For example, batteries in common items like remote controls, calculators, watches, car key fobs, flameless tea lights and bathroom scales often have powerful batteries inside, which look like a coin.

These batteries are extremely dangerous if swallowed. Many of the any devices that use coin lithium batteries have easy-to-open battery compartments, and these gadgets are often left within the reach of children. They may even be favorite play-things or used to entertain kids.
Additionally, the batteries are often “invisible” to consumers because they come already inserted in devices.

If a coin-sized button battery gets stuck in a child’s throat, the saliva triggers an electrical current. This causes a chemical reaction that can severely burn the esophagus in as little as two hours. It is important to know that
• Damage can continue even AFTER the battery is removed.
• Repairing the damage is painful and can require feeding tubes, breathing tubes and multiple surgeries.
• In some cases, children have died.
• Spotting the problem is difficult. Children can usually breathe with the battery in their throat.

What You Can Do
• Look in your home for any item that may contain coin-sized button batteries.
• Place devices out of sight and out of reach of small children.
• Keep loose or spare batteries locked away.
• Share this life-saving information with caregivers, friends, family members and sitters.

If parents or caregivers suspect that a child has swallowed a coin-sized button battery, they should get help fast:
• Go to the emergency room immediately. Tell doctors and nurses that it might be a battery.
• If possible, provide the identification number found on the battery’s package.
• Do not let the child eat or drink until a chest x-ray can determine if a battery is present.
• Do not induce vomiting.

Information compiled by Safe Kids Wake County.  WakeMed is the sponsor organization for Safe Kids Wake County.  WakeMed is also home to the Triangle’s only dedicated Children’s Emergency Department and Children’s Hospital.

Data provided by Dr. Toby Litovitz and the National Capital Poison Center based on incidents reported to U.S. poison control centers. Dr. Litovitz, M.D., is executive and medical director of the National Capital Poison Center and a key advisor to this effort.

ENERGIZE!

ENERGIZE! Is a community based healthy lifestyle program for children and adolescents.  ENERGIZE! participants are referred to the program by their physician if they have four of five risk factors for developing pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes.  And, the program, which has helped almost 600 children, adolescents, and their families achieve and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle in our community is free for participants.  Want to learn more about ENERGIZE! or think your child might be a good candidate for the program? Please click here to learn more.  And, don’t forget to vote for ENERGIZE! to win national recognition.

With comfortable couches, a microwave, a washer/dryer, a TV and computers, the Ronald McDonald room is a private, relaxing space for family members as they endure a stressful life experience. The room with all of its amenities and volunteer staff became a reality due to the efforts of the WakeMed Foundation and contributions of $70,000 from The Volunteers at WakeMed Raleigh Campus and The Volunteers at WakeMed Cary Hospital. Significant funding for operations has also been provided by the Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina.

The Family Room will be dedicated during WakeMed Foundation’s annual Love Light Tree lighting ceremony tomorrow Thursday, December 9 at 6:45 pm. Following the tree lighting, attendees will join Twinkle, WakeMed Children’s mascot, for ornament-making, holiday goodies and pictures with Santa. Plus, attendees will decorate a tree for the Children’s Hospital.

In North Carolina, there are only a limited number of neonatal intensive care nursery beds. Our pediatric transport team is frequently called up on to transfer preemies and other critically ill neonates from hospitals around our region and as far away as Asheville to WakeMed’s Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery (NICU).

Our caregivers are also often called to rural hospitals that do not have the equipment or expertise to care for sick newborns or pediatric patients.  The WakeMed Critical Care team often spends hours on the scene in the hospital working to stabilize the patient before transport, working with the referring and accepting physicians.

We continue to advance and improve our pediatric mobile critical care team.  Just recently, we have integrated respiratory therapists onto our team, because especially in our neonate patients, airway management is their number one issue.  And when our truck is not on the road, you can find the Mobile Critical Care team working on the hospital’s pediatric floors and NICU caring for patients and working closely with physicians, physician extenders and nurses. 

