Illinois county health departments receive equipment to screen infants and young children for hearing loss.

A total of 16 county health departments and the Southern Seven Health Department, which serves 7 counties in Southern Illinois, will receive special hearing screening equipment from Specialized Care for Children. These screenings are the first step in testing a child’s hearing.

Yesterday, staff from the first six of those county health departments learned how to use the otoacoustic emissions (OAE) screeners. The device sends sound into the ear and measures “echoes” that come back out into the ear canal. Based on the screening results, children may be referred for further testing.

The screeners are portable, so health departments will be able to use them at various clinic locations and even on home visits.

Counties receiving the OAE screeners include Adams, Bond, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Fayette, Jackson, Logan, Madison, Marion, Rock Island, Schuyler, Shelby, Tazewell, Warren and Whiteside. The Southern Seven Health Department that serves Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski and Union will also receive the equipment.

Pictured above: Specialized Care for Children Director, Thomas Jerkovitz (standing), welcomes staff from the county health departments.

After a care coordinator spoke to a family support group, a reporter picked-up the story.

Our care coordinators do outreach activities throughout Illinois communities. We call it outreach, but it’s really any activity that builds a relationship with people in the community.

These relationships ensure that people in schools, medical offices, programs, agencies, and groups are aware of Specialized Care for Children’s services. These places often come in contact with families that could benefit from our help. If you know of a place we can connect with, please contact us!

When a care coordinator from our Champaign office spoke at a family support group held in a Decatur church, a reporter caught the story. The reporter spoke with the care coordinator to find out more about us and even called our Director for a phone interview. Read the full article at Herald-Review.com.

Completing applications for various programs and translation are just a few services available through our care coordination.

Last week Soe Gamero and Susan Slocum met with a family at the Healthcare and Family Services administrative office in Elgin. Team SS (we love that our staff created a team name) helped the family complete an application and get a Link card. During this visit, Team SS met the office manager and case worker. They created contacts in case the family needs future assistance.  After making sure all documentation was in place, Soe and Susan drove to the Social Security Administration in Woodstock and met with the family again. Working with the Social Security representative,  they made sure that all paperwork was accurate so the family could begin receiving their son’s SSI payments. Applications can be complex, but we’re here to help.

Throughout the meetings, Soe translated for the Spanish-speaking family and Susan talked with staff members to explain how Specialized Care for Children can be a partner to help them work with families.

The family said our care coordination helped them understand the process better and they were thrilled with the outcome. This family and Team SS have built a relationship that allows for communication and ongoing assistance.

A young adult faced loss of services, but the care coordination team helped her continue coverage.

Insurance coverage was automatically terminated on her 19th birthday. Her parents worried they wouldn’t be able to get critical medications or medical equipment their daughter needs.

Specialized Care for Children staff began making phone calls to the local Department of Human Services office, and to the family’s nursing agency and hospital. This team included Benefits Management & Research Specialist, Susan Fritcher, the family’s Regional Office Manager, Lisa Washington, and the Supervisor of our Home Care Compliance & Audit unit, Vickie Lund.

The group effort also included the family’s care coordination team, Maribel Cano and Amber DiGuiseppi. They drove to the local Department of Human Services office to meet face-to-face with staff and the family to discuss options. From there, they drove to the family’s home to help them complete an online Medicaid application.

While the application was pending, Maribel worked with the hospital to have the critical medications shipped to the family’s home.  Maribel and Amber also worked closely with the medical equipment vendor, nursing agency, and pharmacy to ensure there was no disruption in services.

After a week of extensive care coordination, the team happily reports that eligibility was re-established with no break in coverage!

Insurance ended when a parent lost his job, but his child needed medication for a severe cardiac condition.

When a parent lost his job, his insurance ended and he wasn’t sure how he would be able to get the medication his child needed. His child has a severe cardiac condition. Without the medication, the child would need to be admitted to the hospital for medical management.

The family also had Medicaid (public) insurance for the child, but since their private insurance had been covering the medication, they were not sure how to get it. They were unfamiliar with Medicaid requirements for medication approvals in general, or the specific requirements for this particular medication.

