New Guidelines to Help Treat Strokes in Children

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Paediatric neurologists from the John Hunter Children's Hospital have played a big part in putting together Australia's first ever clinical guidelines for children who suffer a stroke.

The guidelines aim to improve the diagnosis and acute management of children and babies who suffer a stroke - around 300 are diagnosed across Australia each year.

One of the paediatric neurologists taking part is Dr Christina Miteff who believes the guidelines will improve the overall treatment and importantly the recognition of strokes in children.

"Stroke affects up to eight per 100,000 children each year, which is a higher incidence for example than childhood brain tumours," said Dr Miteff.

The massive difference between when an adult has a stroke to when a child has a stroke has increased the need for the children/baby specific guidelines. In addition, more than 50 per cent of the young children who do suffer a stroke are healthy at the time.

Image hmri.org.au

"It's certainly true that children do not have the common risk factors that adults have, so in adults, there's often high blood pressure or smoking, lifestyle, things like that which contribute to risk for stroke, in children though these aren't true," said Dr Miteff.

"Some recommendations firstly in terms of when to think of a stroke and what investigations should occur and these investigations should occur very quickly because timely recognition is very important particularly now that potential treatments are available early on."

Recognition can mean the difference between life and death, with many children often not knowing until the day after that they have suffered a stroke. As a consequence of just a days delay in treatment, the window for life-changing interventions may be missed and an intervention minimises brain injury and improves patient recovery.

"It's a document that any emergency department or paediatrician, and also in smaller centres can access and it gives a very clear idea on what to do and hopefully we can collect data accurately because we now recognise strokes more consistently which will also allow for further research in that area in the future," said Dr Miteff.

Webcam program connects Hunter parents to their sick children

BY BROOKE HEINZ

A new initiative at the John Hunter Children's Hospital allows parents to check on their babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at any time.

The NICView trial program sees a webcam connected to every crib in the NICU, with parents able to watch a live feed of their child online with an access code.

"The idea is that when parent's leave the environment at the end of the day or they have to go back to their hometowns...they have 24 hour access to their baby and if they are concerned they just dial up on a secure website and view their individual baby and make sure they are comfortable and safe," Dr Paul Craven, director of newborn services at John Hunter Children's Hospital said.

NICView is funded by a $186,000 grant from the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation -- one of the biggest donations ever made by the foundation.

Image source: National Blood Authority

The program is expected to officially roll-out in the coming months.

Swift thief steals charity tin

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police are looking for a thief who calming and quickly stole a charity tin from a Hamilton newsagent over the weekend.

The man calmly entered the newsagent on Saturday morning and CCTV footage shows him walk over to the unattended counter and swiftly put a charity tin in his bag and leave just as calmly as he entered.

The daylight robbery is being described as a very low act with the charity tin having collected around $240 for the John Hunter Children's Hospital.

Police are looking to speak with the man pictured in the CCTV footage - he was wearing a green jumper and has a large build.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Paediatric Intensive Care Unit Opens At The John Hunter Children's Hospital

BY IAN CROUCH

A new state of the art Paediatric Intensive Care unit has been officially opened this morning at the John Hunter Children's Hospital.

The $14-million unit features 8 dedicated beds to provide intensive care treatment to around 350 seriously ill babies from the Hunter to the Queensland border each year.

Each room also has space for parents to stay overnight with their sick children and there's also a separate family/parent room for quiet time.


The new facility means seriously ill babies no longer have to be transported to Sydney for ICU treatment.

The Hospital's Acting Director of Intensive Care, Dr Jorge Brieva says it means young children won't have to share I.C.U facilities with adults which can make the experience more traumatic for them.

"..and that created some stressful and intense situations for families - very difficult at the time when the kids are sick to have to deal with a unit that also looks after more than 1700 patients in the area. So, now we have a dedicated physical space which is more intimate and more private for them," he said.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Dr Jorge Brieva

Front Desk Reception At The New Paediatric ICU

John Hunter Hospital car parking fees to be slashed

BY JARROD MELMETH

A landmark decision by the NSW State Government will see a reduction in car parking fees for regular patients and carers at NSW hospitals including the John Hunter Hospital.

Currently, patients and carers at the John Hunter Hospital face fees of up to $3640 annually under the parking fee structure.

The announcement from the State Government was prompted by a petition of over 70,000 signatures and means car parking concessions will become available to more patients and carers, and those who must regularly visit the hospital will now only pay up to $1102.40 per year.

Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said while this is a great win for the community, she would prefer all assets of public health be run by public health.

"This is what happens when you outsource provisions, the outsource group are there to make a profit, and they certainly do make a profit at the John Hunter Hospital.

“This announcement by the Government will mean a huge saving for some people who have really struggled to pay the excessive fees the John Hunter were charging," Ms Hornery said.

Ms Hornery also alluded to the removal of the free park and ride bus service from former Hunter Stadium to John Hunter Hospital in response to easing car parking woes.

"People had no choice but to pay for parking at the campus and, in some cases, were forced to walk fairly significant distances in order to get to the hospital itself when they couldn't afford to pay the fees.

"It was well used, it was popular, it was safe, it meant people did not have to walk long distances just to get a car park. I would love to see that service reintroduced," Ms Hornery said.

The changes to car parking fees will come into effect as of July 1.

Image source: ABC news.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit At John Hunter Children's Hospital Officially Opened

BY IAN CROUCH

 Health Minister, Jillian Skinner today officially opened the upgraded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the John Hunter Children's Hospital.

Work on the $7 million Stage 1 project began in May last year and now provides 32 special care spaces, a palliative care room, showering facilities, a breast feeding and expressing room, new waiting area, three counselling rooms and a family room with overnight accommodation.

The unit is now double its previous size and can cater for 1100 newborns each year in state-of-the-art facilities.

"When I first visited the old Neonatal Unit Intensive Care Unit I was shocked at how cramped it was...the space for one baby was the space for four," Mrs Skinner said.

Stages 2 and 3 of the project will include a redeveloped intensive care unit, isolation rooms, a procedure room, staff training areas and office spaces at a cost of $18 million.

Work on Stage 2 began last month.

Mrs Skinner also visited Tomaree Hospital today to inspect the soon-to-be-completed upgrade to the emergency department which was funded through a bequest from local couple, Tom and Rose Pearce and a contribution from Hunter New England Health.

Health  Minster Jillian Skinner At Today's Official Opening