The month of August is marked by several significant events: the Illinois State Fair, kids returning to school and, of course, World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated Aug. 1-7 every year worldwide! In honor of one of the breast, er, best weeks of the year, we spoke with SIU School of Medicine certified lactation counselor Melissa Nicol, RD, to answer the most frequently asked questions about breastfeeding. What are the benefits of breastfeeding? Breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and baby. Some of the benefits breast milk provides to babies include: antibodies to provide protection

Quality improvement (QI) consists of systematic and continuous actions that lead to measurable improvement in health care services and the health status of targeted patient groups. SIU Department of Family and Community Medicine provides site level quality improvement projects, as well as, department level quality improvement projects. FCM is focusing on improving evidence based quality care in a safe environment. Current projects include improving immunization rates in children less than two years of age and implementation of GEMBA boards through our clinical sites. FCM quality department

Looking for a pediatrician to schedule a back-to-school physical for your child? Southern Illinois University Medicine will open a pediatrics clinic in Decatur on August 2. Sandra Yockey, MD, a board-certified pediatrician, is accepting new patients at the lower level of 102 W. Kenwood Ave., in Decatur, between the hours of 8 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. “As a pediatrician, I enjoy learning each child’s story and then working with families to figure out what plan of care seems best for that child and that family,” Yockey said. “It’s an honor to be trusted by families and a real joy to

Looking for a pediatrician to schedule a back-to-school physical for your child? Southern Illinois University Medicine will open a pediatrics clinic in Decatur on August 2. Sandra Yockey, MD, a board-certified pediatrician, is accepting new patients at the lower level of 102 W. Kenwood Ave., in Decatur, between the hours of 8 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. “As a pediatrician, I enjoy learning each child’s story and then working with families to figure out what plan of care seems best for that child and that family,” Yockey said. “It’s an honor to be trusted by families and a real joy to

When a house is robbed, rarely is the question posed of “Why was the house decorated that way if it didn’t want burglarized?” When a car is broken into, no one says “Well it should have been covered up.” But when someone is sexually harassed, assaulted or raped, those are always the first words uttered. Survivors or sexual assault face not only unimaginable trauma, but judgment after the fact. Many survivors don’t report attacks to avoid this or because of the societally prevalent idea that no one would believe them anyway. In the first of two blogs examining why victims don’t report attacks, we’re looking at sexual assault. We spoke to Jeanné Hansen, licensed clinical social worker with the SIU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, about why these crimes go so heavily unreported.

When a house is robbed, rarely is the question posed of “Why was the house decorated that way if it didn’t want burglarized?” When a car is broken into, no one says “Well it should have been covered up.” But when someone is sexually harassed, assaulted or raped, those are always the first words uttered. Survivors or sexual assault face not only unimaginable trauma, but judgment after the fact. Many survivors don’t report attacks to avoid this or because of the societally prevalent idea that no one would believe them anyway. In the first of two blogs examining why victims don’t report attacks, we’re looking at sexual assault. We spoke to Jeanné Hansen, licensed clinical social worker with the SIU School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, about why these crimes go so heavily unreported.

Heat stroke is one of the leading causes of death among children. “People must remember that temperatures of cars are very deceiving,” explains Dr. Wendi El-Amin, a family medicine physician at SIU Center for Family Medicine. “One of the greatest tragedies reported in the media each year involve children who are left in cars and die. Approximately 37 children pass away every year from this preventable tragedy.” Children are especially at risk because their bodies overheat approximately five times faster than an adult body. Even with the windows cracked, a vehicle can reach 125° F in minutes

Heat stroke is one of the leading causes of death among children. “People must remember that temperatures of cars are very deceiving,” explains Dr. Wendi El-Amin, a family medicine physician at SIU Center for Family Medicine. “One of the greatest tragedies reported in the media each year involve children who are left in cars and die. Approximately 37 children pass away every year from this preventable tragedy.” Children are especially at risk because their bodies overheat approximately five times faster than an adult body. Even with the windows cracked, a vehicle can reach 125° F in minutes

“I encourage everybody. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what letters you have behind your name—if you’re interested in learning about what I’m doing, I will teach you.” It’s that sort of egalitarian attitude that’s immediately striking about Sandra Ettema, who, despite not caring about the letters behind your name, has an alphabet behind hers: Sandra Ettema, MD, PhD, CCC/SLP. “Teaching my team and having them teach me is better overall for everybody,” says Dr. Ettema, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery who specializes in laryngology. “I want it to be more of a group

“I encourage everybody. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what letters you have behind your name—if you’re interested in learning about what I’m doing, I will teach you.” It’s that sort of egalitarian attitude that’s immediately striking about Sandra Ettema, who, despite not caring about the letters behind your name, has an alphabet behind hers: Sandra Ettema, MD, PhD, CCC/SLP. “Teaching my team and having them teach me is better overall for everybody,” says Dr. Ettema, an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery who specializes in laryngology. “I want it to be more of a group