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LENIN'S BEAUTY
Spring Specials
ALFRED
SUNG
EDT 3.4 Spray Tester
ONLY s 39.99
Reg. 565.00
Come see our new selection of
LARGE DESIGNER
PERFUME BOTTLES
New Fragrances
• 24 Faubourg
• "Blonde" by Versace
• Mariella Burani
• Poeme by Lancome
Detroit's Original Discounter
LEVIN'S BEAUTY SUPPLY
West Bloomfield
OPEN 7 DAYS
Oak Park
• 547-9669
24695 Coolidge At 10 Mile Road
• 851-7323
Orchard Lake Road In The West Bloomfield Plaza
RK & CATARACT
EYE SPECIALIST
Dr. Sheldon Gonte specializes in:
• RK surgery
• Glaucoma treatment
• Cosmetic eye surgery
• Eximer laser treatment for
• Sutureless cataract surgery
• Diabetic laser treatment
• Pediatric eyecare
nearsightedness
FREE consultations for
LASER SKIN REJUVENATION
which gently and safely treats
unwanted facial lines
Personalized care given to each patient.
THE DETROIT J EWISH NEWS
Dr. Sheldon Gonte, MD
02
Second location now open in West Bloomfield
Sterling Heights: 810-268-4400 40600 Van Dyke, Suite 12
West Bloomfield: 810-932-5300 5813 W. Maple Road, Suite 137
Board Certified Ophthalmologist, Experienced Laser Surgeon
Next time you feed your face, think about your heart.
Go easy on your heart and start cutting back on foods that are high in saturated
fat and cholesterol. The change'II do you good.
tut American Heart Association
WERE FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE
it the office. Making sure that the
trip to the orthodontist is "enter-
taining," however, isn't the main
point.
"This isn't strictly games," he
says. 'There's a strong educational
side to what we do. The patients
just don't know that they're learn-
ing: ,
Through computer imaging,
Dr. Hersh demonstrates ortho-
dontic procedures and then shows
patients exactly what will happen
in their mouths. The biggest prob-
lem, according to Dr. Hersh, is
getting patients to leave.
While Dr. Hersh's office may
be an extreme example of creat-
ing a "comfortable office for pa-
tients," there is a growing
acceptance of the value of diver-
sionary play therapy among
physicians, says Dr. Deborah El-
lis, staff psychologist at Children's
Hospital of Michigan.
"Generally, if a patient is calm
and relaxed, he feels less pain,"
she says.
Over the last 10 years, creat-
ing a "more comfortable" envi-
ronment for patients has forced
decorative changes in doctors' of-
fices, outpatient clinics and inpa-
tient areas of hospitals.
At Children's Hospital, a pro-
totype room is being tested. The
room is brightly colored and in-
cludes personalized bulletin
boards, a desk, a pull-out couch
and expanded bathing facilities
for parents who want to stay with
their children.
"Toddlers and preschoolers, es-
pecially, worry that they'll be left
at the hospital," says Dr. Ellis,
who counsels young patients with
chronic illnesses. "We encourage
parents to be present as much as
possible."
In the mid-1980s, the Ameri-
can Pediatric Association, among
other children's health groups, be-
gan to actively include parents in
determining the health-care plan
for adolescents. Considering a
family's perceptions of an ill or
hurt child is an essential part of
"family-oriented care," a philos-
ophy to help patients feel more at
ease.
It's a far cry from more auto-
cratic times when a steely-eyed
nurse walked into a drab and
sterile waiting room and called
out a patient's name, then led
him down a mono-colored corri-
dor to a cramped examination
room.
Arguably, the most dramatic
impact of diversionary play ther-
apy is on long-term patients.
A cuddly bear named "Spin-
oza" is one of the favorite toys at
Children's Hematology and On-
cology Clinic. Patients play their
favorite relaxation tape by open-
ing the stuffed bear and insert-
ing a cassette.
The waiting room has the un-
mistakable touch of a child: small
rocking chairs, an aquarium,
flower and balloon cutouts on the
wall. And, of course, the incessant
t
sounds and animated images of
the Cartoon Network from the
overhead.television screen.
Unlike other outpatient offices,
the clinic could treat a patient
several times a week for months
at a time. The staff determines
ways to make a patient with a
blood disease or cancer feel at
ease, according to Mary Lou Cy-
gan, a nurse clinician in hema-
tology. That could mean bringing
a VCR into the treatment room
so a child can watch a favorite
movie. Or it could mean simply
handing out stickers of Batman
or Spiderman.
The treatment rooms at the
clinic have been painted in Dis-
ney themes, including the Jun-
gle Book and 101 Dalmatians.
Costs for the design were donat-
ed by the family of a deceased pa-
tient. Most of the younger
children, according to Ms. Cygan,
have a preference for a room.
"If there is a choice we can give
patients, then we do, even if it's
whether they want to be poked
in the left or right arm," says Ms.
Cygan.
But while some of the more an-
imated fixtures are sure to grab
the attention of a youngster, sim-
pler techniques work just as well.
Getting a child to blow bubbles is
one of the most common diver-
sionary tactics during an invasive
procedure. "They can't cry and
blow at the same time."
Most parents who have sat and
waited in a pediatrician's office
worry whether their child will be
seen promptly or if he'll catch a
virus from coming in contact with
a sick patient.
Child Health Associates'
Southfield office found a way to
assuage parents' concerns. They
have two waiting rooms: One is
for sick or contagious patients.
The other is for healthy children
waiting for their checkup or treat-
ment for a malady, such as a
sprained ankle or removal of
stitches.
Nine years ago, according to
Rita Marston, office manager at
Child Health Associates, the of-
fice was painted in bright colors.
Around that time, a large, inter-
changeable wall puzzle was in-
stalled. More recently, the staff
discarded institutional lab coats
for more casual professional uni-
forms.
By Ms. Marston's account, a
physician's office should be free
from day-to-day distractions. At
one time, the office showed a
video on health tips. When the
video format was expanded to in-
clude commercials, it was dis-
connected.
Ms. Marston says that while
office staff members make sure
everything in the office is child-
proofed and that the office is as
comfortable as possible, there is
no mistaking their main purpose.
"This is not meant to be a fun
place to play," she says. "This is
one-on-one child care."
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