Pediatric News articles from April 2009

Pediatric News archives from April 2009

Pediatricians jump on Web bandwagon.(NEWS -)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dr. Alan Greene has one of the most elaborate Web sites of any pediatrician, with about half a million visitors each month. His site includes discussion groups, blogs, video and audio podcasts, and an...

Extra vitamin D in formula-fed infants ups UTIs: occurs in the first 3 months of life.(NEWS)
April 1, 2009... Formula-fed infants receiving vitamin D supplements were found to be twice as likely as other infants to develop urinary tract infections during the first 3 months of life in a study that may have unmasked a previously overlooked association....

AAP plans to clarify role of nurse practitioner.(NEWS)
April 1, 2009... The American Academy of Pediatrics plans to make clear that it opposes the independent practice of nurse practitioners, an issue that emerged regarding language used in an addendum to a medical home policy statement, said AAP President David...

Methylphenidate patches recalled.(NEWS)
April 1, 2009... The makers of the methylphenidate patch Daytrana have voluntarily recalled 39 lots of their product because some of the patch liners might not be easily removed, according to an announcement by the Food and Drug Administration. Daytrana...

Pertussis vaccine: no link to wheezing, asthma.(NEWS)
April 1, 2009... Pertussis vaccination in infancy doesn't appear to increase the risk of wheezing or asthma during childhood and, in fact, may be slightly protective against the disorders, a large population-based study concluded. The analysis by Ben D....

Infanrix insert updated with more safety data.(NEWS)
April 1, 2009... More safety information has been added to the package insert for Infanrix, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The insert now includes the statement that Infanrix (Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine...

MRIs after osteomyelitis intervention are valuable.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
April 1, 2009... Residual soft tissue and bone edema associated with diagnostic or surgical intervention for suspected osteomyelitis or septic arthritis does not diminish the value of subsequent magnetic resonance imaging in children with persistent signs of...

Heliox and epinephrine boost response in bronchiolitis.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
April 1, 2009... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Heliox may have a beneficial effect when used to deliver racemic epinephrine to young children with bronchiolltis, suggest the results of a randomized controlled trial. Investigators found that children treated with...

Influenza vaccination utilization is higher for people with asthma.(DATA WATCH)
April 1, 2009... Influenza Vaccination Utilization Is Higher for People With Asthma With current Without current asthma asthma Aged 2-17 years 29.3% % (n = 411) 14.3% (n...

Candidiasis guidelines get 5-year update.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
April 1, 2009... Updated guidelines for candidiasis management incorporate significant changes for pediatric patients since the most recent 2004 guidelines, according to a panel of experts convened by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. "Candidemia...

Lying down for vaccinations.(ID CONSULT)
April 1, 2009... In this era of increased hesitancy about immunization, it's important for us to be as educated as possible about the vaccines we're giving--including their true possible adverse effects--and to be willing to share that information with our...

Lumbar puncture for FSFS is questioned.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
April 1, 2009... New data indicating that a first simple febrile seizure in infants and young children rarely signals bacterial meningitis suggest that the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation of lumbar puncture in this population should be...

Upsurge seen in pediatric head/neck MRSA infections.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
April 1, 2009... The number of pediatric head and neck infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus shot up at an "alarming" rate across the United States between 2001 and 2006, according to a recent report. Sixty percent of these MRSA...

Terbinafine is deemed an attractive option for treating tinea capitis.(INFECTIOUS DISEASES)
April 1, 2009... MAUI, HAWAII -- Oral terbinafine as first-line therapy for tinea capitis offers an unequalled combination of a good cure rate, fast results, minimal adverse events, and a stunningly low cost, according to Dr. Bernard A. Cohen. "You can get...

Three's company?(LETTERS FROM MAINE)
April 1, 2009... Several years ago I wrote a column about how crowded my exam rooms have become. Siblings old enough to be left unattended in the waiting room; girlfriends and boyfriends of teenage patients; grandmothers, aunts, and the occasional next door...

It's time to enter immigration debate.(EDITORIAL)
April 1, 2009... When I came into the exam room, I knew something was wrong. My 8-year-old patient--usually an extroverted, charming boy--was angry He sat with his arms crossed and refused to look at me. His exhausted mother recounted how 1 week ago, her...

