Pediatric News articles from August 2008

Pediatric News archives from August 2008

Programs promote fitness via lifestyle.(News)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two programs developed by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta successfully promote healthier lifestyles in children, and one of the programs specifically targets prevention of type 2 diabetes. Fit Kids is a program...

States finding way to SCHIP coverage despite obstacles: 'detours' bypass vetoes and economic woes.(News)
August 1, 2008... Even though the Bush administration has made it nearly impossible to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and the economic downturn has put a squeeze on Medicaid budgets, many states are keeping children covered and some are...

EpiPen needles too short to hit muscle in some kids.(News)
August 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Commercial epinephrine autoinjectors contain needles that are too short to reach the thigh muscles of a significant number of children, results of a study show. Penlike autoinjectors, which deliver epinephrine to at-risk...

Median income for pediatric/adolescent physicians.(VITAL SIGNS)
August 1, 2008... Median Income for Pediatric/Adolescent Physicians Actual Adjusted * 2003 $158,853 $148,666 2004 -- -- 2005 -- -- 2006 -- -- 2007 $182,727 $151,757 *...

Switch to HFA-propelled albuterol inhalers now, FDA advisory urges.(News)
August 1, 2008... In a public health advisory, the Food and Drug Administration is urging health care professionals and their patients and caregivers to switch to hydrofluoroalkane-propelled albuterol inhalers before chlorofluorocarbon-propelled inhalers are...

Overall child well-being has improved since 1975.(News)
August 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Today's young people engage in less risky behavior, are healthier, and have better access to educational opportunities than their parents did when they were teens. But the overall gains that have been made during the last 30...

ADHD prevalence is up among older children.(News)
August 1, 2008... The percentage of adolescents who are being diagnosed with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder is on the rise, but prevalence rates remain constant among younger children, a new study shows. Among children aged 12-17 years, the...

Extreme prematurity tied to autismlike symptoms.(News)
August 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Children born at less than 26 weeks' gestation are significantly more likely to have symptoms indicative of autism spectrum disorders at school age than are their classmates, according to a study of 219 children born extremely...

Sucrose cuts neonate pain, but not in every procedure.(News)
August 1, 2008... Sucrose is not recommended as an analgesic during heel lances for glucose monitoring in newborns of diabetic mothers, or during the newborn intramuscular injection of vitamin K, based on results from a study of 240 newborns of at least 36...

Physical activity plunges from ages 9 to 15 years.(News)
August 1, 2008... Levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity show a "striking" decline between the ages of 9 and 15 years, according to a study of more than 1,000 children. At ages 9 and 11, almost all children in a national survey were well above the...

Warning label for antiepileptic drugs nixed.(News)
August 1, 2008... BELTSVILLE, MD. -- A boxed warning about an increased suicidality risk with the use of antiepileptic drugs should not be added to the labels of drugs in this class, but patients prescribed these drugs should receive information about this risk...

Let's reexamine the treatment of URIs.(ID Consult)(Disease/Disorder overview)
August 1, 2008... The data from three recent studies should prompt us to reexamine our approach to the management of upper respiratory infections in children. Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend antimicrobial treatment for children...

HIV rates are low in high-risk adolescent group studied.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- HIV infection may not be a significant risk even among adolescent populations with a high prevalence of other sexually transmitted infections, according to a study of adolescents at a juvenile detention center in Houston. ...

Antibiotics-vs.-VUR study seeks patients.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... The Randomized Intervention for Children with Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) study seeks to enroll infants and children between the ages of 2 months and 6 years who have had a first or second VUR infection within 112 days of study enrollment....

Test international adoptees for tuberculosis.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2008... Twenty-one percent of internationally adopted children demonstrated evidence of latent tuberculosis infection on their first tuberculin skin test, results from a single-center study showed. Moreover, the rate of latent TB infection in those...

Cleaning products drive antimicrobial resistance.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... BETHESDA, MD. -- Use of household cleaning products that contain benzalkonium chloride may decrease the susceptibility of bacteria to other antimicrobial ingredients in cleaning products and increase their resistance to antibiotics, according...

CDC responds to rabies vaccine supply concerns.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Interim guidelines for use of rabies vaccine have been drafted by an ad hoc working group of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address contingency plans in the event that the current "less than ideal" vaccine supply...

