from the editor

Improving Pediatric Health

By Sean Flack, MBChB, FCA
SPA News Editor

Greetings from Seattle, Washington!

In light of the lead contamination crisis in her home state of Michigan, Dr. Malviya highlights the importance of advocating for the health of children in her president’s message. It is heartening to be reminded of the excellent work SPA members are doing in this regard, and this newsletter addresses just a few of these efforts.

For example, the American College of Surgeons Children’s Surgery Verification and Quality Improvement Program institutes a new set of standards for pediatric surgery. SPA was well represented in leading this work and the details of the program are thoroughly described. The AAP Section on Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine has also been extremely active and their achievements are detailed in an update from the section chair and manager.

Consistent with the theme of improving pediatric health, there are two literature review articles in this edition. One focuses on analgesia following tonsillectomy and the other is describes relevant articles from the Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia. Both highlight work still needing to be done to prevent avoidable harm to children undergoing elective surgical procedures. Take home messages for me are that our patients should never be going home with codeine or hydrocodone for postoperative analgesia. In addition, opioid dose reduction (1/3-1/2 the usual dose), or avoidance altogether, must be employed for children with obstructive sleep apnea.

Of course, this newsletter is but a small window into the great work so many of you are doing. Just within my group, there are colleagues leading global health initiatives, addressing health disparities, researching and preventing childhood injuries, investigating the burden of childhood pain and strategies to improve pain medicine in children. Others sacrifice personal time to provide care on mission trips around the world. I could go on, and I know the same is true in pediatric anesthesia departments and groups throughout the USA and beyond.

If you or a colleague have an interesting story to share in the newsletter, feel free to contact me at sean.flack@seattlechildrens.org

I look forward to meeting up with everyone in Colorado Springs soon. A foretaste of what will be on offer is available in the welcome message from the meeting chair, Dr Kirk Lalwani. See you at the wonderful Broadmoor Hotel!