Greetings Valued Customer,

Vida's Summer Health Update

In This Issue:

A Message from Allison Morrill, Director of Research and Evaluation
Project to Prevent Abusive Head Trauma
Online Childbirth Education Update
Vida's Media Services
Project Progress Report

The Childbirth Media Center

Click on the images below to view new Childbirth Media Center episodes!

Please view this channel on YouTube and subscribe! Vida uploads new educational episodes frequently.

This is the first News About Newborns episode! Remarkable footage captures the unique and responsive nature of every new baby and gives expectant parents the encouragement and information they need to appreciate the wonder of newborn talents and temperament.

Topics covered in News About Newborns:

•Newborn behavior at birth
•The value of early breastfeeding
•Newborn senses
•Brain development
•Infant states of consciousness
•Feeding cues
•Comfort strategies
•Sleep patterns
•Infant temperament

Episode 3 of News About Newborns focuses on baby brain basics! A baby's brain is growing by leaps and bounds. This rapid growth lasts a full three years before it begins to slow down. Your baby learns best by simply being exposed to things repeatedly.

Episode 5 of News About Newborn talks all about nourishment and feeding. Most newborns eat every two to three hours. That amounts to about ten feedings in a twenty four hour day. But just like older children and adults new babies are unique individuals. They do not feed on a predictable schedule. Fortunately newborns give signs that they are getting hungry.

Can you name three signs your newborn is getting hungry?

NAN 6.jpg

Episode 6 of News About Newborns focuses on techniques to comfort your baby.

Crying is a newborns first language. Don't ever be afraid that you will spoil your newborn by responding to cries. You are their greatest comfort. Continuous rhythmical motion helps.

What are a few techniques soothing techniques that you use?

Episode 7 of News About Newborns focuses on sleep and where to find it! In the early weeks newborns rarely sleep longer than three hours at a time. This is partly because they need to feed frequently when there stomachs are so small.

How and when can you begin to set routines that encourage your baby to sleep at night?

This final episode of News About Newborns focus on how you can come to understand and accept your baby's individual nature, their personality and their temperament.

With time and experience you will feel your competence as a parent grow. As it does so will the awards of introducing to the world you own remarkable newborn.

News About Newborns

is available on DVD at Amazon.com

If you like News About Newborns you

might also be interested in the following Vida Health Communications programs:

» Open Minds To Birth
» Home Before You Know It
» Starting Out Safe & Sound

Director of Research & Evaluation

Research and evaluation are critical components of Vida's work, and help to refine and distinguish our products.
Al eNews pic Color copy.jpg

Formative research helps us to develop quality programs, and typically entails several cycles. First, of course, is the idea! To help formulate and refine our ideas, we first interview "key informants" - both experts and lay people - familiar with the topic. Next, we gather members of the target audience in focus groups to talk about what they would find useful and how to present it. Again, experts and users will review and critique a prototype program segment, and then a "rough cut" of the entire program.

Evaluation determines how effective Vida's programs are in real world application. Each finished product is subjected to a rigorous evaluation using an experimental design (such as a randomized clinical trial) or pre-post testing, to determine whether the program achieves its goals. For example, evaluation of No Matter How Small; A Parents’ Guide To Preterm Infant Behavior And Development found that parents who viewed the program

•    gained in their knowledge of fetal and neonatal development,
•    experienced reduced levels of parental stress, and
•    had more confidence in appropriate caregiving.

Of course, all research activity is submitted to external review in advance to ensure that participants' rights and privacy are fully protected.

Currently, Vida is conducting formative research for "All Babies Cry", and is about to embark on evaluation of "Your Green Guide to Pregnancy." Watch for results soon!

To review Vida’s research visit: http://www.vida-health.com/research.

Project to Prevent Abusive Head Trauma

Vida Health Communications, Inc (Vida), in association with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and The Medical Foundation, is reaching out to new parents in an effort to combat Abusive Head Trauma, until recently referred to as Shaken Baby Syndrome. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is funding Vida’s public health initiative through the Small Business Innovative Research program.

Abusive Head Trauma is the most common cause of death from child abuse. Hospital-based, parent education programs targeting parents of newborns have been effective in significantly reducing the incidence of abusive head injuries. In Massachusetts, State legislation mandates both surveillance and comprehensive prevention programs. It clearly outlines activities to be assumed:

•    Education of all new parents in maternity hospitals
•    Parent, professional, and medical provider education
•    Support for victims and families affected by Shaken Baby Syndrome
•    Improvement in surveillance and data collection on Shaken Baby Syndrome

Unlike existing Abusive Head Trauma programs, this initiative will emphasize the normalcy of parental stress and focus on stress management. Most programs currently available advise parents to walk away if the baby is crying too much and if they are feeling frustrated. This program will take a more in depth, strength-based approach, aimed at helping parents develop a range of responses to infant problems. The media format will be designed to really engage the male population.

