Pediatric News articles from January 2003

Pediatric News archives from January 2003

Vaccine liability coverage expanded. (Homeland Security Law Covers All Vaccines).
January 1, 2003... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- A provision of the new homeland security law affords greater protections for physicians and vaccine manufacturers against liability for possible side effects. The new law expands the National Vaccine Injury Compensation...

Pediarix 5-in-1 vaccine receives approval from FDA: this three-dose series of shots can reduce the number of immunizations by six. (DTaP-HBV-IPV Vaccine).
January 1, 2003... The first five-in-one vaccine to be approved offers advantages for infants, pediatricians, and public health, pediatric infectious disease experts agree. Pediarix--DTaP, hepatitis B vaccine (recombinant), and inactivated poliovirus...

Nonstimulant ADHD medication wins approval: first new drug type for disorder in 30 years. (Atomoxetine Not a Controlled Substance).(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
January 1, 2003... Physicians now have an alternative to prescribing stimulants to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Atomoxetine (Strattera) is the first nonstimulant drug to receive Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of...

Diagnostic dilemma.
January 1, 2003... A 12-year-old boy with a 6-year history of a left parotid mass presents and denies any constitutional symptoms including weight loss, fever, sweats, or fatigue. His parents deny any recent changes in the size of the mass. A physical exam...

Thimerosal in vaccines: mercury levels nontoxic. (Blood, Urine, Stool Samples Tested).
January 1, 2003... Vaccines using thimerosal appear to pose little health risk to term infants. Mercury concentrations in blood samples from infants aged 2-6 months who received vaccines with the preservative thimerosal, which contains mercury, were well...

Most medication errors don't hurt children. (Improper Dose is Most Common Error).
January 1, 2003... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- Children are most likely either to receive the wrong dose or to not receive necessary medication at all when medication errors occur among pediatric patients who are in the hospital. These are the findings of a new study...

Methylphenidate patch effectively treats ADHD. (Once-Daily Application).(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
January 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- A once-daily methylphenidate transdermal system was effective at varying doses in controlling symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, especially when used with behavior modification, Dr. Martin Hoffman said at the...

Rebound in med school applications? (Projected Rise of 4%-6%).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The number of medical school applicants is projected to rise 4%-6% from 2002 to 2003, the Association of American Medical Colleges said. There were 34,000 medical school applicants in 2002. Also, 57,573 students took the Medical College...

Infant Homicide. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... In 2000, the infant homicide rate nearly equaled that of teens aged 15-19 years, the nonprofit research organization Child Trends reported. Infant homicides have more than doubled since 1970, increasing steadily from 4.3/100,000 infants less...

Filtering healthy sites. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Internet pornography--blocking filters that are set too restrictively can impede a teenager's ability to find health information on the Web, according to the Kaiser Foundation. They tested the six Internet filters used most often by U.S....

Drunk driving down. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Fatal alcohol-related vehicle crashes dropped 60% from 1982 through 2001 among teens aged 16-17 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported (MMWR 51[48]:1089-91, 2002). In comparison, the rate dropped by 55% among adults aged...

Getting on the bus. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched Moving Kids Safely a national effort to increase the use of safe bus companies for transporting school children to sporting events, field trips, and other extracurricular activities....

Salmonella from cantaloupe. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Children accounted for the majority of those infected in three multistate outbreaks of Salmonella, serotype poona linked to Mexican cantaloupe, the CDC reported (MMWR 51[46]:1044-47, 2002). During April 14 through June 2, 2000, 28 of 47 (60%)...

Children in poverty. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The proportion of children living in poverty in 2001 was the lowest in 20 years, according to Child Trends. However, that still leaves 16%, or 11.7 million children under the age of 18 living in poverty, which is defined as a family of four...

SSRIs and breast milk. (Pediatric Briefs).(selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... SSRIs AND BREAST MILK Infant exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors through breast milk is likely to be low and probably does not pose a large risk, Dr. Victoria Hendrick said at a psychopharmacology update. In serum assays of 108...

Two for the price of one: catch-up immunization chart new in 2003. (Minor Changes to Regular Schedule).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... You'll have to clear a bit more wall space for the 2003 childhood and adolescent immunization schedule: Now there's a catch-up chart to go alongside the regular recommendations. The catch-up recommendations include separate tables for...

Mandatory Accutane prescription registry possible. (Pregnancies, Suicides on Agenda).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The specter of a mandatory prescription registry for Accutane rose at a contentious congressional hearing last month on safety issues surrounding the acne drug. While some federal lawmakers called for a strict patient and...

