LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Jennifer tieman <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 12 Jan 2005 22:11:00 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (54 lines)
What should you do with the malnourished baby?
What else besides handing an immediate can of formula would you do in this
situation?
If the baby is truly ill, lethargic, obviously malnourished, than admission
is called for clearly.  As some one else pointed out, it's necessary to rule
out organic disease, as well as assure supervised, appropriate feedings.
If the baby is malnourished enough that immediate food is needed but not
ill, and it's 4:45 in the afternoon and nobody else is answering their
phone, then surely sending baby for admission would be reasonable, or at
least to the ER for evaluation, perhaps labs looking for dehydration.
If the baby is not sick enough to need immediate food and evaluation, I
would arrange WIC appt, and likely call the WIC office myself for emergency
provision of formula - and if over diluting was the problem, I'd ask for
ready to feed to be provided (I occasionally do this if the parent seems
repeatedly incapable of figuring out how to properly mix formula anyway.)  I
would contact my hospital social worker for help accessing other community
services.  I would send them directly to the local crisis pregnancy center
that keeps formula on hand, or to the local Salvation Army which also keeps
things on hand.  If all this was taking too long, I'd call my pastor, who
has a great network of community contacts and ask him to find me a source of
support for the family.  Failing all else, I would go to the local grocery,
purchase some formula, and if some politician had made it illegal for me to
give away, and I was convinced I'd ever get caught, I'd charge the family 10
cents!
I just don't understand how the hcp supplying poor folks with formula is
really the solution to infant malnutrition.  I can some up with rare
permutations of situations where handing a baby instant food might seem like
a good idea, but having a supply of formula in my office doesn't seem like
it would ultimately help much?  I do work in a rural area and have had to
deal with the malnourished baby occasionally, and giving out formula on the
spot never seemed to be necessary.  I have also seen the folks who lose (or
sell even) their WIC coupons, or chronically run out, and have had to use my
other community contacts to get their babies fed.
I do have compassion for families that find themselves in these situations,
but I don't see how a small amount of formula handed over would make much
difference in the long run, and I don't see my responsibility as a HCP to
include keeping on hand a large supply of formula to totally supply folks
who have no other source.
Jennifer Tieman
Family Physician
Mom to 4, including my toddler nursling Caroline Rose

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2