My Essential Question

How might I locate and then aid other Americans in  implementing a cure for the ever-rising epidemic of childhood obesity?




1)Why did I select this as my essential question? 
     I selected this as my essential question because I intend on becoming a pediatrician; therefore, I'm interested in diseases and issues dealing with children. Also, I selected it because I desperately desire to help others in not only my community, but my country. Childhood obesity is an epidemic that is increasing quickly and tremendously. I intend on aiding the end to that.




2)What excites me most about finding the answer to this essential question? 
     I am so incredibly excited by the fact that I could quite possibly make a positive difference in the lives of other people. Childhood obesity is a serious problem that, if not dealt with early, has grave consequences in the end. The excitement of the anwer to this essential question comes from the joy of helping even just one child to have a brighter future.




3)Do I feel that this question accurately reflects a desire/need that I have to find out more about this topic?
     As I said before, I have a desire to help others. This question outlines exactly what I hope to do in this class. I intend on researching all aspects of the problem of childhood obesity in order to help other people in avoiding this issue.

A Summary of the Article: "3 Healthy Family Habits to Prevent Childhood Obesity"

     In this article the author, Lisa Collier Cool, introduced the topic of childhood obesity. She then listed and expounded slightly upon three simple tips to eliminate the problem.
     Cool began to introduce the issue by alluding to the first lady's views on the matter. "We want to eliminate this problem of childhood obesity in a generation. We want our kids to face a different and more optimistic future in terms of their lifespan," said Michelle Obama. This reference to a well known person helps in attracting and keeping a readers attention long enough to throw out the astonishing statistics. The fact that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years is most definately a successful hook to keep readers reading through the solutions.
     Ms. Cool's list of tips included: "dine together," "turn off the tube," and "make sure kids get enough sleep."
She stated that when a family eats together, the food is more likely to be somewhat healthy. By turning off the t.v., children and parents are able to engage in conversation on the food being eaten rather than mindlessly over-eating in front of the television. Finally, if a child doesn't get enough sleep, they are more likely to be less active, therefore burning fewer calories. Sleep deprived children also have higher leves of cortisol which has been linked to increased appetite in some experiments.
    Lisa Collier Cool stated a problem and gave three simple solutions to solving it. The short and easy to understand explanations make it easily reading for all types of audiences. If people could understand the seriousness of this disease, they would be taking advantage of well written/organized by implementing these tips in their families.

Works Cited

Cool, Lisa C. "3 Healthy Family Habits To Prevent Childhood Obesity." Healthymagination. General Electric Company, 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. <http://www.healthymagination.com/blog/3-healthy-family-habits-to-prevent-childhood-obesity/?c_id=bingchildhoodobesityBLOG&utm_source=FamilyHabitsToPreventChildhoodObesityBroad&utm_medium=PPCBING&utm_campaign=Healthcare%2BSEM&kw={KeyWord)>.

Interest Topic Web-Pediatrics (also posting rather than emailing)

Pediatrics

Child immunizations:

-What’s necessary/recommended?

-dosage

-most popular



Childhood obesity:

-What causes it

-how to prevent

                -child based health plan

                -Exercise

Child heart disease:

-Heart murmurs

                -Innocent/non-innocent

(Disclaimer: I couldn’t get the website you sent to work for me, so I attempted to make my own.)

 

Recap of My Mentorship as of Now



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My Delicious Account

http://www.delicious.com/meganpuckett1993

Summary Of Health Care Video (I'm posting it on here rather than emailing it)

Megan Puckett-Pediatric Cardiology for the Primary Care Practitioner

(The notes I took are rather messy because I was taking them as I watched the presentation, but I added them at the bottom anyways in case you need them.)

The presentation I watched on childhood heart disease was very informative. I felt as though I could recommend a child to a pediatric cardiologist myself after watching it. Dr. Joshua Donner talked about everything a person could ever want to know about heart murmurs. He chose this topic because they are extremely common in children.

                I myself had no idea that heart murmurs were as common in pediatric patients as they are. Dr. Donner said they are commonly found in as many as 80%-100% of children at some point in time. I also always thought that heart murmurs were very hazardous to a person’s health, especially that of a child; however, that is not always the case. There are two major groups of heart murmurs. These groups are known as innocent heart murmurs and non-innocent heart murmurs.  Dr. Donner touched on both types and gave examples.

                He basically summed it up as an innocent heart murmur is louder when the patient is lying down and much softer when they are standing. Innocent murmurs are also not associated with any other cardiac symptoms. They also do not cause a clicking sound. Non-innocent heart murmurs are normally recognized by the clicking sound they cause. They can also be recognized because they sound level increases when the patient is standing, rather than lying down.

                He concluded his presentation by talking about reasons children are normally referred to a pediatric cardiologist. The reasons included parental concern, family heart disease, or the recognition of uncommon cardiac disease symptoms.

                Overall, I actually enjoyed hearing him talk about the different types of murmurs. His presentation was very informative and designed very efficiently. I feel like I really took a lot from this assignment.

