News from Lifespan

Weight Loss Can be Contagious, Study Suggests

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Universal Video Player (size=medium, align=right, vidPageID=VID000256, background=none, descriptionsEnabled=true, moreVideos=true, captionsEnabled=false, autoStart=false, downloadable=false) Is weight loss “contagious”? According to a new study published online in the journal Obesity, teammates in a team-based weight loss competition significantly influenced each other’s weight loss, suggesting that shedding pounds can have a ripple effect.

Researchers from The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University found that team members not only achieved similar weight loss outcomes, but participants who said their teammates played a large role in their weight loss actually lost the most weight.

“We know that obesity can be socially contagious, but now we know that social networks play a significant role in weight loss as well, particularly team-based weight loss competitions,” said lead author Tricia Leahey, Ph.D., of The Miriam Hospital and Alpert Medical School. “In our study, weight loss clearly clustered within teams, which suggests that teammates influenced each other, perhaps by providing accountability, setting expectations of weight loss, and providing encouragement and support.”

Obesity remains a common, serious and costly disease in the United States. About one-third of American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and no state has met the nation’s Healthy People 2010 goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15 percent. Obesity and its associated health problems, including heart disease and diabetes, continue to have a significant economic impact on the U.S. health care system, costing the nation hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

To promote cost-effective weight loss initiatives, online team-based weight loss interventions are increasing in popularity as a way to encourage weight loss in large groups of people. The current study is the first to examine the effects of teammates and social influence on individual weight loss during one of these weight loss competitions.

The findings are based on the results of the 2009 Shape Up Rhode Island (SURI) campaign, a 12-week statewide online weight loss competition designed by study co-author Rajiv Kumar, M.D. Participants joined with a team and could compete against other teams in three divisions: weight loss, physical activity and pedometer steps. The weight loss competition included 3,330 overweight or obese individuals (BMI of 31.2 or greater), representing 987 teams averaging between 5 and 11 members each. The majority of these individuals enrolled in all three divisions.

Weight loss outcomes were clearly determined by which team an individual was on. Participants who lost clinically significant amounts of weight (at least 5 percent of their initial body weight) tended to be on the same teams, and being on a team with more teammates in the weight loss division was also associated with a greater weight loss. Individuals who reported higher levels of teammate social influence increased their odds of achieving a clinically significant weight loss by 20 percent. This effect was stronger than any other team characteristic, Leahey said.

“This is the first study to show that in these team-based campaigns, who’s on your team really matters,” she added. “Being surrounded by others with similar health goals all working to achieve the same thing may have really helped people with their weight loss efforts.”

However, Leahey noted that individual characteristics were also associated with weight outcomes. Obese individuals had a greater percentage of weight loss than overweight participants. Team captains also lost more weight than team members, possibly due to their increased motivation and engagement in the campaign. Leahey says that future weight loss team competitions may consider requiring team members to share the leadership role.

“We’re all influenced by the people around us, so if we can harness this positive peer pressure and these positive social influences, we can create a social environment to help encourage additional weight loss,” she said.

Leahey is a researcher with The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior (research) at Alpert Medical School. Additional co-authors of the study include Rena R. Wing, Ph.D., director of The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Alpert Medical School; and Brad M. Weinberg, M.D. and Rajiv Kumar, M.D. co-founders of ShapeUp, Inc.

Silvia Degli Esposti, M.D., Honored By The National Organization Of Italian American Women

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Silvia Degli Esposti, M.D., director of the Center for Women’s Gastrointestinal Medicine at the Women’s Medicine Collaborative, was recently honored by the Rhode Island Region of the National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW) at its first Epiphany celebration in Providence.

Degli Esposti was named one of “Four Wise Women,” joining the Honorable Jeanne E. LaFazia, chief judge of the Rhode Island District Court, and Lois Scialo Ellis and Carol Scialo Gaeta, co-owners of Scialo Bakery.

As a pioneer in the field of women’s health in gastroenterology and expert in gastrointestinal and liver disease in pregnancy, Degli Esposti works at a national level to develop programs addressing the needs of women. She founded one of the first centers in the nation to address the gastrointestinal needs of women by providing an all-women environment of care, including a colonoscopy and endoscopy setting designed with the female patient in mind.

She currently serves as director of the Center for Women’s Gastrointestinal Medicine (www.womensGIRI.org) in Providence. The Center, part of the Women’s Medicine Collaborative, offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to women’s gastrointestinal issues. Led by Degli Esposti, the highly trained, all-female staff cares for women with major diseases and conditions of the intestine and liver at every stage of life, including pregnancy.

