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Tawam Hospital, concluded its 7th Annual International Pediatric Conference with a call to increase awareness of Down syndrome in the UAE and across the Middle East. The region’s largest annual pediatric conference saw participation by over 400 pediatric professionals from the Middle East and North Africa region, and from around the world.
The hospital organised a Down syndrome awareness day incorporated with the conference. Children with Down syndrome are associated with characteristic physical findings, learning difficulties, and sometimes other medical conditions, most of which are treatable. Down syndrome is a naturally occurring chromosomal condition present in populations worldwide.
Commenting on successful conclusion of the conference, Gregory F. Schaffer, CEO of Tawam Hospital said: “For the first time in seven years, we brought an element of community service to our flagship conference. We helped spread awareness about the contribution people with Down syndrome can make in our families, schools and society. We thank our delegates and participating specialists in child therapy who made this conference a grand success. These renowned experts not only shared their vast knowledge but also put their expertise to good use through community service.”
The 7th Annual International Paediatric Conference covered advances in paediatrics and child health with a focus on neonatology, diabetes, trauma, cancer, cardiology and respiratory and infectious diseases. Regional experts were supported by a panel of international speakers from across Europe and the Middle East as well as speakers from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Dr. Jane Crosson, assistant professor, director, Pediatric Electrophysiology, Johns Hopkins Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center offered: “One in ten children in North America will have at least one fainting episode before he or she enters adulthood. Although uncommon, cardiac causes of syncope can be life-threatening, so it is essential for pediatric care providers to be able to distinguish a benign faint from an episode that could be a symptom of a serious underlying condition. I also had an opportunity to share with my colleagues our latest research and clinical best practices in the area of a common cardiac condition in children called arrhythmia. This problem occurs when the electrical impulses in the heart don’t work in proper rhythmic sequence, making it beat either too fast, too slow or irregularly. What causes these irregularities and how to determine whether or not rhythm disturbance is a significant clinical issue or just a normal variant is truly critical. There are differences in the types and frequency of pediatric cardiac conditions and how these conditions are managed in the United States and the Middle East. Forums such as this conference are a great opportunity for health care providers to share expertise in caring for children with heart disease.”
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to participate in Tawam Hospital’s 7th International Pediatric Conference", said Dr. Julia McMillan, professor of pediatrics, associate dean for Graduate Medical Education, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "In every country, immunization is one of the most important elements in pediatric care. But often, when a child has underlying health problems the immunization schedule needs to be altered to meet that patient’s needs. One of my presentations outlined the various ways the immunization schedule should be adjusted when children have compromised immune systems. I also discussed the importance of residency training for the next generation of pediatricians, and how we can better assess their acquisition of competence in order to improve the care they provide for patients. I believe that conferences such as this one are truly important to enhance our understanding of cultural influences on health care for children and on the education and training of physicians”.
The four-day conference, sponsored by Tawam Hospital in affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine, was inaugurated on Mother’s Day, 21st March 2013 at the Danat Al Ain resort. Noted international pediatric experts who participated included Dr. Paul Colombani, Dr. Jane Crosson, Dr. Sujatha Kannan and Dr. Julia McMillan from Johns Hopkins International, USA; Dr. Peter Baxter and Dr. Peter Cuckow from the UK; Dr. Moeedaldeen Alsayed , Dr. Aayed Alqathani and Ahmed Al Salem from the KSA; Dr. Basil Fathalla from Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar; and Dr. Iyad Sultan from Jordan.
The pediatric department at Tawam Hospital is one of the largest in the UAE. It offers children comprehensive clinical care including a wide spectrum of sub-specialty services for inpatients and outpatients. Clinical care is provided by highly qualified pediatricians and western trained consultants. The department has brought several advancements to the region, many done for the first time in the UAE, providing state-of-the-art therapies, which were previously only available overseas.
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