To read the rest of this article please visit: www.vida-health.com/research

Online Childbirth Education Update

Vida’s online Childbirth Education Suite is now in beta testing with Atrius Health in Newton, MA. Using the same attention to detail and focus on real families found in our video programs, the online education shifts the focus from a facilitated group learning experience to an individualized self-paced learning that patients can complete at their convenience.

Currently, the suite contains a single course module on labor and delivery. Over the summer Vida will be adding modules on having a healthy pregnancy, breastfeeding, and infant care and safety. Vida will host the Childbirth Education Suite on its servers and offer a variety of pricing models to meet the needs of our broad customer base including a revenue sharing plan for independent birth educators. A full product roll-out is planned for Fall 2009.

For more information or to be added to our waiting list please contact Aimee Arvan at Aimee.Arvan@vida-health.com.

Vida's Media Services

Vida prides itself on its in-house media production capabilities. With over 2 decades of production experience and as a winner of more than 100 awards for production excellence, Vida is always excited to take on new and interesting projects.

Vida has worked with numerous non-profits, health organizations and corporations in the past, and it has been a wonderful experience. Most recently Vida completed a project for Reach Out and Read (ROR), a non-profit organization that seeks to make literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric care.

Vida has launched a new Media Services website that highlights past projects and production offerings. Take a look at the site to review some Vida's completed media projects!

For more information about Vida's Media Services please visit:
www.vida-health.com/media-services

Project Progress Report

Managing Environmental Risks in Pregnancy:
Vida has completed a rough cut of the now titled “Your Green Guide to Pregnancy” video patient intervention and has pilot tested it with English and Spanish-language focus groups. Formal evaluation will begin once program updates and revisions are completed. Development of the online learning for providers is moving along steadily; website architecture is 90% complete, course content is being created and visual design work has begun. Pilot testing and evaluation will follow in the fall.

Youth Violence Prevention for Healthcare Professionals:
Youth Violence Prevention for Healthcare Professionals, which was submitted to NIH in early April, has been assigned to Healthcare Delivery and Methodologies SBIR Study Section for review. Vida is awaiting feedback, which should be received in July 2009!

For detailed information please visit: www.vida-health.com/research

Vida Health Communications, Inc. is dedicated to improving the health of women, children and families through the production of evidence-based educational media for caregivers and patients. Vida's programs integrate and 'translate' the latest scientific knowledge and advances in health-care with consistently innovative approaches to visual and interactive media. Much of Vida's research and program development is done with support from the National Institutes of Health. Vida has received well over 100 awards for its programs.

For more information please visit: www.vida-health.com
Forward this message to a friend


