News and Events Postings

August 13, 2008

Chapter News

• SAVE THE DATE! 2008 Fall Conference
  The 2008 Fall Conference is just around the corner. Don't miss out on this opportunity to join your colleagues for "Cutting Edge Pediatrics: Practical Hard Core Medicince for the Maine Pediatrician" on November 15 at EMMC. Click here to download the Save the Date!
  
  
• 5-2-1-0 Clinical Decision Support Charts for Sale: The Chapter has a limited supply of flipcharts that are now being sold Nationally by the AAP but came from the Maine Youth Overweight Collaborative. If you are interested in purchasing a flip chart for $35 plus $5 shipping (a rate discounted from what National is selling them), please contact Aubrie at agridleyentwood@aap.net.
  
  
• Welcome to New Board Member, Steve Feder DO, and Hearty Thanks to Board Members continuing to Serve : Steve Feder DO has joined the Chapter's Board of Directors. Welcome, Steve! The Chapter would like to thank all Board Members for their continued service and dedication to the children of Maine and their pediatricians!
  
  Jonathan Fanburg MD MPH FAAP, President
  Christopher Stenberg MBChB FAAP, Vice-President
  Dan Hale MD FAAP, Secretary-Treasurer
  Donald Burgess MD FAAP, Immediate Past President
  Greg Connolly MD, Resident Section Co-Chair
  Tom Miller MD, Resident Section Co-Chair
  Stephen Meister MD FAAP, Access to Health Committee Chair
  Lisa Ryan DO FAAP, Legislative Committee Chair
  Richard Aronson MD FAAP, Public Health Committee Chair
  Sydney Sewall MD MPH FAAP
  Robert Holmberg MD MPH FAAP
  H. Burtt Richardson MD FAAP
  Patricia Nobel MD FAAP
  Andrew Russ MD FAAP
  Larry Losey MD FAAP
  Steve Feder DO
  
  
• Chapter Member Press
  Donald Burgess MD FAAP was quoted in an article in the Gray-New Gloucester Independent about a Gray doctor who claims he can " cure or severely reduce the effects of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Lou Gehrig’s disease and autism" through chelation therapy. Click here to read the article.
  

July 2008 Immunization Update from Larry Losey MD FAAP [more]

The Maudsley Method Eating Disorders Training: September 23 & 24 [more]

Early Oral Health Care Projects in Maine

There are several oral health projects focusing on 0-5 age children happening in Maine. The Chapter is running one of them on oral health risk assessment. Please click here to read more about what is going on and how you can participate!

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Therapy Group Forming for Socially Anxious Teens (Ages 13 to 17)

Co-therapists: Gordon Street, PhD, and Lee Fitzgibbons, PhD

We’re seeking referrals of socially anxious teens for a therapy group we plan to start in early July. It’s a CBT group that provides social skills training, cognitive restructuring, and exposures (both in-session role plays and between-session in-vivo trials). The therapy group will meet once a week for 1.5 hours here at our offices (Anxiety Solutions) in Raymond, Maine. Our program is adapted in part from Biedel & Turner’s Social Effectiveness Therapy for Children and Adolescents (SET-C), so it is not a “pure” group therapy but also includes some individual sessions (at least once every other week) as well as a group activity once a week outside the offices (to be chaperoned by parent volunteers).

Our target start date is early July, so we need parents to contact us soon so we can determine what day and time would work best for as many members as possible. We will also need to schedule an intake assessment and (if needed) a few individual therapy sessions to prepare members for beginning the group.

Members already identified range in severity from moderate social phobia (generalized subtype) to severe with co-morbid selective mutism, and we expect most members to have at least some co-morbidity. It will be a closed group with an initial 6 week commitment. After that, we will open the group to a few new members and seek an additional 6- to 8-week commitment from group members. That way, members will continue in therapy and continue having support into the beginning of the next school year.

Our standard rate for 1.5 hour group sessions is $60, but we do offer discounts on a sliding scale for payment at time of service as well as a 10% discount for prepayment (so we don’t have to collect payments at the beginning of each session). We are also now on the Anthem BC/BS provider panel, and we also accept TriCare, MedNet, and Behavioral Health Care Program (BHCP).

If you or a parent has any questions (or suggestions), please feel free to contact us at 655-2737 or gpstreet@anxietysolutions.net.