Degli Esposti is also a state advocate for women’s health, leading the Rhode Island Perinatal Hepatitis Prevention Program, an award-winning, collaborative program with the Rhode Island Department of Health focused on caring for pregnant women with viral hepatitis and their children.

Board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology, Degli Esposti is an associate professor of medicine (clinical) at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where she is also director of the fellowship pathway in women’s gastrointestinal diseases. Her clinical and research interests include liver disease and gastrointestinal diseases in women. She is currently leading several studies in inflammatory bowel disease and hepatitis in pregnancy.

Fluent in both English and Italian, Degli Esposti graduated summa cum laude from the University of Bologna Medical School in Bologna, Italy.

The NOIAW is the premier organization for women of Italian heritage that is committed to preserving Italian heritage, language and culture by promoting and supporting the advancement of women of Italian ancestry. NOIAW serves its members through cultural programs and networking opportunities, and supports young women through nationally acclaimed scholarship, mentoring and cultural exchange programs.

RI Hospital receives $2.2 million grant to study prevention of post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Rhode Island Hospital has received a grant of $2.2 million from the United States Department of Defense to support a research study on a treatment that may prevent post-traumatic osteoarthritis, a common condition in men and women who suffer joint injuries to the knee and hip. The research will allow for further development of lubricin, a manufactured recombinant protein similar to a natural form of lubricant for the joints, that may prevent osteoarthritis following trauma.

n the general population, trauma accounts for 18 percent of the total cases of osteoarthritis (OA). Injuries such as tears to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or meniscal injuries along with other forms of joint trauma are identified causes of the development of OA. In the military, orthopedic surgeons with the U.S. Army anticipate that almost one half of service men and women will acquire post-traumatic osteoarthritis following a new joint injury.

Recently, it has been recognized by the research community that treating the injured joint following trauma may be the best practice in preventing OA after injury. To do so, a manufactured product known as lubricin can be injected into the joint. Lubricin acts as the natural joint lubricant in synovial fluid, which and is lost following injury. However, the reintroduction of lubricin allows for the preservation of the cartilage.

Co-Principal investigator (co-PI) Gregory Jay, M.D.,Ph.D., is an emergency medicine physician and researcher with Rhode Island Hospital and an established investigator in lubricin. Jay, along with his co-PI Braden Fleming, Ph.D., a leading orthopaedic researcher in the study of knee joint injuries and arthritis, will lead this study to develop what they hope to be a prevention for post-traumatic OA.

As Jay explains, “By supplementing the joint’s natural lubricating ability, it offers the prospect of preserving the cells that line the surface of the articular cartilage. These cells are progenitor cells, which mean they provide the cartilage with a limited ability to repair itself. Preserving these cells is an important step in the prevention of osteoarthritis.”

Fleming comments, “We anticipate that through this study, we will be able to advance clinical knowledge of the use of lubricin in treating traumatic injuries to joints, which may prevent the development of OA later. This will have major implications in how these injuries are treated and the prognoses not only for service men and service women, but the general population as well.”

Jay and Fleming’s principal affiliation is Rhode Island Hospital, a member hospital of the Lifespan health system in Rhode Island. The grant for this project was received through the Lifespan Office of Research Administration. The researchers also hold academic appointments at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Their labs are fully supported by Rhode Island Hospital and the Lifespan health system.

Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals announce new board members

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

The joint board of trustees of Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital recently welcomed new trustees Lawrence B. Sadwin and Roger Begin and announced the appointment of Alan H. Litwin, CPA, MST, MBA, as chair of The Miriam Hospital board of trustees. Edward D. Feldstein, Esq., also was recently named chair of The Miriam Hospital Foundation board of trustees.

Litwin, a longtime hospital trustee and active member of The Miriam community, assumes the role previously held by Feldstein, who served as chair of The Miriam Hospital board of trustees for three years before being elected to his new position. Feldstein succeeds Jeffrey G. Brier, who completed his three-year term as chair of the Foundation board of trustees and has been involved with The Miriam Hospital for more than 30 years. Brier, a former chair of the hospital board of trustees, will remain on the Foundation board.

“The combined boards of Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals are made up of Rhode Islanders with a vast array of talent and experience, but all share something in common -- their commitment to helping lead our institutions” said Timothy J. Babineau, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital. “I am confident that Alan (Litwin) will be a strong leader on The Miriam Hospital board, I congratulate Ed (Feldstein) on his new role as chair of the Foundation board and thank Jeff Brier for his leadership and service. Additionally, I am looking forward to working closely with our two new members, Roger Begin and Larry Sadwin, as they join the board of trustees.”

