MAY Physed graduate By KAV WILSON Herald Correspondent HORNBY Congrotu la lions to May Hornby who received her bachelor degree from University in the convocation May majoring in physical education She will continue her education at teachers college in St Catharines Spina Bifida Week Family teaches on Against the Odds Herald Stall When and David moved to southern Ontario three years ago after living in Sudbury they thought it was time to get involved When their son Tom now years old was diagnosed as having spina bifida there was no local chapter to turn to In Sudbury there was no one to converse with Mrs said In fact it wasnt until that an association in Ontario was formed where parents could join together and talk about the crippling birth defect Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Assoc la lion of Onlorlo has come a long way in the past 14 years Spina Bifida Week has now been declared for the period June 1016 The Balsillc parents have played a key role In helping the association develop has been president of the since and his term will continue unlit 1166 is of a program called Parent to Parent which links families together who learn by each others experience with spina bifida Even Tom has become involved in teaching the community about his handicap lie and his mother can be seen June at on Halloa Cable talking about spina bifida on the program Against the Odds Spina bifida is the second most common birth defect in Canada With this type of defect vertebrae which usually protect the spinal cord arc divided and this causes nerve damage The end result is paralysis and loss of sensation in the lower portion of the body Lack or bladder control presents dangers of infection and back pressure on the kidneys The risk of death has decreased considerably and now spina bifida children in over per forward to living lives The aims of the rlo association are to find the causes of spina bifida and provide better treatment Another stakd object is to educate the public sector enhance the quality of life for the family and in ihc Bill which In us implementation year for schools calls for a spec ally trained person to help the handicapped In their day to day needs the Previous to this when Tom needed help at St Francis or a secretary or staff member would have to leave their duties The Grade 5 studtnt is an jLlive member of Ihc Georgetown Scout Group and he Is on the Variety Village athletic Through the years Toms family have made some adjustments in their daily routines Sometimes two or three days a week are spent for therapy plus trips to clinics and to see doctors Its also Important to keep up with the latest technology and have braces and splints checked or replaced regularly Mrs wheelchair There are three famili In Georgetown that talk together about spina bifida but Mrs said per capita basis there should be more families affected Aworeness of the birth defect has been on the Increase thanks to kits provided by the association The popular puppet show for kids on handicapped children called Kids on The Block now has a bifida character Mrs said Tom Is an avid Scout with the our net own Troop Here hes seen ready for the nd camp outing which started Friday night The Weber Street resident recently talked about KpLnu bifida on Cable Against The Odds Herald photo Town- Country DRY CLEANING SAME DAT 8770387 HALTON HILLS SHOPPING CENTRE SECTION SECTION THE HERALD Wednesday June 1B85 Page I r Time for the whole family Mom wants sibling visits Christopher 4 and Jeremy are anxiously waiting for the new child toon to be arriving In their household Mother Susan Day believes the bonding among family members should occur right away so no one feels left out In the birthing In Georgetown Hospital staff observe babies to help mother Herald Staff Although Georgetown District Memorial Hospital will be the first choice of most pregnant women In Hills It may not be the final choice for where to deliver their baby Reasons like who is their doctor and which hospital Is the doctor affiliated with often determine where ant women will have their babies Many families still go to their long time and trusted doctors In community although they now live In Hills For some women the hospitals maternity ward policies wilt their decision on where to go through the trying hours of labor and delivery At Georgetown Memorial Hospital they deliver between 350 and 37S babies annually director of nursing A Pace said That figure has been going up Increasingly said The hospital has two labor rooms each with two beds In them Usual ly there are four to seven mothers in he hospitals obstetrics wing Mrs Pace said There have been times about two times a year when we have more than that she said The hospital allows husbands to be In the delivery and labor rooms with their wives Things have changed a great deal Mrs Pace chuckled remembering how she got dropped off at thehospital door when she was due with her children Those were the days when husbands werent allowed to do it and second of all they didnt want to be there Giving birth has become a family affair and many husbands now take part In prenatal classes and give their wives support In the delivery room If a husband taken pre natal classes with his wife he isnt allowed In the delivery room Mrs Pace said Theyre also not allow cd in if their wire is having a cesarean secti on and Is under general anesthetic However if she only had an which la a needle in the spine to from the waist down the husband can be In the operating room Usually its just the husband who goes in the delivery room but It can be a mother However the hospital limits attend ance to one person After the delivery the baby goes to the nursery where it spends the next hours There Its under observation but it brought to the moth er for feedings if the mother is breastfeeding Newborns are very difficult Mrs Pace explained They can have a lot or mucous on which they can choke A new mother is not always feeling to Continued on page Herald stair Corry Carter has a dilemma Shed really like to have her baby due the end of August t iwn Memorial Hospital However is odds with the hospital maternity ward policies That why shes altern ating prenatal visits be tween a Toronto obstetr ician and Georgetown obstetrician Dr J A Ford Mrs Carter would like her year old son Ryan to bo able to visit her after the new baby Is Hospital policy doesnt allow sibling visits less children arc 12 or older