Department of Paediatrics

Department of Pediatrics was established in 2008 by our beloved Chairman Mr. C. Rajagopalan with a vision to train young aspiring students in pediatric field to take care of Health in children in and around Kancheepuram district. Presently the department imparts teaching and training programs in pediatrics to MBBS students and postgraduates. We provide the preventive, promotive and curative health care available for infants, children and adolescents upto the age of 18 years. The department offers 24/7 high calibre pediatric care. We offer a state of art diagnostic and therapeutic services to the community.

The department has a world class PICU and NICU. We have several subspecialties clinics functioning all days of the week. We provide vaccination free of cost as per the national immunization schedule.

The department has highly qualified and dedicated Professors, Associate and Assistant professors who look after the teaching learning programmes and patient care and supported by well trained technicians and non teaching staff. All the present senior faculty members are approved as post graduate teachers and have vast experience as research guides.

The department lays emphasis on basic and advanced research both by undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as the faculty members all of whom have several ongoing research activities. We have a well stocked departmental and central library.

The department takes part in all outreach programs through general camps,school health camps ,flood relief camps and celebration of all national health related programs like breastfeeding week celebrations and pulse polio campaign.

Facilities

The department is facilitated with well equipped out-patient clinics and inpatient ward with a bed strength of 90.

We also have

1. 5 bedded newborn intensive care unit with tertiary care facilities.
2. 5 bedded PICU with ventilating facilities
3. Free immunization services.

Outpatient Unit

The OPD unit has four consultation rooms, one immunization room, and a dedicated room for breast feeding, infant and young child feeding counselling. The unit also has facilities to provide treatment like Nebulization, Injections and has the necessary equipment to provide emergency care when required.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is a specialized unit of the department of Pediatrics that caters to the needs of sick children requiring intensive, round the clock monitoring and care. The PICU is a five-bedded unit, equipped with two state-of-the-art ventilators to provide both invasive and non-invasive modes of ventilation like CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) to the most critically ill children. Facilities to do bedside ultrasonography, ultrasound-guided central line insertions are also available at all times and are utilized to effectively manage patients in select situations. The intensive care unit is headed and supervised by a Professor in Pediatrics and by an Assistant professor with ample experience in emergency pediatric medicine and pediatric critical care. The ICU is also manned by postgraduate students in Pediatrics who are also simultaneously trained in the management of critically ill children. The supportive staffs include senior staff nurses and junior nurses who are trained to handle emergent situations and provide an excellent point of care. A dedicated team of assistant professors and residents available round the clock to monitor the progress of patients and intervene at the earliest. We also handle post-operative pediatric patients from other specialities.

Division of Neonatology

The division of Neonatology is a tertiary care unit equipped with state-of-the-art facility meeting national standards and covered round the clock by doctors and nurses trained in neonatology. The unit provides routine newborn care to all babies born in this hospital as well as life-saving treatment for premature, low birth weight and critically ill neonates as young as 27 weeks both inborn and outborn.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Our NICU is equipped with servo-controlled radiant warmers for continuous temperature maintenance, state-of-the-art multi-channel monitors and Ventilators, Bubble CPAP, Phototherapy units, digital infusion pumps and complemented by round the clock laboratory and biomedical services, bedside ultrasonography. Well trained nursing staff, senior postgraduate residents and junior consultants under unit chief provide 24×7 care. The unit also provides pre and post-operative care for neonatal surgical emergencies.

SUBSPECIALITY CLINICS:

We also conduct the following subspecialty clinics in the department

1. Nephrology clinic
2. Cardiology clinic
3. High risk follow up clinic
4. Neurology clinic
5. Child guidance clinic
6. Asthma clinic
7. Endocrinology clinic
8. Haematology clinic
9. Gastroenterology clinic

Facilities for Students

The department has a seminar room with audiovisual aids and one demonstration room in OPD and three demonstration halls attached to the wards for teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The department also has a library with more than 120 recent books and journals.

World Breast Feeding Week Celebrations – 2019

August 1 to 7, 2019

Objectives of the Program

• Use community platforms to increase awareness on breastfeeding
• Advocate for breastfeeding support at the workplace
• Ensure that the father and family are informed about breastfeeding goals
• Find out what kind of practical help may be needed along the way

Activities conducted in the Program

• Breast feeding poster completion
• Breastfeeding quiz for Undergraduates
• Breastfeeding quiz for Postgraduates
• Essay competition for Allied health Students
• Outreach programmes at Public health Centres-Sembakkam and Thiruporur
• Guest Lecture By Eminent Speaker
• Interactive talks by department faculty

WORLD ORS DAY

World ORS Day is observed every year on July 29 in the department of Paediatrics.

Poster competition is organized for undergraduates and postgraduates

NEWBORN WEEK

Newborn week is conducted every year from 15-21st November. Quiz competition on newborn care is conducted for postgraduates.

In-Patient Services

Neonatal Care

Babies treated in our NICU include term and preterm babies with respiratory distress syndrome, perinatal depression, congenital pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome, persistent pulmonary hypertension, sepsis, septic shock, inborn errors of metabolism, surgical emergencies like diaphragmatic hernia/NEC, etc. Interventions like intubation and mechanical ventilation, surfactant therapy, arterial and central lines, exchange transfusions, emergency thoracocentesis etc., are being done by experienced hands.

• All the deliveries are attended by paediatricians trained in neonatal resuscitation
• Counseling is offered for all prospective parents by obstetricians and paediatricians before the birth of the baby
• We have a planned approach to high-risk pregnancies
• Complex neonatal surgeries are being done by an experienced pediatric surgeon
• NICU graduates with risk factors are being followed up regularly at neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic held once a week with a multidisciplinary approach, including screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity and hearing impairment (OAE)
• Well baby clinic for routine check-up and immunization of all babies born here is being conducted twice a week.

