Get Ready – New WINK Segments!

Exciting new link coming tonight, WINK-TV’s CW 6 news segment tomorrow morning at 7:40, and the ‘Biggest Winner’ tomorrow at 4:30-6!  So much great news coming in a few short hours!

Cool Websites for Parents

VaxtextSM is a mobile text program for busy parents and caregivers that helps keep your child on track with the vaccine schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Healio enables you to select and tailor news and education to fit your daily practice of medicine. Designed as an in-depth specialty clinical information website, Healio.com features the industry’s best news reporting, dynamic multimedia, question-and-answer columns, CME and other educational activities in a variety of formats, quick reference content, blogs, peer-reviewed journals and a full line of popular book titles.

Free Autism Screening in Southwest Florida!

Autism Screening Dates and Locations, May-December, 2012

May 11
Lakes Regional Library
15290 Bass Road
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Contact: Joanne Fischer 533-4001, [email protected]

June 22
Family Health Center, Downtown Fort Myers
2256 Heitman Street (and Grand Ave.)
Fort Myers, FL
Contact: Dr. Jorge Quinonez, 278-3600, [email protected]

July 20
McDonald’s, North Fort Myers
13741 N. Cleveland Ave.
North Fort Myers, FL 33903
Contact: Tina Millette, 561-1090, cell 707-9211, [email protected]

August 3
Imaginarium
2000 Cranford Ave.
Fort Myers, FL 33916
Contact: Angie McStravick, 321-7420

September 7
Cape Coral Library
921 S.W. 39th Terrace
Cape Coral, FL 33914
Contact: Tori Hersh, Regional Manager, 533-4500 [email protected]

October 5
East Lee County Library
881 Gunnery Road, North
Lehigh Acres, FL
Contact: Kathy Krul, 461-7300, or Glenn Cummings, fiscal 565-1090, [email protected]

November 9
McDonald’s
12990 S. Cleveland Ave.
Fort Myers, FL
Contact: Tina Millette, 561-1090, cell 707-9211, [email protected]

December 7
Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library
3095 Blount Street
Fort Myers, FL
Contact: Jubilee Brainerd, 533-4155, [email protected]

Tylenol Recall

http://www.tylenol.com/

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of McNeil-PPC, Inc., is voluntarily recalling, at the wholesale and retail levels, seven lots, approximately 574,000 bottles of infants’ TYLENOL Oral Suspension 1 oz, Grape, distributed nationwide in the United States.

McNeill received a small number of complaints from consumers who reported having difficulty using the infants’ TYLENOL SimpleMeasure dosing system enclosed in the product.

There is nothing wrong with the TYLENOL itself, just with the dosing vial.

See the link above for the official website and more information.

WINK-TV Reports

http://www.winknews.com/Eye-on-Health/2012-02-09/Texting-and-driving-bill

http://www.winknews.com/Eye-on-Health/2012-01-12/New-studies-on-children-and-sleep

http://www.winknews.com/Eye-on-Health/2012-01-05/Infants-infections-and-new-acetaminophen-dosing
http://www.winknews.com/Eye-on-Health/2012-02-02/Kids-and-Humor

Update on Infant Formula Concerns

 

Update on Enfamil Newborn Formula: Mead Johnson Nutrition reports that new round of rigourous testing on samples on a batch of Enfamil Premium Newborn Powdered Formula did not detect any presence of Cronobacter bacteria. These results were confirmed from independent agencies as well and reported by CNN, Reuters, the Associated Press and others. The U.S. FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Cont…rol are seeking to determine the origin of the Cronobacter involved in the Missouri case. All Mead Johnson infant formulas undergo more than 2300 quality tests and checks to ensure that they meet or exceed all standards set by regulatory bodies, including the World Health Organization and the U.S. FDA.

All the Information about Formula Recalls!

Our deepest sympathies to the infant’s family who died this week.  Our prayers are with another infant’s family who is ill in Missouri as well.  Due to the two infants falling ill in the same state who drank the same formula, Walmart voluntarily withdrew the formula from their shelves.

The rare infection is Cronobacter sakazakii.  It is not a rare bacteria, but rarely causes serious infection.

