Pediatric News articles from January 2004

Pediatric News archives from January 2004

'Back to Sleep" cuts tummy time: still vital to put babies on back to sleep.(News)
January 1, 2004... MONTREAL -- Roughly 10 years after the start of the "Back to Sleep" campaign, Canadian researchers have confirmed that the shift in infant sleep positioning also has dramatically reduced awake tummy time, which may be slowing many babies'...

Early flu season, severe illness create frenzy: vaccine from Europe available this month: CDC is developing reporting mechanisms for deaths attributed to flu in children this year.(News)
January 1, 2004... With the 2003-2004 influenza season off to an early and aggressive start, physicians braced for an influx of patients frustrated about lack of access to the flu vaccine or already complaining of flu symptoms. Scenes of hundreds of people...

Wyeth limits shipments of Prevnar to original order: spot shortages: doctors can appeal to get more vaccine.(News)(Wyeth Vaccines)
January 1, 2004... In the wake of shipping delays that have created spot shortages of the pneumococcal heptavalent conjugate vaccine, Wyeth Vaccines is limiting shipments to insure a supply adequate to vaccinate all eligible children and to prevent physician...

Wide variability of macrolide resistance in group A strep: regional, temporal variations common.(News)
January 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Regional and temporal variations of macrolide resistance in group A streptococci were observed in a multicenter regional study conducted in 2001 and 2002, although the overall rate of such resistance in the United States remains...

Diagnostic dilemma.(News)
January 1, 2004... A woman brings her 6-month-old great-grandson to her regular public health clinic because the African American baby us "not breathing right." His mother, who had poorly controlled HIV infection, has abandoned the baby. In the past, the boy...

When to bring kids with possible flu to the office: what symptoms mean they stay home?(News)
January 1, 2004... When should parents bring children with suspected flu into the office? It depends on whom you ask, as we found when we interviewed some experts. Use symptom severity--rather than a specific temperature--as a guide of whether to bring a...

Using antivirals to fight flu.(News)
January 1, 2004... There are two reasons to give antivirals for influenza" treatment and prophylaxis. Pediatricians who want to treat sick children with antivirals should know whether the child has the flu--wither by symptoms in older children or by rapid test if...

Chewable oral contraceptive available by spring: Ovcon 35.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... A spearmint-flavored, chewable formulation of a combination oral contraceptive already on the market was approved late last year by the Food and Drug Administration. The new product, a chewable version of Ovcon 35, will not be available...

Food allergy Rx not given to day care providers: many familiar with EpiPen.(News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- More than half of the families of children with food allergies are not giving their child care providers any medication for use in an emergency, according to the results of a study presented at the annual meeting of the American...

FDA now can require pediatric drug testing: vote may end court battle.(News)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Pediatricians hailed the reinstatement of a 1998 rule that authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to mandate pediatric trials of new medications. The Pediatric Research Equity Act (S. 650/H.R. 2857) was signed into law...

2004 harmonized childhood immunization schedule split in two.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... This year's harmonized childhood immunization schedule comes in two parts. The first part (on this page and next) is valid January-June 2004, and contains only minor changes from 2003. A July-December 2004 chart will include a...

CDC offers SARS clinical guidelines: makes no TX recommendations.(Infectious Diseases)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Severe acute respiratory syndrome)
January 1, 2004... Severe acute respiratory syndrome should be considered as a diagnosis only for patients hospitalized for pneumonia who also raise epidemiologic suspicions, according to new clinical guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and...

Researchers seek more tools to combat SARS: vaccine, drugs long way off.(Infectious Diseases)(severe acute respiratory syndrome)
January 1, 2004... Despite the lack of widespread severe acute respiratory syndrome activity since the containment of last year's outbreak, scientists around the world are still hard at work trying to solve key questions about the virus and develop better means...

Eustachian tube surgery set to debut: soon to be available for children.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Someday it may be possible to surgically repair or modify the function of the eustachian tube, Dr. Kenneth Grundfast said at the annum meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Grundfast of Boston University,...

Multiple tube insertions associated with cholesteatoma risk.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Children with severe otitis media that requires multiple tube insertions are at increased risk for cholesteatoma, Dr. Grundfast said. Tympanostomy tubes may contribute to acquired cholesteatoma in two ways: if the eardrum epithelium moves...

Pediatric prophecies 2004.(ID Consult)(Column)
January 1, 2004... "Prophecy is the most gratuitous form of error." George Eliot With that caveat, here's my gratuitous prognostication for 2004: * Influenza--the hot topic for this year. Those of you prescient enough to have secured a supply of the...

Chronic OM: is surgery or watchful waiting best? Tympanostomy tube referrals.(Infectious Diseases)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Tympanostomy tubes are an appropriate treatment for chronic otitis media in children at high risk for recurrence, Dr. Craig Derkay said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The American Academy of...

