Mime-Version: |
1.0 |
Sender: |
|
Subject: |
|
From: |
|
Date: |
Thu, 7 Aug 2008 14:44:44 +0100 |
Content-Transfer-Encoding: |
7bit |
Content-Type: |
text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1" |
Reply-To: |
|
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Nikki said >Chris Mulford has just had a lovely article published in the
International Breastfeeding Journal; in it, she doubts if the new WHO growth
charts will
ever be used by US pediatricians. At the last LLL International Conference
in Chicago in 2007, the speaker from the WHO said that the new growth
charts, based on the growth of the exclusively breastfed normal baby, were
at that time embargoed in the US. <
Hmm! Interesting!
Here in the UK there was a meeting and the feeling was positive so the
Department of Health decided to go ahead and commissioned the Royal College
of Paediatrics and Child Health to implement the WHO charts for the UK.
There is now a project team working on this. (
http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/Research see third item down)
As well as creating a set of physical charts (using WHO data) the team are
writing the instructions for its use and also the information which goes
with the chart in the parent held record every mother receives for her baby.
There will be education materials targeted for different groups of
professionals.
Chart designs and instructions are being trialled with focus groups of
professionals (and what a range of different professions there are to
consult!) and with parents.
The project team includes a number of professors of paediatrics of various
kinds (neonatology, endecrinologists), the chart statistician and health
visitors. I am also on the group and have had the great pleasure and
interest in being involved in most of the focus group work. I think this is
the first time parents have ever been consulted about chart design in the
design stage.
The issues we are uncovering both from parents and professionals are very
diverse and interesting. We didn't ever use the CDC chart and our UK90
chart isn't as different -- particularly in the early months.
Anyway, my point on this is that there does not seem to have been any fight
about this, it just seemed to be the zeitgeist that the WHO chart is A Good
Thing.
Although, eerily, Gordon Brown, or his administration, seems to be A Very
Good Thing for breastfeeding (finally!) -- I asked the woman from the
Department of Health why and she said 'oh, its about time, isn't it?' but
who knows how these things happen?
Since we are the 'pathetic woman of Europe' when it comes to breastfeeding,
perhaps there is hope for everyone yet!
Magda Sachs, PhD
Breastfeeding Supporter, The Breastfeeding Network, UK
***********************************************
Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome
|
|
|