Pediatric News articles from March 2003

Pediatric News archives from March 2003

Pediatric indemnity rose 91% in 6 years. (AAP Committee on Medical Liability Report).
March 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Pediatricians sued for medical malpractice often suffer the hardest blows. They may not get hit with claims as often as physicians in other specialties, but when they are sued successfully pediatricians can face severe...

Bush plans to step up access to vaccines in 2004: Budget request would return Td, DT to the VFC program, stockpile vaccines. (Vaccines for Children Program).
March 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Tetanus, diphtheria, and other vaccines would become more accessible to children under a Bush administration proposal to improve the nation's childhood immunization program. The president's fiscal year 2004 budget request for...

Community-acquired MRSA outbreak is virulent: Otherwise healthy newborns are infected. (Lesions Appear on Seemingly Intact Skin).(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infection )
March 1, 2003... LOS ANGELES -- Public health officials are investigating an outbreak of an aggressive, community-acquired, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infection that has struck more than 1,000 people, including newborns, young athletes,...

Diagnostic dilemma.(cyclic vomiting syndrome)
March 1, 2003... A 12-year-old female presents be cause she has been vomiting about every 15 minutes for 6 days. She has had two previous episodes. She says that each time the episodes have coincided with her menses. Prior to those episodes, she had nausea...

Two drugs, similar results in teen depression. .(paroxetine (Paxil), lomipramin (Anafranil) evaluated)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Paroxetine and clomipramine have similar effectiveness in improving the symptoms of adolescent major depression, reported Dr. Alain Braconnier of Centre Philippe Paumelle, Paris, and his associates. By the end of a prospective, 8-week,...

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine nearly restocked. (Return to Normal Expected by Late Spring).
March 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine supplies are expected to return to normal in April or May of 2003, Dean Mason told the National Vaccine Advisory Committee. Supplies of other pediatric vaccines have all been reestablished for...

HIPAA privacy rules: It's still not too late. (Get Compliant).( Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 )
March 1, 2003... For physicians who haven't made any plans for complying with the new federal privacy regulation that goes into effect April 14, don't worry-it's not too late to start. The regulation, part of the federal Health Insurance Portability and...

Some question the value of imaging studies for first childhood febrile UTI. (Multicenter Study of 309 children).(urinary tract infections)
March 1, 2003... Obtaining imaging studies after a first febrile urinary tract infection in children aged 24 months or younger is of questionable value, said Dr. Alejandro Hoberman of the department of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh and Children's...

Voiding cystourethrogram needed for UTI. (Checking for Vesicoureteral Reflux).(urinary tract infection diagnosis)
March 1, 2003... KOHALA, HAWAII -- Voiding cystourethrogram is the only way to rule out that a urinary tract infection in a small child is caused by vesicoureteral reflux, Dr. Melvin O. Senac Jr. said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of...

Add asthma controller to salmeterol therapy. (Letter from Drug Maker).
March 1, 2003... Add an asthma controller-preferably an inhaled corticosteroid-to the regimen of patients using salmeterol as monotherapy, salmeterol manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline advised in a letter to prescribers. The recommendation came in response to the...

FDA Office of Combination Products. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has established an office to streamline the processing of complex drug-device, drug-biologic, and device-biologic combination products. The Office of Combination Products will be part of the Office of the...

No smallpox study. (Pediatric Briefs).(Dryvax vaccine will not be tested in children)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... There will be no study to test the Dryvax smallpox vaccine in children as preparation for a bioterrorism attack, the Office of Human Research Protection of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced. The proposal for the study...

Buckling up. (Pediatric Briefs).(placing children in back seat and using seat belts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Record numbers of children are now routinely buckled up in Vehicles, but too many parents are still placing children in the front sear, according to results from a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration survey Observations of 3,500...

Fishing for SCHIP funds. (Pediatric Briefs).(State Children's' Health Insurance Program)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A proposal in the fiscal year 2004 budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services and a bill from the House Energy and Commerce Committee (H.R. 531) seek to do the same thing: extend the availability of expiring funds for the...

Finding the time. (Pediatric Briefs).(to spend with patients)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A majority of pediatricians feel that limitations on their time spent with patients due to insurance restrictions are a serious threat to their ability to deliver quality care, according to a nationwide survey of 400 board-certified...

