Pediatric News articles from August 2004

Pediatric News archives from August 2004

Ranks shrink as demand grows: pediatric endocrinologists.(News)
August 1, 2004... * Navigating the Reimbursement Maze A growing deficit in the number of pediatric endocrinologists indicates that more diabetes patients may be left without a physician, or traveling long distances to see a subspecialist. To fill the...

SCHIP programs show recovery as funds roll in; beyond 200% federal poverty level: at least a dozen states have begun to cover children of higher income brackets.(News)(State Children's Health Insurance Program)
August 1, 2004... State health insurance programs to cover low-income children are showing signs of recovery, and in some cases, progress. Fueled by additional funds from state and federal governments, at least a dozen states have begun to cover children of...

Return to administering third Prevnar dose: supply problems resolved: catch-up schedule needed for missed dose.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Health care providers are advised to boost the number of doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7 or Prevnar) for healthy children from two to three total doses. Vaccine production problems have limited the supply of PCV7 since early...

Early ear infections raise risk of later problems: birth weight not a factor.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... SALT LAKE CITY -- Ear infections during the first year of life were associated with increased likelihood of tympanostomy tube placement and recurrent acute otitis media at age 10 years, Howard Hoffman reported in a poster presentation at the...

Diagnostic dilemma.(News)
August 1, 2004... A 4-week-old male presented with a 3-week history of annular, scaling lesions that spread from his face to his scalp, trunk, and extremities. Biopsy stains of cellular specimens revealed positivity for CD68 and mild myeloperoxidase staining of...

Feds invite applications for stem cell work; research funding.(News)
August 1, 2004... * Stem Cell Society Endorses California Bond Initiative BOSTON -- The head of the National Institutes of Health's stem cell task force has told scientists not to let Bush administration restrictions discourage them from applying for federal...

Obesity is one of the biggest threats to children's health: America's Children in Brief 2004 report.(News)
August 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Obesity is one of the top threats to children's health, according to a government report that also found a slight increase in the number of children living in poverty. The eighth annual comprehensive report, America's Children...

Hyperfiltration predicts nephropathy in type 1 diabetics; independent of Hb[A.sub.1c].(News)
August 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Hyperfiltration appears to predict the development of nephropathy in children with type 1 diabetes, independent of blood glucose control, Dr. Rakesh Amin said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes...

Lifestyle course cuts metabolic syndrome risk; hospital-based intervention.(News)
August 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- A hospital-based lifestyle intervention program significantly improved risk factors for metabolic syndrome in overweight children, Dr. Roshanak Monzavi reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes...

Prediabetes occurs in obese youths: just like in adults.(News)
August 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Children and adolescents develop impaired glucose tolerance before the onset of diabetes just like adults do, and the recognition of this reversible state could prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in some obese youth, said Dr....

Human milk may protect against sepsis: preliminary results.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Human breast milk may protect extremely low-birth-weight infants from developing late-onset sepsis, preliminary results from an ongoing study suggest. In fact, increasing the proportion of human milk was associated with a...

Twice-weekly fluconazole prevents sepsis in neonates: high-risk preterm infants.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... BETHESDA, MD. -- Twice-weekly fluconazole prevented sepsis as effectively as more frequent dosing in a study of 81 high-risk preterm infants, Dr. David Kaufman said at an annual conference on antimicrobial resistance sponsored by the National...

Quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine: ID consult.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... Pediatricians and family physicians in the United States will soon have a powerful new tool to markedly reduce the number of young people who develop meningitis, bacteremia, and septic shock. Licensure of Aventis' new quadrivalent conjugate...

Over-the-counter cough remedies may not work: expensive placebo?(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Two commonly used over-the-counter cough remedies did not work any better than placebo in a randomized, double-blind trial in 100 children with upper respiratory infections, Dr. Ian M. Paul said in a poster presentation at the...

Community MRSA invades neonatal unit: severe outbreak.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... BETHESDA, MD. -- An outbreak of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus occurred in a neonatal unit between October 2002 and December 2003, Dr. Gili Regev-Yochay said at the annual conference on antimicrobial resistance...

Outmoded flu vaccine inadequate for outbreaks: resources, technology needed.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... MINNEAPOLIS -- The United States is "totally unprepared" for an influenza pandemic, Michael Osterholm, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Association of Health Care Journalists. "We've been trying to put a plan together for 10 years,...

