Question Of The Month: Getting Ideas for Media Work

Media Question #2:

If you do media work such as write a column, article, blog, do TV or radio show, where to you get your headlines or ideas?

A: Headlines: national or local

B: current AAP journal articles and themes

C: the producers or editors give them to me

D: what I see in my practice

E: other – please specify

Here are this month's responses:

"Most of my topics for articles either come from the AAP / journal searches that I find interesting or from the reporters themselves. While I find the stories that I do from the articles I find to be more interesting and satisfying, I don't have a lot of time to pitch story ideas. Thus, I also respond to reporter's ideas more often than I would like."

"A and D: I get my headlines from the NY Times or Chicago Tribune. Patients are the best source of questions and usually answers. It adds the personal touch to the discussion."

"As my blog is for Residents and our local EMS providers, I tend to stick with topics related to what we are seeing in the ED. The saying about things "happening in 3's" is very true where I work! I often incorporate hot topics or seasonal items into the discussion."

"I do a local cable TV interview show called "School Health news' I get my ideas from my knowledge of school Health' and Current AAP Policies."

"All of the above. I read other blogs, columns; listen to talk radio. Then I research and write my editorials or columns. My essays are from my practice."

If you'd like to contribute your answer to this question, email me!! gsokeeffe@aap.net or cocmeditor@pediatricsnow.com

GENERATIONAL GAP OR INFORMATIONAL GAP?

Today's blog is by COCM member Mark Rosenberg M.D., F.A.A.P., from Children's HealthCare Associates in Chicago, Illinois, who writes:

"As recently as two generations ago, when a new parent needed advice on the care and raising of their newborn, the trusted source of information was a grandparent or other close relative. Now the ‘trusted’ source of information is the internet and the various information services available on line. While we owe a great deal to the information revolution on the internet including rapid access to information including libraries of journals that would have required a trip to the university library, there is much to be wary of. Information may be posted by literally anyone, who then becomes an instant expert.

A case in point of the information revolution is recent access to information on vaccines; particularly the celebrity endorsed alternative approaches to immunizing infants. Despite numerous medical studies and epidemiologic research in the safety of vaccines, as well as a track record of reduction in vaccine preventable disease, members of the public have chosen to accept anecdotal stories of alleged harm caused by vaccines. The result has been lower rates of immunization in many areas of the country and the potential for susceptibility to diseases that most pediatricians and emergency departments rarely see including invasive pneumococcal disease and Haemophilus meningitis.

On line parent groups provide another source of information to parents, not unlike the backyard fence that my parents used to chat with neighbors, except that the sources of information are unseen and anonymous. These groups have become sources of health information as well as information about specific physicians. Once one of the physicians in my group acceded to parents’ requests to provide an alternative immunization schedule, she was subsequently identified as the physician to go to, despite not seeking out that role. Word of mouth[on line version] has changed her image and practice. A similar source of information is the blog, an online discussion group frequently within a media source web site. This use of the parent to parent information exchange may have the perception of official sanction when conducted by an ‘official’ media source, such as a newspaper or magazine.

For pediatricians, the challenge is to adapt to the new informational age by convincing families to use validated sources of information and rebuild the confidence in physicians as reliable health care providers. Beyond accurate information medical groups must maintain credibility without conflicts of interest in our relationships with the pharmaceutical industry and vaccine manufacturers. Grandparents play a role in discussing their past experience with vaccine preventable disease. Families need to hear our strong voices as advocates for the health of their children."

Do you have a blog post you want to share with COCM members on media issues? Email me at gsokeeffe@aap.net.

Preparing For A Media Appearance

When you get a call from the media for an interview, how do you prepare? What goes through your mind?

