PEDIATRIC HEALTH ASSOCIATES

We join the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) in mourning the loss of Chicago pediatrician Jerry Umanos who died in an attack at CURE children’s hospital in Kabul , Afghanistan .   Dr. Umanos devoted his time volunteering in Afghanistan to care for the children of the war-torn country and to train physicians.   He also helped to institute a program to teach Afghan women basic health skills to care for mothers and children in their communities. He was a pediatrician at the Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago for 25 years.   A man of deep faith, he felt it was his calling to help the people of Afghanistan .   He leaves behind his wife, Jan, and their three children.   Please keep his family in your prayers.   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The week of April 26th through May 3 rd marks the 20 th anniversary of National Infant Immunization week.     The annual observance stresses how vaccinations pro...

     From the desk of Brittany Jimenez, RN      We often hear in the media how to limit smart or cell phone use in teens and young children, and the other potential dangers that smart phones may pose in brain development and in causing neck and back pain. But frankly, maybe we need to look at ourselves ‘the adults’, and see that we may be doing to harm the relationships in our lives that mean the most.      A recent study in the journal Pediatrics made some interesting observations regarding cell phone use- not use by young children or teens, but by their parents!! The study conducted in fast food restaurants in the Boston area found that when eating a meal over half of all the families (40 out of 55) observed had a parent or other caregiver that spent a portion of the mealtime on the mobile phone. When the adult was engaged in phone activity, the children at the table either tried to get the attention of the adult present or ...