New flu intranasal vaccine: best in asthmatics? Safe for young children.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- The trivalent, cold-adapted influenza virus vaccine is more efficacious than trivalent influenza vaccine in asthmatic children and adolescents aged 6-18 years, Dr. William Gruber reported in a poster session at the annual...

High-risk kids miss out on flu vaccines: hospitalization risk.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Missed opportunities for influenza immunization appear to be common in children with chronic medical conditions, Dr. Matthew F. Daley said at the National Immunization Conference sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control...

Chlamydia urine test: males still underscreened: noninvasive screening test.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- The advent of noninvasive screening tests for Chlamydia trachomatis increased screening rates and infection detection in adolescent males, but males still underwent testing about one-fourth as often as adolescent females in a...

Chlamydia follow-up in adolescents falls short: good therapy rates.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- There was good news and bad news in the findings of a study of 124 teenagers diagnosed with Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Nearly all the patients got appropriate antibiotic treatment, but fewer patients received other...

Clinical capsules.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... * Docs Ignore Tympanometry * Varicella Vaccine Fails * Azithromycin Beats Pertussis * Risks of Resistance in Newborns * Options for Child Travelers Docs Ignore Tympanometry Physicians prescribed antibiotics for 189...

Scale may help stave off antibiotics for AOM: assesses symptom severity.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- A new scale using drawings of faces might help parents rate the severity of a child's acute otitis media and reduce the use of antibiotics in some patients, Dr. David P. McCormick said in a poster presentation at the annual...

West Nile virus takes bite out of sunny Southwest; prolonged season expected.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... The nation's first case of West Nile virus this year emerged on May 8, almost a month later than last year, but case trends suggest that the virus may have staying power in the long hot summer and fall that characterize the American Southwest,...

The sound of silence: letters from Maine.(Opinion)
August 1, 2004... My favorite lunchtime bike loop is a comfortable mix of hills and leisurely tended farmland. Some days I can pedal for miles without even hearing the sound of a motor vehicle. The rush of the wind through the vents in my helmet is often my only...

Urge smoking cessation: guest editorial.(Opinion)
August 1, 2004... Each day, those of us who care for the health needs of children see two who will die 10-20 years prematurely because of tobacco use. Yet when they visit us in our offices for otitis media, a well child exam, or an immunization, their futures...

Some girls resist exam.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2004... I have been a fan of Dr. William G. Wilkoff's writing for years, and his column "The Naked Truth" was no exception, but he failed to address a frequent problem that occurs in my practice (Letters From Maine, June 2004, p. 28). I have been...

Consider more ethnic groups high risk for IPD: some Native Americans.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... ATLANTA -- Alaska Native children and other Native American children continue to have vaccine-preventable invasive pneumococcal disease rates that are higher than those of children in the general population, Dr. John Moran explained at a...

Repeat hearing screen to boost accurate Dx: retest failures before discharge.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Rescreening newborns before they leave the hospital nursery if they failed an initial hearing test can reduce false-positive results by 75%, Dr. Hari B. Srinivasan said at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies....

Earache: beyond chicken soup.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... Acute otitis media has been in the news a lot lately. Earlier this year the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians jointly released new guidelines for the treatment of acute otitis media (PEDIATRIC NEWS,...

Exams should include check for dental caries: encourage fluoride for young children.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Every pediatric exam should include an inspection of the teeth with a mirror, Arnold Weiss, D.D.S., said at a meeting on primary care pediatrics sponsored by Harvard Medical School. "Dental decay is the most widespread...

Opt for meds second, surgery third in obesity Tx: data limited.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- Medications should be considered a second-line treatment and surgery a distant third for treating obese children and adolescents, Dr. Robert E. Kramer said at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the...

Rooting out obesity's real causes yields surprises: a new look at old culprits.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... * Breast-Feeding * Physical Activity * Television * Food * Sodas BELLEVUE, WASH. -- The solutions to the obesity epidemic are clear, but some of the conclusions researchers are drawing about its causes may not be what...

Obese children exhibit a distinct 'metabolic footprint': low adiponectin levels.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- A "metabolic footprint" differentiates obese children from their normal-weight peers, said Dr. Sandra D. Hassink in a poster presentation at a conference on cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention sponsored by the...

