First-Aid care package
Not only is it difficult for many parents to say goodbye to their college-bound children, it can be stressful to be so far away in times of sickness or injury.
Dr. Hubert Go, a pediatrician with Texas Children's Pediatric Associates, suggests compiling a first-aid kit for minor illnesses and emergencies.
"Stock a plastic container with bandages, gauze, adhesive tape, antibiotic ointment, an ice pack or chemical cold pack for sprains and a thermometer," Ho said. "You'll also want to include medicines for diarrhea, upset stomach, headache, cold or flu, allergies, general aches and pains and sore throat lozenges or spray. If your child is on prescription medication, make sure he or she locates a nearby pharmacy for prescription refills."
Ho advises parents to make sure college students receive the meningococcal vaccine since they can be extremely susceptible to this type of meningitis.
Texas Children's Hospital gene therapy
Researchers at M.D. Anderson have found a new form of gene therapy - combined with a standard regimen of chemotherapy - is effective in treating patients with recurrent head and neck cancers. In the phase II study, researchers showed that a combination of chemotherapy and ONYX-015 (an adenovirus that takes advantage of a targeted gene rather than replacing one) reduced tumors in 25 of 30 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Scientists on the study point out that the combination of ONYX-015 with chemotherapy is the first proof of principle of the viral approach plus chemotherapy. The next step in the clinical studies will involve a phase III clinical trial with several hundred patients.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center child safety seats
Children who have outgrown their car safety seats pose special safety concerns when riding in vehicles.
"Children who weigh between 35 and 80 pounds - generally 4- to 8-year-olds - need to use booster seats for maximum safety," said Dr. Jerald Zarin, medical director of Texas Children's Health Plan at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.
A booster seat raises the child so the vehicle lap and shoulder belts fit well. Children who are not in booster seats tend to put the shoulder strap behind them, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Be sure to select the appropriate booster for your vehicle's back seat and read all instructions before installing.
Visit Texas Children's Web site at www.texaschildrenshospital.org for more details.
Texas Children's Hospital
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