Recognizing a need for increased quality on-site athletic training services in the region, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center created a sports medicine program in August, 2010. The concept has evolved into a full-service program that offers athletic event coverage, concussion programs, educational seminars, and pre-activity screenings to area athletes.

High School Coverage Most of the work is centered on outreach services, which consists of placing certified athletic trainers in the schools to care for the medical needs of the students involved in athletics. Certified athletic trainers are recognized as health care professionals trained in emergency care, injury prevention, recognition, and evaluation, and athletic rehabilitation. While on campus, the sports medicine staff are responsible for preparingathletes for practice and/or games. This may include, bracing, taping, stretching, or determining if an athlete who has been injured is rehabilitated enough to participate in an activity. Also, the athletic trainer will observe the activity taking place, and offer assistance to any athlete needing medical care. If it is determined that an athlete needs to see a physician, the athletic trainer will make that recommendation to the athlete, parent,and coach to assure every athlete is able to participate in the safest environment possible .

Educational Seminars Another service offered by the Sports Medicine Center of Thibodaux Regional consists of educational opportunities for the athletic community. Thibodaux Regional Medical Center provides guest speakers to present pertinent material on a wide variety of subjects. Seminars covering topics such as, strength and conditioning training, speed development and nutrition, and proper equipment fitting are held throughout the year. Coaches, parents, athletes, and health care providers interested in athletic medicine are invited to attend.

Making a Difference in athletic Safety

Concussion Clinic At Thibodaux Regional we understand the importance of safety in athletics. A recent addition to the sports medicine service line is a comprehensive concussion program. Thibodaux Regional is the only facility in the region to offer state-of-the-art Concussion Technology. Baseline testing is offered to athletes, as well as more extensive evaluations following a head injury. Within the concussion clinic, athletes can be pre-tested, evaluated, monitored, treated, and returned to play safely. This is the first comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment of concussion related symptoms. Thibodaux Regional Medical Center now has the ability to help the athlete, coach and doctor make a safe decision in returning to competitive sports.

Recreational games as well as competitive athletics are more popular than ever before. Injuries are a natural part of the activities that many of us participate in at one time or another. Certified athletic trainers are qualified to provide information to athletes of all types concerning nutrition, conditioning, injury prevention, wellness, injury management, and rehabilitation.

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Services Offered:High School Athletic Coverage

Injury Prevention Programs

Health and Nutrition Education

State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Technology

Latest Treatment Options

Rehabilitation

Concussion Clinics

Pre-participation Exams

Education Seminars for Coaches and Athletic Trainers

The Sports Medicine Center of Thibodaux Regional employs certified athletic trainers involved in the design and implementation of programs to equip athletes with the tools necessary to excel in their chosen sport.

For more information contact the Sports Medicine Center of Thibodaux Regional, (985) 493-4502.

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Call(985) 633-7171

or Email frednaquin@charter.net

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Relay For Life of Lafourche Parish-Thibodaux

Saturday, April 6, 2013Thibodaux High School

relayforlife.org/thibodauxla

Relay For Life of Terrebonne ParishSaturday, April 27, 2013Houma-Terrebonne Civic Centerrelayforlife.org/terrebonnela

On August 24, 2011, not only did our prayers get answered, but also our dreams came true for Seth, our 27- month-old son (at the time), to become a BIG brother. Owen was born at 7:22 AM by C-section. Within 45 minutes, my husband and I were able to hold him in our arms, and life felt complete. In our eyes he was perfect. We were on cloud nine as baby number two was finally here. Twenty-four hours later, when doing random blood tests, Owen’s blood labs came back showing he had an elevated thyroid level as well as a slight rise in his bilirubin levels causing jaundice. We were discharged around noon on day three, which was a Friday, and were told to bring him back on Monday for a recheck of his blood labs and jaundice counts. Within minutes, Owen was retuned to us by a nurse that we had not had during our hospital stay. She questioned the

shape of his little head, asking if he had been born breech or premature. I said he was neither and thought nothing of her question other than knowing sometimes babies have different shapes to their heads, which normally would fix itself as time went by. Again, to us he was perfect. At Owen’s two-month wellness visit, I questioned Owen’s pediatrician because at this point we had been questioned by several people about his head shape and of course as his mommy I defended my son. On that checkup, our doctor did send us to have skull x-rays to rule out any underlying condition. We received the results back and were told everything was alright. But, I remembered as I walked away the nurse saying “Mom, follow up”. For months I replayed his words, “Mom, follow up”, in my mind, always questioning his head shape. Owen’s skull was growing according to its shape