MRSA spread in part due to stressed health care systems.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2008... Overcrowding and understaffing of hospitals are two of the major underlying factors driving the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in this setting, according to a review. Furthermore, "the economic benefits of downsizing...

Helicobacter pylori may protect against asthma.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2008... Early childhood colonization with the major human commensal microbe Helicobacter pylori may be protective against asthma, according to a recent study. According to the "hygiene hypothesis," the rise in asthma and allergic disorders that...

Studies uncover adverse reactions to probiotics.(Infectious Diseases)
August 1, 2008... BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. -- The jury may still be out on whether probiotics are beneficial, but at least they do no harm and can be safely recommended to patients, right? Not so, said Dr. David R. Mack at the International Probiotics Association...

Keep the CAT in the bag.(Letters From Maine)
August 1, 2008... On a low-lying landscape of inert couch potatoes, my longtime patient Jackson, 10 years old, is a refreshing peak of activity. However, sometimes activity leads to injury, and over the weekend he found himself in the emergency department...

Did the AAP's clinical statement on lipid screening get it right? Guidelines outline multilevel approach.(Point/Counterpoint)
August 1, 2008... The clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Nutrition, "Lipid Screening and Cardiovascular Health in Childhood," represents a multilevel approach for the screening and management of children with risk factors for...

Did the AAP's clinical statement on lipid screening get it right? Screening and management are unproved.(Point/Counterpoint)
August 1, 2008... Focusing on cardiac risk factors from a young age is a very worthy goal. In particular, healthy diet, lifestyle, and appropriate weight starting in the toddler years are important. However, I believe the AAP's clinical report overplays the...

There is no rise in rheumatic fever.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... The whole debate on failure of amoxicillin to treat streptococcal infection is pointless unless there is proof that socalled treatment failure extrapolates to increased incidence of subsequent rheumatic fever ("Amoxicillin Failure in Strep...

Problems with immunization system.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... I am glad finally somebody is paying attention to the problem of immunizing children ("Plethora of Shots Burdens Providers," June 2008, p. 1). Thanks to Dr. Andrew D. Racine. Here are some of the other issues I have been dealing with: ...

A home visiting success story.(Adviser's Viewpoint)
August 1, 2008... Home visiting programs can provide much-needed support to adolescent parents. As a pediatrician who has practiced for many years, I am very familiar with the need for parental support in vulnerable families. Let's face it--becoming a parent...

Vaccine burden is 'downward spiral'.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... I own a small private pediatric practice, and I agree that the costs of vaccines are staggering ("Plethora of Shots Burdens Providers," June 2008, p. 1). Factors not included in the study add to the burden: time spent ordering vaccines,...

Mandated 'jabs' vs. holistic approach.(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... There is tremendous time and effort involved in vaccine administration to children ("Plethora of Shots Burdens Providers," June 2008, p. 1). It has become the most time-consuming aspect of my small practice, especially from May through...

Pediatricians must look the part.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... The most recent Jackson & Coker physician compensation survey shows that pediatricians have again lost ground. We are now the lowest-paid specialty--behind even nurse anesthetists--and we make half of what dermatologists earn and a third...

Correction.(Opinion)(Correction notice)
August 1, 2008... The article "Combo Vaccines Are Mixed Blessing" (July 2008, p. 1) should have stated that "Kinrix is a combination of DTaP and inactivated poliovirus antigens that is indicated for the booster dose at age 4-6 years after the child has received...

Parental illness deserves attention.(Behavioral Consult)
August 1, 2008... When a child is ill, pediatricians are in their element. They delve for details, order tests, and consider the emotional--as well as the physical-impact of the illness. But when it's the parent who is ill, the problem may seem to be best...

Disordered eating linked to thoughts of suicide in teens.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2008... BOSTON -- Disordered eating is an important risk factor for suicidal ideation in adolescents and appears to contribute an additional amount of variance above and beyond traditional risk factors, a study has shown. The findings suggest that...

Look past asthma in assessing behavior problems.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Disease/Disorder overview)
August 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Insight into what's happening at home may help to explain behavior problems and school absenteeism in children with asthma, according to studies presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. Researchers...