Vitamin [B.sub.12] deficiency. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Breast-fed children of vegetarian mothers are at increased risk for cobalamin (vitamin [B.sub.12]) deficiency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said (MMWR 52[4]:61-64, 2003). The diagnosis should be considered in any such infant...

Perinatal Hepatitis B. (Pediatric Briefs).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Medical errors in perinaral hepatitis B prevention are common, two surveys from the Immunization Action Coalition found. From July 1999 to October 2002, stare and local hepatitis coordinators reported more than 500 such errors, including...

Homeland security's vaccine liability chopped. (Training Funds Restored).(National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program)
March 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Provisions that afforded more liability protection to vaccine manufacturers no longer exist in the new homeland security law. A fiscal year 2003 omnibus appropriations package swiftly repealed all amendments in the homeland...

RSV pophylaxis costs may outweigh benefits. (Kansas Medicaid Study).(respiratory syncytial virus )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The high cost of prophylactic therapy for respiratory syncytial virus outweighs the reductions in hospitalizations, length of hospital stay, and associated costs that the therapy achieves, said Theresa I. Shireman, Ph.D., of the University of...

Intussusception and antibiotics. (Clincial Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Antibiotics can be associated with idiopathic intussusception, said Dr. David M. Spiro of Children's Hospital of Alabama, Birmingham, and his associates (Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 157[1]:54-59, 2003). In a case-control study of 93 children...

High hospitalization for Flu. (Clincial Capsules).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... More than half the healthy infants and young children with influenza were hospitalized in a 20-year retrospective study, reported Dr. Vile Peltola of Turku (Finland) University Hospital and colleagues (Clin. Infect. Dis. 36[3]:299-305, 2003)....

STDs in pregnant teens. (Clincial Capsules).(sexually transmitted diseases)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Many teens engage in behavior during their pregnancy that puts them at risk for acquiring sexually transmitted diseases, said Linda M. Niccolai, Ph.D., of Yale University; New Haven, and her associates (Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 188[1]:63-70,...

HIV encephalopathy markers. (Clincial Capsules).(CD8-positive T-lymphocyte, monocyte count)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Use CD8-positive T-lymphocyte and monocyte counts to monitor children infected with HIV-1 for the development of progressive encephalopathy, said Dr. Silvia Sanchez-Ramon of Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid, and...

Another FUO candidate. (Clincial Capsules).(hemophagocytic syndrome another candidate for fever of unknown orgin)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Consider hemophagocytic syndrome in cases of fever of unknown orgin; early diagnosis and treatment are critical to survival, said Dr. Debra L. Palazzi of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, and her associates. Hemophagocytic syndrome is a...

Child's pneumonia can fool adult radiologists. (Expert's Tips on Pitfalls).
March 1, 2003... KOHALA, HAWAII -- Make sure that the radiologist you use knows pneumonia in children because there are a couple of "fake-outs" that may fool someone who is only familiar with interpreting adult x-rays, Dr. Melvin O. Senac Jr. said at a meeting...

Risk of neonatal herpes lowered by cesarean section, study confirms. (Shedding Increased Transmission Risk).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A new study has confirmed for the first time the efficacy of using cesarean delivery to reduce the rate of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection. The prospective study found that women experiencing asymptomatic shedding and those who...

The thimerosal fallout. (ID Consult).(hepatitis B vaccine )
March 1, 2003... With the advantage of 20/20 hindsight, the thimerosal imbroglio should serve as a lesson in how not to develop public policy. Negative fallout continues nearly 4 years after the release of the joint statement on thimerosal by the American...

Consider fungal etiology in chronic sinusitis. (Five Syndromes).
March 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- Consider the diagnosis of fungal sinusitis in patients with chronic sinusitis, especially if nasal polyps are present, Dr. Richard D. deShazo advised at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy Asthma, and...

Pneumococcal vaccine may prevent otitis media. (Block Streptococcus Pneumoniae).
March 1, 2003... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- Pneumococcus vaccination appears to be an effective means of preventing Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, one of the most problematic causes of odds media, Dr. Larry Pickering said at the annual Masters of Pediatrics...

