Pediatrics
Vision Screenings
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, family physicians should always include pediatric vision screening in their routine care of children. Vision problems affect between 5 and 10 percent of young children. Up to 3 percent of the pediatric population younger than age six has misalignment of the visual axis. Of these children, as many as 40 percent subsequently develop secondary vision loss related to disease of the visual pathways. This is now the leading cause of monocular vision loss in people between the ages of 20 and 70. Fortunately, pediatric vision screening can reduce the incidence of vision loss related to secondary vision loss.
At Tri-City Health Center, pediatricians regularly screen their patients for vision abnormality, following the recommended timeline put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics. If problems are detected, the child is immediately referred to Children’s Hospital in Oakland or the Lucille Packard Hospital in Palo Alto for further testing by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.Return to top
Auditory Screenings
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, hearing loss is the most common congenital condition in the United States. Although 39 out of 50 states mandated a universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS), there is no guarantee that children would not develop hearing loss later on during development. By performing ongoing surveillance and screening at primary clinics such as TCHC, infants and young children at the most risk of not receiving proper medical care can be monitored for late-onset hearing loss.
The pediatricians at TCHC are the medical providers who see the children most often and are able to review auditory skill development and developmental milestones at appointment visits. Currently, the physicians use a pure tune audiometer as a screening device. An immediate referral to the Children’s Hospital in Oakland or the Lucille Children Packard Hospital in Palo Alto is recommended if a hearing problem is detected, where the patients would be given proper treatment in order to prevent further hearing loss or improve their current auditory conditions.Return to top
Dental Screenings
During the school year, Tri-City Health Center implements the Childhood Caries Prevention and Treatment (CCPT) outreach program. The program targets 10 Title I elementary schools to perform dental screenings. Of the 2,182 children screened in 2005-2006, 510 (22%) were without dental insurance and 361 (16%) were without medical insurance. Data assessment revealed that more than half of the uninsured children (52%) required further dental treatment as opposed to children with dental insurance (39%). Our screening program also found that children without insurance were 2 times more likely to have a cavity compared to children with insurance.
It has been proven that with early intervention, oral health can be improved significantly in this population. In addition, in 2006, approximately 70% of TCHC’s 22,000 patients had no health insurance, including no dental coverage upon arriving at our clinic. According to the California Oral Health Needs Assessment, dental caries can cause unnecessary pain and suffering, absence from school and work, difficulty speaking and chewing, diminished self-esteem and has resulted in the failure to succeed in children. CCPT has demonstrated excellence in providing children in the community with high-quality dental education, screening, referral and follow up. Once screenings have been completed, the CCPT team contacts students who don’t have dental insurance to help set up appointments for them and their families at TCHC.Return to top
Abuse / Neglect Screenings
According to American Academy of Pediatrics, each year approximately 3 million children are reported abused or neglected in the U.S. Child abuse is defined as any intentional, emotional, physical, or sexual injury to a child. Child neglect is the most prevalent kind of abuse and can be either physical, emotional, or educational. Abuse of a child can be difficult to detect and diagnose. It is usually reported by someone other than the child's parents.
The medical providers at TCHC have been trained to be able to properly detect signs for abuse and/or neglect of their pediatric patients. The most important aspect in treating the child who is physically or sexually abused is to make sure that the child is safe. To insure safety, the child may have to be removed from his/her abusive family. Thus, if child abuse or neglect is identified, as per California’s law, it is reported either to CPS, or any local police dept by Tri-City Health Center.Return to top