The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 6 COVID patients today, 12 Wednesday. Other significant numbers:
- 2 with the active virus today, 5 Wednesday
- 0 in ICU, 1 Wednesday
- 0 on a ventilator, 1 Wednesday
Key points from today’s guests:
Jenny Pronchnow, got her son Hank screened for vision issues early
- Her four-year-old, Hank had a significant eye problem. It was something common and simple to fix, but if it had gone undetected, it could have caused bigger complications later in life, even blindness.
- When Jenny took Hank to a three-year-old wellness check, she was stunned when his pediatrician diagnosed Hank with amblyopia, more commonly known as a lazy eye. She'd never noticed anything different about his left eye.
- Two to 5 percent of children are affected by amblyopia. It is the most common cause of vision loss and impairment and children.
- Hank’s pediatrician immediately refer the family to the pediatric eye care specialists at The University of Kansas Health System
Dr. Emily Broxterman, pediatric ophthalmologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Recommends to parents if they have a child who's showing signs or symptoms that may represent a vision problem, or if they have a strong family history of eye disorders, like a lazy eye at an early age, those are kids that probably would need to come in and get a better exam beyond just what the pediatrician screens for.
- There are no external signs or symptoms for parents to detect. That's why it's really important for those kids to have vision screenings with a pediatrician and then come and see specialists so that they can not only identify, but treat any issues early, before it becomes something more permanent and irreparable.
- People should realize that the same conditions that affect adults also affect children -- pediatric glaucoma, pediatric retinal disorders and detachments, pediatric corneal issues, pediatric cataracts.
- We do see a lot more eye fatigue, eye strain, blurry vision, just those symptomatic complaints of kids struggling more because they're spending so much time on the screen.
Tori Rausch, certified orthoptist, The University of Kansas Health System
- An orthoptist is like a physician’s assistant to a pediatric ophthalmologist. She specializes in looking for specific eye disorders.
- She also specializes in dealing with children who are non-verbal or too young to speak so she can help better diagnose eye issues.
- A typical exam from this team includes a thorough history along with a comprehensive vision assessment.
- The team really covers the gamut from the most routine things all the way up to surgical and complex conditions.
- More information is available at KansasHealthSystem.com/PediatricEye
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director, infection prevention & control, The University of Kansas Health System
- One thing that we did learn about COVID is that some people can get infected but of course not have any symptoms. And that was one reason we know it spreads so easily.
- Now there's a new study that gives us a clue as to why some people never had those symptoms. Research published in the journal Nature ties back to a genetic mutation.
- We know that 20-30 percent or more of people can be asymptomatic.
- What the study found is that in up to 20 percent of people this study surveyed, they had this variant of the HLA, which may allow their immune system to kind of react in a greater way than say the people who didn't have symptoms. It's just one more piece of information that we're gathering about this. I think it's very good at trying to understand why some people are asymptomatic.
Monday, July 24 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Lori Finnerty calls herself lucky. She never had trouble moving after suffering a major stroke. But speaking remains a challenge. What happens when words won't come? The challenges and rewards of speech therapy for stroke patients.
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