URI not eased by echinacea.(Clinical Capsules)(Upper Respiratory Infection)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Echinacea was not effective against upper respiratory tract infections in a randomized, controlled trial of children aged 2-11 years, said Dr. James A. Taylor of the University of Washington, Seattle, and his colleagues (JAMA 290[21]:2824-30,...

Gatifloxacin eases AOM.(Clinical Capsules)(acute otitis media)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Gatifloxacin eradicated 96% of pathogens in 114 children aged 6-48 months with stubborn acute otitis media, said Dr. Eugene Leibovitz of Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel, and associates (Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J....

Procalcitonin makes its mark.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Procalcitonin is more specific than C-reactive protein measurement for distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections as sources of fever, said Dr. Anna Fernandez Lopez of Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain, and her colleagues....

Hepatic necrosis risk factors.(Clinical Capsules)(hepatic necrosis with coagulopathy )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Five factors were significantly associated with hepatic necrosis with coagulopathy in a study of 146 neonates: prematurity, maternal history of illness, hemoglobin of 10.7 g/dL or lower, and white blood cell count of 15,000/[mm.sup.3] or...

Vaccine development forecasts for RSV, CMV, and HIV: government, industry joint project.(Infectious Diseases)(Respiratory syncytial virus )(cytomegalovirus)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Viruses, beware-vaccines for cytomegalovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and HIV are headed your way. These vaccines are needed: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe respiratory tract disease...

Early reading causes cognitive changes: differences seen by age 2.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- By a child's second birthday, reproducible cognitive differences exist between children who have been read to and those who have not, Dr. Perri E. Klass said at a conference on care of the sick child sponsored by the Nemours...

The child psychiatrist shortage.(Behavioral Consult)
January 1, 2004... Our nation's shortage of child psychiatrists comes as no surprise to pediatricians. Some of these children can be managed adeptly by astute and well-read pediatricians, but a certain subset--at least half, I would say--would benefit by being...

Atomoxetine for ADHD doesn't worsen tics: nonstimulant alternative.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
January 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Atomoxetine improved symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and did not worsen tics in a study of comorbid children and adolescents presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent...

Pediatricians support 'healthy steps' program: developmental care results at 3 years.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
January 1, 2004... Pediatricians are guardedly optimistic about a clinical experiment that fosters a team-based approach to improving developmental care, indicating that it will need long-term funding support to ensure its success. A recent study indicates...

Role of parental depression in child's behavior: early onset vs. late onset.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Children whose parents have early-onset depression are at increased risk for behavioral and emotional problems, compared with children whose parents have late-onset depression, said Timothy J. Petersen, Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital,...

Warn teens that ecstasy is often contaminated: trismus is one side effect.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
January 1, 2004... COLUMBIA, MO. -- Teenagers who are intent on using Ecstasy should be counseled that the drug often contains contaminants that will take away from the pleasant drug-induced sensations that they are seeking, Dr. Thomas J. Selva said at a meeting...

Attachment disorder bodes ill for child's future: predicts relationship difficulties.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Attachment disturbances in very young children can be recognized as early as 7-9 months of age, and are predictive of troubled future relationships, Dr. Charles H. Zeanah Jr. said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Interpersonal aggression climbs with age: property damage drops.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- School children are more likely to be aggressive toward other students than toward property, and with time, aggression toward property tends to decrease, and interpersonal aggression to increase, Kimberly T. Kendziora, Ph.D., said...

Traumatic brain injury may cause difficulty sleeping: sleep screening advised.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Children with traumatic brain injuries have greater reported sleep problems than do children with orthopedic injuries, suggesting the need for routine sleep screening after brain injuries, said Dr. Clifford Askinazi and his...

The sky is falling!(Letters From Maine)(Column)
January 1, 2004... Measured by patients seen, yesterday morning was worrisomely quiet. With two-thirds as many births and three times as many pediatricians than we had 15 years ago, I get concerned when I only see six patients before lunch. Despite the paucity of...

Treating, referring for obesity.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Since few clinics actually treat adolescents and children for obesity, it is hard to say whether a pediatrician should send them to a surgeon after failure of treatment. Most have not had treatment ("Talk Back Online: Would you consider...

Special-needs training.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... I read Dr. William G. Wilkoff's column "Saying Goodbye to Old Friends" with great empathy ("Letters From Maine, September 2003, p. 22). I recently relocated, leaving behind a private practice with about 7,000 special-needs people of all...

Higher income, higher risk.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... In "Pro & Con: Is the insurance cycle responsible for rising malpractice premiums?" J. Robert Hunter states that "the caste system that puts the heaviest cost of malpractice increases on the few high-risk doctors is illogical" (June 2003, p....