COCM member Dr. Vandana Bhide, an internist and pediatrician in solo practice in St. Augustine, Florida, was called by the media recently about a situation in her community and shared with us her media lessons learned. She writes:

"Recently, I was interviewed by the CBS affiliate in Jacksonville, Florida to on a story about a local 14-year old girl who almost died of alcohol intoxication after attending an underage party. Here are some things I learned from my media experience:

1) Research, Research, Research. Even though I have spoken at town hall meetings and other forums for the public regarding the medical effects of alcohol on children (I am on the board of a local substance abuse counseling center which also runs a number of in-school alcohol and other drug abuse prevention and intervention programs), I felt so much more confident and calm when I had some time (OK, 30 minutes, tops, but better than no time at all) reviewing the important points I wanted to make about the topic. Even though only 10 seconds of it got on the air, it made for a more interesting 10 seconds!

2) Expect the Unexpected. When the reporter called me to meet for the interview, she asked me to meet her at the “Real Jail” (as opposed to the pretend jail???) After unsuccessful attempts at trying to find “Real Jail” under the “Points of Interest” section of my GPS and then also failing to find this location on Mapquest, I finally resorted to the old-fashioned technique of asking a policeman for directions. I finally figured out that the reporter was referring to the adult jail, not the juvenile detention center. When I saw the segment air, I realized that the reason the team was reporting at the jail was that three people had been arrested in conjunction with the underage party.

3) Be Humble. I gave the interview at 5 PM on a Saturday, and the segment was scheduled to air on the 6 o’clock news. I was told that the piece would probably be bumped off the 10 o’ clock news because of the approaching thunderstorm. You may think that your “expert” opinion is important, but maybe it isn’t in the big scheme of television news. Lesson learned: Weather is Important. Especially on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. Especially during hurricane season. Especially during a perfect golf weekend. I guess there wasn’t any breaking weather news because the segment did indeed air again on the 10 o’ clock news.

4) Generate interesting questions and answers. The only question the reporter asked me was, “Should parents speak to their children about alcohol?” The answer seems obvious, and yet studies show that the vast majority of parents don’t speak to their kids about the importance of refraining from alcohol and drugs. So I tried to avoid answering with a brief yes/no question and instead explored what are the barriers to parents and kids having this discussion.

5) Speak in English. Seems obvious, doesn’t it? But how many of us have been guilty at some time or the other of speaking in medicalese? Do television viewers understand that “the toxic effects of alcohol include bradycardia and other arrythmias, respiratory depression, hypotension and death by aspiration?” If the explanation is not easily understood, you may find your segment on the cutting room floor!"

COCM Members In The News

Here's some of the latest media appearances of COCM members:

• Ari Brown (Star Ledger: Autism)

• Deborah Mulligan (Star Ledger: Dry Drowning)

• Deborah Mulligan (Washington Post: Dry Drowning)

• Linda Reid Chassiakos (Editorial Daily News)

• Linda Reid Chassiakos (Editorial Daily News)

• Gwenn O'Keeffe, MD: Dr. Anonymous Radio Show

• Gwenn O'Keeffe, MD: Vicky and Jen's Radio Show

• Jo Ann Rohyans, MD was on CBS affiliate Ohio (WBNS-TV) on Tuesday, July 8 discussing HPV

• Robert Mendelson, MD discussed HPV for "Scribe" a monthly publication for the Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland in early July

• Richard Baltz, MD, Newborn Colic, Newsweek

• Thad Woodward, MD hosts for Line One - Your Health Connection, KSKA, Anchorage, Alaska

Question of The Month: Preparing For Media Calls

Media Question #1:

When the media calls you for an interview on a child health issue or a breaking headline, what do you do to prepare for the interview? Do you

A. A. Consult the AAP

B. B. Consult medical colleagues

C. C. Do a web search for information

D. D. Just do the interview cold because you know the material so well

E. E. Other: please specify!

Here are some of the answers I received from COCM members:

• "When the media (TV, radio or print) calls, I usually put together my thoughts and then check the AAP website and links to verify facts/add statistics to my presentation."
• "I do A, B and C"
• One COCM member who does a great deal of media wrote:

"A. Consult the AAP--I call Susan Martin or Debbie Linchesky in the AAP Media Relations office if I'm not sure of the AAP's position or a certain angle to take with a topic

B. Consult medical colleagues--I often talk to pediatricians in my office and other AAP media spokespeople just to get a reality check and see if there's something I haven't thought of yet.

