- Pediatrics, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt’s made headlines lately—and grabbed the attention of more than a few understandably anxious parents. A respiratory illness called enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has sickened children around the nation. EV-D68 is one of many enteroviruses, which cause infections every year. But this specific strain hasn’t been linked to outbreaks before now, even though it’s been around since at least 1962. Children are more likely than adults to get sick from EV-D68, simply because they lack natural immunity from previous exposure to any of the enteroviruses. EV-D68 spreads like the flu—through close contact with an infected person or contaminated objects. It often causes only a mild illness, with symptoms similar to a cold or the flu: coughing, sneezing, runny nose, body and muscle aches, and fever. But EV-D68 can also trigger serious breathing problems in some children—especially those with asthma or a history of wheezing. How is it treated? EV-D68 is diagnosed with a lab test. While there’s no specific treatment for the virus, doctors may suggest pain and fever medicines to ease mild symptoms. People with severe respiratory complications may need to be hospitalized. It’s important to remember that not every illness this time of year is caused by EV-D68. But see a doctor right away if your child does get sick and has trouble breathing. You can also take steps to help reduce the risk of your family getting sick from EV-D68: If your child has asthma, be sure that his or her asthma is treated and well-controlled. Have everyone wash their hands often with soap and water. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs. Don’t kiss, hug, or share cups or eating utensils with anyone who is sick. Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention0
- Uncategorized, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAn unexpected tragedy “It was the worst day of my life.” That’s how Greg Meyer remembers Nov. 23, 2012. The night before his wife Leah had her first contraction. She was pregnant with their first child after two years of trying to have a baby. They were one week away from their due date. With a mix of nerves, excitement and disbelief, Greg and Leah arrived at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) to deliver their son, Talon. Their nurse began performing a final ultrasound before moving them to the labor and delivery unit. After looking at the machine for a few moments, she told Greg and Leah she needed to get the doctor. “It was then that something just didn’t feel right,” says Leah. “When the doctor came in, he told us the most gut-wrenching news we had ever heard: ‘Your baby doesn’t have a heartbeat.’” Leah describes the rest of the day as a blur. “From that moment on, we were physically present, but our minds weren’t fully aware of what was happening.” At 3:05pm that day, Leah delivered their stillborn son, Talon. “He was 5 pounds, .05 ounces and 19 inches long. He had a head full of dark hair like me, and long fingers and toes like his dad. We had no idea what we were doing … never in a million years did we think we would have to welcome our son into the world and say goodbye to him on the same day,” says Leah. The nurses encouraged Greg and Leah to take pictures and imprints of Talon’s hands and feet, dress him and cut a lock of his hair to keep in a memory box. After holding him for a few hours, Greg and Leah said a final goodbye to their newborn son. AAMC Labor and Delivery Nurse Tina Raab was one of the nurses who cared for Greg and Leah. “It’s a very humbling experience to be with those patients in the darkest moment in their lives,” says Tina. “Giving them tissues, hugging them, holding the mom’s hand when everyone goes to be with the baby … simple acts like that really go a long way in those situations.” “The little things our nurses did, like giving Leah a hug, meant the most to us,” says Greg. “What was an awful day could have been exponentially worse without their care.” Silence instead of support Greg and Leah aren’t alone. Each year at AAMC, roughly 60 couples experience perinatal loss after their first trimester. Perinatal loss is the non-voluntary loss of a baby from conception to 28 days of life. In the U.S., one in four couples will experience perinatal loss. And each year, 26,000 couples have a stillborn baby, a baby that dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy or later. For these couples, sources of support are difficult to find. “Perinatal loss is not a comfortable conversation that people want to have,” says Ann O’Sullivan, AAMC’s perinatal loss program coordinator. When someone dies, their loved ones remember them by telling stories and sharing memories. But when a baby dies, people tend to avoid the subject altogether, Ann explains. “Any family’s biggest fear is that nobody will remember their baby,” says Ann. “Families find different ways to remember their baby: some have birthday parties, some sponsor remembrance events and some plant gardens.” Greg and Leah went beyond that. While they remember Talon each year by lighting a candle, they have extended their efforts to give back to other people. “They took their grief and turned it completely inside out to help others,” says Tina. Choosing hope Left without their son at the beginning of the holiday season, Greg and Leah returned to AAMC weeks later during the holidays to hand out gifts to patients in the pediatric unit. And, for the past two years, they organized a concert to benefit First Candle, a Baltimore-based charity focusing on perinatal loss research. Greg and other local musicians perform, and local sports teams and businesses