Pediatric News articles from February 2008

Pediatric News archives from February 2008

HHS program aids girls' obesity fight.(News)
February 1, 2008... Physicians can now turn to a free federally developed program that provides the tools to educate parents and caregivers on how to help their young adolescent daughters make small and specific behavior changes to maintain a healthy weight and...

Many youth abuse OTC cough/cold drugs, feds report: SAMHSA estimates 3 million U.S. abusers.(News)
February 1, 2008... More than 3 million Americans aged 12-25 are thought to use over-the-counter cough and cold medication nonmedically in 2006, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates. The estimates are based on results of the...

AAP loosens policy on infant hypoallergenic diet.(News)
February 1, 2008... Physicians advising women on nutritional options related to allergies during pregnancy, lactation, and the first year of life can be less restrictive than they have been up to now, according to a revised policy statement of the American Academy...

Autism rose after thimerosal ban.(News)
February 1, 2008... The prevalence of autism continued to climb after thimerosal was eliminated from nearly all childhood vaccines in 2001, researchers reported. This finding refutes the contention that thimerosal exposure through routine vaccination caused...

Friends, genes, gut flora all may have a role in obesity.(News)
February 1, 2008... SALT LAKE CITY -- Data from recent studies have shown that obesity has multifactorial origins, with a host of contributing factors that include not just diet, but also genes, gut flora--and friends, Dr. William F. Balistreri said at the annual...

FDA approves 2-hour blood test for MRSA.(News)
February 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first rapid blood test for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The test, called the BD GeneOhm Staph SR, made by BD Diagnostics, a subsidiary of BD of Franklin Lakes, N.J., can...

Firms to fortify OTC cough drug packaging.(News)
February 1, 2008... Leading over-the-counter drug firms will voluntarily add child-resistant packaging to cough/cold products for which it is not currently required, and will consider new childproof package designs to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion, the...

Feds should help bring vaccines to U.S. market.(ID Consult)
February 1, 2008... Vaccine shortages have become all too common in the United States, with no end in sight. In my view, the best solution would be for the federal government to step in and provide incentives to vaccine manufacturers to bring more products to the...

Influenza burden found to be greater in asthmatic children.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
February 1, 2008... The influenza-related hospitalization rates of young children with asthma were four times greater than those of children without asthma, and outpatient visits attributable to influenza were about twice as likely among those with asthma,...

New study: infants pass vaccine mercury quickly.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... Infants excrete the ethyl mercury used in thimerosal-containing vaccines too quickly for the mercury to build up in their systems, study results show. The findings may help to quell chronic concerns that thimerosal-containing vaccines can...

Mothers biting babies' nails may spread herpes.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Mothers who bite their babies" nails instead of clipping or filling them can spread herpesvirus infection unwittingly, Dr. Meg C. Fisher warned. Biting off infant nails "is a very common thing, particularly among Hispanic...

Know your duties regarding vaccine information: responsibilities for communication, documentation are spelled out for doctors by the AAP and the CDC.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- If you're not providing parents a copy of a Vaccine Information Statement every time they accept or reject a child's immunization, you're not meeting your obligations under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and...

Teen weight, vaccination technique key to needle length.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- For adolescents, body weight and injection technique should guide the choice of needle length during immunizations, according to a poster study presented at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy....

OTC cough medicines nixed for children under 2.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has released a public health advisory strongly recommending against the use of over-the-counter cough and cold products in children and infants aged under 2 years, but will not issue recommendations until the...

Cough/cold meds involved in many ED visits.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... Every year an estimated 7,091 children under age 12 are treated in U.S. emergency departments for adverse events related to over-the-counter and prescription cough and cold medications. Almost two-thirds of these visits were due to...

Hep B rates fell during 1994-2004 for ages 6-19.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- The prevalence of hepatitis B virus among children aged 6-19 years declined significantly between 1994 and 2004, Annemarie Wasley, Sc.D., reported during a poster session at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of...

C. immitis meningitis can be elusive diagnosis.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Hydrocephalus is an easy clue to potential Coccidioides immitis meningitis, but a subacute course of the disease can make it much more difficult to pin down the diagnosis, Dr. Parvin Azimi said at the annual meeting of the...

Studies point to bocavirus being enteric, seasonal.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- New data suggest the human bocavirus may be an enteric pathogen, and that infection with the parvovirus varies by season, Dr. Jeffrey S. Kahn said at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. ...

Expert details hepatitis B tests' clinical value: the serologic markers of the B virus help distinguish infection with it from other hepatitis virus infections.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Tests for hepatitis B surface antigen, surface antibody, core antibody, and type "e" antigen each play an important role in diagnosing infection and level of infectivity Dr. Tina Q. Tan said at the annual meeting of the...