C. Do a web search for information--I check the AAP web site for policy information as well as parent guides (these make good links for reporters/consumers). I also like medlineplus.gov and emedicine.com for general medical information.

D. Just do the interview cold because you know the material so well--almost never; even if I know the material like the back of my hand and have done an interview topic many times before, I like to refresh my memory, even if it's just a little bit.

E. Other: please specify! If there's time I try to get a little background information about the reporter or publication/web site/TV station etc. to search for other common ground. (For example, I might be able to say "I really like that story you did on pool safety" and comment that the AAP has new information out about summer safety in the Press Room part of the web site or mention a foundation I've heard of that teaches swimming and drowning prevention to low-income African American kids.) I also figure out what kind of stories they do and then pitch them an idea or two for future topics. This can help keep you relevant as a source."

If you have opinions on this question, let me know and I'll add your answers to the mix! You can email me at cocmeditor@pediatricsnow.com

AAP Summer Safety Tip Time - and Tips to Get the Tips to Your Families!

With summer in full swing and the 4th of July around the corner, we have a lot of advice to give out to our families in the short amount of time our office visits allow. The AAP has some great tips on all the important summer issues, including fireworks, that will help make your job a great deal easier -and more efficient:



1. Fireworks Safety

According to the National Fire Protection Association,

• "In 2006, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,200 people for fireworks related injuries. 49% of the injuries were to the extremities and 46% were to the head. 55% of the 2006 fireworks injuries were burns, while 30% were contusions and lacerations.
• The risk of fireworks injury was two-and-a-half times as high for children ages 10-14 as for the general population."

2. Summer Safety Tips Part I
Sun, Heat Stress, Pool Safety, Bugs, Playgrounds, Bikes and Lawnmowers

3. Summer Safety Tips Part II
Fireworks, Boating and ATVs

So, now that you have the links and highlights, there are some easy ways you can help your families remember the information:

1. Give out a cheat sheet in your office with these links.
2. Include these links in your email newsletter or have the local hospital do it for you. Likely your families receive some sort of seasonal bulletin from your community hospital and most are happy to include information you provide.
3. Post these links on your own blog or website.
4. Write a small article for a local newspaper or blog on summer safety and include these links. Not sure where to start, how about whatever paper you read in your own community!

If you have other ideas for how to share these great AAP tips with families, let me know and I'll share the ideas in a follow-up post: cocmeditor@pediatricsnow.com

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AAP Questions DC Handgun Ban Court Decision

Released June 26, 2008 by the American Academy of Pediatrics and Society for Adolescent Medicine:

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS AND SOCIETY FOR ADOLESCENT MEDICINE STATEMENT ON U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION ON THE D.C. HANDGUN BAN

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society for Adolescent Medicine criticized today’s Supreme Court decision to overturn the District of Columbia’s handgun ban, saying it undermines efforts to protect children and adolescents from preventable injuries and death.

“As pediatricians, too often we see the terrible toll gun violence takes on its youngest victims,” said AAP President Renée R. Jenkins, MD, FAAP. “Today’s Supreme Court decision is a tragedy for children, taking away a critical law needed to fight a public health threat that needlessly claims as many as eight young lives a day in America. We can’t afford to lose any of the tools that can help keep guns out of the reach of children.”

Earlier this year, AAP and SAM, along with three other organizations dedicated to protecting the health and safety of children, filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the District’s handgun law.

“The Society for Adolescent Medicine believes that firearm violence is one of the most serious threats to the health of adolescents in the United States,” said SAM President Richard E. Kreipe, MD. “For that reason, the Society supports laws to reduce the availability of handguns, the primary source of firearm injuries among adolescents.”