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Update from Humane Worlds for Child and Youth Health (Richard Aronson MD MPH FAAP)

Humane Worlds for Child Health is the new Global Center of Future Search Network (FSN) that focuses on reducing and ultimately ending health disparities and inequities in a wide range of public health issues that affect the health and well being of women, children, and families .

The Center offers 1) Service through the involvement of FSN members in facilitation and consultation to communities anywhere in the world, in partnership with public health experts. 2) Learning, teaching and mentoring through experiential education of
young people in the application of FS methods and principles to global public health issues. 3) Research and evaluation to determine the extent to which this work is making an impact on health outcomes, and learning from such studies.

The learning, teaching component has started this summer with the involvement of two Amherst College students as summer interns with Dick, through a partnership with Amherst’s Center for Community Engagement: Chenlan Bao and Jodie Simms just started and will continue through mid-August 2008.

Best,
Dick

Richard Allan Aronson, MD, MPH
Director, Humane Worlds for Child and Youth Health
A New Global Center of the Future Search Network
(www.futuresearch.net)

And Physician Consultant in Public Health
E-Mail raronson@verizon.net
Phone 207 622 8822 (Office) or 207 215 7317 (Cell)
Address 19 Maple Street Hallowell, ME 04347

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Service Tapestry: Finding Services for Children and Youth with Special Health Needs

Finding services and supports for youth in transition with special health care needs or disabilities can be difficult and frustrating. The Maine Bureau of Health, CSHN Program and the Maine Support Network are pleased to offer free access to The Service Tapestry which offers Maine families, youth, educators and service providers a user-friendly, searchable, online database of resources to assist them in locating regional transition supports and services. The searchable categories on the database include: Advocacy, Assistive Technology, Counseling, Crisis Intervention, Education/Non-employment Training, Employment, Family Support, Housing, Legal Services, Health Services, Postsecondary Education, Recreation/Leisure, and other (e.g., insurance, funding sources, transition planning, and benefits counseling).  

To further assist in personalizing and narrowing the search to help users identify local transition resources, The Service Tapestry adopted the six regions the Committee on Transition identified as service regions.  

Engaging in a search is as easy as the push of a button.  Users begin their search by clicking on the word “Search” on The Service Tapestry homepage, they are then, using two dropdown menus, asked to select the service they are searching for and to identify their preferred region.  The site then produces a list of resources.  Along with the name of the agency, is the city in which it is located, a description of the services offered, and the region(s) served by the agency.   

For more information please visit our website at http://www.servicesforme.org/services_tapestry.html

or contact the Maine Support Network office@mainesupportnetwork.org

The Service Tapestry was designed to address Maternal and Child Health Bureau National Performance Measure #06: “The percentage of youth with special health care needs who received the services necessary to make transitions to all aspects of adult life, including adult health care, work, and independence.”  The Service Tapestry is currently funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Project #D70MC06895) and the Maine Support Network

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State Health Plan Brochure Now Available!

Click here to download the brochure on Maine's State Health Plan. Or visit www.maine.gov/gohpf to read the full state health plan.

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New Issue of the Asthma Quality Network Newsletter

The Summer issue of the Asthma Quality Network newsletter is now available on the MaineHealth website at: www.mainehealth.org/mh_body.cfm?id=4978.

In this issue, you will find:
An introduction to MaineHealth's new Chief Medical Officer
The June issue of the AH! Asthma Annals
An article regarding eliminating CFC- Albuterol
Information about 2 upcoming conferences

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 AAP Medicaid and SCHIP Monitor

Click here for the entire monitor.

In this issue:
AAP Medicaid Reimbursement Survey Reports
CMS Letter on August 17 Directive Creates New Questions
Reports Study Premiums and Renewal Policy Effect on SCHIP Enrollment
Report Examines State Medicaid Flexibility

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  July 2008 Immunization Update from Larry Losey MD FAAP

Not much good news is on the screen re: immunizations in Maine. You received a note that the state's Immunization Program will no longer be providing TdaP and 2nd dose varicella for non-VFC eligible children. Next month the CDC will announce what the level of funding will be for next year, and there is a high likelihood that further cuts will be needed then.

We are hoping to meet with the large, self-funded employers later this month to find out how we can get them to add their "contribution" to the Immunization Program like the insured accounts are doing. This would help ameliorate the effects of the cuts. We're also hoping to introduce legislation into the next legislative session to provide state funding to make us universal again. We're optimistic because of the support we received this spring, but logic doesn't always enter into legislative decisions.