The family’s Care Coordinator worked with the child’s physician  and nurse practitioner to get letters of medical necessity. Our Benefits Management and Research staff then worked with the prior approval unit at Healthcare and Family Services to make sure the medication would be covered when the family went to the pharmacy.

The prior approval was successful and the family got the medication their child needed to prevent hospitalization.

Unable to pay her portion of her child’s medical bills, this parent turned to care coordination.

With the birth of her child this past October, a single mother went deep into debt with her portion of her child’s medical bills. She had insurance, but still needed to pay the uncovered amount. After many applications for charity assistance, this mother was left with a balance that she knew she would not be able to pay.

The family’s Program Coordinator Assistant, Karla, helped this mom complete an application for a grant through Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.  The family just received happy news that they have been approved for the full amount to cover the medical bills.

Chicago area staff visited one of the oldest and largest craniofacial facilities in the world.

Our staff helps many children who were referred to us from the UIC Craniofacial Center. We toured the Center to see firsthand how their team approach helps children with craniofacial conditions.

When we arrived at the Center, staff heard presentations from Dr. Mimis Cohen, Dr. Pravin Patel, and Dr. David Reisburg. The doctors explained the multidisciplinary approach their team takes to treating patients. Many of these conditions require expertise from several specialists. The Center makes it easier by bringing everything together in place. Patients have access to services such as craniofacial surgery, prosthetics, orthodontics, neurosurgery, ophthalmologoy, speech pathology, psychology, and more.

Dr. Cohen hosted staff on a tour around the facility to see some of the Center’s experts in action. Team members explained what they do and how their work contributes to a better patient experience. We even learned about the 3D camera that’s used to create prostheses and adapt them to the child’s face. This innovative technology also reduces the amount of time the family has to spend at the clinic.

It was great for staff to meet and talk with some of the experts helping the children and families we both serve.

Pictured above is Robert Brown, Board Certified Occularist, and Kylie Bergam explaining what they do in the eye prosthetic lab.

Vote our website as 2014’s Best School, Department, or Faculty Site.

With the help of a PIXO web development team, we redesigned our website with families in mind. In January 2014, we proudly launched a lean and intuitive site that tells the story of what we do.

We’ve been nominated for the eduStyle Awards. These nominations celebrate the best and most innovative work in college and university website development. As part of the University of Illinois at Chicago, our site has been nominated and is a now a finalist for Best School, Department, or Faculty Site for 2014.

Each category has a People’s Choice and Judged Award. If you’d like to support Specialized Care for Children by voting for us in the People’s Choice Award, you can register and then vote.

Learn how to stay healthy this cold and flu (and RSV and EV) season.

General precautions

Respiratory illnesses are usually passed on when someone inhales droplets of saliva from a sick person sneezing, coughing or talking.  They can also be transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids on surfaces. To protect yourself:

• avoid close contact with those who are sick (kissing, hugging, sharing utensils, cups, etc.)
• wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water (at least 20 seconds) or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• keep healthy habits for diet, exercise, and sleep, and drink plenty of water
• keep up-to-date on vaccinations, such an influenza and pneumonia

If your child has a ventilator and/or tracheostomy

• wash your hands prior to trach care or handling the ventilator circuit
• practice proper clean suctioning techniques
  • use gloves
  • try to avoid touching other surfaces, then touching catheter
  • saline lavage only when necessary
  • cover suction catheter with original packaging when not in use
  • change out suction catheters according to manufacturer recommendations
• ensure adequate humidity in ventilator circuit and follow DME protocol for cleaning and changing humidifier components
• keep up-to-date on age-appropriate, seasonal flu and pneumonia vaccinations
• consult with your child’s doctor to see if they are a candidate for the RSV vaccine, Synagis

Types of respiratory illness

Common Cold/Rhinovirus

Signs and symptoms: sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, coughing, watery eyes, mild headache, and/or mild body aches.

