February 2024 Pediatric Pulse
Cliff Notes: From the Chair
Dear Yale Pediatrics Family,
We have another exciting edition of the Pediatric Pulse for you this month. I'm thrilled to show you what we've all been up to, from community advocacy and local media to research on dyslexia, diabetes, and epilepsy, there is so much to be proud of.
A reminder to faculty: the Department of Pediatrics Strategic Planning Faculty Retreat is coming up on Thursday, February 29 at West Campus and I hope to see you there!
Warmly,
Cliff
Pulse Spotlight
This year, Psychiatry, and the Child Study Center teamed up for this year's Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) Run for Refugees 5k! Together they raised $1,155, racing in New Haven or at home for the virtual run. Thanks to all who participated and supported the team and IRIS!
The Yale Pediatric Diversity Council is hosting a book drive throughout Black History Month. Check out how to donate to the drive through Possible Futures bookstore here.
Top Stories
Video game created in Connecticut to combat teen vaping
Yale researchers are testing an anti-vaping game in some middle schools in our state this spring, as school officials deal with increase in vaping students.
Source: Fox 618 Feb 2024Study Following Students with Dyslexia Examines Reading Development from Childhood to Adulthood
A first of its kind study following children with dyslexia from ages 5 to 42 shows that early reading in first grade predicts adult reading, especially reading development from 1st-5th grade.
5 Feb 2024Healthy Activities Save Kids’ Lives. Why Are They So Hard to Find?
The latest guidelines for the treatment of obesity from the American Academy of Pediatrics made a splash in the press because they discussed treatment options that included medications and surgery. But key elements of these guidelines that didn’t make as many headlines were lifestyle interventions, where families learn about and participate in nutritional food preparation, exercise, sleep hygiene, and healthy habits together over multiple sessions. Mindy’s mom was interested in this type of intervention, but could she access the one that we found that was a 30-minute drive away and often overlapped with her work schedule?
Source: TIME2 Feb 2024
Grants and Awards
- Julie Gaither, a gift from the Dressler Foundation in the amount of $29,000 for Julie’s project, MOMs & KIDOs Initiative
- Nicola Santoro – NIMHD R01, Pathophysiologic mechanisms leading to intrahepatic fat accumulation in obese youth
- Project period: 2/1/24-1/31/26
- Total awarded to Yale $1,211,415
- Marc Auerbach, NHLBI R03, Subaward with Boston Medical Center, Developing an assessment toolkit and training for teleconsultation as an intervention to improve prehospital patient safety in children
- Project period: 1/22/24-12/31/25
- Total awarded to Yale $23,146
- Nicola Santoro – NIDDK R01, Mechanisms of obesity and its metabolic complications in youth
- Project period: 1/1/24-6/30/24
- Total awarded to Yale $195,000
- Nitya Bakshi, NHLBI R03, High-impact chronic pain in sickle cell disease
- Project period: 12/15/23-2/28/24
- Total awarded to Yale $126,564
- Nitya Bakshi, NHLBI K23, Studying intra-individual pain variability in sickle cell disease and resolution of pain after hematopoietic cell transplant: a novel model system to elucidate mechanisms of transition to chronic pain
- Project period: 8/15/18-2/28/24
- Total awarded to Yale $72,268
- Rozalyn Rodwin – Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Survivorship Nurse Integrator, Coordinator, and Educator (Su-NICE)
- Project period: 1/1/24-12/31/24
- Total awarded to Yale $100,000
Kudos & Congrats!
- Paul Aronson and Gunjan Tiyyagura will serve as the new Co-Directors of Research for the section of Ped. Emergency Medicine
- Dr. Isabel Gross was elected as a Fellow to the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy in January
- Molly Markowitz joined CT Voices for Children at the 23rd annual Tax & Budget Forum, to provide analysis of (our state’s first-in-the-nation) CT Baby Bonds policy and the need for a state-level Child Tax Credit to offset the high and growing cost of raising children in Connecticut, as well as how to fund a Child Tax Credit and other policies that support family economic security through tax reform
- Stephanie Samuels, MD, recently gave Pediatric Grand Rounds at Indiana University as part of a Doris Duke virtual visiting professorship. Her lecture topic was, "Intensive Lifestyle Interventions for Childhood Obesity: Lessons from the Yale Bright Bodies Program"
- Oluwabunmi (Bunmi) Olaloye, MD, FAAP, Assistant Professor in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, received a K08 Award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a five-year career development award, for studying immune dysregulation in spontaneous intestinal perforation
- Emily Powers, MD, MHS is now the Director of Medical Informatics for the Department of Pediatrics. Her role entails leading a team of informatics specialists to both improve pediatric population healthcare and positively impact the financial landscape of the Department of Pediatrics through the creation of Epic-based, data-driven, tools
- Arik Alper, MD has been named interim Chair of Pediatrics at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital
- Meredithe McNamara presented on Disinformation in Gender Informed Care CT-AAP annual meeting this month.