Trainers provide expert care.(Opinion)(certified athletic trainers)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... I am concerned about one statement in an otherwise excellent article ("Concussion Assessment on Sidelines Is Critical," September 2003, p. 47). In regard to current clinical guidelines and grading scales available for concussion...

Our role in mental health.(Guest Editorial)
January 1, 2004... The differences between mental health and general health are starting to blur for pediatricians, who are seeing more young children with behavioral difficulties, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other issues of social growth. ...

Steroid-sparing remission curbs IBD morbidity: Crohn's and colitis.(Clinical Rounds)(Inflammatory bowel diseases)
January 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Inflammatory bowel diseases carry significant morbidity for children, and the best way to reduce that morbidity is to induce long-term, steroid-sparing remission, Dr. James Markowitz said at the annual meeting of the American...

Crohn's disease index at diagnosis predicts activity: high score, high severity.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... MONTREAL -- A patient's score on the Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index at the time of diagnosis is reasonably predictive of the clinical course of the disease over the next year, according to a study at the Hospital for Sick Children,...

Early infliximab Tx cuts steroid use in Crohn's: small study.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... MONTREAL -- Children with Crohn's disease who receive treatment with infliximab within 30 days of their diagnosis are using less steroids at 3 months post diagnosis than are children who do not receive the early therapy, according to a small...

Established seizure disorder need not stop school: have rectal diazepam on hand at school.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... COLUMBIA, MO. -- A child with longstanding epilepsy does not have to go home after having a brief seizure at school, Dr. Fajam Farzam said at a meeting on common pediatric problems sponsored by the University of Missouri-Columbia. A child...

Virtual colonoscopy finds lesions fast: high sensitivity, specificity.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... BOSTON -- Virtual colonoscopy may replace the barium enema in the initial evaluation of rectal bleeding in children, according to Dr. Patricia Carrascosa. In a 3-year pediatric trial, the noninvasive, computed tomo-graphic imaging...

Video capsule puts bowel lesions on view: high diagnostic accuracy.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Wireless video capsule endoscopy had very high diagnostic accuracy for obscure lesions of the small bowel in children aged 10-18 years in a recent prospective study, Dr. Ana Maria G. D. Sant'anna reported at the annual...

Documents to go, PDA keyboards, Web site.(Digital Assistance)(www.pdaMD.com)
January 1, 2004... Featured App: Documents To Go Originally released by DataViz in 1999, Documents To Go has been updated and expanded over the years (current version is 6.0). Its capabilities cannot be overstated. Fundamentally, Documents To Go facilitates...

Hemangioma Tx myths mar results: topicals may work.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Dermatologists and pediatricians alike cling to several common myths that can result in less-than-optimal management of a child with a disfiguring hemangioma, Dr. Bari Cunningham said at the annual meeting of the...

Beyond chicken soup.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... Acne I finally realized that there might be something to home remedies as a result of something said to me by a great grandmother from rural Alabama many years ago. I was treating the woman's great granddaughter for a facial rash,...

Is galactosemia variant Tx overkill? Or necessary? Clinically benign, long-term risks unknown.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Long-term complications in some patients treated for galactosemia have created controversy around the treatment of infants who have a seemingly benign variant of the disorder. Classic galactosemia can cause speech and...

Surgical stapling delays spinal fusion in scoliosis: orthotics helpful.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- A new technique that revolves placing staples across the vertebral growth plates on the convex side of the spinal curve is showing promise as a treatment for scoliosis, Dr. John Lubicky reported at the annual meeting of the American...

Sudden skin breakouts may signal anabolic steroid abuse in athletes: patients rarely cop to the truth.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- If an athlete presents with a sudden breakout of comedones, sebaceous cysts, or cystic ache, think about abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids as the potential culprit, Dr. Michael J. Scott III advised at the annual meeting of the...

Dipstick urinalysis misses protein in obese children: renal disease on the rise.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Obese children--especially obese children who were low-birth-weight babies--should now be screened for proteinuria with quantitative methods and not dipsticks. This change in urinalysis methods is urgently needed if...

FDA warns about dangers of THG: banned steroid.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning against the sale and use of tetrahydrogestrinone, saying that the supplement may pose a significant risk to the health of consumers. Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) is a newly identified...

New & approved: Duac Topical Gel, DisperMox.(Clinical Rounds)
January 1, 2004... Duac Topical Gel (clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5%, Stiefel Laboratories) The Food and Drug Administration approved Duac Topical Gel, a once-a-day clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel for treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris...

