Since 1991, Emergency Center Pharmacist, Les Pieniazek, has found joy in spreading the good name and mission of Texas Children’s. So much so that Les recruited his two daughters and his son-in-law to join our One Amazing Team this year. Read more
Please see the update issued by Apple to its operating systems to fix bugs that could allow access to hackers. Read more
There’s a ton of excitement in the air as our family members, friends and neighbors return to school. Butterflies and anxiety, too – some because of the lingering effects of tragedy and concern about safety. Texas Children’s Behavioral Health experts, Dr. Karin Price and Dr. Kirti Saxena recently wrote a guide offering tips for managing back-to-school stress that can overshadow the importance of reconnecting, experiencing firsts and building resilience.
A few of their tried and true approaches for adults managing their own worries while helping children manage theirs include:
Managing your own feelings first. Children often take cues about how to respond to situations from their caregivers. That’s why it’s important for adults to model flexibility and acceptance of things beyond our control and avoid negative talk as much as possible. This can make it easier for kids to feel confident and brave about returning to school.
Listen when your kids are not talking. Kids’ nonverbal cues can speak loudly – difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite and physical aches and pains are some of the things that may be signs of worries they haven’t figured out how to talk about yet.
Model coping behavior. Parents and caregivers can help children learn to handle difficult situations by helping them to label their feelings. For example, saying things like: “It sounds like you are feeling worried about going back to school.” You can acknowledge that the situation is stressful, while also helping your child understand they are brave and can handle hard things by saying something like: “Lots of kids and families are feeling nervous about going back to school. It may be hard, but I know you can handle it because you are a brave kid who can do hard things. I am here to help you be brave.”
Drs. Price and Saxena encourage parents to seek professional help if their child’s anxiety about returning to school is ongoing, intense, or causes enduring issues with friends, school or family life.
You can find their full guide here for more tips to help you provide comfort and raise healthy, resilient children.
Disney and the nonprofit Starlight Children’s Foundation were recently featured on ABC13 KTRK-TV as they teamed up to host a Spidey-themed delivery event at Texas Children’s to celebrate the launch of “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends,” season two. Our patients, their families, and our One Amazing team members were among the first in the United States to enjoy a pre-screening of the first episode of the hit series’ new season, which officially launches August 19 on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Cast member Armen Taylor (voice of Hulk), made a special appearance during the celebration to meet with patients and their families.
“Our Texas Children’s physicians and staff were delighted to watch the joy and excitement on the faces of our hospitalized patients as they reveled in this unique Disney visit,” said Tabitha Rice, Executive Vice President, Administration. “Thanks to Texas Children’s established relationship with Disney and support from Starlight Children’s Foundation, our patients and their families experienced pure Disney joy – a most welcome reprieve from the many stresses that can accompany a child’s hospital stay.”
The event was part of Disney’s 2018 commitment of $100 million to help children’s hospitals reimagine the patient experience and deliver joy when it’s needed most. This partnership is transforming our hospital spaces with interactive murals and digital displays; creating personalized moments by delivering Disney-themed Starlight hospital wear, care packages and products; and providing complimentary access to Disney+ and special screenings of newly-released movies, along with our colorful employee badges featuring beloved Disney characters. The ultimate goal of these activities is to provide joy and comfort to patients and their families during appointments.
Read Texas Children’s press release about the event to learn more about our Disney partnership and the Starlight Children’s Foundation. You can also find Disney Partnership training in HealthStream to learn how you can be a Disney ambassador at Texas Children’s.
As One Amazing Team, we are overflowing with compassion – for our members, patients and their families, fellow team members and for those in our communities. We are connected not only by our shared compassion, but through our mission, vision and values: Embrace Freedom, Lead Tirelessly, Live Compassionately and Amplify Unity.
Whether speaking with patients, colleagues or friends, it’s not always easy to find the right words to say, especially if someone is confiding in you or needs your support. Understanding how using the right words can make others feel heard and valued can be comforting and empowering.