Bronchodilators not indicated in bronchiolitis Tx. (Wheezing Children).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- Bronchodilators aren't warranted and don't have any real benefit in children with wheezing associated with bronchiolitis, Dr. Robert Welliver said at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the University...

Only acute cases of otitis media need antibiotics. (Middle Ear Effusion, Acute Illness Meet Dx).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- Antibiotics should be prescribed for otitis media only in acute cases, in general, Dr. Larry Pickering reminded colleagues at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the University of Miami. Cases of...

CRP not better for dx of occult bacterial infection. (C-Reactive Protein).(C-reactive protein)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The use of serum C-reactive protein to screen for occult bacterial infection in young children in place of traditional screening tests does not significantly improve diagnostic accuracy, reported Dr. Daniel J. Isaacman and Bonnie L. Burke of...

Interferon alfa-2b/Ribavirin Good for Chronic HCV. (Sustained Virologic Responses Seen).(hepatitis C)
March 1, 2003... BOSTON -- Interferon alfa-2b in combination with ribavirin was effective and safe in children with chronic hepatitis C, Dr. Regino Gonzalez-Peralta reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. ...

Live vaccines appear safe in DiGeorge syndrome patients. (Varicella, MMR Vaccine).
March 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- Patients with DiGeorge syndrome can be given live vaccines with relative safety, according to a retrospective study that looked at patients who had received varicella and MMR vaccination. For varicella vaccine, children...

Don't overtreat HPV in adolescents. (Most Cases Are Transient).(human papillomavirus infection)
March 1, 2003... New York -- There is no need to be overly aggressive with surgical or medical interventions for adolescent girls and young adults with cervical human papillomavirus infections, Dr. Liane Deligdisch said. Dr. Deligdisch, professor of...

CDC investigating community-acquired MRSA.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
March 1, 2003... Public awareness that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus can occur outside a hospital setting in patients with no risk factors was sparked in 1999 by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that four children in the Midwest...

Some Doctors unfamiliar with pertussis testing. (Pertussis Often Unrecongnized in Teens).
March 1, 2003... Some pediatricians are not familiar with the sampling procedure used to test for pertussis, a diagnosis that is frequently missed in older children and adolescents, said Dr. Suzanne Boulter, a pediatrician practicing in Concord, N.H. ...

Respiratory Syncytial Virus test. (Products).(Directigen EZ RSV test from BD Diagnostic Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Directigen EZ RSV test provides quick results for respiratory syncytial virus detection. Dried reagents are already applied to the testing strip, reducing the test to a two-step process that requires application of only one reagent. A...

Insulin Pen for children. (Products).(NovoPen Junior from Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The NovoPen Junior insulin delivery system is now available in the United States for children and adolescents who have diabetes. The pen, which comes in two colors to-help patients identify their different insulin types, uses 3-mL cartridges...

Blood Glucose Monitors. (Products).(BD Logic Blood Glucose Monitor and the BD Latitude Diabetes Management system from Becton, Dickinson, and Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The BD Logic Blood Glucose Monitor and the BD Latitude Diabetes Management system are now available. Both products use BD Ultra-Fine 33 lancets, require 0.3 [micro]L of blood, and record up to 250 blood glucose results and insulin doses. The...

Spray bandage. (Products).(Curad spray bandage from Beirersdorf Inc. )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Curad spray bandage is designed to cover cuts and scrapes on body parts where traditional adhesive bandages don't stick well, such as elbows, knees, and knuckles. The bandage sprays on, sealing the affected area from water, dirt, and bacteria...

New bandage adhesive. (Products).(Curad bandages from Beiersdorf Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Curad plastic, sheer, Sensitive, and flex-fabric bandages will feature a new adhesive starting in 2003. The adhesive is non-irritating and removes painlessly, leaving no sticky residue on the user. The bandages will also come in sealed,...

Blue's Clues Electrolyte. (Products).(ReVital Pediatric Oral Electrolyte)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... ReVital Pediatric Oral Electrolyte has teamed up with the children's show Blue's Clues to provide hydration to children suffering from diarrhea, vomiting, colds, and flu. Packaging now features the canine character from the Nickelodeon...

Adhesive tape pack. (Products).(Assorted Size Institutional Pack for Megazinc Pink from Omega Medical)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Assorted Size Institutional Pack for Megazinc Pink adhesive tape contains eight [1/2]-inch and eight i-inch rolls--the sizes most often used in clinical settings. Megazinc Pink is a latex-free, waterproof, zinc oxide--based adhesive tape...

