"What the program entails, is evaluation for children 2-6 years of age who have a high concern for autism. Whether that's parent concerns or provider concerns, or high scores on screenings completed in the pediatric office," says Amy Zimmerman, advanced practice provider with OSF HealthCare and project manager for OSF EASE. "They're then able to see me, get that evaluation and screening, then get some answers and recommendations into therapies and services faster."

The program is primarily offered throughout the OSF Ministry but also collaborates with neighborhood partners through local health care clinics and pediatric offices.

Zimmerman and her team serve patients across the OSF Ministry, not just in Peoria, provided the child has an OSF pediatrician or neighborhood partner pediatrician.

The goal of EASE is to connect families with an evaluation option, help them find answers and access services sooner, while ensuring families feel supported throughout the process.

"If a family member or caregiver has a concern for that child having autism, speak with their primary care provider as a first step. That will ensure they're involved in services and supports, if they qualify for the EASE program. Helping us decide how to help make sure the child gets what they need," Zimmerman adds.

Zimmerman says awareness and understanding of autism have continued to grow in recent years. The focus is shifting beyond awareness and toward acceptance and support for children and their families.

"This is a safe space for families to discuss concerns," Zimmerman says. "This is a space where I want to know those concerns and challenges you're having, so that we can put those supports in place."

A key part of the EASE program is identifying and building on each child's strengths. Zimmerman encourages caregivers to think about at least two things their child does well, helping create a more complete picture of the child's development and abilities.

Additional services through EASE

EASE follows a two-part process:

• Evaluation
• Recommendations and next steps

Even when a child does not receive an autism diagnosis, the evaluation may identify other concerns, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or developmental delays.

Those findings are shared with the child's primary care provider to help develop a plan for ongoing care and support.

To get connected to OSF EASE, speak with your child’s pediatrician. You can also visit the OSF EASE website.

Video Interview Clips

The Thomas family, whose granddaughter is on the autism spectrum, recognized the need for sensory support in medical settings and made the contribution to improve the hospital experience for patients with autism and other sensory-processing differences. The carts will be available throughout the hospital, including patient rooms, the emergency department, outpatient clinics and labs and areas where children prepare for procedures or surgery.

“Our family is grateful to have the opportunity to partner together with OSF HealthCare to serve the neurodiverse pediatric population in Illinois,” said Susie Lotharius, daughter of Chuck Thomas. “We hope the Thomas Carts help foster a sense of calm and comfort to these children and their families.”

Most Thomas Carts are Vecta Deluxe Mobile Sensory Stations, designed to create a calming, multi-sensory environment with an interactive bubble column, color controller, fiber optic tails, and a projector for visual engagement. A couple of the carts will be Vecta Jr. models, a more compact option featuring a waterless hurricane tube, Bluetooth-compatible radio, and fiber optic tails for a soothing sensory experience.

The introduction of the Thomas Carts comes just ahead of Autism Acceptance Month in April, reinforcing OSF Children’s Hospital's commitment to supporting neurodiverse patients. The hospital is also home to OSF Autism Pathways, formerly known as the Autism Collective. OSF Autism Pathways provides care coordination, education and access to services for families navigating an autism diagnosis. More information can be found at OSF Autism Pathways.

While it might be tempting to ignore those warnings, don't. 

The light from an eclipse can do some serious damage.

“There is a concern if you get direct sunlight for too long of a period of time to the back of your eye, you can essentially burn your retina and have permanent vision loss, sometimes complete vision loss if that exposure is long enough and intense enough," says Ben Kemp, MD, an emergency physician with OSF HealthCare. 

NASA has some safe eclipse viewing tips: 

- Wear specially made eclipse glasses or welder's goggles rated 14 or higher. 

- Use specially designed solar telescopes or solar binoculars. 

- Supervise children closely when they're using solar filters and eclipse glasses

While autism in adults has improved, the ability to recognize what it looks like in everyday life is still a challenge, according to Theresa Regan, PhD, the lead neuropsychologist at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. 

Dr. Regan says misconceptions remain, and that many cases don't get diagnosed until adulthood.

“The great majority of adults who are autistic are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other mental health conditions," Dr. Regan says. "So we want to rectify that and have the right diagnosis for every person every time.”

Dr. Regan says autism characteristics have to be present in childhood. 

But in many cases, it's not recognized until more complex situations arise like navigating relationships. 

She adds that self awareness is key, and to speak with a medical provider if you have any questions or concerns.