- Two medical students also presented their work at the Student Poster Presentation: Kelly Peterec (who is mentored by Dr. Marie Egan) and Sashwat Kala
- Kelly won first prize for her poster! Click here to see it.
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital has earned the designation of "Center of Excellence in Pediatric Sedation" from the Society for Pediatric Sedation. Sarah Kandil, MD, spent so much time working on the application, collecting data and leading behind-the-scenes quality improvement projects that led to this recognition and we thank her!
- The Office of Health Equity Research (OHER) at Yale School of Medicine, selected "A quality improvement approach to integrating social determinants of health objectives into pediatric simulation" as a finalist for the 3rd annual OHER Award for Yale Research Excellence in 2023. This paper was one of 19 finalists and 6 awardees selected by a review committee of Yale investigators and New Haven community leaders. Megan Feick, MD was a pediatric resident and all the co-authors are from Yale Pediatrics
Strategic Planning
Organization Only
Write for Paw Prints Blog
Paw Prints works to connect with and strengthen our community through the power of storytelling. The blog hopes to highlight blog posts from a diverse array of people, perspectives, and experiences with a focus on social justice and advocacy topics. Long or short form writing, drawings, poems, photos, and different media are welcome. To submit, please email molly.markowitz@yale.edu. Read the latest submissions here.
School Based Health Center Awareness Month
February is SBHC (School Based Health Center) Awareness Month! Our own Dr. Ada Fenick is the director of the YNHCH SBHCs.
A school-based health center (SBHC) provides medical, dental, and mental health services in school or on school grounds. SBHCs serve students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade regardless of income or insurance status.
Please click here to download the SBHC flyer.
Yale Pediatrics in the News
Yale Internal Medicine Residency Writers’ Workshop Celebrates 20th Year with Annual Reading Event
Last week, the Yale medical community gathered to hear the reading of ten Yale residents’ written works. The reading event celebrated the 20th anniversary of Yale’s Internal Medicine Residency Writers’ Workshop, which began in 2003. As in past years, residents who partook in this year’s reading spent two days this fall working closely with workshop leaders Anna Reisman, MD; Lisa Sanders, MD; and Sharon Ostfeld-Johns, MD; to revise their pieces. The authors continue to work on their stories through the fall with ongoing mentorship from workshop leaders. Last Thursday, February 1, they read their final works aloud to Yale faculty, staff, and students.
12 Feb 2024New Study Highlights Potential Missed Diagnoses of Dyslexia in African American Students
Results from a new study suggest that large numbers of African American students with dyslexia may be overlooked in schools.
8 Feb 2024Arik Alper, MD Named Interim Chair of Pediatrics at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital
Arik Alper, MD, has been named interim Chair of Pediatrics and Regional Site Director at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (LMH), effective February 12, 2024. Dr. Alper is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology) whose clinical, research, and educational activities focus primarily on children with aerodigestive disorders.
6 Feb 2024Obesity Is Not a Choice: A Q&A With Ania Jastreboff
In a Q&A, Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD, discusses the barriers to treating obesity, benefits of clinical trials, and the new era of obesity medicine.
5 Feb 2024Surgical Education Solutions: Grant Recipients Announced
The Department of Surgery has awarded five faculty-resident teams with seed funding to address challenges in education
5 Feb 2024Orthopaedic Surgeons Discuss the Pros and Cons of Cosmetic Limb Lengthening
The topic of cosmetic limb-lengthening surgery has garnered public interest in recent years, with coverage in BuzzFeed News and GQ. The role of cosmetic surgery has traditionally been relegated to the plastic surgeon. However, this new technology brings about new issues to be considered for cosmetic limb lengthening and the role of orthopaedic surgeons in performing this procedure.
Source: AAOS Now1 Feb 2024Taking a 'holistic approach' to treating congenital heart disease
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for decades, putting much of the focus squarely and rightly on cardiovascular disease. But what about congenital heart conditions, something affecting your heart since birth?
Source: CT Public1 Feb 2024What Kills Us in Connecticut
Dr. Kirsten Bechtel, a pediatrician at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, said the number of deaths caused by suffocation is a stubborn problem.
Source: Hartford Courant1 Feb 20242023 OHER Awards for Yale Research Excellence
The Office of Health Equity Research (OHER) is pleased to announce the 2023 OHER Awards for Yale Research Excellence recipients and finalists.
31 Jan 2024RSV Can Trigger Inflammation and Nerve Damage
Richard A. Martinello, MD, professor of medicine (infectious diseases), sheds light on how respiratory viruses can affect the nervous system.
Source: Healthline30 Jan 2024Toyota’s Way Forward Fund Announces Grants to Advance Pediatric Research, Care
Grants support Traumatic Brain Injury care community, address gaps.
Source: Toyota30 Jan 2024Why are measles cases popping up across the United States? Here’s what to know about the highly contagious virus
Nearly a dozen cases of measles have been reported in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Georgia in recent weeks, according to local health departments. International travel, coupled with declining global vaccination rates, is probably behind this spate of cases, experts say.
Source: CNN23 Jan 2024How Do Antibiotics *Really* Impact Your Immune System?