Owen’s Journeyand size, which didn’t seem to be an issue as it was, to us, just simply how God made our son. At 13 months something told me to have Owen rechecked, “followed up on” as the male nurse said to me months back. So our pediatrician referred us to Children’s Hospital of New Orleans where Owen then had a 3D CT scan which confirmed he had a condition called Craniosynostosis with Sagittal Synostosis. Craniosynostosis (Cranio-cranium plus syn, together with otosis relating to the bone) is a condition where one or more fibrous sutures in an infant’s skull prematurely fuse by turning into bone. This condition changes the growth pattern of the skull because the skull cannot expand perpendicular to the fussed suture. The skull compensates by growing more in the direction of the closed suture. Sometimes the resulting growth pattern provides necessary space for the growing brain resulting in an abnormal head shape and abnormal facial features. In cases where the compensation does not effectively provide enough space for the growing brain, Craniosynostosis results in increased IP (intracranial pressure) leading to possible visual impairment, sleeping impairments, eating difficulties as well as impairment of mental development combined with a significant reduction in IQ. At this time, CT scans showed Owen had a fusion of the sagittal suture with no IP on his brain. Sagittal Synostosis is the most common type of Craniosynostosis; it affects the main suture on the very top of the head with a premature fusion causing the head to grow long and narrow instead of wide. Studies show that Craniosynostosis occurs in 1 in 4000 births and is a part of a syndrome in 15 to 40% of patients, but usually occur as an isolated condition which is more common in boys than in girls. On Janurary 7, 2013, our 16 month old underwent an operation, per our choice, called CVR (cranial vault reconstruction). The procedure is a very intense 6.5 hour operation with doctors working close to Owen’s brain. The procedure includes the removal of Owen’s fussed Sagittal suture and his skull being reshaped with the use of several screws & plates. Owen spent the first night in PICU and 4 more days in a regular hospital room. To our surprise, Owen

By: Chrissy Adams (Owen’s Mom)

From A Diagnosis Of Craniosynostosis with Sagittal Synostosis And His Life Changing Surgery

Owen - 4 months old

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was sitting up in bed and starting to play just 2 hourspost op. Within 2-3 days, IV’s were removed. His drain tube was removed just before discharge on day 5. Throughout Owen’s journey, we have come across many wonderful people through support groups, who have all walked a day in our shoes. We have had an overwhelming amount of support from family members, friends, and church groups. We simply made it to the “other side”, as they call it in the cranio world, by the grace of God. Throughout Owen’s journey, we have come together as family more now than ever, and we have seen just how strong our little man is. There are

two things this journey has taught me as Owen’s mommy, that nothing can stop this child of mine, and with God all things are possible. I knew Owen would make a difference in this world. If by sharing his journey he helps one family get the correct diagnosis or learn of his condition, then my goal for him has been achieved, as well as for Owen to live a healthy and happy life.

If you suspect your child may be affected by craniosynostosis, please talk with your child’s pediatrician. For moreinformation please visit www.craniosynostosis.net.