Roger Begin
Begin, of Woonsocket, is sales director at BNY Mellon Wealth Management. He served as lieutenant governor of the State of Rhode Island from 1989 to 1993, and as the general treasurer from 1985 to 1988. Begin is active in numerous organizations throughout Rhode Island, including the advisory council of Hasbro Children’s Hospital. He also serves as past board chair of the Rhode Island Historical Society, trustee and past chair of the Meeting Street Center, Honorary Consul of France in Rhode Island, and is a trustee on the boards of Bryant University, the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

Jeffrey G. Brier
Brier, a resident of Providence, is a partner in the insurance and employee benefits firm of Brier & Brier. He is a past chair of The Miriam Hospital board of trustees and has been a member of various other hospital and Lifespan committees over the last three decades, including the Lifespan board of directors. Brier, co-chair of The Miriam’s Emek Medical Center exchange program, is a member of the board of directors of LIFEcycle, Inc. and has been involved in many other community organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island (now Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island), Jewish Community Center of Rhode Island, Camp Jori, Temple Emanu-El and Hospice of Nursing Placement.

Edward D. Feldstein, Esq.
Feldstein is a co-managing partner of Roberts, Carroll, Feldstein & Peirce, where he is the head of its non-litigation practice area and the firm’s senior attorney in that area. A former chair of the hospital’s professional and academic affairs committee – which he has served on for more than 20 years – Feldstein has also served on various other hospital and Foundation committees and was a member of the Lifespan board of directors. He has held leadership positions with the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island (now Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island), Temple Emanu-El, Camp Jori and the Providence College President’s Council. Feldstein, who resides in Providence, is a founding director and current chairman of the board of The Key Program, Inc., a large Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization that provides youth services by contracting with state agencies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Alan H. Litwin, CPA, MST, MBA
Litwin, is managing director of the Providence-based accounting firm of Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co. A resident of Providence, he has been an active member of The Miriam community for more than 25 years, serving as treasurer of the board of trustees and assuming leadership roles in several philanthropy-related initiatives. He is currently chair of the finance committee for The Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital and is a member of the Rhode Island Hospital board of trustees. Litwin has received numerous awards for his many charitable and community service activities. Outside of The Miriam, he is a past chair of the board of the Wheeler School and the Jewish Community Center and has held leadership positions with dozens of area organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island (now Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island), YMCA-Camp Fuller, Temple Emanu-El, Brown-RISD Hillel, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Home Corporation, Jewish Seniors Agency and Fox Point East Side Little League. In addition, Litwin was one of the founding board members of Rhode Island Kids Count and is a current member of the board of directors of The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

Lawrence B. Sadwin
Sadwin, of Warren, serves as vice president of business development for The Torbot Group. He has spent the last 30 years as a patient advocate, having survived both heart disease and cancer. He has served in a variety of leadership roles at the local, national and international levels. Sadwin currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for the Center for Medical Technology Policy; president of Friends of the World Heart Federation in Geneva, Switzerland; and as liaison for the American Heart Association and the Army National Guard Decade of Health Initiative. He has been very involved in the American Heart Association, serving in numerous roles including as chairman of the board for the national board of directors as well as the Rhode Island and New England affiliates. He also has served as president of the Landmark Healthcare Foundation and chairman of the board of Landmark Medical Center; a member and liaison for the National Institutes of Health; and as a member of the public advisory board of the Joint Commission, among other organizations. Sadwin is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gold Heart Award from the American Heart Association, the John H. Chafee Award for Leadership in Healthcare, and the Partner in Philanthropy Award from the United Way of Southeastern New England.

Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals announce new board members

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

“Seasons of Safety” Coloring Program in Hasbro Children’s Hospital Emergency Department Raises Awareness of Potentially Deadly Behaviors

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Hasbro Children’s Hospital is helping increase awareness of accidental injuries through new coloring calendar pages created by cartoonist Jim Weicherding. The “Seasons of Safety” pages, which are given to children in the hospital’s emergency department, will help children and their families learn about common, avoidable injuries.

This is important since, according to the Rhode Island Hospital Trauma Registry, approximately 500 children per year are admitted to Hasbro Children’s Hospital for trauma injuries. Hundreds more may be treated and released with the same types of injuries. The top causes of all accidental traumatic injuries seen at the hospital include those from: falls, motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents, sports, playground and recreational activities, burns and snow sports such as skiing and sledding.