Prematurity, LBW linked to autism risk in girls.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2008... Low birth weight and premature birth are associated with an increased risk for autism, but the magnitude and statistical significance of the risk is greater in girls than boys, results of a new study indicate. Girls born weighing less than...

Depressed Hispanic moms give infants tea, soda.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Depressed Hispanic mothers are more likely than are nondepressed Hispanic mothers to supplement breast-feeding with water and flavored teas as early as 4-6 weeks and to be giving their babies soda, chips, and syrup-flavored cow's...

Teens want their physicians to discuss sexuality: but most physicians do not routinely bring up the topic, several studies show.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2008... NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. -- Adolescents want their doctors to bring up the topic of sexuality but few physicians do, a survey of 388 teenagers revealed. The findings support previous data that showed that a minority of pediatricians address...

Teen girls lack knowledge of sexually transmitted infections.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2008... NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. -- Only one in five female adolescents correctly identified nine common sexually transmitted infections or correctly answered seven true-false questions about their sequelae in a study of 259 subjects. Questionnaires...

Early puberty linked to risky behavior in teens.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2008... KAUAI, HAWAII -- The earlier onset of puberty, combined with a relatively delayed set of processes that underpin cognitive development, might represent an important framework for understanding the risky behavior of today's adolescents, one...

Having Plan B pills on hand fails to alter young women's use.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. -- Having emergency contraception pills on hand instead of a prescription didn't increase the risk for unprotected sex, infectious disease, or pregnancy in a randomized study of 409 high-risk young women, but neither did...

Similarities arise in developmental syndromes.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
August 1, 2008... BALTIMORE -- Children with fragile X syndrome, Williams-Beuren syndrome, and neurofibromatosis type 1 show some similarities in cognitive profiles and high levels of maladaptive behaviors, said Gene Fisch, Ph.D. And children with fragile X...

AHA launches guidelines on stroke in children.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... The first comprehensive guidelines for the diagnosis and management of stroke in children are intended to provide a wide range of clinicians responsible for treating cerebrovascular disease in infants and children with evidence- and...

Obstructive sleep apnea can have adverse vascular effects.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Children are not immune to effects of obstructive sleep apnea on the vasculature, including an increased risk of systemic diastolic hypertension and decreased left ventricular contractility, according to a pediatric...

Paper test can reveal childhood absence epilepsy.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... MIAMI -- Absence epilepsy seizures can be differentiated from daydreaming or ADHD with a simple office procedure involving a piece of paper and nothing more. "Hyperventilate the child by having them blow on a paper or on their own, and you...

Fetal alcohol syndrome: an undiluted danger.(Special Needs: Realizing Potential)
August 1, 2008... For a pregnant woman, drinking alcohol can produce a spectrum of effects on the fetus, ranging from full-blown fetal alcohol syndrome to mild behavioral and cognitive delays. This clinical spectrum of findings related to alcohol exposure has...

Behavioral phenotype helps diagnose FASD in children.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... BALTIMORE -- Defining behaviors associated with fetal alcohol syndrome help clinicians identify the condition in children, a developmental and disability expert said. This behavioral phenotype will help distinguish them from a significant...

Some genitourinary cases are far from textbook: new data on epididymitis contradict the traditional practice of antibiotic treatment in all cases.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Many pediatric textbooks recommend antibiotics for children with epididymitis, but recent data do not support that practice in all patients. "Children with epididymitis rarely have positive cultures, so they probably do not...

Nevi linked to neonatal jaundice phototherapy.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Blue-light phototherapy for neonatal jaundice could promote development of dysplastic nevi, Dr. Zsanett Csoma asserted at an international investigative dermatology meeting. Dr. Csoma's latest contribution to the...

Be alert to signs of physical abuse in children.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... MIAMI BEACH -- An unbelievable or inconsistent explanation for bruises, fractures, head trauma, or burns in a child is among the red flags that raise suspicion of physical abuse, according to Dr. Joseph A. Zenel. Bruises left by abuse can...

Recurrent cases are 60% of DKA hospitalizations.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- If it seems like the same handful of patients in your practice are hospitalized again and again for diabetic ketoacidosis, you're not imagining things, Dr. Robert Slover said at a conference on the management of diabetes in...

