Vital Signs SUMMER 2014 | VOLUME 63 Patient Education: UCLA MDChat In This Issue 2 What’s New at UCLA 3 In Your Community UCLA offers the services of its world-class physicians near you. 4 Sun Protection UCLA MDChat Webinars offer the latest information on advances and treatments from expert physicians at UCLA. Our live-streaming webinars give you the opportunity to learn and to also ask questions. To learn more about UCLA MDChat webinars, go to: uclahealth.org/uclamdchat To subscribe to receive updates about upcoming webinars, go to: signup.uclahealth.org/webinar.aspx Spending time in the sun can be fun, but care is necessary to guard against serious skin damage. 6 Helping Seniors Stay Healthy The Eyes Have It Engaging in regular physical activity is a key to lowering the risk of hospitalization and disability. Offices of the newly UCLA-affiliated Doheny Eye Center are now opening in Arcadia, Fountain Valley and Pasadena. Both UCLA and Doheny are consistently ranked among the top 10 in the nation for ophthalmology by U.S.News & World Report. This new affiliation with UCLA creates one of the nation’s preeminent centers for vision care, research and education. 7 Abnormal Parathyroid Glands UCLA is one of the few centers in the country where experts are using 4D computed tomography to locate hard-to-find abnormal parathyroid glands. 8 Q&A: Coordinating and Care Cut to Costs Benefit Patients For more information about Doheny Eye Center offices in Arcadia, Fountain Valley and Pasadena, go to: UCLA participates in the federal Medicare Shared Savings Program to improve patient care and reduce costs. uclahealth.org/doheny 10 Manage Medications for Chronic Conditions It is important for patients with chronic conditions to receive clear information and instructions about their prescribed medicines. 11 Treating Asthma in Children New treatment regimen may effectively control asthma symptoms in less time. 12 Community Calendar Health and wellness for the community. Health Tips for Parents Health Tips for Parents offers useful, timely and important information from UCLA pediatricians and specialists for anyone raising a child or adolescent. Topics range from addressing concerns about cleanliness to what to do if a child has a mood disorder. To subscribe to Health Tips for Parents, go to: uclahealth.org/enews To read Health Tips for Parents online, go to: uclahealth.org/healthtips it my child from How can I prevent begins with choking? More than 10,000 children visit emergency rooms each year from choking on food. While most of these choking events are not fatal, one child dies every five days from a food-choking accident. The diameter of a child’s airway is about the size of his or her pinky. High-risk foods can easily block airways and prevent breathing. Young children also have immature teeth and underdeveloped swallowing, which also puts them at risk for choking. High-risk foods for children under age 5 Not all high-risk foods should be avoided. Many high-risk foods are healthy for young children — as long as they are served in the right form. • Hot dogs • Nuts and seeds • Chunks of meat or cheese • Whole grapes — should be peeled, halved and quartered • Hard or sticky candy, and lollipops • Dried fruit ing ew C h G um • Popcorn • Chunks of peanut butter (or any nut butter) — should be spread thinly onto crackers or bread Never allow young children to eat unattended Only serve developmentally appropriate foods UCLAHEALTH.ORG • Chunks of raw vegetables — should always be cooked and cut into small pieces • Chewing gum Children should always eat sitting up and should not eat while running, playing or riding in a car 1-800-UCLA-MD1 (1-800-825-2631) What to do when a child chokes • If a child is unable to breathe, call 911 and begin performing the Heimlich maneuver.