Data watch: proportion of overweight children jumps.(Illustration)
August 1, 2004... DATA WATCH Proportion of Overweight Children Jumps 6-11 Years Old 12-19 Years Old 1971-1974 4% 6.1% 1976-1980 6.5% 5% 1988-1994 11.3% 10.5% 1999-2000...

Proper splints can replace referral in most sports sprains: lower-extremity orthopedics.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... LOS CABOS, MEXICO -- Splints and braces can take the place of an orthopedic referral in most cases of sports sprains and even in cases of nondisplaced fractures, Dr. James G. Garrick said at a pediatric conference sponsored by Symposia Medicus....

Meniscal injuries tied to ACL tears: almost half of cases.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Almost half of pediatric anterior cruciate ligament tears are accompanied by meniscal injuries, and a smaller percentage of patients have associated chondral injuries, researchers from Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard...

New & approved: Codeprex Extended-Release Suspension, Mucinex D.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... * Codeprex Extended-Release Suspension (codeine polistirex/chlorpheniramine polistirex, Celltech Pharmaceuticals Inc.) * Mucinex D (guaifenesin/pseudoephedrine HCI, Adams Laboratories Inc.) Codeprex Extended-Release Suspension (codeine...

EGD linked to erosive esophagitis: may foretell GERD.(Clinical Rounds)(esophagogastroduodenoscopy)(gastroesophageal reflux disease)
August 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- About 13% of children aged 0-18 years who undergo esophagogastroduodenoscopy have erosive esophagitis, and the prevalence increases with age, results from a landmark study suggest. "This is the first large population-based...

No new safety signals for fexofenadine in children: few reports over 1 year.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... ROCKVlLLE, MD. -- Few adverse events were reported for fexofenadine in children and adolescents during a recent 1-year period, even though a large number of pediatric prescriptions were dispensed during that time, Dr. Jane Filie said at a...

No adverse events seen with fosinopril: antihypertensive.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... ROCKVILLE MD. -- No pediatric adverse event reports for fosinopril were submitted to the Food and Drug Administration during the year after the drug was granted "exclusivity," said Dr. Lawrence Grylack at a meeting of the FDA's pediatric...

Internet muddles soy formula facts and fiction: little evidence of hazard.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... BELLEVUE, WASH. -- Dr. Bronson Terry saw an infant whom he thought would benefit from soy formula. But when he suggested it, the mother shot him a look of incredulity. "But doctor, that'll make him gay!" she said. The Internet is rife...

Neonatal oxygen boosts ca risk in first 7 years of life: at least 3 minutes.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Neonates who received 3 or more minutes of treatment with pure oxygen had an increased risk of cancer during their first 7 years of life in an analysis of observational data from about 55,000 infants. The potential link...

Drop in SIDS rate may be misleading: reclassified deaths?(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- The rate of death from sudden infant death syndrome has decreased since the start of the Back to Sleep campaign in 1992, but the decrease has been offset by a rise in other causes of infant death, Dr. Michael Malloy said at the...

Bilirubin guideline stresses increased awareness: would prevent kernicterus.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... The American Academy of Pediatrics updated clinical practice guideline on the prevention of severe hyperbilirubinemia and kemicterus emphasizes prompt assessment and follow-up of newborns and uses the infant's age in hours to estimate...

Earnest follow-up efforts key to catching jaundice early: retrospective study.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Physicians do a poor job of getting mothers to bring their healthy term newborns back for postpartum follow-up visits in time to catch hyperbilirubinemia, Dr. Henry H. Bernstein said at the annual meeting of the Pediatric...

Thoroughly assess bruises, fractures, and history when you suspect abuse: involve social services, law enforcement.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... * 'Excuses' for Child Abuse SAN DIEGO -- In cases of physical injury to a child because of suspected abuse, children deserve a thorough medical exam in conjunction with a comprehensive medical history, Dr. John Stirling said at a...

Many pediatric ovarian tumors are benign: in 67 cases reviewed.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Ovarian tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young girls who present with abdominal pain, an abdominal mass, or endocrine symptoms, Dr. Kris Ann Schultz said in a poster session at the annual meeting of...

Launchers and printers: digital assistance.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2004... * Featured App: Launchers * Accessorize: Printers * Surf This Site: Brighthand Featured App: Launchers From the Apple Newton era to the latest Pocket PC, handheld computing technology has advanced tremendously. The hardware...