Stepwise progress toward an artificial pancreas.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Regulatory approval of a closed-loop medical equipment-based artificial pancreas will probably come in stages--and the first piece to get the nod will likely be automatic shutoff of an insulin pump in response to a continuous...

Techno-gadgets can make life easier for diabetes patients.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Several new developments in medical technology are making life easier for diabetes patients, according to Amparo Gonzalez, president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Ms. Gonzalez is also affiliated with Emory...

Fatty liver disease may signal high CV risk.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... Overweight or obese children who have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease appear to be at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to new research data. This subset of overweight children also appears to have a high incidence...

Talk therapy fails overweight kids.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- A large, expensive, randomized trial of intensive primary care counseling failed to have any measurable effect on reducing weight gain in children who were already overweight. The disappointing results of the 12-month Australian...

Cautious optimism on leveling of high BMIs.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... The apparent leveling off in the prevalence of being overweight among U.S. children and adolescents is cause for celebration, but it might not necessarily be a trend, experts say. A study published in JAMA by the National Center for Health...

Teens do well 6 months after gastric banding.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Teenagers who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding surgery had improvements in hemoglobin [A.sub.1c], triglyceride, and C-reactive protein measures, according to 6-month follow-up results for 14 patients. The Lap-Band,...

Metformin may help obese kids shed weight.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Metformin is associated with modest weight loss and some improvements in signs of metabolic syndrome in obese children with severe hyperinsulinemia, a government-sponsored randomized controlled trial has concluded. But...

Metformin works by cutting hunger, increasing satiety.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Metformin appears to exert its weight-loss effects in obese children by reducing their desire to eat and thus decreasing their food intake. A substudy of a government-sponsored placebo-controlled trial found that children...

Be aware of unconventional, cultural therapies.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- Ask patients in an open-minded way about their use of unconventional therapies related to asthma, allergies, and other pulmonary conditions. "The take-home message is beware of being unaware,'" Dr. Cheryl Doyle...

German study: atopy is key in asthma's origin.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Recurrent wheezing illnesses affect 35%-70% of children in the first 4 years of life, yet only about 10% of school-age children have active asthma with airway hyperresponsiveness and impaired lung function. What distinguishes...

Aciphex.(New & Approved)
August 1, 2008... Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium, Eisai Corporation) The Food and Drug Administration approved an adolescent indication for Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium) 20 mg for short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients 12 years and...

CPSC: artificial turf's lead not a hazard to kids.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... Synthetic "turf" athletic fields do not pose a health risk to young children from lead exposure, according to a scientific evaluation by the staff of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Nonetheless, the agency is still asking the...

In hot weather focus on fluids, heat illnesses.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- As the weather heats up, be prepared to deal with fluid maintenance issues and heat illnesses in young athletes, according to Dr. Michele LaBotz. "Children are uniquely vulnerable to fluid loss," Dr. LaBotz said at a...

Pulmonary function declines early in sickle cell disease.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... TORONTO -- Abnormalities in lung function already are present at age 8 years in children with sickle cell disease, and the subsequent rate of decline is between 2% and 3% per year, according to one study. "We were aware from cross-sectional...

Expert stresses prevention of traction alopecia in children.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... MIAMI BEACH -- Physicians can prevent traction alopecia in children through early intervention, according to an ethnic skin care specialist. Although physicians can treat inflammation with topical steroids, the clinical focus should be...

L. rhamnosus from birth may reduce later eczema.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. -- Children who took daily doses of Lactobacillus rhamnosus from birth had about half the rate of eczema at 2 years of age as did children taking placebo or children taking Bifidobacterium lactis, according to a...

Laser with dynamic cooling safely clears hemangiomas.(Clinical Rounds)
August 1, 2008... KISSIMMEE, FLA. -- The treatment of childhood hemangiomas using the 595-nm pulsed dye laser with dynamic cooling resulted in excellent clearance rates and relatively few adverse events in 95 infants who had a median age of 4 months, a...

Be tough in negotiating managed care contracts.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2008... MIAMI -- Pediatricians typically undervalue themselves with managed care organizations but need to negotiate and fight for all the money owed them, according to Dr. Richard Lander. "Yes, you can make money today in the world of managed...