Health Highlights Video Version With Chyrons

Health Highlights Video Version Without Chyrons

A mother is speaking out about water bead safety after her 14 month-old daughter swallowed a bead and wound up in the hospital.

Hannah Reif of Iowa tells Good Morning America that her child was vomiting, and doctors later found a one-inch water bead in the girl's small intestine.

Water beads are tactile toys that are marble-sized and water-absorbing. They are often used to reduce stress and anxiety while helping to develop focus and attention. The National Poison Control Center and the American Academy of Pediatrics say water beads can expand inside a person and cause a life-threatening intestinal blockage.

This latest incident with Reif's family is a reminder to know the signs of poisoning and choking and the steps to reverse the effects of each, says Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare in Champaign, Illinois.

“Make sure there are no loose coins around  - no small toys they can pick up and swallow,” Dr. Ogun advises as a first step. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a list of recalled products.

Food should be cut into small bites for kids. Chemicals, like bleach used for cleaning, should be capped and stored out of a child’s reach. Cabinet locks add an extra layer of protection.

If your child does ingest something they’re not supposed to, Dr. Ogun advises taking an ambulance to the Emergency Department of your local hospital. Health care providers will assess the child, consulting with the poison control center if necessary, and decide what to do. One option is to pump the poison out of the child’s stomach. If it’s a small object that doesn’t present a grave threat, Dr. Ogun says doctors may see if it will pass naturally in a bowel movement.

Some children may swallow a poisonous liquid and not say anything, perhaps because they don’t even know the seriousness of what they did. In this case, Dr. Ogun says to watch for changes in your child’s health, like vomiting and lethargy, and see a doctor right away.

If a child is choking, Dr. Ogun says there are life-saving steps you can take at home.

For children under one, Dr. Ogun says to lay the child face down on your lap and pat their back five times. Then turn the child over and repeat the pats on their chest.

For older kids, perform the Heimlich maneuver. Dr. Ogun says stand behind the person, wrap one arm around them and place your hand in a fist between their belly button and the bottom of their sternum. Lay your other hand flat on the fist. Then make upward thrusts.

If you’re alone, you can perform thrusts on yourself or thrust your upper abdomen against the back of a chair or the edge of a counter.

Local first responders or health care organizations may offer training on these life-saving techniques.

One word of caution: “Do not put your hand in the child’s mouth to try to get the object out,” Dr. Ogun says. “That could make it worse.”

If these steps don’t dislodge the object and get the child breathing again within a couple minutes, call an ambulance and get to the Emergency Department.

“If the person is turning blue, not able to speak or gasping, those are signs to go to the Emergency Department,” Dr. Ogun says.

Interview clips

B-Roll

Previous coverage

OSF HealthCare Library: Choking and abdominal thrusts

OSF HealthCare Library: Choking in an infant: What to do

OSF HealthCare Library: Poisons

OSF HealthCare Newsroom: Don't choke when planning for summer fun

Sixteen research projects are sharing more than $1.6 million in funding through the Jump ARCHES research and development program. Projects funded focused on novel automation in health data and patient experience, precision medicine, digital tools to enhance patient engagement in health, wellness and treatment, plus improved treatment and diagnosis of neurologic disorders. The latest request for proposals also encouraged supporting underserved populations.

The Jump ARCHES program is a collaboration between OSF HealthCare, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP). The funding supports research involving clinicians, engineers and social scientists to rapidly develop technologies, devices, and treatment approaches that improve outcomes and reduce costs.

Spring 2023 Project Awards

STREAM-ED: Simulation to Refine, Enhance and Adapt Management of Emergency
William Bond, MD, OSF HealthCare
Hyojung Kang, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This study aims to develop practical models combining machine learning, discrete event simulation, and optimization techniques to improve emergency department (ED) resource utilization and address ED overcrowding, which is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing shortages.

Prototype: Intelligent Regulatory Change Management System
Scott Lowry, MHA, CHC, CCEP, OSF HealthCare
ChengXiang Zhai, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This study proposes an Intelligent Regulatory Change Management (IRCM) System that uses natural language processing and artificial intelligence to track and evaluate public policy actions governing OSF HealthCare. This will enable compliance professionals to identify critical changes and determine appropriate courses of action, reducing manual review and improving quality, safety, privacy risk management and efficiency.

Machine Learning of Standardized DICOM Metadata from Imaging Datasets
Matthew Bramlet, MD, OSF HealthCare
Brad Sutton, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This project aims to develop a machine learning-based algorithm that can categorize image parameters directly from signal intensity variations of 2D medical images to enable efficient pipelines for medical image segmentation. The proposed algorithm is expected to estimate patient and image-acquisition information by utilizing machine learning methods in situations where the DICOM header fields are incomplete or unreliable, ultimately allowing for automated characterization of unknown 3D DICOM imaging datasets.

