a better experience. Mykenzie is enjoying her life again, and she is proud of what she has overcome with hard work. I thought this would take years and years, but she has learned to manage her anxiety on her own and work it through in her head. – MYKENZIE'S MOTHER, TIFFANY

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