There are two combination vaccines approved two weeks ago--Pentacel is DTaP/IPV/HIB and KinRix (not sure of spelling) is DTaP/IPV for the five year booster. You'll be hearing more about these later. Not sure if/when they will be available from MIP.

I had the opportunity to review HEDIS data from CIGNA that showed a distress decline in immunization rates of 2-6% for all except Prevnar. This was distinctly worse than all of the other states along the eastern seaboard. This will necessitate more review to see if this problem shows up in other data, analysis of root cause(s) for this worsening decline in immunizations, and development of plans to reach providers and the public to return our rates to a top-level.

Lawrence J. Losey, MD, FAAP
Pediatrics at Parkview
329 Maine Street
Brunswick, ME 04011

(207) 729-9983
Fax (207) 725-7097

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Managing Gardasil Bad Press

From:

Paul J Lee, MD
Winthrop-University Hospital
Pediatric Infectious Diseases and International Adoption Program
120 Mineola Blvd, Suite 210
Mineola, NY 11501
Office: (516) 663-9414
Fax: (516) 663-3793

http://www.winthrop.org/departments/specialtycenters/international-adoption-program/

On CNN I saw a report from yesterday about two girls who are suing Merck for "making them sick." According to her lawsuit, Jesalee Parsons, now 15, has been ill and in and out of the hospital since she received Gardasil on February 27, 2007 when she was 13. She developed fever, pain in her chest and abdomen and spent weeks in the hospital and underwent two surgeries after developing pancreatitis. Her lower arms and legs were paralyzed as a result, but she is now learning to walk again (although CNN did not report this paralysis.) Another teen, 13 yo Jenny Tetlock, who received the vaccine subsequently developed a degenerative muscle disease one month later. According to a published report, within 15 months, Jenny was almost completely paralyzed. Jenny's father, Phillip Tetlock, a psychology professor at UC-Berkley, has suggested that his daughter may have genes that predispose her to adverse effects from Gardasil. At age 10, Jenny developed a rare skin disease called pityriasis lichenoides that's thought to be triggered by an overactive immune
system, and her grandmother died of a nervous system disease. Finally, Brittany LeClaire, 13, alleges that she suffered paralysis as well within days of receiving her last dose of Gardasil. She began having severe headaches and lethargy immediately after the injections, and then developed paralysis in her left leg. Following weeks of
having to use a walker, Brittany still walks with a limp.

So, it sounds like this is the anti-vaccine press stirring things up again. (And interesting that all of these girls were 13.) If you have patients with concerns, I think these are the main speaking points:

Guillain Barré is an autoimmune disorder causing paralysis, which can be triggered by viral infections and occurs at a rate of about one in 100,000 people, he explained. Most people afflicted with paralysis as a result of Guillain Barré recover within a year, and for about 30% of those afflicted, weakness may persist for up to three years. In very rare cases, death or permanent paralysis occurs.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, more than 13 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed in the U.S. since 2006. In 2006, a total of 2,151,000 doses were distributed and in 2007, another 11,317,902. Merck reports 26 million doses have been distributed worldwide, with 16 million in the US, and an estimate of 8
million girls and women who have received Gardasil since 2006. (At this time, the U.S. does not have a national registry for immunization and vaccination and therefore cannot accurately report the total number of people who have received Gardasil.)

The CDC's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) had received 7,802 reports of adverse events associated with the vaccine from June 8, 2006 (the day Gardasil was licensed), to April 30, 2008 and 31 reports of Guillain Barré Syndrome after Gardasil vaccination during this period. The incidence of adverse events is 0.06%, and for Guillain Barré: 0.0002%. The Guillain Barré attack rate associated with Gardasil is 0.23 per 100,000, less than ¼ of the baseline rate in the population.

Ten of the 31 reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) after Gardasil vaccination in the U.S. have been confirmed. Of the 10 confirmed GBS cases, 5 reported vaccination with Menactra and Gardasil at the same time. Of the remaining 21 reports, 7 did not meet the case definition for GBS (when evaluated by the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) group), 1 had symptoms of GBS prior to vaccination, 4 are
unconfirmed reports, and 9 are pending additional follow-up. (GBS cases take longer to verify because each case must be confirmed manually by CISA staff after reviewing the patient's medical record.) Because GBS occurs at a rate of 1 to 2 per 100,000 person-years during the second decade of life, it is likely that some cases occur after
vaccination by chance alone and are not caused by vaccination. Among 9 to 26 year-olds, the number of reports of GBS received by VAERS are within the range that could be expected to occur by chance alone after a vaccination. Studies are underway to evaluate the risk of GBS that may be associated with receipt of Menactra vaccine.