Sean Gibson is a a manager of quality assurance with WakeMed Mobile Critical Care Services.

Ron and Jeanette’s contributions to WakeMed over the years cannot be understated. In particular, Ron’s leadership has contributed to the Foundation raising millions of dollars for WakeMed initiatives and programs, and he has lent his expertise on countless WakeMed boards and committees.  He also has been personally responsible for bringing many other influential community members to the table to support and raise money for WakeMed. Through their involvement and tireless devotion to WakeMed’s mission, the Doggett’s have been instrumental in shaping the future of health care in our community. 

Ron is probably best known for his life-long love of the product his company GoodMark Foods Inc. produced:  the Slim Jim and it’s become his trademark to carry an ample supply to share with those he meets. 

At WakeMed, we know him as a very active member of the WakeMed Board of Directors and as part of the WakeMed Foundation family – so active that it’s not uncommon for staff and committee members to receive calls from Ron by 7:00 a.m. to discuss the WakeMed Children’s Hospital capital campaign, which he leads.

Spend 5 minutes with Ron and you can’t help but become inspired by his energy and passion for making our community a better place to live.  And Ron shares a life lesson with us all.  That is, it’s not so much about you reaching the top in business – it’s what you do with the success once you get there.  For Ron, the top was just the beginning… the beginning of a legacy of sharing, building and shaping a community.  A legacy of giving back that he has passed on to his children and grandchildren.

All of us at WakeMed are indeed fortunate to have him and his wife as part of our family.

Jack Radford is the executive director of the WakeMed Foundation.

Pediatric staff members are busy today moving patients into the new WakeMed Children’s Hospital.

After years of anticipation, the halls of the new WakeMed Children’s Hospital are full of excitement today as we officially open the doors to the kids and families of our community. We are so proud to be home to Wake County’s first and only dedicated Children’s Hospital.

The new, 34,000 square foot Children’s Hospital is the first project in WakeMed’s history which is funded entirely through community support. On behalf of the WakeMed Foundation, I want to thank everyone who has helped us reach this important milestone.

The Children’s Hospital opening is the final floor to open in the new Patient Tower.  During the past month, we have also opened a new cardiac ICU, new cardiovascular care floor and a new main lobby. 

Jack Radford is the executive director of the WakeMed Foundation.

To learn more, please see stories about the new patient tower on WRAL-TV, News 14 and in the News & Observer.

Heating up the runway with the models will be some of the area’s leading pediatric specialists, including:

• Tara Bastek, MD, neonatologist
• Jerry Bernstein, MD, pediatrician from Raleigh Pediatric Associates
• Jamila Fletcher, MD, pediatrician with Raleigh Children and Adolescent Medicine
• Travis Honeycutt, MD, WakeMed Pediatric Intensivist
• Duncan Phillips, MD, Pediatric Surgeon
• Ed Piqueras, MD, Wake Emergency Physicians.

Attendees of the fashion show will also enjoy 15 percent off any purchases that night, with 5 percent of all sales during the evening benefiting WakeMed Children’s Hospital.

Thursday, April 15 in the evening from 6 to 8 pm at Saks in the Triangle Town Center

Tickets to the Spring 2010 Fashion Show are $45 each. To purchase tickets in advance, or for more information, visit Models for Charity or call (919) 834-6199.

Dr. Jerry Bernstein

Today, the WakeMed Foundation announced a $1 million gift from Wes and Janet Chesson given in honor of Dr. Jerry Bernstein, founder of Raleigh Pediatric Associates and long-time provider of  care to children in our community. 

WakeMed Children's Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit under construction.

The gift will support the new WakeMed Children’s Hospital and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, which will be named for Dr. Bernstein.  Learn more by reading the press release.

Jack Radford, executive director of the WakeMed Foundation, shared some of his thoughts about Dr. Bernstein and the Chesson’s generosity on the ChildrenCan’tWait.org blog.