Owen - 16 months old (2 hours after operation)

Owen - 17 months old (1 month after operation)

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New Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Offers Privacy, Independence

Ali Turner, Sr. PT, Christi Duplantis, Clinical Therapy Coordinator, Nancy Dupre, OT, Director, Hector Linares, MD, Medical Director, and Nicole Ledet, Nursing Coordinator

The inpatient rehabilitation department at Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) has relocated to a newly designed area, and its primary goal is to get patients back to their homes and doing what they love to do as soon as possible. The new unit boasts 20 private rooms and new gyms, further increasing an already high standard of care. The new inpatient rehabilitation facility is located on the second floor of the hospital. The move allowed the hospital to consolidate all of the therapies patients might need into one convenient location. In the old unit, most of the rooms were semi-private. “All of the new rooms are private, which is significantly better for confidentiality,” explained Dr. Hector Linares, medical director of the Health and Rehabilitation Center at TGMC. Patients also have access to private treatment rooms in the new space. This can help with confidence and speed up the recovery process.

Patients enjoy exercise and activities to help get them back to being independent.

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The rooms have been redesigned with rehabilitation patients in mind. “We were able to renovate our new rehabilitation unit to allow for wheelchair-accessible bathrooms in all patient rooms. We also have a functional kitchen that is accessible for both wheelchair users and ambulatory patients,” said Nancy Dupre, RN, director of the Health and Rehabilitation Center at TGMC. Patients go to physical or occupational rehabilitation for a wide variety of reasons. They can be recovering from a stroke, a joint replacement, an accident or any othernumber of conditions. The bottom line is that each patient has lost some of his or her independence. “A person is treated in rehabilitation so that he or she can regain as much independence in their activities of daily living as possible. Inability to walk to the bathroom, difficulty cooking, and deficits in swallowing, and communication of basic wants and needs are only a few examples of activities of daily living that are addressed during rehab sessions,” said Dupre. The goal of rehabilitation is to get patients back to their lives in their homes, so it makes sense that the rehab unit would be more home-like. “Our Health and Rehabilitation Center’s mission statement is ‘To help our patients through a journey that will hopefully end with them finding a newfound sense of independence and improved way of life,’” said Dupre. “We are now able to offer more patient privacy and a more spacious and welcoming area.” “Every case is different, but ideally, we want to put patients back where they are independent. Patients stay in the unit for an average of 14 days,” said Linares. This is the same as the national average, and many continue their recovery in an outpatient setting or through home health care. “We have put comfort, privacy, and convenience together in the new facility and have made improvements. Right now, it’s

like when you move into a new house and everything isfresh,” said Linares. “TGMC decided to renovate, first and foremost, because of our patient feedback. They were pleased with our services; however, they voiced the preference of having a private room,” explained Dupre. The Health and Rehabilitation Center is up-to-date with the latest technology and includes computerized balance equipment and other new resources. “We are proud of our improved rehabilitation department. We are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and also CARF accredited in the area of stroke specialty. We have been CARF accredited since 1997, and we will continue to meet the standards of higher excellence as required by CARF as we transition to our new rehab unit,” explained Dupre. For more information on the Health and Rehabilitation Center at TGMC, please call 888-543-TGMC (8462).

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Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that is involved with diagnosing, preventing, and treating discrepancies of the teeth and jaws. There are essentially two types of oral appliances used in orthodontic treatment, braces and removable appliances. Braces are adhered to the teeth and left in place until treatment is completed. Removable appliances are inserted and removed by the patient. Both apply light, continuous forces on the teeth and jaws and are used to help move teeth, retrain muscles, and influence the growth of the jaws. There are many benefits to undergoing orthodontic treatment. The most obvious is the esthetic or cosmetic result. However, the benefits that orthodontic treatment offers go well beyond pretty smiles. The incidence of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease can be reduced. Orthodontics may help alleviate some of the signs and symptoms of tmj syndrome, and can be used to facilitate tooth restoration or replacement by positioning the teeth and jaws into an ideal relationship with each other. While the cosmetic benefit of orthodontics is obvious, there are others. For instance, straighter teeth are much easier to clean and maintain than are misaligned teeth. As a result, patients may be less susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease. There is a much greater likelihood of someone keeping their teeth for the duration of their life, which is a major factor affecting overall health. The mouth is the

