March 2024 Pediatric Newsletter

May your troubles be less, and your blessing be more,
and nothing but happiness, come through your door.

Referrals: We require the following from a referring physician:

☘️ A SIGNED order requesting a “Modified Barium Swallow Study” or a “Swallow Function Study.” The physicians can write their own or find one on our website under the ‘Pediatrics’ tab.
☘️ Demographic sheet with insurance information
☘️ Their latest clinical notes to provide a thorough history
☘️ These documents can be faxed to 888-920-1201 or emailed to info@diagnostex.us

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding this process.

TSHA Recap

It was so nice to meet new colleagues and see some old friends at TSHA. I hope to continue building relationships throughout the years. A few takeaways from the convention:

• Dallas Children’s has a Tube Weaning Clinic that I was not aware of, and I was thrilled to learn of it.
• I became re-inspired to create S.M.A.R.T. goals - not only aimed towards my career but also aimed towards my personal/family life . If you are not familiar with them, I encourage you to research the rationale and effectiveness of them.
• Most of you have probably not heard of a company called Pureese. The owner of the company is a trained chef & has created a variety of pureed foods that look and taste like the ‘real deal.’ I briefly spoke to the owner about creating meals for kids, too. Hopefully there is more to come! In the meantime, take a look at her food and company: www.pureesemealco.com.

Let’s talk Medications

*After speaking to your child’s physician to ensure there are not contraindications, consider these recommendations.*

If a patient requires their liquids to be thickened, it is important to remember those precautions apply to all oral liquid medication as well. I do not necessarily recommend thickening just the medication alone. Rather, mix it with a small amount (1/2oz-1oz) of thickened liquid the child normally drinks (i.e. water, milk, formula, etc.). After thickening the medication with the preferred liquid, perform the IDDSI flow test to ensure the drink remains the proper viscosity. Adjust the viscosity, if needed, and re-test using the IDDSI flow test.