The ban, one of the strictest in the nation, made it illegal to own handguns in the District. It also required shotgun and rifle owners to unload and disassemble them, or use a trigger lock, if the weapons were kept at home. A lower court overturned the ban in March 2007, prompting the Supreme Court challenge.

In the wake of today’s decision, AAP and SAM urged parents across the United States to take steps to protect their children from firearm violence, including locking up weapons stored at home. “The best way to truly protect children from firearm injuries is to get guns out of their homes, their neighborhoods and where they play,” Jenkins said. “If we don’t, too many children will continue to be hurt or die needlessly.”

June 25 Webinar on the "M" Generation

Just Kid Inc is holding a webinar tomorrow on the "M" Generation, or "Millenials", at 11:30 EST. Here's the link if you are interested.

According to the Webinar info flier, the goals of this 30 minute presentation are to:

"focus on the “hot buttons” of this important generations:
o How the “m generation” thinks, communicates, and BUYS
o How their attitudes differ from prior generations
o How to market and message to this powerful consumer group
o With the opportunity to “ask the experts” via online q-and-a"

BTW, what's a Millenial? They are the target population of Just Kids. According to Just Kids, the M's are:

"o More numerous
o More affluent
o More educated
o More “connected”
…compared to any prior generation."

Basically, the M's are the parents of the kids we care for!

Should be an interesting 30 minutes so I wanted to pass it along.

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How Addicting Are Cell Phones?

This you have to read! A 12 and 13 year old were both admitted by their parents to a psychiatric hospital in Spain for "cell phone addiction". According to the BBC article,

"They were doing badly at school and lying to relatives in order to get money to spend on their phones. They were not just doing "badly" in school, by the way, they were actually failing.

They have been learning to cope without their phones for three months."

Heavy stuff - the lying to get money and the very long duration of the admission.

Dr Jose Martinez-Raga, an addiction medicine specialist, advised looking for similar symptoms as with video game addiction:

• irritability
• anti-social, or withdrawn behavior
• poor school performance

We don't usually ask about cell phone use in our office visits but we often see the evidence in hand. Perhaps that is our foot in the door. Perhaps all it takes is asking the kid "do you use a cell phone?" and then asking the parent "So, how are things in school and home?" and going from there. Simple questions that may not add much more time to our plate if we do it right.

I don't know what the right answer is or the right approach but I do think this story is an eye opener.

What would you do to dig into this deeper?

COCM on the Blogsphere: Miami Dr. Deb on Miami Herald

Being involved with blogs and blog writing can have many levels of involvement. For some of us, developing and maintaining a blog is fun. For others, just writing is the goal. The blogsphere offers both opportunities.

Writing for a blog has a number of perks:
1. writing experience
2. media exposure
3. exposure for your group
4. health education for the readers of the blog

Dr. Deborah Mulligan, a COCM member from Florida, recently became involved with a new blog for the Miami Herald called MomsMiami. I asked Dr. Deb about what made her decide to get involved with this blog at this time. She told me by email:

"With a market in Florida and International communities the Miami Herald website affords me the opportunity as a pediatrician to reach thousands of mothers with information that will better the lives of their children and families. Discussing burning pediatric issues will help families make informed decisions to ensure that their kids are healthy and safe."

MomsMiami has really taken off. The blog's creator told Dr. Deb: "We launched about two months ago and are getting about 70,000+ views a month so far. We have over 2,000 registered users and growing every day." Not surprising given the circulation of the Miami Herald is 4.2 million readers a year - that amounts to about 600,000 readers a day during the week and over 800,000 readers on Sundays!

You can read Dr. Deb's first post here.

How can you get involved in blogs in your area? Check out your local newspapers. You can start small with your local neighborhood and community papers or go larger to your regional or state newspapers. If they don't have a blog, suggest one. Often you'll find the editors are contemplating one! BTW, this is how my foray into the blogsphere started.

