Jamaica Pediatric Medical Initiatives

Suddenly it's day 5 and I don't know where the time went!  Annotto Bay.  Everyone was very nice and helpful!  Saw many little babies just born from a few days ago to a few weeks.  I love the babies, and I tell you, those babies are smiling before one month old!  Sooner I think than American babies!  Some babies in the US don't smile for 2 months, like my nephew for example!  But it seemed many of those babies were smiling at me and they were only 1 month old and even less.  Even some cooing from the barely 2-4 weeks old.  It's so nice to see that!  That means parental attachment and language acquisition has already begun in a good place.  So often times in the high risk population especially, those things like communication and attuned parenting is lacking.  We struggle to affect change in the lives of children, but we can't put back together the relationship very well.  And sometimes (more often than not) the success of treating the child is so dependent on the quality of the parent child relationship.  Costly in long term morbidities too.  But the early attachment, the early signs of social reciprocation of the parent child dyad is a comfort to the soul.  Brings a hope.

I know, sounds like a psychologist doesn't it?  Can't help myself.  As I treat more and more kids, the more I appreciate the importance of the relationship of the family and support it provides in child development of health and well being.  I know it really can be a challenge to take care of some of these complex kids!  Especially in a place where lack of resource is an all too common issue.  But when that nurturing supportive environment is in place for the child, prognosis is still good!  Children have that resilience.  Love to see that.

Saw one little girl who was accidently burned all over her face, scalp and chest with hot water.  Oh it was heart breaking to see all the facial color change and scabbing on the scalp.  But guess what, she was the most social child of the group in the peds ward!  She smiled at me and engaged in play with a teddy bear with me and she even would play and giggle to herself while she was not being attended.  So even though she has a terrific, horrific incident to recover from, her resilience was already in place.  Even though there will be some reminder physically for her always, as long as her support is stable, she will be just fine!