Pediatric News articles from April 2008

Pediatric News archives from April 2008

W.Va. project aims to aid CV health.(News)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Year after year, West Virginia ranks near the bottom in state-by-state surveys of cardiovascular health and healthy lifestyle. In 1995, the age-adjusted rate of heart disease was 328 / 100,000, which is 21%...

Calif. pediatricians seek solutions to primary care crisis: providing a medical home is a key focus.(News)
April 1, 2008... Dr. Donald Miller, a pediatrician in Oceanside, Calif., tries to go the extra mile for patients and their families by providing them with a medical home. Some aspects are as simple as offering evening and weekend appointments and creating...

AAP forum calls for media blitz on value of vaccines.(Infectious Disease)
April 1, 2008... Educating the public about the benefits of vaccination is the top priority of the grassroots leadership of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The leadership of the AAP's chapters, sections, councils, and committees met at the Annual...

FDA warns of potential fatalities from misuse of prescription cough product.(News)
April 1, 2008... Deaths and life-threatening side effects associated with the misuse of a long-acting, prescription cough medicine that contains hydrocodone have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue a public health advisory about the dangers of...

Data watch.(News)
April 1, 2008... DATA WATCH Among Adolescents, Black Females Have Highest Prevalence of Overweight Males age Females aged 12-19 years 12-19 years Blacks ...

Pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver boosts cardiovascular risk.(News)
April 1, 2008... COLORADO SPRINGS -- Pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is strongly associated with multiple cardiovascular risk factors, often in excess of clinical thresholds for considering pharmacotherapy, Dr. Stephen Cook said at a conference of...

ACIP: rabies vaccine, IG supplies will be 'less than ideal'.(News)
April 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Supplies of human rabies biologicals for pre- or postexposure prophylaxis in the United States are "manageable, but are expected to be less than ideal" over the next few years, Charles E. Rupprecht, V.M.D., said at the winter meeting...

Mandated Ill. hep B vaccination tops 90% goal.(Infectious Disease)
April 1, 2008... A 1997 state requirement that all children in Illinois receive the hepatitis B vaccine series in order to enter the fifth grade has not only raised the rate of vaccination to more than 90% in a group of Chicago-area high school students but...

Infection control begins with shots, clean hands.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... Consistent handwashing, staff immunizations, and common sense are the keys to preventing and controlling infections in an office practice, said Dr. Jerome O. Klein, a professor of pediatrics at Boston University. Physicians in office...

No vaccine-autism link in feds' ruling.(ID Consult)
April 1, 2008... I would like to clear up some of the confusion surrounding a recent federal government ruling that vaccines might have contributed to autismlike symptoms in a child with underlying mitochondrial disorder. The media have portrayed this as an...

Longer needle, thigh site better for fifth DTaP vaccination.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... Use of a 25-mm needle was associated with less risk of redness and pain than was use of a 16-mm needle among children receiving their fifth diphtheriatetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine, according to results from a prospective randomized trial....

HPV infection documented at 18% in teen girls, study shows.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- Cancer- and genital wart-associated HPV was the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease among teenage girls, affecting 18% of participants in the first large study of STDs in this population. Overall, 26% of 14- to...

Mass. curtails free vaccines for older children.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... Massachusetts health authorities, facing huge demands for vaccines to prevent meningitis, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, and chickenpox, have asked the state's pediatricians to limit use of the shots in older children under the state's free...

FDA approves two-dose rotavirus vaccine.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration approved the Rotarix vaccine on April 3, making it the second vaccine approved for the treatment of rotavirus in the United States. The oral live-attenuated vaccine, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline...

Fever in child less than 2 years old? Think UTI.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... INCLINE VALLEY, NEV. -- Urinary tract infection is so common in children younger than age 2 years that a physician should almost always get a urine culture when working up a fever in a child that age, Dr. Nathan Kuppermann said at an emergency...

DTaP vaccine now cleared for all five doses.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... The diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine manufactured by Sanofi-Pasteur was approved last month for use as the fifth consecutive dose of the vaccine series in children aged 4 through 6 years, following four previous doses...

Nondrug therapies may soothe cold symptoms.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... In light of the recent Food and Drug Administration warnings against using over-the-counter cold medicines in children under 2 years of age, parents and physicians alike are wondering what non-drug treatments have proven safe and effective in...

