THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 2, 1994 TAG: 9411020667
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LT. BETSY MASON, U.S. NAVAL RESERVE
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
``Solutions Before Problems'' is the slogan adopted by the American Academy of Pediatrics in connection with its child health drive this fall. Toward this end, the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center is always working to keep military kids healthy from birth through adolescence.
The medical center begins to care for babies even before birth, offering monthly breastfeeding classes and prenatal education classes covering the labor experience, postpartum care, and guidelines for recognizing signs of illness in newborns and how to appropriately seek medical care.
Once the baby is born, he or she will spend two to six hours' transition time in the newborn nursery. If mothers wish, healthy infants are allowed to room with them.
In the event the newborn is sick or premature, the hospital has a 12-bed Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit staffed by three board-certified neonatologists and trained neonatal nurses.
While newborns are getting used to their new surroundings, mothers receive education in the care of the newborn. Experienced nursing and medical personnel are available to consult with new mothers with lactation problems or questions.
For new families requiring special attention, the social work department offers a New Parent Support Team offering home visits.
After the baby goes home, the Well Baby Clinic offers routine health-maintenance visits, immunizations, and education. Routine visits during the first years should be scheduled at two weeks, two months, four months, six months, 12 months, and 18 months.
Four general pediatricians and two pediatric nurse practitioners, as well as 20 pediatric residents, are available to provide general pediatric care for military dependents.
For acute illnesses, the Pediatric Acute Care Clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays for same-day appointments. Evening and weekend acute care is available through the Pediatric Partnership Clinic. Especially in the off hours, the clinics usually have plenty of appointments, so parents won't have to take sick children to the emergency room to be seen after normal working hours.
The hospital also provides consultation with pediatric subspecialists in the following areas: pediatric hematology/oncology, neurology, nephrology, pulmonary, cardiology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, development, allergy/immunology, urology, orthopedic surgery, and radiology. These appointments may be scheduled after a consultation with a primary care physician.
For military dependents with special medical or educational needs, the Exceptional Family Member Program provides assurance that the active-duty member will not be assigned orders to locations incompatible with the needs of their family.
Dependents with special needs should be enrolled in EFMP by their primary practitioner.
The medical center has an Adolescent Clinic staffed by an Adolescent Medicine specialist to address medical and social concerns unique to teenagers.
The Adolescent Clinic can deal specifically with teen-related problems such as acne, eating disorders, and social stress. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
TRICARE CENTERS
For Well Baby, General Pediatric and Pediatric Acute Care Clinic
appointments:
Portsmouth677-6000
Langley764-2778
Fort Eustis878-7500
Immunization Clinic: 398-7978; hours: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1
p.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday
Pediatric Advice Lines: 398-7716 and 398-7958
Pediatric Partnership Clinic: (after-hours acute care) 398-5011
Adolescent Clinic: 398-7966
by CNB