BRACES, BEYOND PRETTY SMILES

beginning of the digestive system which has a direct affect on nutrition and the immune system. Along with facilitating good oral hygiene, orthodontic treatment may help manage some of the symptoms of temporomandibular joint (tmj) disorder. Misaligned teeth and/ or jaws may contribute to muscle soreness and pain of the head and neck region. The “hinge” point of the jaw is located just in front of the ear. This point is referred to as the tmj. This joint may experience inflammation and soreness if someone’s bite is not meshing properly. By properly aligning the teeth and jaw, many of these symptoms can be alleviated. As well as helping decrease muscle and joint soreness, orthodontic treatment can be used prior to replacing missing teeth. When single or multiple teeth have been missingfor some time, the remaining teeth will usually tip and move out of place. Orthodontic treatment can be done first to move teeth back to an ideal position, in order to provide a greater level of esthetics and function to the teeth being replaced. From improving someone’s smile to reducing pain, orthodontic treatment offers a great deal of benefits. Young children to adults of all ages may be good candidates toexperience these results. Check with your dentist or orthodontist to see if you may benefit from orthodontic treatment. A pretty smile and the confidence that comes withthat is of great value. Orthodontic treatment may get you that smile and so much more.

By: Pedro J. Cuartas, DDS

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Lafourche Central Market, located at 4484 Hwy 1 in Raceland, will be hosting a health fair in partnership with Ochsner St. Anne Hospital on May 4th, 2013. The event will take place during the Market from 8 AM to 12 PM. All health screenings will be free of charge.

Mae Hitt, RN, CDECommunity Outreach Manager

At Ochsner St. Anne Hospital we realize that these are hard economic times for some of our neighbors. Not everyone is able to afford health insurance nor do they have the extra monies to go to the doctors. We also know that the longerpeople wait to address their health issues the more likely it is that they will develop serious complications. There is a high prevalence of heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes in our local area. It is the mission of our Community Outreach Program to provide the community with education to enhance citizen knowledge, skills, and behavior necessary to promote healthy living. The earlier these problems are discovered and addressed, the less chance of them developing diabetic complications or maybe preventing them from having heart attacks and strokes. One of the ways that we can assist our citizens is to offer free health screenings whenever we get the opportunity. We offer blood pressure screenings, blood glucose screenings (to check for diabetes), heart rate checks, oxygen saturationlevels, and body mass index readings. Results will be explained to the participant as to what are acceptable ranges, if there is a need for follow-up with their physician for potential problems or if the need for further testing by a physician is needed before a diagnosis is made. We follow the guidelines from the American Diabetes Association for acceptable blood glucose readings: a normal fasting blood glucose level is less than 100 mg/dL. You may be considered a prediabetic if your fasting glucose is between 100 and 125 mg/dL. Your doctor may diagnose diabetes if you have two consecutive elevated fasting blood glucose tests greater than 125 mg/dL.

Health Fair Coming to

Lafourche Central Market

We follow the guidelines set by the American Heart Association for acceptable blood pressure readings. The guidelines are:American Heart Association’s Acceptable RangeBlood Pressure Category

Systolic (mm HG) Diastolic (mm HG)

Normal less than 120 and less than 80Pre-hypertension 120-139 or 80-89Hypertension, Stage 1

140-159 or 90-99

Hypertension, Stage 2

160 or higher or 100 or higher

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height that is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for adults. However BMI is not a diagnostic tool, but the correlation between BMI and body fatness is fairly strong. BMI is an inexpensive and easy to perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems. Educational materials are also available. These materials stress the importance of healthy eating, exercise, and taking medications as prescribed by the doctor. If anyone has any questions about our programs they can reach me at 985-537-8350.

