Harbor-UCLA Pediatrics

On May 9, faculty member Carol Berkowitz, M.D. was a guest on AAP's "Healthy Children... The Talk Show for Parents." The internet radio show focuses on children's health issues and features top pediatricians and medical experts from around the world.

Dr. Berkowitz was a guest on two shows:
Coping With Perinatal and Postpartum Depression
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day

On April 20, Harbor-UCLA Pediatrics faculty member Charles S. Grob, M.D., was featured in a five page New York Times Magazine story about the therapeutic use of psilocybin ("Magic Mushrooms") and other hallucinogens to treat various conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, chronic pain, depression and terminal illness.

The article explains how Dr. Grob conducted his research and takes an in-depth look at the one of his patient's experience using psilocybin to help alleviate her symptoms of anxiety and depression as a result of end-stage cancer.

Harbor-UCLA Pediatrics faculty member Ruey-Kang R. Chang, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Division Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, has developed a new and improved pulse oximeter to help detect congenital heart disease in newborns. A pulse oximeter is a probe that is attached to the finger or the foot and measures oxygen in the blood. Low oxygen levels indicate the need for further testing to investigate possible heart-related problems.

The challenge with pulse oximeters currently in use lies in getting an infant to sit still long enough to properly attach the probe. Dr. Chang addressed this problem by designing a boot that can easily be slipped on. He says “Properly attaching the probe to an infant’s hand or foot takes a lot of time, and a lot of training. The pulse oximeter in the form of a boot can be easily attached over a baby’s foot – it’s trouble-free, and it saves time and money.”

Don't miss the Pediatrics Grand Rounds Conference tomorrow, Thursday, 4/5/12 at 8:30 a.m. in the Parlow Library. Gina Jansheski, M.D., will be speaking on "The Painted Turtle: An Experience with Healing Potential."

Dr. Jansheski is the Medical Director of The Painted Turtle, one of Paul Newman’s family of Hole in the Wall Camps for seriously ill children. Located in the town of Lake Hughes, in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest, it is the only multi-disease camp and family care center of its kind on the West Coast. Through educational, therapeutic, safe, and fun summer camp and year-round programs, The Painted Turtle provides a life-changing experience to children whose daily struggles often diminish both their desire to be well and their ability to lead rich, productive lives.