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SHARE THE KIWANIS EXPERIENCE
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SHARE THE KIWANIS EXPERIENCE |
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The Loveland Kiwanis Club, of the Rocky Mountain District of Kiwanis International, is a non-profit organization. Through the sale of limited edition bronze sculptures created by Loveland Area Artisans, we plan to support the "Kiwanis Commitment to Children" Campaign, to improve the survival and quality of life of children who become victims of trauma.
Tragically, thousands of children are injured every year by auto accidents, burns, falls and physical violence. In fact, injuries are this country's single leading cause of death among children, with more than 20,000 fatalities a year. For this reason, the Rocky Mountain Kiwanis Foundation and the Children's Hospital in Denver have joined together to establish the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute (KPTI).
The Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute is a program, not a hospital, and its headquarters just happens to be located in Denver, the heart of the Rocky Mountain District. It exists for all of the Rocky Mountain region-Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska panhandle. Donations go to those programs which have been developed for injured children in every town in the Rocky Mountain area. All of these programs are meant to improve quality pediatric care as close to home as possible. Portions of donated money will come back to communities in the form of injury prevention programs; training-such as pediatric emergency-care courses and seminars for pre-hospital personnel (EMT and paramedics), doctors, teachers, child care providers and community members at-large; and from research into new methods of helping a critically injured child. A gift to KPTI is like buying an insurance policy on children's lives in each of our communities. When you need KPTI, it will be there.
(by David Ruben, Parenting, December/January 1996, pages 101-104)
Parenting magazine in its December/January issue called it "the scary truth about emergency care." The article told about how the people and equipment that all of us rely on in times of crisis aren't always prepared to handle the emergencies that they face.
The reason, as it applies to children, is that kids aren't little adults. The equipment that will help to save the life of an adult frequently won't work on a child because it is too large. And emergency crews aren't necessarily prepared to deal with child trauma either, because the injuries that manifest themselves one way in an adult might take a different course in a child.
The result, according to Parenting, is that "the odds of a child receiving first-rate care during the crucial half hour following a major injury or at the onset of a serious illness amount to a crap shoot."
Not a pleasant thought for parents, grandparents, teachers and others entrusted with the care of children.
Ambulances need to be equipped with child-size cervical collars, breathing tubes, IV's and oxygen masks, according to Parenting. Emergency medical workers need training that deals specifically in the differences between adult and child victims of trauma. What are the symptoms of shock in children? What is an acceptable range for blood pressure in children?
Parenting recommends that parents talk to their pediatricians about the level of service available from local ambulance crews and emergency rooms. Parents also can ask ambulance personnel what training they have had in pediatric advanced life support and how they would respond to specific situations.
In this region, the Loveland Kiwanis Club is working to bring training and equipment to ambulance services and emergency rooms that need it. Through the benevolence of six Loveland sculptors last year and 18 this year, the Kiwanis Club is marketing signed, dedicated, limited editions of sculptures. Net proceeds are sent to the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute. In conjunction with Children's Hospital, KPTI offers training opportunities and pediatric equipment to emergency service providers who need it.
In addition, KPTI provides child trauma prevention services that might include education about dangerous cribs, child abuse identification training, and community awareness of dangers in our midst.