Angst follows physician on Florida's Child Protection Team.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2008... MIAMI -- Working on Florida's Child Protection Team produces a great deal of anxiety for physicians, according to Dr. Jerry L. Biehler. The multidisciplinary group of clinicians is mandated by the state to investigate reports of child abuse...

FDA streamlines terms for drug application responses.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration will no longer issue "approvable" or "not approvable" letters when a drug application is not approved, but will instead issue a "complete response" letter at the end of the review period, the agency has...

Congress passes doctor pay increase, Medicare reform.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2008... Washington's summertime wrangling paid off for physicians as Congress successfully overrode President Bush's veto of legislation to stop a 10.6% cut to Medicare physician payments. The legislation (H.R. 6331), which passed the House and...

Newborn hearing screening urged.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2008... All newborn infants should be screened for congenital hearing loss that is present at birth, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended. The task force gave screening a B recommendation, meaning that, "there is moderate certainty...

Some tween Web use risky.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2008... More than one in five "tweens" (children aged 8-12 years) post personal information online, including pictures, their hometown, and their age, according to a survey on Internet safety by cable company Cox Communications and the National Center...

SCHIP reporting bill introduced.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2008... Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr. (R-La.) has introduced legislation that would require states to report how many children enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Plan actually receive a primary care visit each year. In addition, the...

Child skin infections rise.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Children aged 4 years and younger were hospitalized with skin infections more than 34,000 times in 2006, a 150% increase from 2000, according to data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The AHRQ analysis of hospitalization...

Patients rate own MDs higher.(Policy & Practice)
August 1, 2008... Parents believe that their children's pediatricians always or almost always listen carefully to them and explain things in a way that is easy to understand, but they don't rate physicians and nurses in the same practice quite as highly,...

Most drink fluoridated water.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Nearly 70% of U.S. residents who get water from community water systems now receive fluoridated water, according to a study published in the July 11 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The CDC found that the proportion of the U.S....

Technological tool talk.(On the Learning Curve)
August 1, 2008... As someone at the older end of the "young physician" spectrum, I must admit that my knowledge of the newest technology is much more limited than that of most of my younger colleagues. I still prefer the paper version of "The Harriet Lane...

Young adults and health insurance.(Health Policy: The Fine Line)
August 1, 2008... A medical student on my inpatient service recently missed several days of work. Her explanation was that a chronic illness had flared because she could not afford $300 a month for medications. Her university health insurance plan did not offer...

Political insiders say reform is likely in 2009: a likely Democratic majority in both houses of Congress could made conditions good for big reforms.(Practice Trends)
August 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- With a new president and a likely Democratic majority in the House and Senate, conditions will be ripe for health reform in early 2009, a bipartisan group of political insiders predicts. The Democrats who spoke at Institute...

Navigating life as a divorced father.(The Rest of Your Life)
August 1, 2008... Dr. John Whelan was stunned to learn that his former spouse would have provisional custody of their then-2-year-old son, Olivier, while their divorce was pending. "I subsequently discovered that that's routine," said Dr. Whelan, a...

Treatment for cradle cap.(Products)(Mustela USA's Stelaker)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Stelaker, an over-the-counter topical product, acts on the symptoms of cradle cap as well as the causes. Alpha hydroxy acid removes the scaling scalp rash while butyl avocadate restores the skin's balance. Moreover, capryloyl glycine and...

Toys for special needs children.(Products)(Ebeanstalk's new web page)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The online educational toy company Ebeanstalk has added a Web page featuring books and toys for developmentally delayed children. The specially selected items tap into multiple modalities to help hold children's attention and help them learn...

Early FluMist shipments.(Products)
August 1, 2008... MedImmune has started shipping FluMist (live influenza virus vaccine, intranasal) for the 2008-2009 influenza season, maximizing opportunities to vaccinate. The company plans to produce approximately 12 million doses. For more information on...

Nonpesticide head lice gel.(Products)
August 1, 2008... LiceMD is a pesticide-flee gel designed for use against head lice, including eggs and nits. The gel contains the synthetic lubricant dimethicone, and it is odorless and hypoallergenic. The gel is sold together with a specially designed comb for...