donate raffle items. The concert, Still Singing, has raised more than $6,000 to date. “We can choose to be permanently bitter or we can choose to try, in some weird way, to create positive change from this and make Talon’s life meaningful,” says Greg. For Greg, that choice inspired a career change. Moved by the compassion and care he and his wife received from their nurses, Greg enrolled in nursing school months after he lost his son. He now works in the heart and kidney unit at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. “Our stories aren’t the same, but I can make a deeper connection to what [my patients] might be going through, and what their families might need, after losing my son,” says Greg. “It does get easier” Nearly three years after losing Talon, Greg and Leah returned to AAMC’s labor and delivery unit. On Oct. 30, 2015, their son Emory was born. “Having Emory in our arms seemed like the fulfillment of a dream many years in the making,” says Greg. “Having a healthy baby is an amazing miracle.” Marcus Penn, MD, OB-GYN at AAMC, delivered Emory and cared for the Meyers throughout their pregnancy. “Dr. Penn is one of the most compassionate, caring and dedicated doctors I have ever met,” says Leah. “Before we had Emory, he was there for us during two miscarriages and encouraged us not to give up hope.” In order to be part of Emory’s delivery, both Tina and Dr. Penn stayed at AAMC well after their shifts had ended. “It meant so much to have them there,” says Greg. “It was kind of like a moment of bringing our miracle full circle.” Tina Raab, RN, (center) receives a DAISY Award for excellence in nursing. Leah and Greg Meyer and their son Emory attend the ceremony. Since Leah’s pregnancy with Emory was considered high-risk, the Meyers also visited a specialist at the Center for Maternal and Fetal Medicine. “Couples who have experienced a loss are often extremely nervous in subsequent pregnancies,” says William Sweeney, MD, director of maternal-fetal medicine at AAMC. “To provide peace of mind and ensure normal fetal health, we schedule frequent visits and fetal tests. We try to respond quickly to any parental concerns to ensure couples are at ease throughout their entire pregnancy.” While Greg and Leah celebrate their healthy pregnancy and newborn son, they will always remember Talon and continue to bring meaning to his life. “He’s our guardian angel now,” says Greg. “We won’t ever forget, but it does get easier.” “There is hope for families that are out there grieving,” says Ann. “We do offer perinatal loss support, and it’s important for people to be aware of that. No one has to go through this alone.” For more information about AAMC’s perinatal loss support services, contact Ann O’Sullivan, perinatal loss program coordinator at 410-570-2164. Visit www.aahs.org/birth for more information about AAMC’s birth and baby services. Read about our perinatal loss program in The Wall Street Journal. Contributors Marcus Penn, MD, is an OB-GYN at AAMC and can be reached at 410-571-9700. William Sweeney, MD, is the director of maternal-fetal medicine at AAMC and can be reached at 410-224-4442.0
- Orthopedics, Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogI was concerned about going to a doctor since I’m in a high-risk group for COVID-19, but the pain in my shoulder was intense, movement was limited and my symptoms kept getting worse. In 2016, I had surgery on my left hand to repair an artery. After the surgery, my activities were restricted for several months to allow complete healing of the artery. It was during this time that some of my muscles atrophied and my left shoulder froze. However, after several months of rehabilitation, I was able to return to the gym and exercise. Once gyms closed because of COVID-19, I really lost the ability to continue exercising and started to experience problems with my left shoulder again. I contacted my physician at AAMG Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Specialists. My physician explained the safety protocols they had put in place to keep patients safe and I made an appointment. Once I got to the office, I called the receptionist to let her know that I had arrived. She told me to wait in the lobby where I could safely distance while keeping comfortable. When the doctor was ready for me, the receptionist called and instructed me to go directly to the appropriate waiting area without needing to otherwise sign in. Next, a nurse took my temperature. No one else was in the waiting room. A staff member directed me to an exam room where I met the doctor. The whole experience was professional, efficient and safe. I’m so happy that I did not postpone my visit. My shoulder would have continued to deteriorate and the pain would have gotten worse. Now I am improving my flexibility. The pain in my shoulder is subsiding. I will no longer hesitate to return for follow-up appointments knowing that AAMC has established protocols to keep patients safe. Author Tony R. is a resident of Millersville, Maryland.0