The Lafourche Central Market is excited to partner with Oschner St. Anne Hospital to host a health fair

for the community. We hope that people will come out to the Market and take advantage of this opportunity

to be better informed about their health. - Brandi LeCompte, Market Manager

HEALTH FAIRMay 4th • 8 AM - 12 PM

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This is always a special time of year for CASA of Terrebonne. Six years ago, an amazing man approached CASA with an idea of having a “Crawfish Boil-off” benefiting CASA of Terrebonne. He was not looking for any help or assistance from us, but just to let us be aware that he was doing this particular event to raise money and promote CASA of Terrebonne. From 2008-2011 during the month of May, this one amazing man, the late Herman Courville, had recruited additional help from another remarkable gentleman, AmosMosley, along with additional families and friends and have donated their business and expertise for raising money for CASA of Terrebonne. With no organizational help from CASA of Terrebonne, its staff, board members and/or volunteers, these men have organized “boil off” teams, gathered tents and jump houses for the children, located items for the live auction, supplied music and had crawfish on site for the teams to purchase. The aromas emitted throughout Terrebonne Parish in May has been the goodness of these two wonderful gentlemen, who have indirectly touched the lives of many of Terrebonne Parish’s most needy--the abused and neglected children of our parish. CASA of Terrebonne is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains qualified volunteers to advocate on behalf of foster children in Terrebonne Parish. Laci Melancon, Executive Director, stated that CASA of Terrebonne is currently serving approximately 70 children with approximately 45 volunteers. “CASA volunteers are the one consistent face that these children see while they are in foster care,” Melancon says. “CASA advocates are only assigned to one or two cases at a time, which allows the volunteer to focus solely on that child.” More volunteers mean more children served by the nonprofit, which currently has about 60 children on the waiting list without a CASA. However, more children served also means more money. Typically it costs about $1400 per child per year they are represented. An average case lasts about two years. “This is one reason why the Crawfish Boil-Off is so important to our organization,“ Melancon says. “Weare able to utilize the money raised from the boil-off to focus on recruiting and training more volunteers, and thus serve more children.” CASA of Terrebonne will hold a summer volunteer training class beginning June 10. “For our summer class, we will be launching a flex training curriculum, which combines online and face-to-face meetings,” Melancon says. “Our goal is to accommodate more people that way and hopefully more male volunteers as well.” Volunteering takes class time, but the work is worth it to those who stay. In order

to become an advocate with CASA, one must be 21 years or older and submit to a background check. In 2012, the Annual Crawfish Boil-Off raised over $34,000 for CASA of Terrebonne! The funds generated from this event assist with the operations for the organization to continue to provide much needed volunteers to the foster children in our community. Amos Mosley, Herman’s sidekick and best friend, along with the Courville family, continue the tradition by hosting the 6th Annual Crawfish Boil-Off on Saturday, May 11th at Southdown Bar and Grill at 11 am. “Our goal is to raise more money than last year for CASA of Terrebonne” says Mosley. “It’s a great event to support a great organization.”

Paricipants in the 2012 Crawfish Boil-Off

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Young adults are increasing their risk for developing skin cancer, according to two studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. One study, of people aged 18-29, found that 50 percent reported at least one sunburn in the past year, despite an increase in protective behaviors such as sunscreen use, seeking shade, and wearing long clothing to the ankles. Another report found that indoor tanning is common among young adults, with the highest rates of indoor tanning among white women aged 18-21 years (32 percent) and 22-25 years (30 percent). Both reports evaluated data from the National Health Interview Survey’s Cancer Control Supplement. They are published in today’s issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. “More public health efforts, including providing shade and sunscreen in recreational settings, are needed to raise awareness of the importance of sun protection and sunburn prevention to reduce the burden of skin cancer,” said Marcus Plescia, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “We must accelerate our efforts to educate young adults about the dangers of indoor tanning to prevent melanoma as this generation ages.” Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and from indoor tanning equipment is the most important preventable risk factor for skin cancer. Indoor tanning before age 35 increases a person’s risk of getting melanoma by 75 percent. Sunburn indicates too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation. “Efforts to shape public policies awareness regarding indoor tanning generally have been targeted toward adolescents rather than young adults to help change behavior of minors,” said Anne Hartman, study coauthor from the Applied Research Program of NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. “This study suggests that

as adolescents mature into young adults, they may continue to need environmental support to develop and maintain healthy behaviors and to change their perspectives about tanning.”