Saline nasal wash relieves cold symptoms, recurrence.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... Saline nasal wash significantly improved symptoms in children with acute common colds or respiratory flu, and also reduced recurrences, researchers reported. An isotonic saline nasal wash made from processed seawater thinned and reduced...

Weighty mysteries.(Letters From Maine)
April 1, 2008... Since I had seen her last year, my 5-year-old patient Tiana had gained so much weight that I almost didn't recognize her. I knew that when I looked at her growth curve it would now include a steep upslope. The change had not caught her mother,...

Does amoxicillin really fail vs. strep?(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... I'm curious, as I'm sure many are, about recurrent group A streptococci in some of our patients ("Amoxicillin Failure in Strep Throat," ID Consult, September 2007, p. 10). The theory expressed by Dr. Michael E. Pichichero brings up some...

Tincture of time may not be enough.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... With regard to the article on developmental delay issues by Dr. William G. Wilkoff ("Biding One's Tongue," Letters From Maine, January 2008, p. 26), I think it's safe to say I am one of those pediatricians who equate early intervention with...

Keep youngsters safe--from hysteria.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... Boy, was I grateful to read Dr. William G. Wilkoff's column regarding lead exposure ("Heavy Metal Tales," Letters From Maine, February 2008, p. 24). It was nice to hear a little levelheaded thinking about a safety issue. As I dutifully...

Cough drops for kids: age matters.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... Regarding the use of honey as a cough suppressant, Dr. James Taylor, described as having "'an interest in complementary medicines," stated that "'any soothing cough drop might work equally well'" ("Experts Divided on Honey Rx for Coughs,"...

Correction.(Correction notice)
April 1, 2008... The article "Expert Details Hepatitis B Tests" Clinical Value" (February 2008, p. 18) should have stated that the appearance of hepatitis B surface antibodies (not antigen) in a patient being followed for acute hepatitis B infection indicates...

Autism is not an epidemic.(Guest Editorial)
April 1, 2008... clinicians who treat children who have pervasive developmental disorders are likely to be asked by parents to explain the rising prevalence of autism and the possible environmental causes. Let me offer a brief background and a few facts that...

Assessing functioning across domains, part 2.(Behavioral Consult)
April 1, 2008... Last month, this column focused on the importance of assessing a child's behavioral functioning across five important life domains: family, friendships, school, community / activities, and mood. The goal of this two-part Behavioral Consult...

Repeat sex talks influence teens more than one 'big talk'.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
April 1, 2008... Talking frequently with adolescents about sexuality is more effective than having one "big talk" and then ignoring the topic, data from a study of 312 adolescents show. Given this, it makes sense to advise parents about the value of...

E-counseling curbs binge eating, BMI.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
April 1, 2008... An Internet-based weight-maintenance intervention was found to be effective in helping adolescents at risk for binge eating to avoid such episodes, as well as reduce their body mass index. Given the epidemic of obesity among adolescents and...

Dysregulated eating linked to stress.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
April 1, 2008... BALTIMORE -- Children with greater food intake in the absence of hunger might have abnormal cortisol levels after stressful simations--a finding that could have implications for the development of obesity--data presented at the annual meeting...

Add sleep query in assessing atopic dermatitis.(Clinical Rounds)(Disease/Disorder overview)
April 1, 2008... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- How has your sleep been? When's the last time your skin was totally clear? Those are the two questions Dr. Lawrence F. Eichenfield asks his atopic dermatitis patients. "It's amazing how families don't tell you about...

Late preterm infants require preventive vigilance.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2008... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Care of late preterm infants requires extra vigilance because they face an increased risk for poor clinical outcomes, according to Dr. Lisa Stellwagen. Compared with their counterparts who are born at term, late preterm...

Internal, external cue responses tied to obesity.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2008... BALTIMORE -- Children with greater body mass indexes appear to be more responsive to external food cues and less responsive to internal satiety signals, according to a study involving almost 11,000 children. The findings, which were...

Learning disabilities: the pediatrician's role.(Special Needs: Realizing Potential)
April 1, 2008... Learning disabilities are disorders of central nervous system function that interfere with the use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical skills. Language disorders, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or disorder...

Avoid postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in ethnic patients.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2008... MIAMI BEACH -- Prevention is the best therapy for patients of color regarding dermatologic procedures with a potential to cause postinflammatory hyperpigmentation changes, according to a presentation at the annual Masters of Pediatrics...

Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium, AstraZeneca).(New & Approved)
April 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration approved the proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium, AstraZeneca) for short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients aged 1-11 years. * Recommended Dosage: The...

Niox Mino (airway inflammation measurement device, Aerocrine Inc.).(New & Approved)
April 1, 2008... The FDA also approved a new handheld device, the Niox Mino, that allows physicians to measure airway inflammation in asthma patients aged 7 years and older. * Recommended Frequency of Use: Physicians can use the device as often as monthly...

Can [HbA.sub.1c] be converted to mean blood glucose?(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2008... Attempts to translate hemoglobin Ale into mean blood glucose via a mathematical formula are likely to introduce substantial error, according to results from an analysis of continuous glucose monitoring data in 47 children with type 1 diabetes....

Nondrug intervention may aid GERD symptoms.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2008... Simple changes in feeding and positioning of infants led to significant improvement in symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease in just 2 weeks, according to the results of a small trial. Overall, 59% of 37 infants had clinically...

Reduced screen time leads to reduced BMI.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2008... Decreasing the amount of television and other screen time was associated with a significant and sustained reduction in body mass index among overweight children aged 4-7 years, researchers reported. In a randomized, controlled trial of 67...

Advocates call SCHIP enrollment data misleading; an AAP committee chairman says the HHS's recent statements indicating, enthusiasm are disingenuous.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2008... The federal government's portrayal of enrollment growth in the State Children's Health Insurance Program in 2007 is disingenuous and somewhat misleading, advocates for children's programs said. According to the Centers for Medicare and...

Specialist shortage leaves care of obese children to PCPs.(Practice Trends)(Survey)
April 1, 2008... The distribution of children with diabetes and obesity does not parallel that of pediatric endocrinologists in the United States, largely because of geographic disparities in the supply of these specialists, according to Dr. Joyce M. Lee and...

Nursery product injuries rise.(Policy & Practice)
April 1, 2008... Nursery products such as cribs, high chairs, and walkers were involved in 66,400 injuries to children under age 5 years who were treated in emergency departments in 2006, an 8% increase over 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)...

Care continuity improves screening.(Policy & Practice)
April 1, 2008... Complete continuity of care in infancy--seeing the same physician or provider for every visit--dramatically improved the likelihood that children received critical health screenings during their first 2 years, researchers reported in...

Head start warns of cuts.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The National Head Start Association (NHSA) has warned that the Bush administration is using a series of enrollment cuts and new regulatory requirements in an attempt to dismantle the Head Start program. The administration's proposed 2009...

Senators promote dental care bill.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Three U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation designed to increase access to dental care among poor children in an effort to prevent more children from dying because of complications from an untreated tooth ache. The bill from Sen. Sherrod...

Abuse of children on the rise.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Children accounted for more than half of all abuse cases treated at U.S. hospitals in 2005, according to the Agency for Health-care Research and Quality (AHRQ). About one-third of those children suffered from neglect, physical and psychological...

Mental health screening required in Massachusetts.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2008... MassHealth, Massachusetts' Medicaid program, has begun requiring primary care doctors and nurses to use a standardized behavioral health screening tool at every well-child visit for children under the age of 21. The new requirement--which...

Dealing with personal illness.(On the Learning Curve)
April 1, 2008... Over the past year and a half, I have gotten to know my own personal doctors much better while dealing with varied and assorted medical issues that, while thankfully not ultimately serious, have at times been inconvenient and stressful. ...

The who and when of supplemental security income.(Health Policy: The Fine Line)
April 1, 2008... Several of my more chronically ill patients-complex care, special needs--come from low income families. Medicaid, while paying for most of the medical bills, is not sufficient in many cases. How can the federal Supplemental Security Income...

Communication key to cut adverse drug events.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2008... Children with multiple prescriptions and those whose parents lack English skills are at increased risk of having preventable adverse drug events, according to a Boston study. "Further attention should be directed toward improved...

For some, physicians are all in the family.(The Rest of Your Life)
April 1, 2008... As a young child growing up in Venezuela, Dr. Julieta Bleichmar Holman would peer out the window when patients would approach the first-floor home office of her parents, who are both psychiatrists and psychoanalysts. "I had a whole fantasy...