Machine-Guided Staging of Neuroblastic Tumors of Patient Specific 3D Models
Daniel Robertson, MD, OSF HealthCare
Brad Sutton, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois is using segmentation services to create 3D models of neuroblastic tumors for pre-surgical planning. The hospital aims to transition from 2D imaging to 3D modeling to increase the reproducibility of staging analysis, establish a new standard for segmented models of neuroblastic tumors and develop machine-guided tools that can improve upon and automate current recommended image-defined risk factors staging.

Toward Machine-Learned Aortic Arch Measured Diameters
Matthew Bramlet, MD, OSF HealthCare
Brad Sutton, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The original project aims to automate the segmentation and clinical measurement of aortic arch diameters from MRI imaging. The researchers leading this project have successfully completed several steps, including de-identification and curation of datasets, manual segmentation and the development of a novel method for automatically analyzing each aortic arch with promising results, indicating correlation between the automated and clinically derived measurements.

A Field Experiment to Evaluate the Efficacy of Convenient Health Kiosks
Ann Willemsen-Dunlap, CRNA, PhD, OSF HealthCare
Ujjal Mukherjee, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This proposal outlines a field experiment to evaluate the efficacy of health kiosks supported by community health workers (CHWs) in delivering first line preventive health screenings to rural and underserved communities. The project is intended to lead to large-scale development and deployment of health kiosks with the goal of positively impacting social determinants of health and long-term health status of those served.

Contextualizing Nursing Needs for Development of Retention-Support App
Sheryl Emmerling, PhD, Rn, NEA-BC, OSF HealthCare
Ann-Perry Witmer, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The goal of this project is to address the high turnover rate of new nurses by providing a digital app that offers personalized nursing support. The Contextual Engineering (CE) paradigm will be used to assess the needs and values of first-year nurses, including those who have left their positions, to inform the development of the app in the first phase of the project, with the goal of stabilizing the nursing staff, improving the quality of service and reducing operating costs.

Community Health Café: Engaging Digital Innovation and Community-Based Resources to Enhance Health Equities in Underserved Communities
Scott Barrows, MA, OSF HealthCare
Joe Bradley, PhD, MA, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The purpose of the community health café is to provide digital access to health and health care resources, including links for assistance with the social determinants of health, health education and connections to public health in underserved communities. The eventual goal is a Medicaid telemedicine option with OSF OnCall. This proposal aims to address critical needs of underserved residents in vulnerable communities and is crucial for their health.

AI-Powered Brain Tumor Segmentation
Matthew Bramlet, MD, OSF HealthCare
Zhi-Pei Liang, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This project aims to enhance the detection and monitoring of brain diseases. Phase 1 of the project focuses on accurate delineation and segmentation of brain tumors using a combination of structural and molecular multimodal brain imaging data and deep learning. The proposed work includes developing brain atlases for AI-powered brain image analysis, computational tools for automated tumor detection and segmentation and evaluating potential clinical applications.

Optimizing Pharmacologic Management of Behaviors in Patients with Autism
Adam Cross, MD, FAAP, OSF HealthCare
Ravishankar Iyer, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This proposal aims to provide physicians with a machine learning model that assists in selecting appropriate medication and dosage strategies for patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). By incorporating patient history, genetic information and clinician notes, the model will dynamically adapt the treatment protocol as the patient progresses, ensuring optimal choices for improved behavioral symptoms with a high degree of confidence.

Predicting Medication Non-Adherence in Type 2 Diabetes
Mary Stapel, MD, OSF HealthCare
Hyojung Kang, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Medication adherence is crucial for managing diabetes, but disparities exist, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities and those with lower socioeconomic status. This proposal aims to use data-driven models to identify high-risk individuals and areas for non-adherence to diabetes medication, develop and validate prediction models and implement and evaluate them in clinical practice.

Knowledge Graph Construction with Large Language Models to Predict DKA Occurrence and Severity
Adam Cross, MD, FAAP, OSF HealthCare
Jimeng Sun, PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) hospitalizes over 50,000 American children annually, with underprivileged and underserved children at higher risk. This proposal aims to develop a predictive model using patient-specific knowledge graphs generated from clinical data extracted through name entity recognition and language modeling. Clinicians can use the model to identify high-risk diabetic patients and prevent DKA.