New antibiotics combat respiratory pathogens. (Drugs Being Considered for Approval).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Some new antibiotics being considered for approval could become helpful treatments for community-acquired pneumonia and others for sinusitis and bronchitis, Dr. William A. Craig said at the annual Interscience Conference on...

Echinocandins kill fluconazole-resistant Candida. (Work Rapidly With Less Toxicity).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- A new class of antifungal drugs called echinocandins can kill fluconazole-resistant Candida species rapidly, with less toxicity than other treatments, Dr. John R. Graybill said at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial...

[beta]-Lactams still most prescribed antimicrobials. (Geographic Variations).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- [beta]-lactams still top the list of antimicrobial prescriptions, Katie J. Suda, Pharm.D., reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In a nationwide database analysis...

Federal smallpox initiative puts focus on education. (Vaccine Voluntary for Medical Personnel).
January 1, 2003... Physician education about smallpox vaccination has become a priority for both the public and private health sectors now that President Bush has announced his plan to reintroduce the vaccine into the U.S. population. In mid-December, the...

FDA panel supports intranasal flu vaccine efficacy. (Healthy Children, Adolescents Aged 5-17).
January 1, 2003... BETHESDA, MD. -- If the intranasal influenza vaccine is approved in a pediatric population in time for the next flu season, it will probably be for healthy children and adolescents aged 5 years and older--not for infants 6-23 months who are...

Four new rapid in-office tests diagnose influenza. (Low Cost, Quick Turnaround).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- In-office diagnosis of influenza has become a reality this flu season with the introduction of four antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests that take 10-20 minutes and cost just $15-$25. Using the tests during influenza season...

Rotavirus vaccine effective. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Human rotavirus vaccine 89-12 proved effective in both the first and second years of an efficacy study of healthy infants, said Dr. David I. Bernstein of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and his colleagues. In a randomized,...

Excess visits predate UTI Dx. (Clinical Capsules).(urinary tract infections)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Children ultimately diagnosed with urinary tract infections have more office visits for UTI-type symptoms prior to diagnosis compared with controls, said Dr. J.H. van der Voort of McMaster Medical Centre, Hamilton, Ont., and his colleagues. In...

Gelatin and reactions to MMR. (Clinical Capsules).(measles-mumps-rubella vaccine)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Hypersensitivity to gelatin may contribute to anaphylactic reactions to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, said Dr. Vitali Pool of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and his associates (Pediatrics [online] 110[6], 2002;...

Improve Chlamydia screening. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Clinical practice intervention increased the rate of Chlamydia trachomatis screening among sexually active 14- to 16-year-old girls, said Dr. Mary-Ann Shafer of the University of California, San Francisco, and her colleagues (JAMA...

Echovirus 13 meningitis. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Symptoms associated with an outbreak of echovirus 13 meningitis were similar to those seen in cases of aseptic meningitis caused by other enteroviruses, said Dr. David L. Kirschke of the CDC and his associates. Specimens from 58 patients out of...

Early adolescence is time to talk about STDs. (Good Time to Gain Patients' Trust).(sexually transmitted diseases)
January 1, 2003... CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Talk about sexually transmitted diseases with young adolescents, because most of them are clueless about what these infections entail and the consequences of unprotected sex, Dr. Russell W. Steele said at a meeting on...

Epstein-Barr virus risk and teen sex. (Women at Greater Risk).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Sexual contact appears to be a strong risk factor for infection with Epstein-Barr virus in teenagers, reported Dr. Dorothy H. Crawford of the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), and her colleagues. In a study of 945 university students...

Syphilis tests in pregnancy: state laws need overhaul. (Third-Trimester Screening Spotty).
January 1, 2003... BANFF, ALTA. -- Despite abundant state laws mandating syphilis screening during pregnancy, the content of such laws varies greatly, and most are inconsistent with syphilis screening recommendations made by the American College of Obstetricians...

Enzyme immunoassay aids SMAC test. (Detecting Escherichia Coli).(Sorbitol-MacConkey agar screening)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Combining Shiga toxin enzyme immunoassay with Sorbitol-MacConkey agar screening optimizes the detection of Escherichia coli, reported Dr. Eileen J. Klein of the University of Washington and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center,...

Dr. Block's predictions for 2003. (ID Consult).
January 1, 2003... Well nave learned a valuable lesson as a soothsayer: Do not quit your day job any time soon. Fortunately the feds will not arraign me unless I institute a pay-per-call 900-toll number for my prescient advice. How did I score last year with...

