A Message from Shelly Voet, MD
May 23, 2022
Hello! I hope all of you are well.
This issue of Synapse contains several important resources you might find helpful for patients with Hypermobility Disorder Spectrum. As we mentioned in the Weekly Vitals email, the Hypermobility/EDS clinic through Genetics is not accepting new referrals. A workgroup has been formed at CCHMC to determine how to best address the needs of this population moving forward.
This month pediatric providers across our country have been working to help families facing formula shortages. The AAP parent site, Healthychildren.org, has shareable content for families available now. The pediatric gastroenterology specialist group NASPGHAN has published a resource with equivalent formula substitutions your office may find helpful. Locally, a workgroup at CCHMC has also been convened to help address the formula shortage. PCPs can also reach an RD at CCHMC through PPL 24/7 if guidance is needed about substitutions for children on specialized formulas.
Next month Cincinnati Children’s will say farewell to Jeff Simmons MD, who is transitioning to the role of Chief Quality Officer at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Many of you may remember Jeff as a regular presence on our early AM COVID-19 updates from the beginning of the pandemic. In his role as Safety Officer at CCHMC, Jeff was a steady, innovative, team leader who worked with an amazing lab team (led by Kathy Good) and access team (led by Pam Masters) and continuously sought feedback from our CPAC group to stand up accessible COVID-19 testing options for children throughout our community within weeks after the first cases here. Pediatric medicine is better for all of us with people like Jeff leading, and I am grateful to have worked with him. Thank you, Jeff, for being a great partner with PCPs and families in our community during such a challenging time.
With regards to COVID-19, ACIP met May 19 to review data on pediatric COVID-19 in children, as well as safety and effectiveness of vaccines in this age group. You can view the presentation HERE. Key recommendations from ACIP after this review:
1. Children ages 5-11 years should receive a booster dose at least 5 months after completion of the primary series
2. The primary series for children 5-11 years old who are moderately to severely immunocompromised is 3 doses with three weeks between dose 1 and 2 and four weeks between dose 2 and 3. The booster in immunocompromised children would then be 5 months after dose 3.
The CDC also updated the Pediatric COVID-19 Operational Planning guide as of May 17 to include details about the anticipated mRNA vaccines for children under 5 HERE. This guide includes specifics of both the Pfizer and Moderna products. The FDA’s VRBPAC is tentatively scheduled to meet June 8 and June 20/21 and ACIP will meet within several days if the FDA gives approval for these vaccines.
CCHMC is winding down their vaccine clinics as of 5/29/22, but there is wide availability in our communities. If you have not visited the COVID-19 vaccine toolkit for community PCPs, there are new features there including a new video, shareable social media posts, and flyers you can use for patient rooms (copies of which can be ordered on the site). Thanks to our partners in CCHMC Marketing, and especially Ellen Georgilis, who has coordinated all this great work!
Thanks again for all you do,
Shelly
Shelly F. Voet MD
Pediatric Associates PSC
CCHMC Executive Community Physician Leader