Happy Holidays from the Canadian Paediatric Society

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Canadian Paediatric Society, I would like wish you and your family a healthy and safe holiday season. Allow me to share some of our recent accomplishments.

We advocated for policies and programs that enhance the health and well-being of children and youth. In 2013, the CPS:                          

• Published position statements  on timely issues affecting Canadian children, youth and families, including bicycle helmets, food allergy, oral health, vaccines, and mental health.
• Advocated for a formal, standardized child death review system for every region in Canada, an issue that has picked up steam in light of recent provincial reports.
• Called for an end to bodychecking in young children’s hockey, and applauded Hockey Canada when they announced a ban on the practice at the peewee level. We have also written to Hockey Canada to ban fighting at the junior level (16-21 yrs), and increase the sanctions against head shots at all ages.
• Advocated to the federal government for extended employment insurance benefits for parents of gravely ill children or premature babies. At the provincial level, we used our new statement to call for legislation requiring cyclists of all ages to wear helmets.

 We developed programs and services to enhance your professional life. In 2013, the CPS:

• Launched Caring for Kids New to Canada, an evidence-based, bilingual, open access online resource for health professionals working with immigrant children, youth and families.
• Promoted Children with School Problems (2^nd Edition), tailored for the needs of Canadian physicians working with children with LDs and other difficulties in the classroom.
• Launched Active Kids, Healthy Kids, a program to help clinicians promote physical activity, nutrition, and other healthy choices. Visit the resource rich website.
• Expanded resources to help paediatricians and family physicians support early childhood development through First Years First.
• Updated online education courses on immunization competencies and influenza vaccine.

At the same time, we’ve worked hard to ensure we move forward in a financially sound position. We will end 2013 on target, and in November your Board of Directors approved a balanced budget for 2014.

I believe CPS enriches our professional lives. Together, we make a positive difference and a better future for Canada’s children and youth. If you would like to be even more involved in 2014, there is much to be done in the way of advocacy, through our sections or by our committees.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at info@cps.ca.

Peace on Earth. Peace at home. Peace within.

Dr. Andrew Lynk
CPS President
Sydney, Nova Scotia

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The information on this blog should not be used as a substitute for medical care and advice. The views of blog writers do not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Paediatric Society.