Volume 3 Issue 1
Research Article: Disaster Drill to Induce Awareness of an Emergency Information form Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Lee A. Pyles1*, Pouya Hemmati2, Thomas R. Hellmich3, Sara Elsbecker4, Kristi Bentler4, Anne Renaker3, Jehad Adwan6, Jacob Johnson7, Parvin Dorostkar4, Conrad Nichols7, Cynthia Pyles8, Ronald A. Furnival1 and Susan A. Berry4
Objective: Disasters represent a challenge to child health care delivery, especially for Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) at least in part from the information deficit that accompanies the disruption in healthcare networks. The Emergency Information Form (EIF) is an emergency and disaster focused health summary for CSHCN. We conducted a disaster simulation for groups of children with cardiac and genetic diagnoses to analyze disaster preparedness by families and providers, identify barriers and evaluate parent and provider impressions of the simulation.
Methods: After a simulated tornado strike, parents and children reported to an emergency department or care center with a scripted scenario of psychosocial and medical problems based on their actual health history. Providers reviewed histories and made an initial assessment. Some children had emergency summaries available and some not.
Results: Participants included 34 CHSCN from 26 families plus 13 health care professionals. Parents' impressions significantly improved. All participants responded with similar attitudinal changes regarding provider disaster preparedness. Debriefings suggested that MyEIF.org would improve a disaster response.
Conclusions: A disaster simulation for cardiac and genetic CHSCN produced a teachable moment that resulted in a transformative experience for parents and potential disaster providers. This is the first reported simulation to use actual parents and CSHCN as participants in a disaster drill.
Keywords: Disaster preparedness; Emergency preparedness; Children with Special Health Care Needs; Patient simulation; Disaster drill; Emergency Information Form (EIF); Delivery of health care
Cite this Article: Pyles LA, Hemmati P, Hellmich TR, Elsbecker S, Bentler K, et al. Disaster Drill to Induce Awareness of an Emergency Information form Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs. Open J Pediatr Neonatal Care. 2018;3(1): 003-008.
Published: 18 April 2018
Robert Perna*
Empirical research is suggesting that maternal stress may have negative effects on fetal growth and perhaps may be a contributing factor to developmental issues and disorders. Specifically, maternal stress and anxiety during pregnancy has been associated with numerous negative outcomes including: higher incidence of preterm birth, lower birth weight, increased risk of miscarriage, and infant and child developmental problems, attention regulation, and emotional reactivity [1,2]. The maternal and infant biological interactions are enormously complicated. The empirical research supporting this connection is growing though there remains to be very objective ways to assess at what level the stress becomes detrimental to the fetus. Various mechanisms of action are thought to contribute to the effects on the fetus. Specifically, changes in the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, hormonal systems, and neurotransmitters have been implicated. From a public health perspective there probably needs to be more public education regarding the potential risks of high maternal stress on infant health.
Cite this Article: Perna R. Maternal Stress Level and Effects on Newborns. Open J Pediatr Neonatal Care. 2018;3(1): 001-002.
Published: 03 March 2018
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