‘Paediatric Pulse’ booklet to aid caregivers

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) on Thursday launched its Paediatric Pulse booklet at The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in St Andrew.

Chief Executive Officer of the CPFSA Rosalee Gage-Grey, who gave the welcome and opening remarks, said the booklet is a resource guide for medical practitioners, caregivers, and the wider society about common illnesses and how to respond to them.

"This is indeed very timely as it will provide practitioners with critical information as to how to react and mitigate specific illnesses as well as give tips to promote good paediatric health," she said.

A serious case review panel is responsible for the compilation of the booklet.

The panel is made up of paediatric practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists, and representatives from the Ministry of Health and the CPFSA.

Director of Children and Family Programmes at the CPFSA Audrey Budhi, while giving an overview, said that the panel forms part of the critical effort to manage and reduce the risk of harm to children.

"They examine the critical incidencts involving hospitalisation and deaths and then make a determination as to whether all reasonable actions have been taken to investigate and report the circumstances of the incident to the relevant and appropriate authorities," said Budhi.

"They also look at whether all reasonable actions have been taken to ensure that the safety and health needs of the children involved have been met, and if remedial and corrective actions have been taken by the relevant officers against possible future occurrences."

Budhi said that it was as a result of the proactive approach to doing something for childrens' homes and the wider society that a seminar was held and the information was used to compile Paediatric Pulse.

Vice-president of the Paediatric Association of Jamaica and Chairperson of the serious case review panel Dr Carolyn Pinnock Jackson said that the booklet would be an important tool for the health of the children in residential care facilities and could also be used by any parent in Jamaica.

The 23-page booklet speaks to various common illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, fever, coughing, and wheezing.

Main sponsor of Paediatric Pulse is Cari-Med Limited.