Methodist Healthcare San Antonio Women’s Health Services

Stacks of blankets of every color and size will be the focus of the festivities at the 14th annual Blankets for Babies reception as seven area non-profit organizations receive blankets collected during the drive. The distribution ceremony begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 14, in the lobby of Methodist Children’s Hospital, 7700 Floyd Curl Drive. During the past month, new and used blankets in good, clean condition have been collected at Methodist Healthcare facilities. Several schools and community organizations also participated in the effort. The blankets will be distributed through Any Baby Can, the Battered Women’s Shelter, the Children’s Shelter, Healy-Murphy Center, SAMM Shelter, Ronald McDonald House and Healthy Families San Antonio. The reception offers good visuals as the organizations receive the colorful blankets and representatives of the organizations receiving the blankets will be available for interviews.

Coughs, fevers and sneezes are commonplace among children this time of the year. How does a parent know when an over-the-counter medicine is enough or when a doctor’s visit is needed? Many area families phone Call-A-Nurse for Children, a service of Methodist Healthcare, at 22-NURSE or 226-8773.

Call-A-Nurse for Children is a free community service that answers questions on children’s health issues. Staffed by pediatric registered nurses, Call-A-Nurse handles calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The service has handled 15,610 more calls this year than the previous year. The top five topics for this year are vomiting, colds and congestion, diarrhea, fever, and cough. In addition to the many calls received from the public, physicians often have their after-hours answering services refer patients to Call-A-Nurse before taking action. With advance notice, the pediatric registered nurses who handle the calls are available for interviews on seasonal children’s health issues and on the success of the program.

If you are interested in this story idea, please phone Shirley Wills at 822-2378 or 365-4488 (cell) or JoAnn King, 575-0171 or 917-7916 (pager). For media assistance during the weekend, please phone Methodist Hospital, 575-4000, and ask for the public relations representative on call. SANTA TO PAY EARLY VISIT TO PATIENTS AT METHODIST CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ON DECEMBER 24 Santa knows that children who have to be in the hospital on Christmas Day are special. So he has put them at the top of his list, and he will make an early visit to the patients at Methodist Children’s Hospital on Saturday, December 24, at 10 a.m. Santa will visit patients and deliver gifts of stuffed animals and candy canes. With advance notice, media are invited to videotape and photograph as Santa makes his rounds at the hospital.

Millions of toys will find their way into homes during the holiday season. Unfortunately, these toys may be associated with thousands of injuries each year–some of which result in death. Children ages 4 and under are especially at risk for injury from toys. The leading cause of toy-related death is choking. Other injuries occur from falling, strangulation, burning, drowning and even poisoning.

Jennifer Northway, injury prevention program manager for Methodist Healthcare, is available for interviews on toy safety. She can discuss the importance of age appropriateness and alert parents about toys with sharp edges, sharp points, small parts, cords and strings and toys that make loud noises. With advance notice, Northway can be interviewed in the toy department of a local store to illustrate her points or assemble a selection of toys to show.