- Lung CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIn the fall and winter, staying vigilant about our health becomes paramount during the peak of respiratory illness season. During this period, the convergence of various respiratory infections, such as the flu, COVID-19 and RSV, underscores the importance of knowing how to prevent the spread of germs and maintaining robust health practices. Through vaccination and rigorous hygiene measures, we can strengthen our defenses against these illnesses. Who’s at Risk Flu, RSV, and SARs CoV2 which causes COVID-19 disease are all viruses. High risk groups for all three viruses include, but aren’t limited to, adults over 65, very young children and those with chronic conditions such as asthma, heart disease, neurologic issues, weakened immune systems and obesity. Women who are pregnant may also be at risk. About Vaccination Flu vaccines are available, so get yours, sooner rather than later. It takes two weeks for antibodies to be effective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone six months and older receive a flu vaccine each year, with rare exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important during pregnancy and for those at higher risk of serious complications such as pneumonia and even death. Flu can also cause problems that may result in inflammation of the heart, brain, muscle tissues, and multi-organ failure. The CDC recommends that everyone five years and older receive one dose of the updated COVID-19 omicron-specific booster, even if you had the original series. RSV vaccines are recommended for adults 60 years and older and pregnant women. There is also an RSV antibody shot that is recommended for babies at birth to 8 months old, but has been difficult for many health care providers to get adequate supply this season. RSV can inflame the small airways of the lungs or cause pneumonia—which is a lung infection—in children younger than one year. What You Can Do You’ve heard this before, but truthfully, these are the best ways to protect yourself from serious respiratory illness: Wash your hands often. Keep your hands off your face. Avoid close contact with sick people. Cover your coughs and sneezes. Clean and disinfect surfaces. Stay home when you are sick. In addition, experts agree that vaccination will keep you from being hospitalized for severe illness and keep you home with family this holiday season. Author Jean Murray is the system director of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology at Luminis Health. She has over 26 years of experience in infection control, outbreak surveillance and epidemiology.0
- Women's Health, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogYears ago, doctors recommended rest and limited activity to expecting moms as they progressed through each stage of pregnancy. While you should always check with your health care provider on what would be best for you and your baby, staying active during your pregnancy has shown to ease back pain, improve your mood, and prevent the risk of gestational diabetes and pregnancy-induced high blood pressure. Exercise will also help you maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy and may reduce your risk for a Cesarean section. Physical activity will not increase your risk of miscarriage, low birth weight or early delivery. But there are some safety tips you should keep in mind: If you’re new to exercise, your heart rate should stay below 150 bpm. Stay well hydrated before, during and after exercise. Eat a snack or drink juice 15-30 minutes before you exercise. Stop if you become dizzy, short of breath or experience any bleeding. Do not exercise outside when it is very hot or humid. As your body makes room for your growing baby, you may wonder which exercises are safe during each trimester. Learn your risk for heart disease with our free online heart health profiler and take the first step toward having a healthy heart for life. First Trimester I wouldn’t start training for a marathon just yet, but if you are able to work through the first-trimester morning sickness and fatigue, going for a brisk walk is a great exercise during this stage. But if you’re just getting started, walk 10-15 minutes a day and gradually increase to a 30-minute walk 3-5 times a week. For women without pre-existing health conditions, moderate activity does not have heart rate limitations. This is especially true for women who were exercising prior to pregnancy. If you were highly active before getting pregnant and remain healthy, you can continue. Second Trimester Has your morning sickness and fatigue decreased? You may find you have more energy in your second trimester. However, as your joints begin to loosen, you are at a greater risk for injury (like sprains and strains). At 14 weeks, we recommend avoiding activities like skiing, contact sports, karate and other activities that increase your risk of falling. You may continue with walking, swimming and pre-pregnancy exercise as long as it isn’t high-impact or lifting weight over 25 pounds. Prenatal yoga and stretching can also be very beneficial and help increase your strength and flexibility as you prepare for childbirth. Third Trimester The best workouts for your third trimester are swimming, walking and biking in a reclined exercise bike. Prenatal yoga is still a good option for this stage as you get ready to deliver your baby. If you’re continuing with weight resistance exercises, it’s okay to lighten the load. Modifying bicep curls to about 3-5 pounds will still help keep your arms toned. Some women work out through the end of their pregnancy, but some may stop. Either way, it’s important to listen to your body and talk with your doctor. Patients with the following conditions should especially ask their provider before starting exercise: heart and lung conditions, cervical problems, low-lying placenta, high blood pressure later in pregnancy, and vaginal bleeding and cramping. As always, it is best to discuss any questions or concerns with your obstetric provider. Need a reminder? Download your Safe Exercise During Pregnancy infographic now. Author Frederick Guckes, MD, is an OB-GYN at Luminis Health Ob-Gyn Annapolis. You can schedule an appointment with him by calling 410-573-9530. Originally published Jan. 28, 2019. Last updated Oct 21, 2024.0
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