New meningococcal vaccine immunogenic, tolerated in infants.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... A new tetravalent meningococcal vaccine proved to be immunogenic and well tolerated in infants in a phase II study, investigators reported in JAMA. The tetravalent meningococcal vaccine that is currently licensed in the United States is...

Lidocaine ear drops help quell pain of AOM: the majority of patients in both groups also had taken oral analgesics, but ear drops still had an effect.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... Lidocaine drops for analgesia in children and teens with acute otitis media provided better pain relief than did a placebo for most patients, according to results of the first published trial. Dr. Penny Bolt and her colleagues at the...

Take culture to confirm pediatric tinea capitis.(Infectious Diseases)
February 1, 2008... MAUI, HAWAII -- Because tinea capitis in children can be mistaken for a number of other diseases, Dr. Sheila Fallon Friedlander urged physicians, "I want you to culture." "Classically, people have thought that you look for hair loss and...

Heavy metal tales.(Letters From Maine)
February 1, 2008... Feet up on my desk, with my phone headset glued to my better ear, I was just extricating myself from the last call of the morning's half-hour call time. Sensing a presence behind me, I turned to find Allison, our newest receptionist, patiently...

Language barriers pose challenges.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... Language can be a real barrier to providing care in a pediatric office ("Today's Multicultural Pediatrics," Behavioral Consult, December 2007, p. 16). I practice in a fairly affluent suburb of Denver and am one of a few who accept Medicaid...

Gentle tricks for the timid child.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I agree with Dr. Charles A. Scott that examining a fearful child takes more time ("Tricks of the Trade, Part 2," Efficient Pediatrician Practices, December 2007, p. 38). After talking to a child who I sense is fearful or reticent, I say,...

A cautionary tale of Serotype 19A.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I noted Dr. Stephen I. Pelton's recent article about serotype 19A ("Serotype 19A Disease Doesn't Outweigh PCV7 Benefit," ID Consult, December 2007, p. 13). I have tragic story that might be of use to others. Last month, a 40-year-old...

Don't exaggerate gun danger to kids.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... After reading the editorial by Dr. Karen Judy ("What To Do About Guns and Violence." Guest Editorial, July 2007, p. 22), I felt that I had to respond. The guest editor has seen first hand the "devastation that guns cause." But she has not...

Unfair burden rests on PCPs.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... Please lock the professors in their offices ("Metrics: Road Map to Medical Home?" December 2007, p. 1). Everything drops in the primary care physicians' laps with no financial or logistic support. Deliver me from metrics! Between precerts,...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
February 1, 2008... The article "CDC Says to Defer Most Hib Vaccine Boosters" (January 2008, p. 13), should have stated, "Merck & Co. announced in December a voluntary recall of 12 lots of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine because of potential...

Meet the Pediatric News editorial advisory board.(Opinion)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lillian M. Beard, M.D. Dr. Beard is the physician director of the Children's Pediatricians and Associates practice in Silver Spring, Md., and is an associate clinical professor at the George Washington University...

Guanfacine extended release may benefit ADHD.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
February 1, 2008... An extended-release form of guanfacine was associated with significant improvements in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of children and adolescents. Guanfacine, a...

Childhood traumatic grief must be addressed: child-parent psychotherapy can be an effective intervention for children who have lost a loved one.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
February 1, 2008... BOSTON -- The assumption that toddlers and preschoolers are not emotionally affected by traumatic grief in the same way as older children and adults are is not only wrong, it's dangerous, according to Chandra Ghosh Ippen, Ph.D. Unaddressed...

Survey elicits details, ideas about bullying.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
February 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Bullying often includes racial/ethnic harassment, sexual harassment, and homophobic epithets, according to survey answers from 185 students at two rural Midwestern high schools. During educational presentations on school...

Bullies, victims share low self-image.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
February 1, 2008... Adolescents who are involved in bullying---either as a victim, bully, or both--are more likely than bystanders to report feelings of low self-worth and sadness and to feel unsafe in their school. These issues are most troubling in children...

Violent tantrums tied to mental health risk.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
February 1, 2008... Preschoolers whose tantrums consistently include self-injurious or outwardly projected aggression may be at risk of major depressive or disruptive behavior disorder, or both, Andy C. Belden, Ph.D., and his colleagues reported. "We propose...

Studies link gene on chromosome 7 to autism.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
February 1, 2008... Three independent studies implicate the CNTNAP2 gene on chromosome 7 as an autism-susceptibility gene, researchers reported. The three studies used different strategies to examine the possible genetic basis for autism, and all independently...