Greetings Valued Customer,
Vida's Summer Health Update In This Issue: A Message from Allison Morrill, Director of Research and Evaluation Project to Prevent Abusive Head Trauma Online Childbirth Education Update Vida's Media Services Project Progress Report The Childbirth Media Center Click on the images below to view new Childbirth Media Center episodes! Please view this channel on YouTube and subscribe! Vida uploads new educational episodes frequently. This is the first News About Newborns episode! Remarkable footage captures the unique and responsive nature of every new baby and gives expectant parents the encouragement and information they need to appreciate the wonder of newborn talents and temperament. Topics covered in News About Newborns: •Newborn behavior at birth •The value of early breastfeeding •Newborn senses •Brain development •Infant states of consciousness •Feeding cues •Comfort strategies •Sleep patterns •Infant temperament Episode 3 of News About Newborns focuses on baby brain basics! A baby's brain is growing by leaps and bounds. This rapid growth lasts a full three years before it begins to slow down. Your baby learns best by simply being exposed to things repeatedly. Episode 5 of News About Newborn talks all about nourishment and feeding. Most newborns eat every two to three hours. That amounts to about ten feedings in a twenty four hour day. But just like older children and adults new babies are unique individuals. They do not feed on a predictable schedule. Fortunately newborns give signs that they are getting hungry. Can you name three signs your newborn is getting hungry? Episode 6 of News About Newborns focuses on techniques to comfort your baby. Crying is a newborns first language. Don't ever be afraid that you will spoil your newborn by responding to cries. You are their greatest comfort. Continuous rhythmical motion helps. What are a few techniques soothing techniques that you use? Episode 7 of News About Newborns focuses on sleep and where to find it! In the early weeks newborns rarely sleep longer than three hours at a time. This is partly because they need to feed frequently when there stomachs are so small. How and when can you begin to set routines that encourage your baby to sleep at night? This final episode of News About Newborns focus on how you can come to understand and accept your baby's individual nature, their personality and their temperament. With time and experience you will feel your competence as a parent grow. As it does so will the awards of introducing to the world you own remarkable newborn. News About Newborns is available on DVD at Amazon.com If you like News About Newborns you might also be interested in the following Vida Health Communications programs: » Open Minds To Birth » Home Before You Know It » Starting Out Safe & Sound	Director of Research & Evaluation Research and evaluation are critical components of Vida's work, and help to refine and distinguish our products. Formative research helps us to develop quality programs, and typically entails several cycles. First, of course, is the idea! To help formulate and refine our ideas, we first interview "key informants" - both experts and lay people - familiar with the topic. Next, we gather members of the target audience in focus groups to talk about what they would find useful and how to present it. Again, experts and users will review and critique a prototype program segment, and then a "rough cut" of the entire program. Evaluation determines how effective Vida's programs are in real world application. Each finished product is subjected to a rigorous evaluation using an experimental design (such as a randomized clinical trial) or pre-post testing, to determine whether the program achieves its goals. For example, evaluation of No Matter How Small; A Parents’ Guide To Preterm Infant Behavior And Development found that parents who viewed the program • gained in their knowledge of fetal and neonatal development, • experienced reduced levels of parental stress, and • had more confidence in appropriate caregiving. Of course, all research activity is submitted to external review in advance to ensure that participants' rights and privacy are fully protected. Currently, Vida is conducting formative research for "All Babies Cry", and is about to embark on evaluation of "Your Green Guide to Pregnancy." Watch for results soon! To review Vida’s research visit: http://www.vida-health.com/research. Project to Prevent Abusive Head Trauma Vida Health Communications, Inc (Vida), in association with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and The Medical Foundation, is reaching out to new parents in an effort to combat Abusive Head Trauma, until recently referred to as Shaken Baby Syndrome. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is funding Vida’s public health initiative through the Small Business Innovative Research program. Abusive Head Trauma is the most common cause of death from child abuse. Hospital-based, parent education programs targeting parents of newborns have been effective in significantly reducing the incidence of abusive head injuries. In Massachusetts, State legislation mandates both surveillance and comprehensive prevention programs. It clearly outlines activities to be assumed: • Education of all new parents in maternity hospitals • Parent, professional, and medical provider education • Support for victims and families affected by Shaken Baby Syndrome • Improvement in surveillance and data collection on Shaken Baby Syndrome Unlike existing Abusive Head Trauma programs, this initiative will emphasize the normalcy of parental stress and focus on stress management. Most programs currently available advise parents to walk away if the baby is crying too much and if they are feeling frustrated. This program will take a more in depth, strength-based approach, aimed at helping parents develop a range of responses to infant problems. The media format will be designed to really engage the male population. To read the rest of this article please visit: www.vida-health.com/research Online Childbirth Education Update Vida’s online Childbirth Education Suite is now in beta testing with Atrius Health in Newton, MA. Using the same attention to detail and focus on real families found in our video programs, the online education shifts the focus from a facilitated group learning experience to an individualized self-paced learning that patients can complete at their convenience. Currently, the suite contains a single course module on labor and delivery. Over the summer Vida will be adding modules on having a healthy pregnancy, breastfeeding, and infant care and safety. Vida will host the Childbirth Education Suite on its servers and offer a variety of pricing models to meet the needs of our broad customer base including a revenue sharing plan for independent birth educators. A full product roll-out is planned for Fall 2009. For more information or to be added to our waiting list please contact Aimee Arvan at Aimee.Arvan@vida-health.com. Vida's Media Services Vida prides itself on its in-house media production capabilities. With over 2 decades of production experience and as a winner of more than 100 awards for production excellence, Vida is always excited to take on new and interesting projects. Vida has worked with numerous non-profits, health organizations and corporations in the past, and it has been a wonderful experience. Most recently Vida completed a project for Reach Out and Read (ROR), a non-profit organization that seeks to make literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric care. Vida has launched a new Media Services website that highlights past projects and production offerings. Take a look at the site to review some Vida's completed media projects! For more information about Vida's Media Services please visit: www.vida-health.com/media-services Project Progress Report Managing Environmental Risks in Pregnancy: Vida has completed a rough cut of the now titled “Your Green Guide to Pregnancy” video patient intervention and has pilot tested it with English and Spanish-language focus groups. Formal evaluation will begin once program updates and revisions are completed. Development of the online learning for providers is moving along steadily; website architecture is 90% complete, course content is being created and visual design work has begun. Pilot testing and evaluation will follow in the fall. Youth Violence Prevention for Healthcare Professionals: Youth Violence Prevention for Healthcare Professionals, which was submitted to NIH in early April, has been assigned to Healthcare Delivery and Methodologies SBIR Study Section for review. Vida is awaiting feedback, which should be received in July 2009! For detailed information please visit: www.vida-health.com/research Vida Health Communications, Inc. is dedicated to improving the health of women, children and families through the production of evidence-based educational media for caregivers and patients. Vida's programs integrate and 'translate' the latest scientific knowledge and advances in health-care with consistently innovative approaches to visual and interactive media. Much of Vida's research and program development is done with support from the National Institutes of Health. Vida has received well over 100 awards for its programs.
For more information please visit: www.vida-health.com Forward this message to a friend