The CDC has received reports of 15 deaths following Gardasil vaccination; 10 of the reports contained enough information required for further investigation, and the VAERS determined that it could not establish a causal link between vaccination and death. For the remaining 5 reports of death, VAERS was unable to obtain any patient identifying information; therefore could not confirm death outcomes (While Gardasil was being tested in the U.S. before it was licensed, 10 people in the group that received the HPV vaccine and 7 people in the placebo group died during the trials. None of the deaths was considered vaccine-related.)The CDC also reported that < 7% of adverse
Gardasil effects reported to the VAERS were for serious side effects, half the average for vaccines overall.

And bottom line: it sounds like Gardasil is getting bad press again, but there is absolutely no indication that there is going to be a recall as the FDA and CDC do not feel there is any evidence of a causal relationship between Gardasil and GBS.

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Dental Referrals By Primary Care Physicians are Effective

How Effective Are Dental Referrals By Primary Care Physicians?
ScienceDaily (July 4, 2008) — Young children from low-income families experience high levels of tooth decay and face many barriers to getting dental treatment and preventive services. Because these children usually visit their pediatrician or other primary care provider far more frequently than a dentist, the primary care medical setting is gaining popularity as a place to provide preventive dental services.

Currently, physicians in more than 400 pediatric primary care offices in North Carolina (NC) have been trained to screen for tooth decay, so that referrals for those in need can be made to dentists. This effort is part of a preventive dental program known as "Into the Mouths of Babes" (IMB).

In a study undertaken by investigators at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University, researchers examined factors that lead to dental referrals by physicians and whether these referrals result in dental office visits for children who received IMB services.

The study used information from Medicaid reimbursement claims for IMB services provided during 2001 and 2002 and patient records completed by physicians for 24,403 children. The patient records provide information on the child's tooth decay experience, results of a dental risk assessment, and whether the child was referred to a dentist.

The investigators report their results today during the 86th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research. Of the 24,403 children in the study, about 5% had tooth decay, 2.8% were referred to a dentist, and 3.5% made a dental visit before 42 months of age. Among children with tooth decay, 32% were referred, and a higher percentage of children with a referral visited a dentist (35.6%) than those not referred (12.0%).

Several factors were associated with whether a child received a referral to a dentist besides the presence of any decayed teeth, including increasing age of child, the availability of a general dentist in the county where the child received IMB services, and whether the child was seen in a practice located in a rural area.

In a second analysis, child tooth decay, a referral, increasing age of child, availability of a general dentist in the county, and having a dental visit prior to the first IMB visit were related to shorter time intervals between the referral and a dental visit.
The authors concluded that referrals by physicians increased access to dentists for children with tooth decay, but use of dentist services for those needing care remained low.

The study was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR).

International & American Association for Dental Research (2008, July 4). How Effective Are Dental Referrals By Primary Care Physicians?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/07/080704130809.htm

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 New Dental Clinic in Aroostook County

St. John Valley Dental Center

309 St. Thomas St., Suite 103
Madawaska, ME 04756
207-728-7557

As of June 2, 2008, Catholic Charities Maine is operating the St. John Valley Dental Center (SJVDC) in Madawaska. This was previously the private practice of Dr. Richard Raymond, who has decided to work only out of his office in Fort Kent. The SJVDC sees children and adults and accepts MaineCare and most insurances. Services are offered on a sliding fee for those who are eligible. Hours are 7:30 - 4:30, 4 days/week.
The SJVDC has an active patient load of 3,000 patients and is the only dental center in Madawaska and one of three dental practices in the entire St. John Valley.

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 News from the New England Alliance for Children's Health

July 23, 2008

Dear Partners,
We wanted to update you on some recent activities related to the August 17th Directive. On July 17th, Senators Baucus and Rockefeller introduced a resolution to nullify the directive under the Congressional Review Act.

Thanks to many of you, most of the Members of the New England Congressional Delegation signed on to the resolution including: Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Sen. Edward Kennedy (D- MA), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. John Reed (D-RI), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Sununu (R- NH), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT). We also received word yesterday that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) was signing on as well.

