Dr. Lockrow is a neurologist at Seattle Children’s and will be a presenter at the Epilepsy Symposium at Seattle Children’s on September 17, 2022.
Q: What is dietary therapy for epilepsy?
Epilepsy diets are medical treatment used to control seizures. Epilepsy diets are high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. There are many versions of epilepsy diets, though nearly all involve shifting the main source of energy for the brain away from carbohydrates and towards ketones mimicking the fasting metabolic response.
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Update on Emergency Department and Hospital Capacity
- Seattle Children’s continues to experience very high census and significant capacity constraints in the Emergency Department and inpatient areas.
- The recent closure of Fairfax Behavioral Health and decision by Providence Everett to close its pediatric beds to make space for adult patients have further constrained our hospital capacity.
- Last Friday, July 1, the hospital moved to contingency status for staffing. Contingency falls under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Disaster Planning guidelines and is part of a continuum that ranges from “conventional” to “contingency,” and, finally, “crisis.” Moving to contingency means that the workspaces, staff and/or supplies used are not consistent with daily practices but maintain or have minimal impact on usual patient care processes.
- We continue to run under a disaster incident command structure to rapidly manage issues and ensure safe care for the patients that need us.
- Our region is reporting that most hospitals are over 100% capacity and some are reporting their highest occupancy ever. This is resulting in rural critical access hospitals (those without critical care capabilities) frequently boarding critically ill patients in their Emergency Departments for prolonged periods of time. It is also stressing the EMS system and impacting 911 response times in certain areas of the state.
- It is imperative that our provider colleagues manage patients in primary care whenever possible and appropriate. If sending patient to the Seattle Children’s ED, please call our Communications Center at 206-987-8899 first. This will help us to manage and plan for necessary space and staffing. Please also inform the family we will see them as soon as we can but there is likely to be a wait.
- See our Emergency or Urgent Care Referral Guide.
COVID-19 Vaccination for Children Ages 6 Months to 4 Years Old
Seattle Children’s is now able to offer COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 6 months to 4 years (under 5 years old) based on approvals last month from the CDC, Washington State Department of Health and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup.
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During routine evaluations of the renovation project currently underway at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic (OBCC) Central District, it was discovered that repairs were needed that were beyond the original scope. As a result, we are closing this location for the time being to fully evaluate the situation and develop long-term plans. We have rescheduled families who had appointments at OBCC Central District to receive care at OBCC Othello or via telehealth. OBCC Central District workforce will move to the Othello location, which has space to absorb all the additional staff and patients.
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Washington state is down 13% overall in the number of vaccines administered compared to pre-pandemic levels. The National HPV Roundtable estimates that it may take 10 years to catch up on cancer-preventing human papilloma virus (HPV) immunizations.
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Seattle Children’s is now offering our recently introduced class, “Finding Mental Health Care in Washington State: A Class on Where to Start,” in Spanish too. The class will be offered virtually (on Zoom) starting in July. It is a live class and includes a question-and-answer session.
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One of the Nation’s Best Children’s Hospitals
We are honored to share that U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) has again ranked Seattle Children’s among the nation’s best children’s hospitals. Seattle Children’s is the top-ranked pediatric hospital in Washington and the Pacific Northwest and among the top three pediatric hospitals in the Pacific region, which includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. Seattle Children’s has received this recognition every year for 30 years! This important designation distinguishes Seattle Children’s as one of the top places in the nation providing pediatric care.
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Last May, Seattle Children’s launched Generation REACH, a multifaceted initiative based on the simple yet transformative premise that child health always includes mental health.
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Seattle Children’s has released its third quarterly progress report on the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan. Despite the urgency of our work, this is a process that takes time. This report highlights both recent progress and challenges. We are committed to accountability as we systematically dismantle racism within the organization. Our ask for active community medical staff is that you read the report and continue to hold us accountable.
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Seattle Children’s Research Institute is investing $45 million in the new Invent at Seattle Children’s Postdoctoral Scholars Program that will prepare scholars for careers in biotech or academia. The program will provide mentorship, education and financial support for 10 postdoctoral scholars per year to help them create new “discovered here” cellular, gene or protein therapeutics that ultimately advance to clinical trials for children. Seattle Children’s Foundation has pledged to raise an additional $10 million for the program.
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