Two novel mutations on chromosome 16 linked to autism.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
February 1, 2008... A novel, recurrent microdeletion, as well as a reciprocal microduplication, on a specific region of chromosome 16 appears to confer substantial susceptibility to autism, researchers reported. The two mutations might account for...

Tune in to special needs of military families.(Behavioral Consult)
February 1, 2008... It has been said that today's wars, fought by volunteers in faraway places, seem remote to most Americans. But as a pediatrician--civilian or military--the repercussions of these wars may hit home in your practice: If not today, then in the...

New hope on horizon for intractable constipation.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... SALT LAKE CITY -- Several new options may soon be available for the treatment of intractable constipation in pediatric patients. Those options include polyethylene glycol, lubiprostone, lactobacillus, botulinum toxin, and transcutaneous...

Nickel is named contact allergen of the year.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... The American Contact Dermatitis Society has proclaimed nickel as its 2008 Allergen of the Year because of its rise as a cause of significant contact dermatitis in the United States, particularly among children. "With the rising incidence...

Classify, check beyond the cutaneous with hemangiomas.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... TORONTO -- Closely observe a baby with a hemangioma in the first few weeks to months to monitor for any progression, and be cautious with laser treatment, Dr. Alfons Krol said at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology Association....

Environment can be key in some asthma cases.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... Sometimes, a successful treatment depends on matching the right drug or therapeutic approach with the symptom patterns at hand. But in other cases, it takes a little outside-the-box thinking to get results. With a disorder like asthma, the...

Many breathing problems tend to mimic croup: the conditions that resemble croup range from anatomical problems to GERD and infections.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... MAUI, HAWAII -- All that appears to be croup is not, says Dr. Seth M. Pransky, The conditions mimicking croup range from anatomical problems to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to an infection contracted at birth, reported Dr....

National asthma screening drive.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunization is planning its 12th Annual Nationwide Asthma Screening Program. The campaign, in response to government guidelines on asthma control, will target those who are at risk for the disease...

Low-field MRI may replace chest x-rays for lung disease.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- Optimized low-field magnetic resonance imaging has the potential to replace plain chest radiographs in the assessment of lung disease in children, according to results of a poster study presented at the annual meeting of the...

Innovative analgesics may have fewer side effects.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Several innovative unconventional analgesics offer the potential of pediatric pain relief minus many of the side effects that hampered the usefulness of previously available choices, Dr. Elliot J. Krane said at a pediatric...

Ottawa ankle rules sort out sprains from breaks.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Pediatricians can take some of the guesswork out of evaluating ankle injuries by using the Ottawa Ankle Rules for children and adolescents, devised by Canadian emergency physicians to cut down on the number of needless...

Adhesive aids wound closure on thin skin.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... BALTIMORE -- The cutaneous adhesive Dermabond can be applied to the margins of a wound to buttress atrophied, thin skin enough to achieve adequate primary closure with sutures, Dr. Michael Bain reported at the annual meeting of the American...

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia risk strategies eyed.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
February 1, 2008... Using the combination of predischarge bilirubin level and gestational age alone can accurately assess a neonate's risk of developing severe hyperbilirubinemia, according to a prospective cohort study. Thus, other clinical factors specific...

Address parents' concerns about febrile seizure.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... MAUI, HAWAII -- How do you counsel parents after a child has had a generalized tonic-clonic febrile seizure? Dr. Eileen Vining stressed the importance of addressing the underlying fears and concerns of parents. If they've taken the...

Polyethylene glycol Tx aids chronic constipation.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... Polyethylene glycol 3350 plus electrolytes appears to be safe and well tolerated for treating chronic constipation in children, results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showed. "Polyethylene glycol 3350 plus...

Autism screening in the spotlight.(Special Needs: Realizing Potential)
February 1, 2008... The autism landscape is changing dramatically, with new insights into the biological underpinnings of autism spectrum disorders, the expansion of international research collaborations, and new policies directed at identifying and managing this...

Parents' presence is not a factor in postanesthesia agitation.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Rates of postanesthesia agitation did not differ among children emerging from the effects of anesthesia for MRI, regardless of whether their parents were present, according to a study of 79 children. Postoperative...

Methotrexate use advocated for Crohn's patients.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... SALT LAKE CITY -- In a retrospective study of 60 children with Crohn's disease who were either unresponsive to or intolerant of thiopurine therapy, methotrexate treatment was both safe and effective at inducing remission, Dr. Robert Baldassano...