Notes:

Dr. Joshua Donner

Heart murmurs:

-Common to detect in baby child or teenager

-causes unnecessary tension of guardians

-Heart murmur? – sound you hear through stethoscope

-very common -80-100% of children diagnosed

-rarely anything wrong with heart

Common innocent heart murmurs:

-majority

-age 3 or 4 checkup-frequently hear murmur

-Still’s Murmur  -most common

-systolic

-louder when lying flat; quiet when sitting or standing

-loud w/ fever

-vibratory along left lower sternum border

                -loud but can’t feel with hand

                -referred to cardiologist-normally innocent

                -no cardiac symptoms

-not palpable

-no click

-diastolic component

Normal pulse

No resp. troubles

Normal ekg

No sign of valve disease or hole in heart

No meds/restriction from activity needed

Have for several years-dissappear teen years

Newborn period too

-PPS murmur

                -mainly babies

                Once left hospital; small(usually) can be in normal

                Picked up @ 2week

Left upper sternum border left/right upper chest/sides/back

Systolic;blowing quality

                Reason? Little blood flow to lounges durin development; vessels are small More flow after birth, turbulence=murmur

No other symptoms

First several months of life usually ends around 7-8

Pulmonary flow murmur

                Teen pre-sports phys.

                Left upper s.b.-systolic

                Louder when flat softer when standing

                Cannot feel

                No other abnormal cardiac findings

                Not normally ass. w/ cardiac disease

Venous hum

                Well child checkup 3-8

                Clavical-left/right uppewr chest

                Continuous murmur

                Blowing/machinery sound

                Rarely heard when flat/common when upright

                Normal ekg& echocardiogram

                Flow passing vain & chest area

Corroted bruey

                Child-fine; adult-could be peripheral vascular disease

                Can feel in neck vessels

                No other abnormal findings

               

Abnormal-pathological:

bicuspid aortic valve

                3leaflets-some only 2

2leaflet-valve not open peacefully or leak

Systolic right upper chest

Clicking sound

Diastolic murmur-leaking

Systolic murmer 2ndary to vsd

                Vsd-hole in wall separating ventricle

                Blood flow turbulent as heart squeezes

Left lower sternum border

2^nd most common

Left upper-systolic

Pulmonary valve allows blood flow turbulent

Radiates into sides & back-click

Apex of chest  during systily

Valve clicking

Mitrovalve leak

During systily-left midchest

Squatting to standing= louder rather than softer

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomopothy-sudden death young athletes in play-don’t clear for sports

Reasons to refer patient to pediatric cardiologist:

-patient has cardiac symptoms

                Passing out

                Persi. Shortness of breath chest discomfort

                Heart races

                Freq dizzy/pale spells; baby-stop breathing

-family history for heart disease

-abnormal cardiac exam

Non innocent murmur

Large liver

Abnorm. In respiratory exam

-family concerned about heart

October 13th Assignment

A sentence that describes me:

Recap of week 9/27 - 10/1

     So, I feel the need to recap what I learned through my mentorship this past week in order to remember it all as well as to keep a record of everything.

     On Monday, the 27th, I learned how to check-in a patient. It isn't a very difficult process, it just takes some getting used to. First, you must know what the patient is there for. When you call them back, you must take and record the patients weight and temperature. If there for a scheduled physical evaluation and are over the age of three, you also take and record their blood pressure. When checking in a patient, you must be sure to get a contact number along with the name and relation of whomever brought them in. It is also mandatory to find out if the child has any known allergies. If the patient is well, you simply take them back to an open room; however, if the patient is sick, you must also learn what is ailing them before taking them back to their room.
     On Wednesday, the 29th, I learned about immunization doses. Because flu season is just beginning, I have been able to witness the giving of Flu shots on several occasions. The Flu shot dosage is a little different from normal immunizations because it is a vaccine. Children ages 3 years and younger recieve a dose of 0.25 mL, while children ages 4 and over recieve a dose of 0.5 mL. If it is the first year the patient is being given the Flu Vaccine, they must be given two doses over a time period of one month for all ages. For immunizations other than vaccines, the normal dosage is 0.5 mL for children of all ages unless otherwise prescribed.
     On Thursday, the 30th, I put into practice the knowledge I recieved in the beginning of the week by checking in a couple patients on my own. I am not able to actually fill or give shots, but I make sure to pay close attention when the nurse is doing so. Thursdays are normally slow days at the office I mentor in; nonetheless, I did learn the difference in the Flu Mist vs. the Flu vaccine. The Flu Mist is a mist that is sprayed up the nose. One dose is sprayed up each nasal cavity. The mist and vaccine are quite similar; however, the main difference is that the mist has the live virus in it whereas the vaccine contains a dead virus. Most people choose to have the vaccine because the live virus in the mist could cause a serious case of influenza to set in if the patient has any type of respiratory problems, including asthma.

     I am very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to mentor under these professionals and I cannot wait to learn more in this week of my mentorship!

Photos

I learned the proper dosage for child immunizations.

I also learned how to record a child's measurements.

My Mission Statement

My mission is to become the optimal role model for those around me by exhibiting positive, honest and moral values. Through uplifting and positive criticism, I will encourage all others to meet and surpass their full potential despite any adversity.