April 2023
President's Corner
Aloha PMAH members!
First a plug for the Memorial Weekend CME! Rooms are limited and the deadline to book them is this Friday, May 5th. Please go to our website at PMAH-hawaii.org to register for the CME and receive our booking code via email once your registration is complete. Contact our Executive Director, Dr. Rhea Bautista, if you have any questions.
Me and my #1 son, Joey
Now on to the topic at hand! -- April is Autism Awareness Month. Thank you to Dr. Gary Dela Cruz for your writeup on autism from a pediatrician’s standpoint. As a mother to a child on the autistic spectrum, I remember what it was like being on the other side of the curtain when we received our child’s diagnosis. I went through all the stages of grief, from disbelief, to bargaining, to anger -- all of it, and it was overwhelming as a young, first-time mom. There were so many unknowns ahead of us, as well as guilt of what I could have possibly done to cause or avoid this during pregnancy and early childhood. As a mother, there is so much self-blame that it becomes the albatross around your neck, constantly weighing you down. I can’t really describe the overwhelmingly intense hurt and pain in my heart seeing my child try to make friends and getting rejected or made fun of, and more often than not, left out. There were days that were soul-crushing, where I would cry myself to sleep under a mountain of sadness for my sweet, tenacious, smart, dependable, kind-hearted child. There was also a determination to find answers and programs to help us navigate our way through childhood and adolescence to find the gifts and uniqueness and joy involved in raising a neurodivergent child. One of his gifts was not realizing that he was actually that different from everyone else. This led him to fearlessly try new things, and never feeling limited by the fear that I as his mother had for him. This fearlessness led to becoming an honor roll student, being voted onto the homecoming court, playing on a state championship football team complete with championship ring as his reward, being voted Prom King, and always being able to see the good things in life, people and situations, that I as a mom couldn’t always see. He sees the world as limitless, in a way that teaches me and others to do the same. My wish is that others would be able to see those on the spectrum or those with other forms of neurodivergence as limitless as well. After all, we are actually more alike than different from one another in the end.
See you at the CME!
Lyla Cachola Prather, MD
President, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii
Understanding Autism
Most infants and young children love to be held and cuddled. This helps them form close bonds with their parents and other caregivers. But children with autism may resist being touched. And they may often seem remote and withdrawn. Some may never learn to talk. There is no cure for autism. But many children with the disorder can be helped with intensive treatment.
What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of disorders in which a child's brain does not develop normally. Autism or autistic disorder is the most severe form of ASD. Symptoms often appear before age 3 and stay throughout the child’s lifetime. These symptoms can vary widely and may be mild or severe. Most people with autism have trouble talking and relating to others. They often are in a world of their own. Some children with the disorder may not respond to smiles or eye contact. They also may repeat certain actions over and over. They may follow rigid routines or be obsessed with parts of objects. A few may even try to harm themselves or others.
Who does it affect?
Boys are 4 times more likely to have autism than girls. Autism crosses all ethnic, economic, and social lines. Any child can develop this disorder.
What causes it?
Parents of children with autism often blame themselves. But autism is no one's fault. Certain genes may affect the way your child's brain develops. Other factors, such as viruses or chemicals, may also play a role.
What can help?
Early assessment and intervention are crucial for children with autism because children learn best when they are very young. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a formal autism screening for all children at the 18 and 24-month well child visits. This screen is in addition to regular developmental checks. This helps identify children with behavioral and developmental challenges as early as possible. With early intervention, special therapists can help your child learn social and language skills. School programs can be tailored to your child's needs. As your child gets older, many caring professionals can help. Talking to your healthcare provider is a good place to start.
Signs of autism
Each person with autism is unique. Some children with autism may:
Be slow in learning to talk or not learn to talk at all
Want to be alone rather than with others
Not share and play the way other children do
Be sensitive to sounds, touch, smells, or tastes
Throw tantrums or try to harm themselves or others
Autism Services
Hawaii has various resources to help children and their families, such as:
Autism Society of Hawaii https://www.autismsocietyhi.org/
Hawaii Autism Foundation https://www.hawaiiautismfoundation.org/
Malama Pono Autism Center https://www.malamaponoautism.com/
Imua Autism Services https://imuafamily.org/imua-autism-services/
Easter Seals Hawaii https://www.eastersealshawaii.org/autism-services/
Dr. J. Gary Dela Cruz, Pediatrician
Honolulu, Hawaii
Upcoming Events
Filipino Fiesta
The Filipino Community Center, Waipahu
May 6th
“Spring into Health” Fair
The Filipino Community Center, Waipahu
May 20th - 10 to 2PM
Interested in participating as an exhibitor or sponsor? Please email RheaPMAH808@gmail.com for assistance.
