Childrens Hospitals

5 Pages 1144 Words

The purpose of this paper is to broaden your knowledge of children’s hospitals and pediatric care. There are many different types of children’s hospitals in the U.S. We will explore the different types and how they help children and their families. The types I will talk about are burn units, trauma centers, cancer treatment centers, cancer research centers, and hospitals for invalid children. In the United States alone, there are over 140 children’s hospitals. They range in size from 40 beds to over 300 beds. Any child with a life threatening illness or injury is accepted to these hospitals. Pediatrics deals with neonatal through age eighteen. Though many pediatric hospitals separate the ages into groups so the children are able to experience a more ‘normal’ childhood. Of all the children’s hospitals in the U.S., the biggest is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It has over 300 beds and is the primary center for childhood cancer research. However, U.S. News and World Report ranked the Children’s Hospital Boston number one for twelve consecutive years (citation).
Burn Units are children’s hospitals that specifically focus on major burns. Burns are separated into categories; first degree, second degree, and third degree. A first-degree burn is the mildest type of burn. These are just minor burns that are usually caused by the sun. They are categorized by redness, mild swelling and pain. A second-degree burn is one level higher in severity. They are deeper than first degree buns and may cause blisters. With a second-degree burn it is possible for a loss of body fluids through the damaged areas of the skin. These are often times the most painful because nerve endings are still undamaged, despite the severe tissue damage. Burn units will treat for this type of burn and there may be some hospitalization associated with it. Second degree burns are caused by scald injuries, flames, or skin that br...