The “Kissing Bug” disease, sounds harmless? Not quite
Chagas disease is in the spotlight following a new case study published in CMAJ by Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Dr. Momar Ndao’s team from the Research Institute of the MUHC, is raising questions over the prevention and diagnosis of the disease in Canada, where thousands may be infected, but not diagnosed. Read more via Le Journal de Montréal, Radio-Canada, Radio-Canada International (story out on Monday), and Winnipeg Free Press.
At least a third of reactions in children with food-induced anaphylaxis to a known allergen occur under adult supervision
According to a new study led by Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan, a pediatric allergist and immunologist at the Research Institute of the MUHC and at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. The findings, published recently in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, reveal that inadvertent exposures to a known food allergen in children are frequent, and in the majority of supervised reactions, adults other than the child’s parents were present. Watch the CTV report.
Canada is the second-largest per capita consumer of opioids in the world after the United States
Nearly 3,000 Canadians died of opioid overdoses last year, mostly from illicit heroin and fentanyl-laced drugs, and the number of fatalities is expected to increase this year. “No medication targets a specific pain, and pain is one of the most difficult chronic diseases to treat,” Dr. Yoram Shir, director of the McGill University Health Centre’s Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit told The Gazette. Read the three-part series: Part one, Part two, Part three
The Habs bring Christmas cheer!
On December 12, patients at the Children’s received one of the most anticipated visits of the year from the Montreal Canadiens. Like each year, their visit created a buzz and excitement that permeated throughout the entire hospital. Patients and families were thrilled to receive gifts, and have their photos taken with the players. Click on the following links to read articles depicting the day: Global News, Montreal Gazette, National Post, Et Canada.
The Royal Victoria Hospital of the MUHC has received the province's first cuddle cot
This is a cooling unit that helps preserve the bodies of babies who die before or after birth, prolonging the time families have to spend with children they will never get to bring home. The arrival of the cuddle cot was the result of an initiative by four mothers who suffered the loss of a baby in such circumstances and the MUHC Foundation. Coverage can be found in the Montreal Gazette and CBC.
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