Infliximab use may not avert surgery in Crohn's.(Clinical Rounds)(Disease/Disorder overview)
February 1, 2008... SALT LAKE CITY -- Use of infliximab in pediatric Crohn's disease patients may delay the need for small-bowel resection, but it does not prevent it, according to a review of the treatments received by 224 patients. Infliximab may modify the...

Asthma in inner-city preschoolers needs vigilance.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... A study of inner-city, preschool-age children with asthma found marked fluctuations in the degree of asthma control within 3 months, suggesting that frequent evaluations of asthma control in this population may be warranted, investigators...

Alvesco aerosol, xTAG respiratory panel.(New & Approved)
February 1, 2008... Alvesco Inhalation Aerosol (ciclesonide inhalation aerosol, Nycomed US Inc.) The Food and Drug Administration approved Alvesco Inhalation Aerosol 80 mcg and 160 mcg for maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic therapy in adults and...

Tastes good, less filling: tots like low-energy-density food.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... NEW ORLEANS -- Substituting low-energy-density foods for higher-energy-density foods is a good way of moderating caloric intake among young children, results of a small study suggest. Decreasing the energy density of multiple meals served...

Daily colchicine may reduce PFAPA frequency.(Clinical Rounds)
February 1, 2008... ASPEN, COLO. -- Daily colchicine may have a role as early therapy in children with PFAPA syndrome, Dr. Eli Somekh reported at a conference on pediatric infectious diseases sponsored by the Children's Hospital, Denver, and the University of...

Anti-underage drinking comic book.(FYI)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four superheroes will promote a message against underage drinking in a new video comic book for the Elks National Drug Awareness Program. The comic book, launched in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental...

Yellow fever vaccination certificate.(FYI)
February 1, 2008... As of Dec. 15, 2007, a new International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis has replaced the old certificates for yellow fever vaccination. The certificate is required by certain countries for entry. It is available online at...

Web guide for abuse, mental disorders.(FYI)
February 1, 2008... A Web page developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration features 37 sites containing information on evidence-based interventions for the prevention or treatment of mental and substance abuse disorders. The page--A...

Obesity in African American children.(FYI)
February 1, 2008... The National Institutes of Health is collaborating with the National Council of Negro Women on a community-based program to help African American children aged 8-13 maintain a healthy weight. The We Can! program includes resources for community...

Free eye assessments for infants.(FYI)
February 1, 2008... InfantSEE is a public health program that provides free professional eye assessments for infants in the first year of life, regardless of family income. It was launched with the collaboration of the American Optometric Association and the...

The other side of medicine.(On the Learning Curve)
February 1, 2008... As you are starting a new job, particularly if it is your first job after residency or fellowship, it seems that it's more than enough to balance a busy clinical schedule with the ancillary tasks of returning phone calls, billing for visits,...

Obligations to the low-income population.(Health Policy: The Fine Line)
February 1, 2008... A mother recently arrived at my office with her two children in tow for well-child visits. As our discussions progressed, it was apparent that the family was having difficulty paying for rent and food. I want to help, but with a waiting room...

Blue Cross/Shield sets campaign.(Policy & Practice)
February 1, 2008... The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association last month unveiled a five-point plan for building on the current employer-based health insurance system to improve quality, rein in costs, and provide universal coverage. The plan would create an...

AAA: car seat laws inadequate.(Policy & Practice)
February 1, 2008... Parents strongly support child safety seats and the laws requiring their use, but nearly 100 children under age 5 years die annually in automobile accidents they could have survived if they had been using child safety seats correctly, according...

N.J. triples Medicaid rates.(Policy & Practice)
February 1, 2008... Physicians and others who provide health care to poor children in New Jersey are getting their first increase in Medicaid rates in 2 decades, with reimbursement more than tripling. Last summer, Gov. Jon Corzine (D) added $10 million in state...

AAP wants DC gun ban upheld.(Policy & Practice)
February 1, 2008... The American Academy of Pediatrics has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the District of Columbia's handgun ban. Joining four other groups, including the Society for Adolescent Medicine, The Children's Defense Fund, Women Against Gun...

School scoliosis screening urged.(Policy & Practice)
February 1, 2008... The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons has called for more states to adopt a school-based screening policy for scoliosis. About half the states currently require and pay for adolescents to get screened for the disease. The AAOS has...

Motherhood and medicine: singles can succeed.(The Rest of Your Life)
February 1, 2008... Damage control. That's how Dr. Maria J. Canizares, a mother of two boys, describes her life since her marriage ended. The event coincided with the start of her duties as chief resident in the division of dermatology at Washington University,...