The issue in these two cases is that any infection in an infant less than three months old can be fatal. 

The links below tell the whole story.  Most important is not to panic.  Prevention is key.  This bacteria can be found in powdered milk and formula, as well as plants, wheat, and rice.

Sterilize your baby’s bottles.  Use liquid formula.  Sterilize water – boil to greater than 160 degrees.  Wash your hands before handling your baby’s bottles and formula.

http://www.enfamilalerts.com/?cm_mmc=Digitas-SEM-_-Google-PR-Enfamil-_-PR-_-PR

http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/health/health-officials-awaiting-results-from-baby-formula-recalled-by-walmart

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45762595/ns/today-today_health/t/wal-mart-pulls-formula-stores-after-babys-death/

Journal Review

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/healthy_eating/portions.html

http://kidshealth.org/kid/index.jsp?tracking=K_Home

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Sexual-Abuse.aspx

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/24602/9053/204510.html?d=dmtContent

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/HealthyLivingIndex/HealthyLivingIndex

http://www.gerber.com/public/default.aspx

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.  ~E.P. Powell

So once in every year we throng
Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
In thankfulness of heart.
~Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.  ~Edward Sandford Martin

Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off’rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope

What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets.  I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?  ~Erma Bombeck, “No One Diets on Thanksgiving,” 26 November 1981

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.  ~W.J. Cameron

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.
~J.A. Shedd

Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.  ~Robert Caspar Lintner

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

This Thanksgiving week, I am most thankful for my family! I am fortunate to have a wonderful work and home family … from us to you, a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Journal Review

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/237543.php

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/237446.php

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/financial_woes.html

http://kidshealth.org/Features.jsp?lic=1&feature=30

http://kidshealth.org/teen/index.jsp?tracking=T_Home

Sunday Morning Journal Review

Some great ideas and up to date news:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/index.html

http://www.aap.org/topics.html

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/24479/36146/1409924.html?d=dmtContent

http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/index.html

http://teenshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/college/freshman_15.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/

http://www.healthanswers.com/?page=technology

http://www.gerber.com/public/default.aspx

Pregnant Mother News

I was talking with a patient’s mom in the office today and she asked about the Pertussis Vaccine for herself.  In the past, it was recommended in the immediate post-partum period; that is, right after delivery.  However, the most recent research and recommendations have changed that.  It is now recommended after the 20th week of pregnancy.  This change is only for women who have not been previously immunized for pertussis.

Dr. Koul’s Blog

I have so many thoughts and hopes for this website and I love feedback – both good and bad!

I had a great weekend with all three of my kids together for the first time since Christmas break.  Those of you with young ones can’t appreciate how hard that is to do once they are away at school and with lives of their own.

I must confess, I was nervous at first but it all went so well and we even had fun!  It’s hard when everyone is busy, on different schedules, with different agendas …  But there were many times that we were all laughing out loud.

For those who don’t know, I have three wonderful young adults as my children.  Ginny, 24, is the oldest and is studying Sustainability at UF in Gainesville.  Go Gators!  She works as a nanny for two wonderful families who treat her like she is family.  I cannot believe I haven’t met them yet, but that is to come very soon.

Chris, 21, is in the Navy ROTC program at University of Rochester in New York studying Physics, Calculus and Chinese.  Go Yellow Jackets!  He works in a bakery, Vanilla Swirl, and is a wonderful chef as well as baker.  He’s training for a marathon/triathelon.  Hard to keep up with him.  He’s off today to start his diving certification.

Andrew, 18, is going to be a senior at Oasis Charter High School in Cape Coral, Florida.  Go Sharks!  His passion is Marine Biology and hope to pursue that after graduation.  He has his master dive certification and is like most teenagers, loving X-box and Nintendo.

I was fortunate to graduate Medical School from Tuft’s University and complete my residency at New England Medical Center’s Boston Floating Hospital.  There, I learned lots.  The day-to-day with my kids has taught me more than you can imagine.

I hope to share information and insight with you as the days progress.  I’m also open for questions and discussion as long as no personal names or information are exchanged for confidentiality reasons.