Without antibiotics, getting an infection would generally be a much scarier threat. But there is such a thing as taking too many. We asked Arik Alper, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Yale Medicine, if antibiotics weaken your immune system — and how to make sure your body doesn’t become resistant to certain bacteria.
Source: The Skimm23 Jan 2024Foods To Avoid if You Are Taking Ozempic or Wegovy for Weight Loss
Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine (endocrinology), talks about the decreased hunger patients may experience when taking Ozempic or Wegovy.
Source: Today19 Jan 2024
Publications
- New guidelines aim to elevate comprehensive care for people with severe epilepsy|Neurology| Susan T. Arnold, MD, et al.
- Early Experiences With Nirsevimab: Perspectives From Newborn Hospitalists |Hospital Pediatrics| Elena Aragona, MD, MS, et al.
- Identifying Gender and Racial Bias in Pediatric Fellowship Letters of Recommendation: Do Word Choices Influence Interview Decisions? |Science Direct|Henna Boolchandani MD, Laura Chen MD, Robert Elder MD, Rachel Osborn MD, Uma P. Phatak MD, MHS, Vidya Puthenpura MD, MHS, Beverley Sheares MD, MS, Gunjan Tiyyagura MD, MHS, Melissa Langhan MD, MHS
- Real-world use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in youth with type 2 diabetes is associated with short-term improvements in HbA1c |Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism|Stephanie Samuels, MD, Pamela Hu, MD, Michelle Van Name, MD
Updates & Reminders
Consolidation of Travel Booking Services
Beginning May 1, 2024, the University is consolidating its travel booking service providers. World Travel will replace Egencia for all Yale business travel booking needs. Note that World Travel is already available for travel booking now. Please contact the Yale Travel Management team (travel@yale.edu) with questions.
Please refer to this email from Suzanne Monk for more details.
Yale Campus Health: Respiratory Viruses & Masking Updates
- Due to an increase in respiratory virus illness, there is a need to implement a higher tier of mask use in alignment with CDC core infection prevention and control practices. Across the enterprise, we have been in Code Yellow, which indicates that masking is recommended. Beginning Wednesday, December 20, we moved to the initial tier of Code Red, which requires all physicians and employees to mask for patient interactions. For additional information, please read the attached update.
- It is NOT too late to benefit from a flu or COVID vaccine. View the latest Yale Campus Health communication and respiratory virus update from 11/14/23
- Flu Shot Requirement & Other Recommended Vaccines
- View the Yale COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
- View University Mask Requirements and Guidance
- View Yale COVID-19 Testing & Close Contact Guidance
- Learn What to Do if You Become Ill
- Faculty, staff, and students with a valid Yale ID can pick up a maximum of two free rapid antigen test kits at a time at these locations on campus during business hours.
- Free via USPS: Beginning 11/20/23, you will be able to place another order of 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. If you did not place an order between 9/25/23 and 11/19/23, you will be able to place two separate orders of 4 free at-home tests. Click here to order.
Strategic Planning
The Department has embarked on a strategic planning phase that will help create a clear, creative, and concrete strategic plan that will guide Yale Pediatrics’ next five years.
A good strategic plan will:
- Help Yale Pediatrics to continue to manifest its mission
- Attract resources and energy, including faculty, residents, students, and staff
- Support a positive work culture
- Foster agreed upon organizational values
You can keep up with updates and event information, like the Strategic Planning Faculty Retreat in February 2024, on the Pediatrics intranet, here.
Do You Need Help?
Print or save this flyer if you need assistance on campus during an emergency, to get support or make a report about misconduct, reach mental health counseling, or report other concerns.
Need a New Head Shot?
Need a new head shot for your YSM profile? Click here to book an appointment for a photo session with the YSM Communications office.
Pediatric Medical Education Research Collaborative (P-MERC)
The Pediatric Medical Education Research Collaborative (P-MERC) can be found here. P-MERC provides resources and support to members of the Department of Pediatrics who are interested in engaging in educational research and scholars. If you have suggestions for the site, please reach out to Melissa Langhan, MD, MHS at Melissa.Langhan@yale.edu.
Pediatric Community Education Series
This series is held every Thursday at either 7 a.m., noon, or 6 p.m. on a rotating schedule. If you'd like to fill a slot, please email Dr. Greg Germain. These sessions are held on Zoom and qualify for CME.
Zoom Rooms
Reminder: The Trask (LMP 3108) and LLCI 400 conference rooms have been upgraded to Zoom Rooms! This was done to standardize rooms across the University, improve functionality, enable room monitoring by IT, and allow for easy upgrades to the infrastructure in the future. Please note, ALL speakers will need to bring a laptop with them to the Zoom Rooms to be able to present. Save a copy of the instructions for these rooms here.
Let's Get Social!
HYLITEs in Pediatrics
Scan the QR code on any of the posted signs around the Department or text “Peds1” to (831) 222-2333 to send a Hylite. You can also send a Hylite HERE anytime from a web browser. Happy Hyliting!