Medical assistance vs. tax credits in Medicaid: AMA's plan to shore up program.(Practice Trends)(American Medical Association)
January 1, 2004... HONOLULU -- Patient access to Medicaid--including low-income children--and physician reimbursement from the program have reached the critical point, delegates said at the interim meeting of the American Medical Association's House of Delegates....

Mercury in fish.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The U.S Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency are joining forces to warn pregnant women, nursing mothers, and parents of young children about the dangers of mercury in fish and shellfish, especially tuna. The draft...

Bullies and bullying.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Victims of bullies display higher levels of depression, social anxiety, and loneliness than their peers, while bullies report lower levels of those distresses, a new study says. The assessment of 1,985 sixth graders also showed that bullies...

Too much TV.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Young children who have a television in their bedroom or who live in a home with heavy TV viewing habits are less likely to be able to read, are less likely to read every day, and spend less time reading each day than do their peers, a Kaiser...

Smoking mothers, smoking children.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Children of mothers who smoked at least a pack of cigarettes a day during pregnancy were significantly more likely to become dependent on nicotine than were those whose mothers never smoked during pregnancy, a study says. Researchers looked at...

Online drug bust.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Ten individuals and three companies were recently charged with illegally selling controlled substances and other prescription drugs over the Internet, the U.S. Department of Justice says. The defendants are charged with using Web sites such as...

Liability concerns.(Policy & Practice)(residency training)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Medical students are citing liability as a factor in choosing a specialty and in picking the state where they will complete their residency training, the American Medical Association says. About half of the respondents to an AMA survey of 4,000...

Physician unionization a prickly proposition: antitrust laws, other barriers will remain.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Interest in physician unionization is increasing as health insurers become more powerful, but doctors who want to unionize still face many barriers, several speakers said at a hearing sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission and...

More women apply to Med school: outnumber men for first time.(Practice Trends)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- For the first time, women outnumbered men in the ranks of medical school applicants, Dr. Jordan Cohen said at a press briefing sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges. For the 2003-2004 school year, 17,672...

More children die from SIDS in the cold winter months: increased bedding, overheating to blame.(Practice Trends)(Sudden infant death syndrome)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... An increased number of children who die from SIDS do so in the cold winter months, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Parents often put extra blankets or nightclothes on infants to give extra warmth....

Malpractice crisis prompts more referrals to ER: instead of office treatment.(Practice Trends)(emergency rooms )
January 1, 2004... Physicians in some states are responding to the malpractice crisis by sending their patients to emergency rooms and hospitals rather than treating them in the office. This is the finding of a study from the Center for Studying Health System...

Nebulizer system.(Products)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Aeroneb Pro nebulizer can be used for the treatment of infants and children requiring positive-pressure breathing assistance, potentially improving drug delivery efficiency and reducing personnel costs. In this population, the device can...

Counseling for overweight teens.(Products)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The NutriTeen program uses e-mail to teach children and adolescents aged 12-17 about behavior modification, nutrition, and physical activity aimed at healthy weight loss. Visit www.nutriteen.com or send e-mail to info @nutriteen.com.

Preemie diapers.(Products)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Preemie Swaddlers disposable diapers are designed to fit premature infants. The diapers have a narrow crotch to minimize bulk. For more information, contact Procter & Gamble, 800-PAMPERS (800-726-7377), www.pampers.com.

Children's emergency ID card.(Products)(Kidz Card)(Kidz Card LLC)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The Kidz Card is an emergency identification card for parents and children to carry. The card includes emergency contact and medical information, along with 10 prepaid phone minutes. For more information or to enroll, contact Kidz Card LLC,...

Disinfecting wipes.(Products)(Wet Task wipes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... WetTask wipes can be used to disinfect and sanitize surfaces. A plastic dispenser is available for use with the wipes and disinfectant solution. For more information, contact Kimberly-Clark Corp., 888-346-4652, www.kcprofessional.com.

Safety capillary samplers.(Products)(Safeclinitubes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... A new line of plastic capillary samplers, safeCLINITUBES, reduces the risk of breakage. The samplers are also coated with electrolyte-balanced heparin to ensure accurate testing. For more information, contact Radiometer America Inc.,...

Protect against needlesticks.(Products)(Surguard2)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The SurGuard2 is a needle safety device with a locking mechanism to help prevent needlestick injuries. Available as a safety needle only or as a syringe with safety needle. For more information, contact Terumo Medical Corp., 800-283-7866,...

Childhood obesity information.(FYI)(Shaping America's Youth)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The "Shaping America's Youth" initiative aims to identify and centralize information about childhood antiobesity programs nationwide, first by using a survey. For more information, check out the Web site at www.shapingamericasyouth.com.

Hispanic health helpline.(FYI)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a national Hispanic family health helpline, "Su Familia," to provide information about preventing and managing chronic conditions. Call the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, at...