Findings from the two studies: • Among adults aged 18-29 years, whites reported the highest sunburn prevalence (66 percent in 2010) whereas the lowest rates were among blacks (11 percent in 2010). Although sunburn is not as common among blacks as compared to whites, blacks can get sunburned. • The most common sun protective behaviors reported among women aged 18-29 years in 2010 were using sunscreen (37 percent) and staying in the shade (35 percent). White women were less likely to stay in the shade, and black women were less likely to use sunscreen compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Among men aged 18-29 years, the most common sun protective behaviors reported in 2010 were wearing long clothing to the ankles (33 percent) and staying in the shade (26 percent). • Among white women aged 18-21 years who reported indoor tanning, an average of 28 visits occurred in the past year. White women aged 18-21 years were the most common users of indoor tanning.

• The highest prevalence of indoor tanning was reported among white women aged 18-21 years residing in the Midwest (44 percent), and those aged 22-25 years in the South (36 percent).

• Among white adults who reported indoor tanning, 58 percent of women and 40 percent of men used one 10 or more times in the previous year.

High-RiskBehaviors For

Half of adults younger than age 30 report being sunburned; indoor tanning rates highest among white women.

Skin Cancer Common Among

Young AdultsInformation In This Article Provided By CDC

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People should take these steps to protect themselves from ultraviolet light exposure that could lead to skin cancer by: • Seeking shade, especially during midday hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

• Wearing clothing to protect exposed skin.

• Wearing a wide-brimmed hat to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.

• Wearing wrap-around sunglasses that block as close to 100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays as possible. Sunglasses safeguard your eyes from UVA and UVB rays, protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure, and reduce the risk of cataracts and ocular melanoma.

• Using sunscreen with sun protective factor 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.

• Avoiding indoor tanning.

For information about CDC’s efforts in skin cancer prevention, visit http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/. NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s effort to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, visit www.cancer.govExternal Web Site Icon or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

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One of my biggest pet peeves is when I hear people complain about how eating healthy is expensive. In today’s society, we live in a very busy and fast paced world. Usually both members of the household work and we don’t have time to prepare meals at all hours of the day. Just because times have changed, doesn’t mean our eating habits should decline. It may seem that eating healthy is expensive, but the key is to be a smart shopper and to prepare food ahead of time!

Here are a few tips that not only will your wallet thank you for but your body will too!

• Buy produce that is in season; shop your local farmer’s markets to find great deals.

• When you do have to buy produce out of season, opt for frozen fruits and vegetables.

• There are many new items in the markets that allow you to steam the food from the bag, making it a shortened cooking time. Avoid canned fruits and vegetables because ofthe added sugars and sodium.

The Great Debate: Is Eating Healthy Expensive?

• Try out new recipes with beans and legumes; they’re inexpensive and full of B-Vitamins and fiber!

• Switch to whole grains, they’ll keep you fuller longer and are also a good source of B-Vitamins and fiber! Some simple switches are white breads to wheat breads, white riceto brown rice, white noodles to brown noodles.

• Prepare your food ahead of time to avoid waste. Pick one or two days out of the week to cook your big meals, like spaghetti, soups, etc. and freeze left overs to use on otherdays. Cut up any fresh fruits and vegetables ahead of time to bring for on the go snacks. Make sure you are not buying more than what you will use to avoid waste (especiallywhen you’re buying nonperishable items).

Making good food decisions doesn’t have to be a hard thing to do. Don’t let the allure of a drive through fool you. Your body will thank you in the long run!

- Lindsey Thibodaux, Nicholls State University Dietetic Major Lafourche Central Market Coordinator

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GREAT STRIDESFundraising Walk

Saturday, April 20thPeltier Park Pavilion

ThibodauxCheck-in 9 AM

Walk Starts at 10 AMCall For More Information

504-455-5194800-257-4166

www.cff.org/great_strides

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