The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to review every new federal regulation issued by government agencies and, by passage of a joint resolution, overrule a regulation. Senators have 60 days from the time a rule is submitted to both Houses of Congress and the Comptroller General (without counting days on which a House of Congress was in a recess for more than 3 days) to file a challenge to the proposed regulation.

The aim was to file this resolution in time to give it "privileged status." This would have meant that the resolution would be protected from filibuster or any other tactics meant to delay its vote.

Unfortunately, we learned yesterday afternoon that the Senate Parliamentarian determined that the resolution to disapprove the August 17th SCHIP directive was not filed in time for it to have "privileged status" under the Congressional Review Act. Without the privileged status, the Senate is not likely to have time to act on the resolution before the August recess. This ruling also has led to the cancellation of a markup originally scheduled for today in the Finance Committee.

I know we would have all liked to have seen this resolution put a halt to the August 17th CMS Directive, and we wish we had better news to report on this. We will keep you posted if we learn more.

In the meantime, we know a number of states are working with CMS to meet the requirements of the August 17th Directive. If your state receives any news about whether it meets the requirements or not, please let me know (617-275-2929, arosenthal@communitycatalyst.org).

Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Amy Rosenthal
Project Director

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 Docs for Tots Clinical Toolbox

Clinical Toolbox
July 2008

CHILDREN ARE BORN LEARNING!
As a physician, you know what an incredible opportunity the development that occurs from birth to five offers. The growing gaps in school readiness and life success speak to the importance of seizing every opportunity to share the everyday opportunities for learning.

Born Learning is a public engagement campaign that helps parents, grandparents and caregivers explore ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning opportunities

We encourage you to utilize their materials in your practice. There are great patient handouts that address age appropriate developmental stages and provide practical tips for play and learning.

--Docs can provide information on the stages of development for parents, Ages & Stages.
--Teaching parents that everyday moments are great learning opportunities http://www.bornlearning.org/default.aspx?id=3
--Have age appropriate books and toys available in your waiting room and office
--Partner with community groups and organizations to provide local early learning opportunities to your patients and families.

The clinical venue is a gateway to our nation’s youngest children and families and you are in a unique position to contribute to the success of your youngest patients!

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 AAP: Amanda Peet Interview on Vaccines on Good Morning America

Please visit the AAP Web site (public site - www.aap.org) to see the recently posted information about vaccines. As some of you are already aware, actress Amanda Peet was recently interviewed on Good Morning America speaking out FOR vaccines, and on the AAP home page under the heading "A Mother's Choice" there is a link to this interview as well as other resources. Our president, Renee Jenkins, MD, was also featured on Good Morning America.

The actress has also been interviewed in a popular parenting magazine. You can read the article in Cookies by clicking here.

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 Kidz' N Maine Looking for Pediatric Practice to Advertise/Write Articles

Kidz' N Maine, "the hottest, fastest growing, free family-friendly publication in Maine" is looking for a Maine Pediatrician to advertise their practice and contribute an article monthly on topics relating to children's health hot topics.

Kidz’n Maine is now distributed at over 500 locations from Kittery to Bangor and growing monthly. They currently reach 14,000 families and the feedback has been superb. Here is one from a local mom:

Kidz’n Maine is a fantastic resource for me, both as a parent and a person who works with families. It is nice to see a publication jump out of the cookie cutter mold. They have the most unique listing of local activities that I have found. After six years of exploring with my kids, I look forward to their thoughtful suggestions of things to do off the beaten “parenting” track. ~Sara S. of Cumberland

For more information, contact Jennifer Wiessner, Sales Rep - Kidz'n Maine,
www.kidznme.com, 829-8234 9AM-9PM 7 days

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Importance of Vaccines with Dr. Paul Offit

Are you concerned about the many myths surrounding vaccines and about Maine's declining rates of childhood vaccination? Then you may want to join The Maine Medical Association and The Maine Heritage Policy Center at a special event on Thursday, August 14 with noted physician, researcher and author Paul A. Offit, MD.

Dr. Offit will discuss his new book "Vaccinated: One Man's Quest to Defeat the World's Deadliest Diseases."
As a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases, Dr. Offit will discuss Maurice Hilleman, Ph.D. - the father of modern vaccines - who devoted his life as a microbiologist to eliminating childhood diseases through vaccines. Dr. Offit will also discuss how vaccines come under assault from people blaming vaccines for autism and other conditions.ine Heritage
icy Center for a B Reception with Dr. Paul Offit.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Portland Country Club
11 Foreside Road
Falmouth, Maine

$40 per person

Ticket price includes an autographed copy of the book.

