MDNews - Long Island

REDUCING THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN ADDITION TO serving as Vice Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Winthrop- University Hospital, Leonard Krilov, MD, FAAP, is Chief of Winthrop's Pediatric Infectious Disease Division, which treats children suffering from conditions including chicken pox, influenza, measles, Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and tuberculosis, among many other illnesses. As part of the comprehensive nature of the department, clinicians seek to determine the causes of infection to stave off future outbreaks. As such, each patient encounter is an opportunity to provide education about preventive practices such as basic hygiene and bleach baths. The division's services also include the Pediatric Travel Center led by Paul J. Lee, MD. International travelers — particularly children — are vulnerable to conditions such as malaria and trav- eler's diarrhea, as well as conditions that have been entirely eradicated in the United States. Families planning travel to areas where such conditions still exist can come to the Travel Center for vaccinations and prescriptions for diseases they're most likely to encounter. Importantly, the staff at Winthrop hasn't forgotten what it means to be a children's hospital, and that the traditional clinical environment might not be ideal for treating younger patients. "I've been to pediatric hospitals where you can hear a pin drop, but at Winthrop, you still hear children and staff, and there's a positive energy," says Fredric Daum, MD, Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Winthrop and Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Scholar in the School of Medicine at Stony Brook University's Medical School. "We pride ourselves on creating an atmosphere that encourages children to act as they would outside the hospital, which means we constantly hear the sounds of laughter and play." Treating More Than Illness Winthrop's Child Life Progra m, which is designed to ease the fears and anxieties many children commonly have when coming to a hospital, is key to preserving a sense of normalcy in the hospital environment. Child life specialists guide patients and their families throughout care plans and use creative methods, such as therapeutic play with dolls, to explain the step-by-step processes of each procedure or treatment. The Child Life Playroom is a critical resource for children and families, offering a safe environment in which no needles or tests are allowed. Children have access to an extensive library of donated videos and can be entertained by weekly clown shows. Sports stars also stop by to visit with and encourage children. Child life specialists strive to extend the feeling of security fostered in the Child Life Playroom throughout the rest of the hospital — especially during procedures. For example, child life specialists may implement distraction techniques, using a child's favorite toy, puppets or song, as a child gets an IV line inserted. To help children through unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations, specialists also provide services including bereavement support, coping therapy, sibling classes for children about to become brothers or sisters. Fredric Daum, MD, Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Winthrop and Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Scholar at Stony Brook University School of Medicine (left) and resident physician Yoseph Gurevich, MD, review a patient's chart. Dr. Rosenfeld and Jovette Wallace, RN, MSN, consult with a patient. M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Long Island | 7

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