Fever often absent in early enteroviral illness. (Severe Cases).
January 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Infants with severe enteroviral illness often present within the first few days of life without fever, Dr. Jason G. Newland reported at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. That was one of many...

Hib vaccine not tied to greater risk of diabetes. (At Least 10-Year Follow-up).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Patients who received Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine before 1 year developed type 1 diabetes mellitus at a rate of 0.17%--a rate similar to that of a control group, according to a large study from the Kaiser Permanente health...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... Clearing Up Misconceptions With the rise of childhood obesity and the "epidemic" of type 2 diabetes in children and youth, it is important to keep all of the facts straight. Much is being written about obesity, its association with insulin...

Clarification.('Some Bumps, Lumps Have Malignancy Potential,' in November 2002 issue)(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2003... In the presentation that resulted in the article "Some Bumps, Lumps Have Malignancy Potential," my goal was to increase the awareness that some lumps and bumps may have underlying systemic involvement (November 2002, p. 28). The headline...

Clarification.('Costs of Hospitalization for Obese Youth Aged 6-17 Years,' in October 2002 issue)(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2003... In the Vital Signs entitled "Costs of Hospitalization for Obese Youth Aged 6-17 Years" (October 2002, p. 1), the source line should have read "Pediatrics (online) 109(5), 2002; www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/109/5/e81."

New approach to advocacy.(Editorial)
January 1, 2003... Pediatricians have a long and special history of advocacy for children. For example, pediatricians help ensure a child's access to health insurance and appropriate educational services. Pediatricians also are influential in shaping health and...

100% oxygen for newborns.(Editorial)
January 1, 2003... Even the latest studies are not yet convincing enough to recommend room air over 100% oxygen for newborn resuscitation. Current guidelines state that if assisted ventilation is required, one should deliver 100% oxygen by positive pressure...

Long-term risperidone benefits autistic children. (Reduces Disruptive Behavior).
January 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- The second part of a two-phase National Institute of Mental Health study has found that long-term use of risperidone successfully reduces the risk of disruptive behavior in children with autism. "Risperidone is well tolerated in...

Expert's ideal and minimal diagnostic tests for autism. (Preferred Tests not Easily Applied).
January 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale are considered the preferred diagnostic tests for pervasive developmental disorder, Lawrence Scahill, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the...

Fluoxetine appears effective, safe for treating major depressive disorder in children, teens. (Significantly Better Than Placebo).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Fluoxetine administered at a dosage of 20 mg/day is safe and effective in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder, reported Dr. Graham J. Emslie of the University of Texas, Dallas, and his colleagues. This is the second...

Sexuality in young children. (Behavioral Consult).
January 1, 2003... Maybe you heard the old joke in medical school: Pediatricians are doctors for people from the waist up. In a way, there's some truth to that. You can avoid sexuality and still practice pediatrics, especially if you relinquish your patients to...

Early inhaled steroids benefit mild asthma. (Cost-Effective Intervention).
January 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- Early intervention with inhaled cortico-steroids has been shown to be beneficial--and cost effective--for patients with newly diagnosed mild persistent asthma in the first-ever randomized, worldwide prospective trial designed to...

Patient Tracker 5.11. (Digital Assistance).(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2003... Overview: Patient Tracker 5.11 is a full-featured patient information database program available for both Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld computers. Customizable data entry fields for patient demographic details, diagnoses, medications, and test...

Deciphering clues to rare dysmorphic disorders. (Web Sites, Textbooks Help ID Patterns).
January 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- A general pediatrician can often pin down a diagnosis in a child with congenital anomalies by using keen observation over time and becoming a bit of an Internet sleuth, Dr. Judith G. Hall said at a meeting sponsored by the Los...

Do ultrasound to look for hip dysplasia in all breech babies. (Even if Physical Exam is Normal).
January 1, 2003... HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Breech presentation is the most important risk factor for developmental dysplasia of the hip, Dr. David Roye said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics. A routine ultrasound check for this...

New & Approved: Zyrtec * Lipitor.
January 1, 2003... Zyrtec (Cetirizine HCl, Pfizer Inc.) An antihistamine approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat year-round allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria in infants aged 6 months and older, this is the only...

Look for gastroesophageal reflux to manage colic. (Excessive Crying was Reason for Visit).
January 1, 2003... BOSTON -- Manage a newborn or infant with colic according to whether or not they have gastroesophageal reflux, Dr. Pamela High said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has studied 50 consecutive infants referred...