Evasive tic manifestation impedes Tourette's dx: patient suppression common.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2004... BELLEVUE, WASH. -- Looking for tics in the office may not be the most fruitful way to diagnose a possible case of Tourette's syndrome, Dr. Samuel H. Zinner said at a conference sponsored by the North Pacific Pediatric Society. A little...

Autistic children have a greater risk of GI allergy: lesser asthma risk.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Children with autism are nearly three times more likely to have allergic disorders of the gastrointestinal system than are developmentally normal controls, Dr. Thomas Webb reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of...

Parenting advice not always expected or welcome: cultural differences.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2004... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- Despite guidelines encouraging physicians to offer parenting advice, child health care providers should not assume all minority parents expect or want guidance, Dr. Thyde M. Dumont-Mathieu said at a meeting of the...

Help guide patients to healthy adult sexuality: teens' concrete thinking confounds.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2004... MIAMI BEACH -- Physicians need to be part of the process of guiding young people toward a healthy adult sexuality and a healthy, undistorted body image, Dr. Kristi Mulchahey said at a pediatric update sponsored by Miami Children's Hospital. ...

Web strategy for adolescents: behavioral consult.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2004... DR. MICHAEL S. JELLINEK, whose teenage son, Abe, fixed the computer so he could write this column, is chief of child psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in Boston....

Liability reform hinges on noneconomic caps: presidential candidates' positions differ.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... For many physicians, the arguments on medical liability reform boil down to caps. "We think that a cap [on noneconomic damages] is critical to any kind of liability reform," said Dr. Angela F. Gardner, an emergency physician in Dallas and...

Physicians fight against 'frivolous' lawsuits: will it hurt doctor-patient relationship?(Practice Trends)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Physicians across the country are taking a new aggressive stance to protect themselves against malpractice lawsuits: They're asking their patients to sign on the dotted line, specifying that they won't sue for any "frivolous" reason. If it...

Calmness and deliberate speaking key to giving good deposition: remember mnemonic.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- Depositions are stressful, but it's essential to remain calm and think carefully before speaking, according to Dr. Abel Torres. To help remember the elements of a successful deposition, use the mnemonic PNEUMONICSSS, which...

Medicaid managed care is a short-term fix: children go in and out of plans.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- Policy researchers at the New York Academy of Medicine have identified a two-fisted catch-22 that doubles the rate at which children on Medicaid are churned in and out of managed care plans. Seventy-eight percent of...

Focus on front-office issues to improve practice: tips for greater efficiency.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- A fresh approach to front-office issues ranging from time clocks to employee perks can help you run a more efficient practice, Dr. Scott Dinehart said at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. He offered some pearls he's found...

Policy & practice.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... * Funds Sought for Mentally Ill * Child Nutrition Act Reauthorized * User-Friendly CarSeats * Obesity Prevention Plan Funds Sought for Mentally Ill Children with mental illness are often left to languish in juvenile...

Wireless med tracking may spur tech advances: cost an issue.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Bar code technology has been a big step forward in patient safety, but it's not a natural part of workflow and is easily bypassed, Alex Wilson said at a meeting sponsored by the Medical Records Institute. ...

Patients willing to pay for online interactions with physicians: a patient-centered approach.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- There are stumbling blocks to increasing online interactions with patients, but payment isn't one of them, Dr. Allen Wenner said at a meeting sponsored by the Medical Records Institute. Payment "is really not the...

Delegate, delegate, delegate: the rest of your life.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... * Finding Your Man Friday With so many demands on their time, it's no surprise that many physicians find it challenging to keep up with everyday tasks such as laundry, grocery shopping, and yard maintenance. But if you're willing to...

Tactics aim to gain widespread EHR adoption: HHS outlines 12 strategies.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services outlines 12 strategies aimed at bringing electronic health records into clinical practice, interconnecting physicians, personalizing care, and improving population...

Pediatricians aren't practicing what they preach: healthy behaviors.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Only 36% of 1,020 pediatricians surveyed said they follow at least 10 of 13 healthy behaviors recommended by various national guidelines, Karen G. O'Connor reported at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. ...

Bridge culture, language gaps to improve care: interpreters recommended.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- One way physicians can improve their cultural competency is to "get more and better" language interpreters, Anne Fadiman advised at a meeting sponsored by the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality. "A pediatric...