Halloween Safety: Dr. Josyann Abisaab

ER doctors like Dr. Josyann Abisaab often deal with accidents that happen during the Halloween festivities. They encourage parents to enjoy Halloween along with their children while being more aware of the possible dangers. It is important to be conscious of fire hazards while lighting candles inside jack-o lanterns. Also, children’s costumes should be relatively flame resistant, as the lanterns are commonly placed all over the neighborhood, and children might play, run or even trip near them.

The costume colors should be bright, so that motorists and other pedestrians will notice them from a distance. It would be wise to trim your child’s costume and bag with reflective tape for the same reason. Avoid costumes that are very long or heavy, and shoes that are unsteady or don’t fit correctly, as they may cause your child to trip. If your child’s costume includes props like a sword, scythe or staff, make sure the material is soft and will bend if fallen on.

Remind your children to cross the street at crosswalks only, and caution them not to trespass through strange yards or driveways. It is advisable to equip your child with a flashlight and a cellphone in case of emergencies.

The Lebanese Society of Emergency Medicine & Dr. Josyann Abisaab

From November 11-13, Dr. Josyann Abisaab and 10 fellow faculty members from New York Presbyterian Hospital will be part of the 4^th Annual Conference of The Lebanese Society of Emergency Medicine in Beirut, Lebanon.

Academic co-sponsorship for the conference comes from The Global Emergency Medicine Program at Weill Cornell Medical College, where Dr. Josyann Abisaab is on faculty.  Conference offerings include a Suturing, Wood & Burn Management workshop, an ED Triage Workshop, an Orthopedic Splinting Workshop and much more.

Breastfeeding & E.R. Visits: Dr. Josyann Abisaab

While most health organizations encourage women to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months after giving birth, most women don’t keep up the commitment.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 Breastfeeding Report Card shows that, while 75% of babies start being breastfeed when they are born, only 43% are still being breastfed at six months of age.

Unfortunately, many babies end up in the E.R., being seen by doctors like Dr. Josyann Abisaab, for issues that might have been avoided with breastfeeding.  A study in Pediatrics in April of 2010 found that nearly 1000 preventable deaths occur in the United States each year because of a failure to follow breastfeeding recommendations. In terms of dollars, that translates to $13 billion annually that the country could save if these mothers had continued breastfeeding until their babies were six months of age.