Since more families are now using portable space heaters to keep warm during the winter months, the first of the coloring books will focus on the dangers of space heaters. If not used properly, space heaters can cause serious injury.

“We typically see one or two children coming in each winter with either burns from space heaters, or toxic injuries from exposure to kerosene or gas heaters without proper ventilation,” said Susan Duffy, M.D., medical director of the Hasbro Children’s Hospital emergency department. “While the numbers are not large, these are injuries that can be very serious. If we can prevent just one fire, or one child coming in with burns or chemical exposure, then this program is a success.”

Duffy offered the following tips to help prevent avoidable injury from space heaters:
Make sure space heaters have plenty of space around them. They should be at least three feet away on all sides from anything that can burn – including furniture, papers, bedding, people, pets and curtains.
There should always be an adult in the room when a space heater is in use. Turn off space heaters before leaving the room, going to sleep or leaving the house.
Never use space heaters to dry clothing or blankets.
Never use a space heater if you suspect it may be damaged. Before use, inspect the heater, cord and plug for damage.
Be sure the space heater plug fits tightly into the wall outlet. If not, do not use the outlet to power the heater.
During use, check frequently to determine if the heater plug or cord, wall outlet or faceplate is hot. If it is, discontinue use immediately and call for service or repair.
Never power space heaters with an extension cord or power strip.
A space heater should always be placed at ground-level on a stable surface and out of the way where it will not be knocked over.
When purchasing a space heater, make sure it has been safety certified, and has a safety certification mark.
Never run a space heater cord under rugs or carpeting. This can damage the cord, causing it and nearby objects to burn. Always unplug cords when not in use.
To prevent electrical shocks and electrocutions, always keep electric heaters away from water, and never touch an electric heater if you are wet.
Only use kerosene or gas-powered space heaters in well-ventilated areas.

Examples of the Seasons of Safety coloring pages can be found at the following link: http://www.safekids.org/educators/coloring-sheets.html

Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital name neuropathologist Douglas C. Anthony, M.D., Ph.D., chief of pathology

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital have appointed Douglas C. Anthony, M.D., Ph.D., as chief of pathology. In this role, which becomes effective Feb. 1, 2012, Anthony will lead the clinical, educational and research pathology programs for Lifespan. Additionally, Anthony will help bridge pathology and the neurosciences through the Norman Prince Neuroscience Institute, and will help to further develop the personalized medicine model.

“Dr. Anthony’s neurology experience is a significant complement to his pathology training, and makes him an invaluable addition to our clinical staff,” said Timothy J. Babineau, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital. “This appointment further demonstrates our commitment to becoming a leader in the neurosciences. I am confident that Dr. Anthony will play a pivotal role on our clinical team, and will further enhance our efforts to improve patient care and the patient experience.”

Anthony comes to Rhode Island and The Miriam hospitals from the University of Missouri, where he served as chair of the department of pathology and anatomical sciences and professor of neurology. At the University of Missouri Health Care he served as chief of pathology and medical director of pathology clinical laboratories. He also served as a pathologist at the Harry S. Truman Veterans Administration Medical Center, Women and Children’s Hospital, and the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, and as a neuropathologist for the Office of the Medical Examiner in Boone, Callaway and Greene counties in Missouri. Previously, he was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and served as a neuropathologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and as a neuropathologist consultant to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Anthony earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.; his doctoral degree in experimental pathology from Duke University; and his medical degree from Duke University. He completed his residency in pathology and a fellowship in neuropathology at Duke University Medical Center.

He is a member of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology; the American Association of Neuropathologists; the College of American Pathologists; the Society for Neuroscience; Society of Toxicology; and the American Society for Neurochemistry, among others. He has served on several editorial boards, including the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology; Advances in Anatomic Pathology; and Pediatric Pathology and Molecular Medicine, and is an author of the neuroscience sections of Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. He has won numerous awards, including the Dr. Edison H. and Sallie Y. Miyawaki Teaching Award in Neurosciences at Harvard Medical School; the Excellence in Education Award in pre-clinical sciences at the University of Missouri; and the Order of Socrates award at the School of Medicine at the University of Missouri.

Anthony’s research interests include the biology of axons and its relevance to diseases of peripheral nerves, and the pathobiology of brain tumors.