Researcher, author and fellow Texan Brené Brown said it best, “Language is our portal to meaning-making, connection, healing, learning and self-awareness…Having access to the right words can open up entire universes.” [Atlas of the Heart, 2021]
To help us live and speak our values every day, we are sharing “People Matter, Words Matter” resources on Connect, as well as hanging posters around campus. The American Hospital Association developed this series to highlight the ways our words have meaning and impact, in addition to sharing what words and phrases can go a long way to make people feel seen and heard. Look for the links on Connect to these important topics, and feel free to print the resources for yourself and your teams.
Even equipped with the right words, sometimes, it’s best to leave the conversation up to professionals. Texas Children’s offers the Employee Assistance Program to help employees deal with challenging personal and job-related problems. For on-site confidential counseling and EAP services, please call 832-824-3327. There are offices at The Woodlands, West Campus, Health Plan, Meyer Building and the Medical Center.
Now is the time to kick start your involvement in the annual Periwinkle Kickball Classic, which helps fund Periwinkle Foundation camps, arts and survivor programs for children, teens, and families affected by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
This year’s one-day tournament will be held Saturday, October 1, at Westbury Little League. Anyone age 14 or older is eligible to play. Rally with your co-workers, friends, families and neighbors to build teams of 10 (minimum 5 women) for this fun-filled event. Each team must raise at least $500 to enter.
Get kicking with your department now to form your team, register and start practicing! You will have the opportunity to select one of two divisions when you register:
Just for Fun – teams play in two round-robin games in the morning and do not participate in the playoffs. You are welcome to stay the rest of the day to cheer on teams in the competitive league.
In It to Win It – competitive teams participate in a double elimination tournament. Each team is guaranteed to play at least two games. Teams are encouraged to recruit 12-15 players to sub throughout the tournament. Keeping with tradition, a Texas Children’s bracket will be formed for our teams to compete to win the Texas Children’s 2022 Periwinkle Kickball Classic championship.
Contact Texas Children’s Pediatrics Sugar Land Physician Dr. Hubert Ho with any at questions about the tournament at hyho@texaschildrens.org.
Learn more about the Periwinkle Foundation.
A nutritional diet is essential to maintaining overall health – our healthy eating habits help provide the physical and mental stamina needed for our busy lives and protect us against many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Part of healthy eating includes consuming a variety of nutritional foods such as a fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains, while minimizing processed foods, added salt and sugar.
As we approach fall and students are going back to school, this is a great opportunity to focus on eating smart.
Eating a healthy breakfast provides the fuel adults and children need to get off to the strongest start for work, school or play. It can simply be a bowl of whole-grain cereal (skip the sugary ones, aim for less than 10 grams of sugar per serving) + low-fat milk + a piece of fruit. The blog The benefits of eating (not skipping) breakfast, written by Texas Children’s Dietitian Erin Lindhorst, offers more information about the importance of breakfast and several simple breakfast meal ideas.
A rushed morning routine may keep you from sitting down for breakfast, and can add stress to the day. Some distressing tips can include setting aside 10 to 15 extra minutes to eat, or waking up a bit earlier. However, if you just don’t have time to sit, some quick grab-and-go options to have on hand include: pre-made breakfast burritos, overnight oats, and fruit and yogurt parfaits.
Think of snack times as additional opportunities during the day for adults and kids to eat more of the nutritious foods they might not be getting enough of during mealtimes. Make the most of snack time by eating or offering foods that have the nutrients everyone needs. Having healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables available keeps everyone from eating too many empty calories. Healthy snack ideas include:
If you don’t have time to prepare your own snacks, consider this list of healthy snacks that are already proportioned.
If you need any help with your nutritional needs or planning, Texas Children’s offers a free Nutrition Counseling Program. A dietitian will meet with you and work with you 1:1 to develop a personalized action plan for adopting a healthier lifestyle, provide ideas for new recipes, and share tips for managing portion sizes.