Over 200 viruses can cause cold symptoms, but the most common is rhinovirus. Symptoms are typically mild and can be managed with over-the-counter medications under the guidance of your child’s doctor. Since a cold is caused by a virus, it should not be treated with antibiotics. Symptoms usually last between 7-10 days, and patients are most contagious within the first 2-3 days of feeling sick.

Influenza (Flu)

Signs and symptoms: fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness), vomiting, and/or diarrhea (more common in children).

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Flu should be taken very seriously as it can be fatal if not managed carefully. Flu season can begin as early as October, usually peaks in January, and carries through to early spring. Since the flu is a viral infection, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. Symptoms can last between a few days to a few weeks, and patients are most contagious 1 day before and up to 5-7 days after feeling sick. The best protection from the flu is yearly vaccination. Talk to your child’s doctor about what vaccine is right for him or her.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Signs and symptoms: runny nose, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and /or wheezing.

RSV is a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages. Although usually mild, RSV can be serious and even fatal in premature infants and children with breathing problems.  Symptoms last for around several days and up to four weeks.  Patients are most contagious 3-8 weeks after feeling sick.  RSV cannot be treated with antibiotics.  Ask your child’s doctor about Synagis, a vaccine for high-risk children which protects against RSV.

Enterovirus (EV-D68)

Signs and symptoms: fever, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, muscle or body aches, shortness of breath (severe cases), and/or wheezing (severe cases).

EV-D68 is a virus that recently received increased media attention due to clusters of outbreaks across several Midwestern states, including Illinois. It is important to note that the EV-D68 strain is not known to cause heart and neurological problems. Most cases are mild, but some cases can be severe and require hospitalization. Young children and teenagers are most at risk for EV-D68 infection. EV-D68 cannot be treated with antibiotics. Cases are typically seen throughout summer and fall seasons. Patients can be contagious for up to 1-3 weeks, even without symptoms. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are NOT effective in preventing the spread of EV-D68.

Emergency Situations

Parents with high-risk children should notify the doctor if there is a change is their usual condition. Contact the doctor in the following situations:

• increased oxygen requirement, or if oxygen saturation is decreased from the normal levels
• fever above 100.4°F that does not respond to over-the-counter treatment
• wheezing
• increased respiratory rate
• increased heart rate
• increased frequency and/or need for suctioning
• retractions: skin tugging or pulling in during inspiration at the neck, above and below the rib cage, and between the ribs
• nasal flaring: nostrils spreading open while breathing
• accessory muscle use: muscles of the neck appear to be moving when your child breathes in
• changes in alertness

Certain symptoms require prompt medical attention.  Contact a medical professional and go the emergency room in the following situations:

• oxygen saturation does not improve with increased oxygen delivery
• wheezing does not improve with the administration of bronchodilator treatments (Albuterol, Xopenex, puffers, etc).
• bluish, pale, or grey color is seen around the mouth, the inside of the lips, or on fingernail beds
• grunting when exhaling

This guide was prepared by our Respiratory Therapists and information available at www.cdc.gov.

For a printer-friendly version, please open the Staying Healthy During Respiratory Illness Season [PDF].

Students and physicians learned about the Home Care Program.

Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine  invited UIC Specialized Care for Children’s Director, Thomas Jerkovitz, to share the vision for the Home Care Program during Grand Rounds on September 5th, 2014. Grand Rounds is a lecture series for faculty, residents, and fellows.

About 100 medical professionals listened as Director Jerkovitz talked about the history of the Home Care Program and how it has changed. His goal was for students and physicians to understand the role of Specialized Care for Children. He also talked about the benefits of Specialized Care for Children, physicians, hospitals, and other providers working together.

Dr. Leah Harris said, “The role the Division of Specialized Care for Children has in helping to take care of these children is paramount…”

Pictured above (from left to right): Dr. Denise Goodman; Cynthia Booth, APN; Thomas Jerkovitz, Director of Specialized Care for Children; Dr. Zehava Noah;  Patrick Magoon, President & CEO of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital; Cindy Budek, RN; Susan Navarro, RN; and Dr. Barbara Bayldon.

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• The condition in this story is covered by Specialized Care for Children