If you ever have questions about blogging, email me or drop a line to all of us on the COCM list-serve and those of us blogging will be happy to share our experiences and get you going.

Do you have a blog story to share? Are you involved with your local newspaper blog? I'd love to know! Email me at cocmeditor@pediatricsnow.com.

And, if you ever have questions about blogging or are not sure where to begin your hunt to join the ranks of pediatricians like Dr. Deb who are reaching out to families through the blogsphere, drop a line through the list-serve. Those of us doing things you want to do are always happy to help and share!

Japanese Government Takes a Stand on Cell-Phones

Did you see this headline? Very interesting read. Turns out Japanese children are becoming very addicted to the Internet at very young ages due to their cell phones. These phones have a technology called "3G" or third generation which has very high-speed Internet access. Examples you may be familiar with are Smartphones like the Treo or Blackberry.

The Catch-22 here is that with the long commutes many of these kids face heading to schools, parents rely on cell phones to be able to communicate with their kids and have their kids call them or for help if needed.

A huge amount of Japanese kids have these cell phones. According to CNN, 1/3 of 6th graders and 60% of 9th graders. Two solutions the Japanese Government is exploring to make cell phone use more appropriate for their children include:

1. better filtering programs for the Internet to protect kids for inappropriate access
2. development of cell phones with only talk-only and GPS features

How do you advise your families about cell phones? Do you think we need similar restrictions in the USA? I'd love to know! Email me at cocmeditor@pediatricsnow.com.

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Tips For Helping Parents Manage Media

Today we welcome Guest Blogger Brandy King, librarian at the Center on Media and Child Health (CMCH) at Children's Hospital Boston.
Though you may have considered the health effects of media use from a clinical or research standpoint, do you ever wonder how real-life parents navigate today's media world with their families? If you are a already parent yourself, you may be curious to see how other parents handle this aspect of life in their own homes.

Each month, the CMCH e-newsletter features one parent's story about media, which have covered topics such as video game addiction, using a DVR to manage media use, and even taking action on what movies are shown on airplanes. For example, this past month, Callie in Michigan wrote:

"When I get home from a long day, all I want to do is put on the TV and be entertained for a little while. It helps me relax and get my mind off the whirlwind of the past few hours. I know that my kids are no different in this respect; when they get home from school, they need a break. Though I always encourage them to pursue non-media activities, I know that this is one part of their day when they just need to relax. However, I have always been cautious of what it is they see and hear during this time, preferring that the programs are somewhat educational.
A few months ago, I decided to subscribe to a Digital Video Recording (DVR) service because I found myself constantly missing shows I enjoyed. I never expected that the DVR would become such a useful tool for my kids' viewing as well!...."

Callie goes on to talk about the many benefits of the DVR she didn't expect with tips that will surprise you. In addition to learning from other parents experiences, our site has other tip guides to pass on to your families. In this case, we have a DVR/VHS guide.

Check out the complete list of Parent Perspectives, and if you're interested, contact us about writing your own!

Lawn Mower Safety Awareness Starts Today

Did you know that "nearly 210,000 people – approximately 16,200 of them children under age 19 – were treated in doctors’ offices, clinics and emergency rooms for lawn mower-related injuries in 2007"? I learned this today from an AAP press release reminding us about lawn mower safety.

With June being National Safety month, lawn mower safety has been chosen as one of the key safety issues to promote.The American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have united together to encourage us to educate families on the dangers of lawn mowers by reviewing the following tips:

• "Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower.
• Children should never be passengers on ride-on mowers.
• Always wear sturdy shoes while mowing – not sandals.
• Young children should be at a safe distance from the area you are mowing.
• Before mowing, pick up stones, toys and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.
• Always wear eye and hearing protection.
• Use a mower with a control that stops it from moving forward if the handle is released.
• Never pull backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary – carefully look for others behind you when you do.
• Start and refuel mowers outdoors – not in a garage. Refuel with the motor turned off and cool.
• Blade settings should be set by an adult only.
• Wait for blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel roads."

