Memorial Weekend is the unofficial beginning of the summer season. Many people enjoy gathering with family and friends for a barbeque and many of us begin to enjoy some fun outside activities. It is also a time when our children are counting down the school days until summer vacation.  Many children will participate in summer camp, spend time at a lake or beach, or simply just have fun outside with friends in the neighborhood. With this in mind, we decided to focus this month’s e-newsletter on the health and safety of our children.

The advent of CT scanners brought diagnostics to a whole new level of care, providing extremely detailed information about bones, soft tissue and blood vessels. It has become a critical diagnostic tool in many areas including the detection and monitoring of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and neurological cases, to name a few.

The benefits of CT scans are many; however, recent studies suggest a slight increase in cancer risk even at low levels of radiation exposure. This risk appears greatest in children. Though there is no conclusive evidence that radiation from diagnostic X-rays cause cancer, Milford Regional believes it is best to proceed under the premise that low doses of radiation may cause harm.

Though the risk of developing cancer related to a single CT scan is very small, there is still some risk; and the risk increases as the number of scans increase. Once again, the risk may be greater for children than adults. Read more.

Kids love to make their own cool summer snacks! Healthy snacks give a child extra calories and nutrients between meals that they often need.  Snacks can be a great way to have some fun with your child!

When trying to decide whether a snack is healthy, try to aim for these guidelines:

• Choose foods low in added sugar
  (don’t forget: “corn syrup” in the ingredients = sugar!)
• Choose foods low in fat
• Aim for more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Aim for eating according to the Food Guide Pyramid

For some great web sites to check out and snack suggestions read more.

Submitted by Denise Clougherty, RD, LDN, CNSD, clinical nutrition manager and Julie Barto, MS, RD, LDN, outpatient dietitian.

Q & A

Q: We know that there is a vaccine for girls to protect them from getting HPV (human papillomavirus) that causes cervical cancer and genital warts. Is there anything available to prevent genital warts for boys?

Gardasil, the vaccine that protects girls and women from genital warts and cervical cancer has been approved for boys and men. The FDA has now approved the HPV vaccine for use in boys between the ages of nine and 26 years. Certain types of HPV cause genital warts, cervical cancer and some cancers of the penis, scrotum, anus and throat. The HPV vaccine may not protect boys and men against all HPV types that can cause these cancers, but it does protect them against the two HPV types that cause 90 percent of genital warts in the U.S. Similar to girls, the vaccine works best when given to boys before they become sexually active.

Submitted by Wendy Collins, MD, Community Pediatrics of Medway.

KidCare PM Provides After-Hours Care for Children

KidCare PM is a hospital-based pediatric clinic providing acute care after your physician’s office closes at the end of the day and on weekends. If your child’s primary care physician is affiliated with Milford Regional Medical Center, you can access care at our clinic. Call your pediatrician first, and if it is decided your child needs to be seen, your pediatrician will call KidCare with a referral.

KidCare PM is staffed by board-certified pediatricians as part of Milford Regional’s PediTeam; located on the third floor of the Medical Center. The clinic is open between 4:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. during the week, and between 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the weekends. So, the next time you see your pediatrician, ask about KidCare PM.

Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine – Whitinsville Expansion Completed!

Our Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine facility in Whitinsville has recently undergone a major expansion almost tripling their space from 2,200 to 5,500 square feet. We now have a much larger gym with state-of-the-art exercise and rehabilitation equipment and several additional treatment rooms. The amount of room devoted to occupational therapy has doubled and we now offer speech therapy at this location.

This facility is located on the second floor of Milford Regional's Whitinsville campus at 18 Granite Street, off Church Street. For physical therapy and sports medicine, occupational therapy and speech therapy, call 508-234-8792.

The Breast Center at Milford Regional Receives National Accreditation

The Breast Center at Milford Regional Medical Center has recently received a full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Our Breast Center is one of only three Breast Centers in Massachusetts to receive national accreditation! Read more.

VNA Recognized for Patient Satisfaction

The VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford, a department of Milford Regional Medical Center, was recently presented a Best Practice Achievement Award of Distinction for Patient Satisfaction in 2009. The VNA received this recognition through a nationwide research study conducted by Fazzi Associates, a home care consulting firm. The award recognizes home care organizations that have demonstrated superior performance in patient satisfaction.

Based on a comparative analysis of 350 agencies in Fazzi’s National Patient Satisfaction database, the VNA rated in the top 25%. According to Gina Mazza, RN, BSN, total performance director at Fazzi, agencies named as national best practice agencies are proven leaders and have excelled in one of the most important measures of an agency’s quality program — patient satisfaction.

Milford Regional’s active medical staff, consisting of over 200 doctors, is highly qualified to treat you and your family through life’s ups and downs. Whether you need a primary care physician or a specialist, you can be assured of the best possible care.

If you need a primary care physician, please call our Physician Referral Line at 1-888-DRS-HERE (1-888-377-4373). Our Referral Line, a free service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has access to physicians who are accepting new patients. You may also call our Referral Line to find a specialist.

See our list of Primary Care Physicians who are accepting new patients. It is important to note that not all physicians accept all insurances. Please call the physician’s office directly to find out if they accept your insurance plan.

Pediatricians

Pediatricians are physicians who have chosen to specialize in the care of children from birth to the age of 18. They monitor children’s growth and development, perform well-child check-ups at regular intervals and treat children when they are sick. To learn more about each of the pediatricians on our active medical staff, click here.