Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/62321
Sudden Emergency, Swift Care Meeting Every Pediatric Need Providing health care to children requires sensitivity, knowledge, and flexibility. As children grow, their needs change. That's why CentraState Healthcare System is dedicated to offering high-quality pediatric services, from newborn care to adolescent treatment. One of the ways CentraState cares for children is by acknowledging the difficulty experienced by the whole family when a child is sick. To help calm these stressful times, CentraState offers: • Fold-out guest beds for overnight stays • Mobile video game carts • Parental access to kitchen facility • Recreation rooms with toys, books, and games • Spacious accommodations • Unrestricted visiting hours for parents and guardians [PHOTO] The Gibson family, which includes 1-year-old Julia, 3-year-old Matthew, mom Dawn, and dad Greg, has utilized a full spectrum of care at CentraState—from maternity services to pediatric emergency care. On Friday, October 14, 1-year-old Julia Gibson of Freehold had a slight cough. On Monday, she was in CentraState Medical Center's Emergency Department. Few things are more frightening than a dramatic change in your child's health. At the beginning of the weekend, Julia's cough hadn't seemed like much, but on Saturday, her mother, Dawn, noticed that Julia's cough had gotten deeper and her nose had started running. Although she didn't have a fever, her primary care physician recommended Tylenol® to fight the symptoms of her illness. "Throughout Sunday night, Julia's breathing was really fast, and since she wouldn't go to sleep, I stayed by her side all night. I took her to the pediatrician first thing Monday morning," Dawn says. "The staff there performed breathing treatments and gave her a steroid shot." When there was no improvement in Julia's condition, her mother took her to CentraState's Emergency Department, which has a dedicated pediatric area with a pediatrician on site around the clock. With an IV in her little arm, Julia was quite frightened, but the staff at CentraState knew how to comfort her. [PHOTO] Neha Shah, MD, board-certified pediatrician "I met with Julia and Dawn and told them I believed Julia had bacterial pneumonia," says Neha Shah, MD, board-certified pediatrician with Central Jersey Emergency Medicine Associates and on staff at CentraState. "After a chest X-ray, I confirmed the diagnosis and coordinated her inpatient care." Julia stayed at CentraState from Monday through Wednesday. Although her temperature was constantly fluctuating, her gradual improvement was noticeable. "Everyone at the hospital was so nice, from Dr. Shah to all the nurses who came in often to check on Julia," Dawn recalls. "We'd never experienced anything so scary, but they reassured us, answered our questions, and just made us feel at home." Now, Julia is a happy, healthy little girl who follows her brother all over the place and likes to dance. She even enjoyed a recent trip to Disney World and has been crazy about Minnie Mouse ever since. This wasn't the first time the Gibson family had experienced medical services at CentraState. Julia, her father, Greg, and her brother, Matthew, were born there, and Dawn took a "Mommy and Me" class at the hospital, too. The family has always been delighted with the care they've received. Visit www.centrastate.com/pediatrics or call (866) CENTRA7 (866-236-8727) to learn about the many advanced health care services available to your children.