Supporting Children on the Autism Spectrum as They Experience the Challenges of COVID-19.

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified stress and social isolation for many children, but those children living with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been disproportionately affected. Prior to the pandemic, children with ASD often faced social isolation due to struggles with their social communication and social development. Planning for children with ASD to return to community experiences, including school, appointments, and even recreational activities, will require an understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on the child and their family. As the child and family are working to adjust to changes like new routines, sleep patterns, and sensory issues as a result of the pandemic, the pediatric nursing community should be knowledgeable and prepared to develop creative opportunities to meet the needs of this vulnerable population.

Long COVID-The New "Invisible" Illness: How School Nurses Can Support the Nursing and Educational Teams for Student Success.

School-age children are not immune to COVID-19 or the pronounced and persistent symptoms associated with a long-COVID diagnosis. Students may present with a variety of symptoms affecting their physical, cognitive, and mental health. The school community should be educated on the school-based interventions and recommendations for creating an individualized safe and successful return to school plan. As we await approval for vaccinations in school-age children younger than 12 years and continue to reposition ourselves to the waves of this pandemic and new variants of the virus, understanding the medical and educational long-term effects on our students may be a long-term need.

Assessing a Student With a Rare Disease.

An assessment tool, "Assessing a Student with a Rare Disease," was developed by the Specialized Health Needs Interagency Collaboration program and introduced at NASN's 51st annual conference in Denver, Colorado. The goal of the tool is to support the school nurse as the medical expert in the educational setting by using a comprehensive prompt to gather information about the student's health condition and the possible impact on student's medical, cognitive, and behavioral needs at school.

Hidden Devices in the School Setting: What the School Nurse Needs to Know About Vagus Nerve Stimulation.

The Specialized Health Needs Interagency Collaboration (SHNIC) program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute is a community-based program that provides on-site training and technical assistance to safely manage the integration of children with special health needs into educational and community settings. SHNIC frequently receives seizure education requests throughout the school year, specifically regarding vagus nerve stimulation. Vagus nerve stimulation involves an implanted medical device used to deliver electrical pulses to the vagus nerve for additional seizure management. The school nurse needs to understand the purpose and function of the hidden medical device, including the parameters for use of the device and magnet, safety considerations, and side effects. SHNIC has developed educational materials specific to vagus nerve stimulation to aid the school nurse in providing staff training, developing care plans, and creating a safe school experience for students with special health needs.

Hidden Medical Devices in the School Setting: What the School Nurse Needs to Know About the Safe Use of Baclofen Pumps.

One of the "hidden" medical devices in the school setting is the baclofen pump, which is used for the treatment of spasticity. The goals of spasticity treatment are to decrease muscle tone, deformity, and pain in order to maximize function and ease of care for both child and caregiver. The use of an intrathecal baclofen pump, often for children with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, brain injury, or stroke, has been effective in spasticity treatment. It is important for school nurses to be aware of the safety implications associated with this type of device. The Specialized Health Needs Interagency Collaboration (SHNIC) program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute has complied education and materials that explain the use of baclofen pumps in children with spasticity and the role of the school nurse in providing staff training, developing emergency care plans, and creating a safe school environment for children with special health needs.

Hidden Devices in the School Setting: What the Nurse Needs to Know About Shunts.

The role of school nurse today not only includes making a thorough assessment of the child but also the knowledge and skill to understand hidden medical devices. As of 2011, there were approximately 14.6 million children in the United States living with special health care needs. Many of these children could have hidden medical devices. The Specialized Health Needs Interagency Collaboration (SHNIC) program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute received requests for in-person training regarding ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts.

Communication: the key to effective interdisciplinary collaboration in the care of a child with complex rehabilitation needs.

Healthcare providers have the unique opportunity to provide care and treatment to patients with complex medical needs. They learn early in their careers that the care they provide doesn't just include the patient. Communication is essential across the continuum and involves multiple providers and the family. An interdisciplinary team facilitates a comprehensive plan for recovery and treatment. This case study centers on the interdisciplinary approach to the rehabilitation continuum of care across the spectrum and its effects on patient outcomes.

Helicobacter pylori -induced apoptosis in gastric epithelial cells is blocked by protein kinase C activation.

Apoptosis plays a major role in gastrointestinal epithelial cell turnover. We have examined induction of apoptosis by Helicobacter pylori in gastric AGS cells and the role of protein kinase C (PKC) which has been shown to modulate programmed cell death. Incubation of AGS cells with H. pylori resulted in an activation of caspases 3 and 9 and induced programmed cell death. The PKC activator 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) caused translocation of PKC gamma, delta and var epsilon, prevented H. pylori -induced caspase activation and programmed cell death. Cocultivation of AGS cells with H. pylori resulted in a translocation of the atypical PKC isoform PKC lambda. We suggest that inhibition of H. pylori induced apoptosis by PKC activation can play a role in the process of neoplastic transformation.