FV Hospital recently organised a successful CME seminar titled: “Diagnostic approach and treatment to the children with short stature” on the afternoon of 22^nd June 2022 in FV Hospital’s auditorium (online via MS Teams for foreign speakers and remote attendees). The seminar brought much useful knowledge to the attendees, through detailed reports from local and foreign speakers.

Experience in international models for the diagnosis and treatment of children with short stature

Opening the seminar, Representative of the Organiser – FV Hospital, Deputy Medical Director, Dr Henri Maries said: “The topic of this seminar is very relevant to the current situation of Vietnam. I hope we will learn a lot of useful information from the speakers and put them into practice to help children’s development.” Dr Henri also thanked the speakers who accepted the invitation to participate in the workshop, and sponsors and colleagues who attended. Especially MSc Dr Specialist Level II. Nguyen Viet Quynh Thu (Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics – FV Hospital) for initiating the organisation of this seminar.

Dr Henri Maries (left) said that the programme’s topic is very practical for Vietnamese health

In the opening keynote speech of the programme, Director of Community Health Promotion Department and Chairperson, Nutrition Support Team, Kanagawa Children’s Medical Centre – Japan, PhD Dr Tetsuya Takamasu delivered a concise, interesting presentation through the MS Teams platform. Thereby, Dr Takamasu explained how the height of the Japanese children has increased over the past 3 decades, through community programme that focused on school nutrition; the average height of the Japanese people is now at Asia’s leading level.

Dr Tetsuya Takamasu answers questions about height growth programme in Japan

Continuing the topic, the presentation of PhD Dr Imelda Angeles Agdeppa – Director of Science and Technology Department – Food and Nutrition Research Institute – Philippines, also gave the attendees an overview, of how a neighbouring country of Vietnam has screened and managed the conditions of short children. Due to the similarity in many aspects between Vietnam and the Philippines, the methods of diagnosing short children, the policies to improve child nutrition, or the cooperation with organisations and government bodies mentioned, can bring benefits to Vietnam.

MSc. Dr SLII. Nguyen Viet Quynh Thu had many questions for Dr Imelda Angeles Agdeppa

In addition to genetic factors, nutritional factors, bone and joint diseases also greatly affect children’s growth. In his presentation, CEO and Medical Director of ACC Clinics (FV Group Member), Dr Wade O’brien Brackenbury instructed how to maintain a healthy spine for children. Besides, when statistics show that more than 50% of Asian children have flat foot conditions, Dr Wade emphasised that early screening for this pathology for children before the age of 6 will help children avoid spinal diseases in the future.

Dr Wade O’brien Brackenbury presented a method for diagnosing flat feet

Hormone treatments and nutritional models to support height growth

After the presentation of the international speakers, the programme continued with the much-anticipated presentation from the attendees. MSc Dr Specialist Level I Nguyen Thi Thu Huong (endocrinology unit – Internal Medicine Department of FV Hospital) presented a method of diagnosis and treatment with growth hormone for children with slow growth condition. Besides, Dr Thu Huong also reported the positive results of a clinical case that she recently performed. Presentation of Dr Thu Huong has received many questions from attendees, both as colleagues who need to exchange knowledge and as parents who are concerned about children at home. Accordingly, if there are signs of slow growth in height, parents can send their children to a doctor and conduct the most effective treatment in the period from 4 years old to just before puberty. Dr Huong also shared some difficulties when practicing hormone therapy, such as complicated diagnosis, multiple tests performed on children, or the high cost of treatment.

MSc Dr Specialist Level I Nguyen Thi Thu Huong received many questions during her presentation

Before presenting her main report, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics – FV Hospital, Vice Chairman of Vietnam Dietetics Association (VDA), MSc Dr Specialist Level II. Nguyen Viet Quynh Thu, was very active during the workshop, when giving many questions to other speakers. In her concise and accessible presentation, Dr Quynh Thu helped attendees synthesise some knowledge from previous speakers, and offered models of nutrition for children, corresponding to the above knowledge. Thereby, Dr Quynh Thu emphasised that ensuring nutrition for children must be appropriate for each age group, provided with sufficient and correct content, and must be combined with exercise and adequate sleep. Further, health authorities need to initiate child development monitoring programme according to growth charts, so that they can make good adjustments for future generations.

Developing models of child nutrition management in the community is the future plan of Dr Quynh Thu

At the end of the seminar, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics – Hanoi Medical University Hospital, PhD Dr Nguyen Thuy Linh summarised the previous nutrition speaker’s presentations, through reports on clinical cases. PhD Dr Thuy Linh also encouraged nutritional assessment models developed for children according to each age. Thus, it is possible to support the growth of the child at the right time, supplement the right nutrients, or add the most necessary activities for the child during therapy.

PhD Dr Nguyen Thuy Linh summarised knowledge through clinical cases

The seminar “Diagnostic approach and treatment to the children with short stature” brought together doctors, nurses, and health professionals, with many new approaches to diagnosis and many models of advanced nutrition and treatment. Through that, FV Hospital also wishes to contribute to the development of programmes to support the development of children at school and in the community.