Here's a link to the AAP technical report on lawn more safety.

You can find more information on the lawn mower safety campaign here.

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Can video games be good?

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced last week that they are funding research to answer an interesting question: can video games be positive for the health and well being of adults and kids?

According to AOL News, some of the research being funded includes:

• a Cornell University study on "how a mobile phone game rewarding healthy eating and exercise will influence children's behavior"
• a University of Florida study to look at "how playing Playstation 2's "Crazy Taxi" affects perception in the elderly"
• a University of South Carolina study "to investigate the potential for using video games such as Wii and EyeToy to help people recover their motor skills after experiencing a stroke"

As Debra Lieberman, a researcher from UC Santa Barbara, said in the article: "A good game, or a game where you could actually learn some skills or develop some self-confidence could displace some of the more time-wasting video games that are out there. That could be a win-win in many ways."

While video games do get a bad rap in the health care world, I'm of the opinion we have to admit there are here to stay and find a way to include them in a healthy life style. If these studies help us advice people to do that better, how can we argue otherwise? What do you think? Email me at cocmeditor@pediatricsnow.com and let me know.

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Tomorrow Is World No Tobacco Day

Tomorrow's World No Tobacco Day has a media theme: Tobacco-Free Youth: Break the Tobacco Marketing Net.According to the AAP website,

"The tobacco industry spends billions of dollars worldwide on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. Recent data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey indicate an increase in tobacco use among adolescent girls in many countries. Much of this increase has been attributed to aggressive marketing by the tobacco industry, which encourages potential users, especially adolescents, to try tobacco and become long-term consumers.
Evidence-based tobacco-control strategies that are comprehensive, sustained, and support nonsmoking behaviors have been shown to prevent and reduce tobacco use. The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control calls on countries to implement scientifically proven measures to reduce tobacco use and its impact. Additional information on World No Tobacco Day 2008 activities is available at http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2008/en/index.html."

The WHO interactive World No Tobacco Day website is worth exploring. Shaped like a web, it has buttons for each media industry that will take you to a page that then explains how that industry markets tobacco to youth. TV, movies, billboards, cultural events, sporting events, are among the many media venues listed in this web.

The AAP press release on World No Tobacco Day is worth reading, too. You'll find some interesting stats as well as ways the AAP has already worked with media groups to decrease the exposure of youth to tobacco.

Image: WHO Website

Welcome To Our Child Health Media Blog!

Welcome to the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media blog! This blog is for you - COCM pediatricians who are already interested in media issues impacting the lives of today's children and families.

In this space, we will develop together an amazing array or resources to help each other become better communicators with our patient's and their parents about media issues and better advocates in the community about the importance of media issues on the lives of kids and families.

The list of potential topics is endless but some that jump to mind include:

• current media studies
• announcements about media-related conferences and meetings
• ideas for talks and lectures on media issues
• social media tips and nuts and bolts: including how to blog!
• media tips to help each other interface with the media better in print, online, radio and TV
• our work in action: ways we, COCM pediatricians, have done what we can to use the media to improve the health and well being of children whether it be to talk to a local reporter in our home town or to work nationally on an AAP campaign.

Some rules for the road. I'll be doing all the posting but welcome guest posts often. I can post daily, once a week or once a month. It all depends on what is happening in the media world and what you send me. So, feel free to get as involved as you'd like with this blog. I welcome you all to become my assistant editors in this amazing journey.

Don't forget to check out our regular COCM website once in a while. And, if you have an idea for a blog post, drop me an email at cocmeditor@pediatricsnow.com.

Cheers!

Dr. Gwenn
Editor-In-Chief
AAP COCM Web Site and Blog

Image: AAP COCM website