Rhode Island Hospital cardiologist James Arrighi, M.D., appointed chair-elect of ACGME Residency Review Committee

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

James A. Arrighi, MD, director of nuclear cardiology at Rhode Island Hospital, has been appointed chair-elect of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committee for internal medicine, effective July 1, 2012. The ACGME is a private, nonprofit council that evaluates and accredits residency programs in the U.S. Arrighi has been a member of the review committee since 2009.

The ACGME has 28 review committees – one for each of the 26 specialties, one for a special one-year transitional-year general clinical program and one for institutional review. Each review committee is made up of six to 15 volunteer physicians. Members of the review committees are appointed by the American Medical Association Council on Medical Education and the appropriate medical specialty boards and organizations.

“The ACGME plays a pivotal role in the training of our future physicians, and this is a wonderful opportunity to help programs throughout the country best educate and prepare future physicians,” Arrighi said. “It is critical for the successful training of our doctors that residency programs be accredited and in accordance with best practices. I am grateful for the opportunity, and excited to lead the team to review internal medicine residency programs.”

The ACGME is responsible for the accreditation of post-M.D. medical training programs within the United States. Accreditation is accomplished through a peer review process and is based on established standards and guidelines. The function of the Residency Review Committee (RRC) in internal medicine is to set accreditation standards for all residency and fellowship training programs in internal medicine and its specialties.

In addition to serving as director of nuclear cardiology at Rhode Island Hospital, Arrighi, of Providence, is an associate professor of medicine and diagnostic imaging at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the program director of Brown’s fellowship program in cardiovascular disease. His clinical research activities relate to the application of nuclear cardiology studies in clinical practice.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is a private, nonprofit council that evaluates and accredits residency programs in the United States. Established in 1981, the ACGME was created in response to the medical community’s need for an independent accrediting organization. The mission of the ACGME is to improve health care by assessing and advancing the quality of resident physicians' education through exemplary accreditation. In academic year 2010-2011, there were 8,887 ACGME-accredited residency programs in 133 specialties and subspecialties, and 113,142 active full-time and part-time residents.

Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital name neuropathologist Douglas C. Anthony, M.D., Ph.D., chief of pathology

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Anthony’s research interests include the biology of axons and its relevance to diseases of peripheral nerves, and the pathobiology of brain tumors.

The Impact Of Deleting Five Personality Disorders In The New DSM-5

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

A newly published paper from Rhode Island Hospital reports on the impact to patients if five personality disorders are removed from the upcoming revision to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition (DSM-5). Based on their study, the researchers believe these changes could result in false-negative diagnoses for patients. The paper is published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and is now available online in advance of print.

The DSM-5 Personality and Personality Disorders work group made several recommendations to change the approach toward diagnosing personality disorders. One of those recommendations is to delete five personality disorders as a way to reduce the level of comorbidity among the disorders. The ones originally slated to be removed include paranoid, schizoid, histrionic, narcissistic and dependent personality disorders. More recently, the Work Group recommended that narcissistic be retained. Lead author Mark Zimmerman, M.D., director of outpatient psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital, points out, however, that no data were cited describing the impact this deletion had, or might have, on the overall prevalence of personality disorders. Likewise, no research was cited for the Work Group’s reversal in deciding to retain narcissistic personality disorder.

“When it comes to revising the official diagnostic classification system, the guiding principle should be that criteria should not be changed in the absence of research demonstrating that the new approach is superior to the old in either validity or clinical utility, preferably both,” Zimmerman states. “Despite assurances that only data-driven modification would be made, with each new edition of the DSM, we have witnessed repeated instances of changes being made in the absence of sufficient data demonstrating the new criteria is superior.”

To evaluate the proposed changes of deleting five personality disorders from the DSM-5, Zimmerman and his colleagues evaluated 2,150 psychiatric outpatients, more than one-quarter of whom were diagnosed with one of the 10 DSM-IV personality disorders. When removing the proposed deleted disorders, 59 patients who were diagnosed with a personality disorder according to the DSM-IV criteria would no longer be so diagnosed. Thus, the findings suggest that patients will have false-negative diagnoses based on the proposed revisions to the DSM-IV.

Zimmerman comments, “The findings of the present study highlight our concerns about adopting changes in the diagnostic manual without adequate empirical evaluation beforehand. To be sure, there are problems with the classification of personality disorders, however, the identification of a problem is only the first step of a process resulting in a change to diagnostic criteria.”

He concludes, “The classification of personality disorders would not be improved if the new criteria or diagnostic material were more clinically useful but less reliable and valid.”