Revisiting the medical home.(ADVISER'S VIEWPOINT)
April 1, 2009... Thomas Wolfe once opined that "you can't go home again." While it's true that going back to one's glorious roots is never quite the same experience, we have reason to believe that it may indeed be gainful for pediatricians to revisit their...

Focus on what's right with the child.(BEHAVIORAL CONSULT)
April 1, 2009... The medical literature is filled with myriad approaches to problems with various labels, from attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder to depression to conduct disorder, many focusing on behavior modification or management. What I often...

Prepubescent drug use is red flag for psychiatric disorders.(BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS)
April 1, 2009... CHICAGO -- Substance abuse before the age of 13 is a powerful predictor of legal problems and substance dependency disorders in adolescence that may warrant a differential approach to treatment, results of a study of 78 adolescents suggest. ...

USPSTF: screen all teens for depression.(BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS)
April 1, 2009... A new recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force endorses the need for routine, across-the-board screening of adolescents for clinical depression. The task force recommended that physicians screen adolescent patients aged...

Acne toolbox is so full 'the top won't close'.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
April 1, 2009... SINT MAARTEN, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES -- New formulations of established oral agents and new combination products are available to treat acne, according to Dr. Hilary Baldwin. The new oral formulations include extended-release minocycline...

Newborn screening resources.(GENOMIC MEDICINE)
April 1, 2009... Technological advances in recent years have made it possible for newborn infants in the United States to be screened for more than two dozen conditions. The first genetic screen for newborns was a simple, reliable test for phenylketonuria...

Think zinc for diaper-area and perioral eczema.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
April 1, 2009... MAUI, HAWAII -- Consider zinc deficiency when an infant presents with an eczema-like dermatitis limited to the diaper and perioral areas. "Eczema tends not to affect the diaper area because it's so moist and occluded," Dr. Brandie J. Metz...

A guide for using ankle-foot orthotics.(SPECIAL NEEDS: REALIZING POTENTIAL)
April 1, 2009... There are a variety of reasons to use ankle-foot orthotics in children with special needs, and a growing number of options from which to choose. The main reasons for orthotics use are: to provide support, to limit unwanted motion, to improve...

Threshold for SABA use is established.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
April 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- Children with asthma who used 6 or more canisters of short-acting [beta.sub.2]-agonists in a year had twice the risk of asthma exacerbation, compared with children who used fewer than 6 canisters, based on results of a database...

Poor asthma control persists even among insured patients.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- Health insurance coverage and access to a health care provider did not translate into better asthma control in a study of Denver-area schoolchildren. The findings, reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of...

Inhaled corticosteroid cuts need for asthma rescue meds.(CLINICAL ROUNDS)
April 1, 2009... WASHINGTON -- A 100-mcg dose of the inhaled corticosteroid mometasone furoate, given either once or twice daily, significantly reduced the need for rescue medications in 296 children aged 4-11 years with mild to moderate persistent asthma. ...

Leadership skills, part 3.(ON THE LEARNING CURVE)
April 1, 2009... There are many qualities that make a good leader, including having a strong personal vision and an inspiring leadership style, which I have discussed in previous columns on this topic. However, without a third component the ability to actually...

Supreme Court: FDA approval doesn't bar suits.(PRACTICE TRENDS)
April 1, 2009... In an eagerly anticipated opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that Food and Drug Administration approval does not give pharmaceutical companies immunity from product liability lawsuits. The justices voted 6-3 to...

Accused doctor ends practice.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2009... North Carolina developmental pediatrician Melvin Levine has signed a consent order that forbids him to practice medicine ever again, anywhere. The outcome followed an investigation in which Dr. Levine was accused of performing genital...

CT safe practices urged.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2009... Computed tomography operators should employ techniques that reduce youngsters" exposure to ionizing radiation, the National Quality Forum said. The recommendation was included as 1 of 34 recommendations in the membership organization's...

REAL Act introduced.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2009... Congress is considering legislation that would authorize federal funding for comprehensive and medically accurate sexual education. The Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, introduced by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Rep. Barbara...

FDA launches SAFEKIDS.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2009... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced agreements with five clinical partners to study the effects of anesthetics and sedatives on the neurocognitive development of infants and young children. The Safety of Key Inhaled and Intravenous...

Parents give bed-sharing reasons.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2009... Many parents believe that benefits of bed sharing outweigh concerns and warnings, including those from the American Academy of Pediatrics, according to a University of Pittsburgh study published in Academic Pediatrics. Researchers interviewed...