Memorial Weekend CME - Primary Care Updates
Four Seasons Resort at Ko'Olina
May 27-28, 2023
Updates
1. On the MONEY front, local legislative bills SB397/HB1367, to raise Medicaid/QUEST pay, and SB1035/HB662, bills to eliminate the GET on healthcare, are moving through the Hawaii Legislature. Also progressing are the loan repayment (SB164/HB661) and Preceptor Tax Credit (for specialists as well as PCPs SB1215/HB82) bills. If you want to voice your opinion, itʻs easy to do: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/
2. Help us raise Hawaii's Medicare rates! -- We are working with our Federal Legislators to try to get Medicare rates raised. To do this, we need to assess the cost of having a practice in Hawaii. If you own or run a practice, please complete our brief anonymous survey about costs of practicing in Hawaii: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/37RLWDV
Join the PMAH Legislative Committee!
Do you want to know more about what bills are being introduced that potentially affect healthcare in Hawaii?
Are you passionate about advocacy and effecting change in Hawaii's healthcare landscape?
Email PMAHinfo@gmail.com and let us know you're interested, and will pass it along to committee chair, Dr. Jerald Garcia.
Physician Opportunities
Are you a specialist who is willing to provide telehealth to rural areas of Hawaii? Email kelleywithy@gmail.com for more information.
Do you want to advertise an open position? Do you want to find a job in Hawaii? Do you want to meet a resident who may be interested in joining your practice? Email Your Hawaii Physician Recruiter: Thomas Hao hao4@hawaii.edu
For HMSA formularies, save this link (https://hmsa.com/help-center/your-hmsa-drug-formulary-list/). You can just put the three digit drug code from the patient's HMSA card (DRUG: xxx) and it will tell you which formulary to look at: https://hmsa.com/help-center/your-hmsa-drug-formulary-list/
COVID Vaccine Information
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html
https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine-faqs/
COVID Vaccine Access
https://www.filcomcares.org/events
https://www.oneoahu.org/find-vaccine
https://www.hawaiipacifichealth.org/hph-covid-19-updates/vaccine-update/
PMAH is a proud partner of the FilCom CARES project to provide COVID-19 resources our Filipino Communities.
To subscribe to the FilCom CARES newsletter, click HERE
Follow FilCom CARES on Facebook and Instagram for updates
Interested in becoming a member?
Benefits of PMAH Membership
As a member of the PMAH you will be able to:
1. Engage Filipino healthcare leaders in advancing the health and well-being of communities in Hawaii and abroad.
2. Be allowed to participate in a number of unparalleled networking opportunities to connect with your peers, mentors, and other medical leaders in Hawaii.
3. Attend conventions, seminars, dinners and other related events with like-minded professionals in the field
4. Keep up with the newest developments through our CME Courses and other educational opportunities
5. Become involved with Ohana Medical Missions, providing healthcare and health education to indigent patients in the Philippines, Hawaii, and other countries
Want to be more involved in PMAH?
We welcome and encourage PMAH membership engagement!!
If you have a special interest, please ask us!
We also are always looking for potential new board members.
New ideas, suggestions, concerns, and comments welcome!
Please reach out to us!
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
DONATE to PMAH and our Affiliates
Due to the pandemic, our usual conferences and other fundraising events for the year were cancelled/postponed/adjusted. Therefore at this time, we rely on donations to fund our projects and operational costs.
Your donations are greatly appreciated !
https://pmah-hawaii.org/take-action
All affiliates are non-profit charitable organizations 501(c)(3).
*When making a donation, please specify in comments preferred use ie general fund, mentorship, etc.
CONTACT US
We'd love to learn about announcements / education / opportunities / events
Please email pmahinfo@gmail.com
