Symptom Management
Patti's Place: Vital Pediatrics for Complex Kids, LLC, provides information and support to relieve suffering and stress from physical symptoms. Dr. Patti will also address emotional, psychological, and spiritual distress that accompanies serious illness.
Conditions including:
- pain
- nausea
- vomiting
- constipation
- trouble sleeping
- drooling
- seizures
- irritability
- itching
Coordination of Care
Dr. Patti will work with your child's pediatrician and other specialists. Reports from each visit can be forwarded upon your request.
Advance Care Planning
We discuss matters that are important to your child and family, including end of life arrangements if and when these become a concern.
How Does Having a Premature Baby Impact a Family?
Source: Hearts Connected, LLC
Navigating the NICU can be an intense and overwhelming experience for parents. During this time, parents may experience intense emotional distress and it is important to have as much support and guidance as possible surrounding them.
One specific area many parents feel stressed and anxious about, is how to develop a strong parent-child attachment when their premature baby endures a lengthy admission in the NICU. Fostering a secure attachment is vital to infant development and there are many ways to support a healthy attachment while a baby is in the NICU. We have listed many ways to foster and maintain connection with a NICU baby here.
The parent-child attachment can be impacted during a lengthy NICU admission. Here are some ways to support attachment with your baby.
- Kangaroo care (skin-to-skin) when possible
- Sleep with comfort items (bear or blanket) and then leave near baby so they can always smell you. Ask nurse where items can be safely placed near baby.
- Talk and sing to the baby.
- Make a recording of you talking or singing that the nurse can play for the baby when you are not there.
- Participate in feeding whenever possible.
- Meet with Certified Child Life Specialists to explore more bonding activities.
Parents with babies in the NICU can experience:
- Emotional distress
- Attachment insecurity
- Uncertainty of future
- Medical anxiety
- PTSD
- Isolation from family/friends
Parents of a premature baby benefit from family and friends that offer support through specific tasks they do not have time for such as walking the dog, taking other children to and from somewhere, making a home cooked meal, or doing laundry.
Psychosocial Well-Being of Siblings of Pediatric Patients in Palliative Home Care
Source: American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
In this prospective, cross sectional study in German siblings of children receiving home palliative care had greater impairment in physical and psychological well-being and self esteem than healthy children. They also demonstrated higher rates of pro social behavior. Interventions to improve health-related quality of life in siblings are recommended.