Paul A. Offit, MD, is the chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania medical school. He developed a vaccine for rotavirus. His previous books include "The Cutter Incident," a history, as well as two practical books: "Vaccines: What You Should Know" and "Breaking the Antibiotic Habit." He lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.EVENT & REGISTRATION INFO
How to Register:
Online: www.mainepolicy.org
Email: hnoyes@mainepolicy.org
Call: Heather Noyes, 207-321-2550

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3rd International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health Call For Abstracts

The 3rd International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 6-8, 2009. Click here for Save the Date. The meeting provides an opportunity for general pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, community providers, and others who work with indigenous children and youth to come together to share, support, network and build partnerships to improve indigenous child health.

The purpose of this international, collaborative conference will be to focus on innovative clinical care models and community-based public health approaches for children and youth in First Nations, Inuit, Métis, American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Additional conference information can be found at: http://www.aap.org/nach and www.cps.ca.

The Planning Committee invites abstracts on all topics pertaining to indigenous child health. Submissions will be accepted from individuals working with indigenous populations, and is not limited to medical providers. The deadline for workshop abstracts is September 12, 2008, and the deadline for oral presentations and posters is January 16, 2009.

Click here for full details.

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The Owen W. Wells Annual Pediatric Conference: Taking Care of Children, Topics in Pediatric Preventive Care

November 14, 2008
Holiday Inn by the Bay
Portland

Keynote Speaker: Barry Zuckerman, MD

Click here for Save the Date

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  Healing Invisible Wounds: A Cultural Conference on the Shared Legacy of Trauma Across Ethnicities: October 20 & 21

Colony Hotel
Kennebunkport

Click here for Save the Date

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  The Maudsley Method Eating Disorders Training

The Maudsley Method is a family-based therapy used to treat those with eating disorders. Drs. Daniel le Grange, Ph.D, and James Lock, MD, Ph.D, two outstanding teachers of this Method, will be offering a Maudsley Training in Portland, Maine on September 23rd and half-day September 24th.

A modified version of the Maudsley Method is used at the New England Eating
Disorders Program at Mercy Hospital.

Click here for more information and registration.

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3rd Annual Rural Oral Health Conference

The 3rd Annual Rural Oral Health Conference will be conducted on September 9th in Concord, New Hampshire. Attached is the program and registration form for what will be an exciting event. You can also register on our web site at www.newenglandruralhealth.org.

Click here for program.
Click here for registration.

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2 Autism Spectrum Disorder Learning Opportunities

Asperger's Learning Opportunity with Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D.
October 20, 2008

Dr. Myles will provide strategies for excellence in teaching students with Asperger Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders and related challenges. To receive updated information about this event visit the MSN website and click on “Members” to become an MSN member or call 1 (866) 291-0004. It is free of charge. Brenda Smith Myles, Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2004 Autism Society of America’s Outstanding Professional Award and the 2006 Princeton Fellowship Award. She has made over 500 presentations all over the world and written more than 150 articles and books on autism and Asperger Syndrome. She was recently acknowledged as the second most
productive applied researcher in ASD in the world from 1997 to 2004.

Click here for Save the Date.

Maine Support Network's Winter Retreat
Focus: Autism Spectrum Disorders
January 24-26, 2009
Samoset Resort, Rockport

Click here for Save the Date.

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Thirteenth Annual Northern New England Conference on Child Maltreatment

September 11-12
Wyndham Portland Airport Hotel
South Portland

Click here for the brochure.

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Contemporary Issues in Perinatal Care

Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses Maine and ACOG present this 2-day conference.

October 2-3, 2008
Hilton Garden Inn
Freeport

Day two is newborn issues, including assessment of the baby who is withdrawing after exposure(s) during pregnancy.

For more information, click here for brochure.

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Motivational Interviewing for Obesity

ADVANCED MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING [MI] SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOP
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES—HEALTHY BEHAVIORS FOR HEALTHY WEIGHT
September 11, 2008
Maple Hill Farm
Hallowell

Click here for more information.

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This is a monthly posting of relevant pediatric news and events, including CMEs.  If you have news or events you would like added to the next posting, please email Aubrie at agridleyentwood@aap.net.