Take stepwise approach to dysmenorrhea in teenage girls. (NSAIDs First, Oral Contraceptives Second).
January 1, 2003... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Many adolescent girls who complain of severe menstrual cramps can be helped with simple over-the-counter medications, once they're directed to take the most effective pain relievers at adequate dosages, Dr. Daryl A. Lynch...

Chronic kidney disease in teens = lipid testing. (Departure from Current Practice).
January 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- Adolescents with chronic kidney disease should have their serum cholesterol levels monitored and treated. That's the position of the National Kidney Foundation's working group on managing dyslipidemias in chronic kidney...

Body image test plumbs asthmatic kids' emotions. (Detecting Depression, Anxiety).
January 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- A simple body image drawing test is a useful tool for assessing the emotional state of children with asthma, Dr. Kim Kelsay suggested in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent...

AAP's online interactive educational program teaches asthma management. (eQipp Yourself).(American Academy of Pediatrics)
January 1, 2003... BOSTON -- An on-line learning resource can help pediatricians who want to improve or standardize care for their asthma patients, Dr. Carol Lannon said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Education in Quality...

Asthma linked to sleep disorders, attention problems. (Small Study).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Children with asthma are much more likely to have sleep problems than those without the disorder, Karen Evankovich, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. The prospective study involved...

Anterior cruciate ligament tears leave legacy. (Degenerative Joint Disease).
January 1, 2003... Anterior cruciate ligament knee sprains or tears are troubling injuries in young athletes because they can be disabling, and 50% of those who sustain them go on to develop degenerative joint disease within 5 years, Dr. James Garrick said at a...

Beyond sprains: advice on diagnosing common ankle injuries. (Range of Differential Diagnoses is Small).
January 1, 2003... KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- General pediatricians can easily get comfortable with examining the ankle. The relatively simple anatomy makes it one of the least intimidating aspects of sports medicine, Dr. Paul Stricker said at a meeting on...

Strategies to successfully charge for telephone care. (Not Reimbursed by Most Insurers).
January 1, 2003... BOSTON -- About 20% of pediatricians in private practice are being paid for telephone care--primarily by charging patients, Dr. Sanford M. Melzer said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatricians use a wide...

Reimbursement for multivalent vaccines. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Reimbursement for multivalent vaccine administration is inadequate, and efforts must be made to develop pediatric-specific immunization codes and to increase these fees in accordance with the true costs to physicians, the delegates agreed. The...

The Pediatric Drug rule. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration must be given statutory authority to require drug companies to study drugs in children, the delegates said. Backed by strong support from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of...

Reducing underage drinking. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The AMA will urge network and cable television to ban beer and wine ads before 10 p.m. and during any programs with a viewing audience comprising more than 15% adolescents, Dr. Edward J. Hill, chairman of the board of trustees, announced at a...

Cigna settlement. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The AMA has taken no official position regarding the class action lawsuit Kaiser v. CIGNA et al, or the proposed settlement. In response to widespread confusion on the issue, the delegates agreed to "state [the AMA's position] unequivocally"...

Health care coverage for all. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The AMA and interested medical organizations should jointly advocate for universal health coverage, the delegates said, enthusiastically supporting a resolution sponsored by several specialty societies including the American Academy of...

E-mail with patients. (AMA Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Physicians must use the same caution and concern for patient confidentiality when communicating via e-mail as they do when using other forms of communication, delegates agreed. They adopted recommendations from a Council on Ethical and Judicial...

How to minimize your risk of malpractice from telephone care. (Use a Triage Protocol for Clinical Calls).
January 1, 2003... BOSTON -- The two leading causes of lawsuits related to pediatric telephone care are not gathering enough information and not sufficiently documenting that the standard of care in the community was provided, Dr. Steven R. Poole said at the...

New Web site helps in hunt for HIPAA-complaint practice management software. (Sponsored by AAP and Others).(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, American Academy of Pediatrics)
January 1, 2003... Now that you're HIPAA compliant or have requested an extra year to get into compliance, it's time to take a look at your practice management software, according to Dr. David Kibbe. A new, noncommercial Web site created by Dr. Kibbe and...

A tradition down the drain. (Letters from Maine).
January 1, 2003... I expect to get several comments a year from germ-conscious parents about the condition of our waiting room toys, but I'm surprised that over the last couple of months no one has mentioned the appearance of my hands. A physician's hands are a...