Mrs Carter said she was told she could go out to the front lobby to visit her son but that the baby isnt allowed to go with her because there be too many germs there As for her son coming to visit her In her room she was told you have to consider your room mates rights Mrs Carter said I feel that birth is the time for the whole family to be together she said Assuming she hasnt been drugged and nasn had a Mrs Cnrtcrwouldliketo have her baby with her full time after birth The hospital docsn allow for hour room in taking the baby Into the nursery after 9 30pm til the following morning I nursed my first child on demand and I would like to have the baby with me hours so I can do that again expectant mother said Mrs Carter is also at odds with the hospitals policy of hour Immediately after birth The baby Is only brought out of the for feedings during this period Im thinking of hav ing the baby and leaving three or four hours so long as everything Is okay Mrs Carter said Unless these things gel changed bring hospital policy up to the 1980s she concluded Mrs Carter has writ ten hospital administra tor Fred Morris request ing these changes and received a reply from Mr Morris indicates white sibling visiting may be permitted In Lhe future it Is highly likely that 24hour room in will be approved He says the policies of the obstetrical facilities have been stretched to the limit and says cur rent policies arc or the benefit and protection of hospital patients Motherto be Susan Day is expecting her third child in September She has the same con cents as Mrs Carter I have a very fast labor My last labor was only two hours the said If theres a half hour or an hour drive involved thats cutting it Mrs Day said shes written two letters to Mr Morris and has received one reply so far Continued on page B Ton its i porta to have the baby with me right from the beginning she said If she doesnt stay in the hospital five days public health nurses will come visit her at home Mrs Carter said I dont feel the things I m asking for are going overboard To me these are pretty basic human rights I would like to Carter wants a more open approach to teeing her newborn She Is hoping Georgetown hospital will change their minds about some or their maternity policies Here shes seen with her son Ryan 3 Herald photo Survey shows s rooming in for newborns By ANI Herald Staff What kind of maternity ward policies do area hospitals have compared to those at Georgetown District Memorial Hospital PEEL MEMORIAL At Peel Memorial Hospital maternal care supervisor Blond inn Mathcson said brothers and sisters of the newborn are allowed to visit mom and the new baby They siblings can cuddle and hold the baby if they want to Mrs Molheson said It keep youngsters as port of the family unit very early on so dont feel isolated However the hospital encourages parents not to have their children visiting for a long time because they can get antsy The maternity wing has no private rooms so moms who want have 24hour rooming In of newborn must first get okay from their roommate Mrs Mathesonsaid She said the hospital encourages moms to have 24hour rooming In Its on the understanding that If the baby gets fussy In the middle of the night moms can always have them trundled off to the nursery We try to get them involved so its not as big or a shock when they get home Mrs Mathcson chuckled We think its Important for them lo get involved In the care as much as they can handle Asked if Peel Memorial has a hour observation period of newborns Immediately following birth as does Georgetown Memorial Hospital Mrs said no She said that after the baby is born the parents arc left alone with It for about an hour or so then while the mom is getting settled Into her room nurses take the baby to weigh measure and lake its temperature After thats all done the baby comes back to the parents Labor coaches have been present during deliveries but Its not common she said Last year tho hospital delivered 2500 babies with an average of a month We get some moms from Hills certainly Mrs said She said most were from Georgetown and not as many from Acton MILTON Milton District Hospital also doesnt have a 24hour observation period for the baby Director of nursing Elizabeth said If moms want t ha a rest following the birth ths baby is welcome In the nursery She said although there usually isnt 24hour rooming In of babies at Milton District Hospital Its mainly because there been a request for It We probably would if someone requested It Mrs said She said the hospital allows brothers and sisters of the newborn visit and see the baby Although the hospital hasnt run Into It the mother can have others in the labor room besides her husband like a coach or her mom Mrs said We look at each case as it comes she said About babies are born yearly at Milton District Hospital GUELPII At Genera Hospital where many Acton moms go theres 24hour rooming In of the baby Assistant director of nursing Helen Watson said after birth the newborn Is ass and the moms condition established If shes stable and the baby Is okay the newborn Is settled into the mams room We dont ant to tax the mother If shes not feeling good Ms Watson said Brothers and sisters are allowed to visit with the mom and newborn We just ask that the kids donl come In with anything infectious Ms Watson said The hospital delivers babies annually and thats going up each year Within four hours of the birth once the baby has been checked over and found to be okay and the mom can handle it rooming In of the newborn starts at Hospital In Obstetrics supervisor Joan said the hospital gets moms from Georgetown in its delivery rooms About babies are bom annually at the hospital Hospital allows 24hour rooming in if the mother wants it As well hospital allows sibling visits Theyre allowed to go right hit room and hold the baby Mrs Hoara said after they wash their hands and put on gownics BRAND NEW 1985 LTD 4 DOOR Service Is Our Most Important Product DRIVE TODA TO OUR LOW OVERHEAD PRICES THIS WEEKS SPECIAL TUNEUPS ONE LOW PRICE F0R460R8CYL MOST CARS LIGHT TRUCKS 34 95 PLUS PARTS SUGGESTED RETAIL EXAMPLE YOUR PRICE only PER MONTH CAPITAL FORD SALES LTD 1 Guelph St Georgetown 8731626 Your Baal a dpMl HOURS Thurs a Sat HAVE YOU DRIVEN A cW6n coUpon coupon FREE COUPON COUPON COUPON COUPON CoTlpoH 1CASE OF METBEG COKE WITH ABOVE TUNfcUP LIMIT COUPON PEN DUALITY SERVICE DUALITY PARTS AT A FAR PRICE OFFER EXPIRES JUNE 18