The results are in: Texas Children’s Hospital once again ranks among the top four pediatric hospitals in the United States, according to a recent survey by Child magazine. The comprehensive survey – whose results appeared in the February 2005 issue of the magazine – was based on data compiled during the magazine’s extensive eight-month appraisal.
Texas Children’s Hospital remains at No. 4 among pediatric hospitals, maintains its No. 3 ranking in cardiac care and is listed as No. 5 in neonatal care. The hospital also has been named the No. 1 pediatric hospital in the South and Southwest areas of the United States.
Read more about the survey results.
Pertussis – better known as whooping cough – is an infection that causes a severe coughing illness. Coughs become so severe the infected person may have trouble catching their breath and can turn blue. The disease, which mostly affects babies not yet fully immunized, can result in hospitalization and is sometimes fatal.
“Whooping cough is transferred by cough droplets and close contact through respiratory secretions – usually from an unknowing teen or adult with a coughing illness and a waned immunity to the disease – to a baby who is not fully immunized,” said Dr. Julie Boom, director of the Immunization Project at Texas Children’s Hospital and assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. “The elderly also are at risk.”
Immunization against whooping cough is part of the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine given to babies at 2, 4 and 6 months old and again at 15 to 18 months.
While most parents remember the first three vaccinations, the fourth booster is the one most frequently forgotten,” Boom said. “Some assume that once a baby walks, he or she no longer needs shots. It’s important that every child completes the series.”
Read more about whooping cough and learn when children need vaccinations (pdf).
A number of Texas Children's physicians have been recognized as Best Doctors of America®. Best Doctors® conducts the largest peer-review-based evaluation of the medical profession and Best Doctors physicians are chosen by 30,000 doctors identified in previous surveys as “the best” in their specialties.
Eleven Texas Children's doctors were featured as Texas Super Doctors™ – a list of the best-of-the-best – in the February 2005 issue of Texas Monthly. The magazine surveyed more than 52,000 Texas physicians, asking them to whom they would refer a loved one or patient for diagnosis and treatment. The research team also identified doctors who received special recognition from their peers or demonstrated other indications of expertise in their specialties.
Read more on Texas Children’s Web site.
April 21-23, 2005, 27th Annual Pediatric Post Graduate Symposium
For more information, visit http://cme.bcm.tmc.edu/search/detail.cfm?cme=426.
June 13-17, 2005, Acute Care Pediatrics for the Primary Care Practitioner
For more information, visit http://cme.bcm.tmc.edu/search/detail.cfm?cme=441.
July 17-22, 2005, First Mesoamerican Pediatric Conference
For more information, visit http://www.asopedia.mirabase.net/eventos/item?item_id=10425.
Bookmark our professional education page to get regular updates to the Texas Children's professional education calendar.