Zimmerman’s principal affiliation is Rhode Island Hospital, a member hospital of the Lifespan health system in Rhode Island. The researcher is also an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Other researchers involved in the study with Zimmerman include Iwona Chelminski, Ph.D.; Diane Young, Ph.D., Kristy Dalrymple, Ph.D., and Jennifer Martinez, B.A., all of Rhode Island Hospital and Alpert Medical School.

Hooray for snow days! Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital urges children to stay safe and avoid the emergency room while enjoying winter fun

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

During the most recent snowstorm, five children were admitted to Hasbro Children’s Hospital with injuries sustained while sledding. The children ranged in age from 5 to 17 years old, and sustained a number of injuries, including spinal fractures, rib fractures, internal organ injury and concussions. According to a study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 20,000 children visit an emergency room each year as a result of a sledding accident. About one third have head injuries and approximately 800 require hospital admission.

The Injury Prevention Center and Hasbro Children’s Hospital have worked together to offer a program again this year that gives a free snow sport helmet to each child who comes in to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital emergency department following a snow sport injury. The helmets are provided through a gift to the Injury Prevention Center from the junior division of the Rhode Island State Grange.

In addition, the Injury Prevention Center offers the following sledding safety tips:

Parents should always inspect the sledding hill carefully. The hill should be smooth and not too steep. It should also be free of obstacles such as trees and rocks. It is very important that the hill have a long, clear run off at the end.
Never sled toward a road or pond.
Sleds that have some type of steering mechanism are safest. Never use a sled substitute, such as a cafeteria tray.
Always slide feet first, one person at a time.
Sledders should walk up the side of the hill and leave the middle open for other sledders.
Children should dress appropriately and always wear a helmet.

Rhode Island National Guard Presented Hasbro Children’s Hospital With $115,000 In Open House Air Show Proceeds

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

On Tuesday, January 17, Hasbro Children’s Hospital welcomed personnel from the Rhode Island National Guard, who presented the hospital with a check for $115,000, which was raised during the 2011 Rhode Island National Guard Open House Air Show.

The Air Show was established in 1991 as a major community event that offers aerial and static displays along with activities for people of all ages. This year’s event will take place on June 16 and 17, 2012, at Quonset Point in North Kingstown, featuring the USAF Thunderbirds.

Volunteers Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, or Anxiety (7-17 years old) Needed for Research

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Bradley Hospital is seeking children (age 7-17 years old) with bipolar disorder, ADHD, or anxiety to participate in a research study.

After interviews, selected subjects will play special computer games and have a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI).

Subjects will be compensated for their time.

This is not a treatment study. You can learn more about us at
http://pedimind.lifespan.org

Interested? Call 401-432-1600 Daniel Dickstein, M.D. Director, Bradley Hospital
Pediatric Mood, Imaging, and NeuroDevelopment Program (PediMIND Program).

Is Your Child A Worrier?

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

We are looking for children 7-17 years old who struggle with worry or anxiety, to participate in a research study at Bradley Hospital.

Common Symptoms of excessive anxiety in children include:

Worry about school or other types of performance
Needing constant reassurance from parents
Continued avoidance of certain situations or things
Physical symptoms—like headaches or stomachaches

Children will receive a free comprehensive assessment and will be compensated for their time (6 hours max).

Selected participants will play computer games and have a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI).

Eligibility

Age 7-17 years
No history of OCD or PTSD
NOT diagnosed with a mood disorder (depression, Bipolar) or ADHD

This is not a treatment study. You can learn more about us at http://pedimind.lifespan.org.

Interested?

Call 401-432-1600 Daniel Dickstein M.D. Director, Bradley Hospital Pediatric Mood, Imaging, & NeuroDevelopment Program (Pedi-MIND Program).

Does Your Child Have Severe Mood Swings?

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

We are looking for 7-17 year olds with severe mood swings or bipolar disorder to be part
of a research study at Bradley Hospital.

Common symptoms of high/elevated mood in children include:

Too happy/silly
Too sad/depressed
Too irritable
Too confident or have special powers
Racing/too many thoughts
Doing risky or dangerous things
Go without sleep & do not feel tired
Talk too fast or too loud

Children will receive a free comprehensive assessment and will be compensated for their time(6 hours max).

Selected participants will play computer games and have a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI).

This is not a treatment study. You can learn more about us at
http://pedimind.lifespan.org

Interested?

Call 401-432-1600 Daniel Dickstein M.D. Director, Bradley Hospital
Pediatric Mood,Imaging, & NeuroDevelopment Program (Pedi-MIND program).