Postnatal Care

In the postnatal ward, every newborn is examined by a team of doctors every day to monitor signs of well being and to identify the sick ones for intensive care. Doctors and trained nursing staff are available round the clock to address emergency issues. Breastfeeding which is initiated at labor rooms is continued in postnatal wards. All problems related to breastfeeding are identified and addressed personally at the earliest.

The common problems encountered during routine rounds in postnatal wards are neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia in IUGR, early and late-onset sepsis, seizures, etc. Such infants are immediately shifted to NICU for further evaluation and management.

During the hospital stay, mothers are taught methods of keeping the newborn warm including Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), care of the umbilical cord and recognition of early signs of infection. All babies who received NICU care are followed up in a postnatal ward for feeding, weight gain and completion of antibiotics.

At discharge, a doctor takes responsibility for counseling all the mothers about exclusive breastfeeding, burping, need for appropriate temperature maintenance, bathing etc, and their concerns and doubts are cleared before discharge. A specific date for follow up is given to each of them. Discharge summary which is being given to the patient contains detailed information about antenatal risk factors, intrapartum events, and anthropometry at discharge. For babies who were admitted in NICU for a long time, problem-based details and their specific management are provided for future reference in their discharge summary.

Immunisation and follow up

All babies in the postnatal ward are vaccinated at free of cost according to National Immunisation Schedule (BCG, OPV, Hepatitis B, ) before discharge. Immunization charts with anthropometry are also given to the parents along with discharge summary.

Review dates are given at discharge and parents are contacted over phone one day prior to review to remind them about the visit and ensure well being of the neonate/infant. All high-risk infants are followed up in a well-baby clinic conducted on Wednesday. Neurodevelopmental assessment, vision and hearing evaluation are done for such infants and therapy provided based on their needs.

Intra-natal Care

Details of risk factors are collected before delivery and resuscitation equipment are kept ready. After delivery baby is received in the radiant warmer and resuscitation is performed according to the NRP guidelines. Stable babies are monitored in radiant warmer until the mother is ready for breastfeeding. Sick babies are stabilized in the labour ward and shifted to NICU for further care. A nurse is appointed to clear the used material after each delivery and to keep ready a new resuscitation kit. Periodic cleaning of Labour wards and resuscitation rooms are being done according to infectious disease control department.

Out-patient Services

The Pediatric OPD is located on the first floor of the hospital building. Children up to 18 years of age attend the pediatric OPD which functions from 8.30 A.M to 4.30 P.M on all weekdays. The OPD is run by Assistant Professors, Senior Residents, Postgraduate Students in Pediatrics and CRRIs under the supervision of the Unit Chiefs and the Head of the Department. Apart from the regular OPD services, there are nine specialty units that run on specific days of the week to attend to the needs of children who require special, individualized care. The OPD has facilities to provide treatment like Nebulization, Injections and also has the necessary equipment to provide emergency care when required.

Well baby / Immunization /High Risk baby follow up Clinic

True to the adage that “Prevention is better than Cure”, the well-baby clinic functions to promote healthy and safe child-rearing practices. Assistant Professors, Senior Residents and Postgraduates working in the Newborn Unit run this specialty clinic to deliver continuing care and follow up. All babies attending the Immunization and Well Baby Clinic are administered vaccines, free of cost in accordance with the National Immunization Schedule. Child’s growth and development is meticulously assessed during each visit and any deviation from the normal is addressed immediately. Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age and age-appropriate complementary feeding practices is emphasized. NICU graduates receive added attention to identify potential morbidities and receive appropriate treatment often in association with specialists of other departments like Ophthalmology, ENT, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy.

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS – FACULTY ( DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS)

Dr. Rajakumar P.G ( HOD & Professor)

Dr. Paramanantham. P ( Professor)

Research Projects

Research Thrust Area

• Advanced Neonatal Care
• Hyperreactive Airway Disease
• Infectious Disease
• Nutrition of Children

Research Projects

COMPLETED:

1. A Comparative study of Neurosonogram in Normal Neonates and High Risk Neonates with clinical correlation.
2. Seroprevalence of Scrub Thypus and Clinical Profile of Children with Scrub Typhus Presenting To tertiary Hospital in Rural Area.
3. Relationship of Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference With Blood Pressure Measurements In Children 5-18 Yrs of Age.

ONGOING:

1. Comparison of Direct Breastfeeding and Expressed Breast Milk for Procedural Pain in Neonates
2. A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study to Estimate the Mean Peak Expiratory Flow Rate among Healthy School Children In A Rural Area Of Kanchipuram District
3. Vitamin D Levels And Its Association In Children With Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
4. Incidence and determinants of overweight and obesity in children aged 2-5 years in Tertiary level rural Hospital in South India.
5. Efficacy of two doses of Dexamethasone compared with Multidose of Prednisolone for Acute Exacerbation of Bronchial Asthma in Children – A Randomized controlled trial
6. Effect of oil massage on growth parameters in term neonates – Randomized Control trial
7. Occurrence and Clinico Etiological Profile of Urinary Tract Infection in febrile children aged 1 month to 3 years presenting to a Tertiary care Hospital
8. Assessment of nutritional status in children between 0-5years based Indian Academy of Paediatrics Growth charts in a Tertiary care Hospital.
9. A Study of Dyselectrolytemia in Lower respiratory tract infections in age group 1 day – 12 years