The Montreal Children's Hospital Newsletter

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The Holiday season is upon us and festivities at The Children's have already begun! This is the time of year to be reflective and thankful for family, friends and loved ones. Our team at Where Kids Come First offer up some insightful advice on keeping traditions alive and finding love in the details of holiday preparation.

We're also offering up some useful prevention tips for dealing with the unpredictable: from what to do if your teen decides to drink on New Year's Eve to winter holiday safety guidelines, and even the pros and cons of believing in old St. Nick.

We also want to highlight the courage of Gabriel and Gracianne's family, who felt like lightning had struck twice when they found out that both their children were sick and needed treatment at The Children's.

Wishing all of our readers a happy and healthy new year and all of the best during the holiday season.

The editorial team at Where Kids Come First


			Learning that your child is sick is every parent's fear. Imagine what it's like when it happens a second time. That's what Lisa Yee and her husband Gerald Verghese went through with their son Gabriel, then daughter Gracianne. [+]

Eat, Give Love

Should we let them believe in Santa?

New Year's Eve: What is my teen drinks?

Winter Holiday Safety


			Cynthia was born with Crouzon Syndrome, a rare genetic disease which causes premature fusion of a baby's bones. Before her surgery, Cynthia's skull was completely misshapen, her eye sockets were too shallow which made her eyes bulge. She had difficulty breathing and a significant underbite. [+]

THE MONTRÉAL CANADIENS SPREAD SOME JOY AT THE CHILDREN'S

A few Habs players paid a visit to a few lucky patients at The Montreal Children's Hospital on Wednesday, December 8th. Brian Gionta, Hal Gill, Tomas Plekanec, Michael Cammalleri, Lars Eller, Mathieu Darche, Travis Moen, Dustin Boyd, Alex Auld, Yannick Weber and Alexandre Picard made their way around the hospital, giving out gifts to patients and taking pictures with parents and staff members alike. [+]

THE MONTREAL ALOUETTES AND TELUS BRING SOME JOY TO THE CHILDREN'S

On November 15th, a number of MCH patients were greeted with a surprise visit from members of their favourite football team. Accompanied by their mascot Touché, Montreal Alouettes players Danny Desrivaux, Matthieu Proulx and Scott Flory took an afternoon off from preparations for the Eastern Conference final, and spent their afternoon reading and visiting with some enthusiastic fans. [+]

THE MCH CHOIR SPREADS SOME HOLIDAY CHEER

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and the MCH Choir is ready to sing about it. On Thursday, December 23^rd, this dedicated group of vocalists will be singing Christmas songs to patients and staff throughout the hospital. [+]

CHRISTMAS AT THE MONTREAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

We all know about old Mother Hubbard who went to her cupboard, but her cupboard was bare. Unfortunately, the same story is repeating itself at The Montreal Children's Hospital. The cupboard where we store the gifts for all of the children who will have to spend Christmas in the hospital is empty. Gulp! And we're only days away from the BIG DAY. Santa and one of his elves are to visit the hospital on Christmas Day, but there are no dollies, no stuffed animals, no games or little trucks to handout. [+]


	Do you have a question of a general nature that you'd like to ask our specialist? If your question is selected, the answer will be published in the next edition of the newsletter. Ask a question [+]

	My son is a type 1 diabetic and the holidays are always a time where sweets and candies make their way into the classroom and our home, especially when we have guests over. As my son is only 5, he sometimes gets upset when all the other kids are allowed to eat chocolates and goodies and I only allow him to eat a very small amount. Do you have any tips for making the holidays a happy time for feasting, without battles and rising blood sugar levels? Mom in DDO R : Dear Mom, Having diabetes should never be a reason to deny a child the pleasures of the holiday, and having higher blood sugars for a short period of time will not cause harm to your child over the long run. [+]


	Preventing infections at the new Children's Although hospitals see plenty of diseases, there's no reason you have to get sick inside one. The MUHC, like every other hospital, has rules regarding infection control, but sometimes the facilities make it difficult to fully implement them. Infection control with young children is difficult, since they touch everything, have poorer hygiene, and need lots of hands-on care. These rules are especially important since they are not yet immune. But at the new Glen Campus, conditions will improve significantly for our patients, their families and our staff. [+]


	"Feed a cold, starve a fever." It's one of the many adages passed down through generations by our well-intentioned mothers. But should you take it to heart when trying to help your child get over a cold? False: All sick kids and even adults – whether they've got a cold, fever, or both – need nutrients and liquids to get better. It is normal to experience a loss of appetite when feeling under the weather, but according to experts, it's not a good idea to deprive the body of food, especially when that appetite begins to come back. If your child doesn't feel like eating solids, then chicken noodle soup, juice, and even ice cream are good alternatives. [+]

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