Belt tightener for car seats. (Products).(Mighty-Tite from Sunshine Kids Juvenile Products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Mighty-Tite is a seat belt--tightening tool for use with child safety seats. The device reduces hazardous side-to-side and tipping movements and can be used in any vehicle with any child safety seat. The device retails for $19.99 and is...

Error message in red. (Letters from Maine).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... The pediatricians in our group work hard to keep our patients out of emergency rooms by using a combination of availability and parental education, but every now and then a child slips through the cracks. Such was the case when 10-month-old...

Pediatrics of school performance. (Guest Editorial).
March 1, 2003... His teacher alleges that Jeffrey is just plain lazy. The principal insists this boy could do well "if he would only apply himself," Despite being bright and skilled, this 12-year-old is accomplishing very little on a day-to-day basis. His...

Letters.(Soap and Telephones)(He's Got Cleanliness Nailed)(PPD Technique Questioned)(Unqualified Guidelines)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... Soap and Telephones PEDIATRIC NEWS consistently contains more practical information than any other source for pediatricians. I look for Dr. William G. Wilkoff's columns first. I call them the "Ben Franklin" articles because they have...

Correction and Clarification.(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2003... Regarding the article "Early Adolescence Is Time to Talk About STDs" (January 2003, p. 18), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2002 do not address the topic of metronidazole...

Look for stress, PTSD after medical procedures. (Other Physical Trauma, such as Accidents).(posttraumatic stress disorder risk in children)
March 1, 2003... BALTIMORE -- Physical trauma, whether from an accident or medical procedure, poses a significant risk for acute stress disorder and chronic posttraumatic stress disorder in children, according to findings presented by three speakers during the...

Sleep problems may negatively impact learning. (Sleep Efficiency Key).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Children with sleep problems may have problems with their schoolwork, said Maija-Rikka Steenare, B.M., of Helsinki (Finland) University Central Hospital and her colleagues. In a study of 60 healthy children aged 6-13 years, poor sleep...

Resolving mealtime problems in type 1 diabetics. (Behavioral Intervention an Option).(juvenile diabetes)
March 1, 2003... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Children with type 1 diabetes who display consistent mealtime behavior problems could benefit from behavioral intervention by a psychologist, Maggie Powers suggested at a juvenile diabetes meeting sponsored by the University...

Children labeled as 'picky eaters' do eat selectively. (Food Exposure).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Children whose parents report their picky eating do consume fewer foods and less variety of food, compared with nonpicky children, said Corinna Jacobi, Ph.D., of the University of Trier (Germany) and her associates. The concept of picky...

Citalopram safe, effective for major depressive disorder. (Results of Two Studies).
March 1, 2003... MONTREAL -- Citalopram may improve symptoms of major depressive disorder with minimal side effects in children and adolescents, according to two studies presented at the Congress of the Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum. ...

Remitted bipolar teens have math problems. (Unique to This Population).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Teenagers with remitted bipolar I disorder have unique problems with mathematics, compared with both healthy controls and teens with major depressive disorder, said Diane C. Lagace of Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., and her colleagues. ...

Dysfunctional voiding can be a behavioral issue. (Treatment Means Changing Behavior).
March 1, 2003... Primary care physicians often fail to recognize the symptoms of dysfunctional voiding in children, and when they do, they may not know the best ways to treat them, said Dr. Craig Peters, a pediatric urologist at Children's Hospital, Boston. ...

Consider anxiety in patients who have chest pain. (Rarely Correlates with Heart Problems).
March 1, 2003... AUSTIN, TEX. -- Children who present with chest pain rarely have cardiac problems and are more likely to have a diagnosable anxiety disorder, Dr. Joshua D. Lipsitz reported at the annual conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of...

Transition from pediatric to adult care can be difficult. (Juvenile-Onset Rheumatic Diseases).
March 1, 2003... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- When children with juvenile-onset rheumatic diseases reach adulthood, developmental and psychosocial issues can often compromise their care, Dr. Christy I. Sandborg said at a symposium sponsored by the American College...

No permanent developmental delays seen with ICSI children. (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection).
March 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Concerns about genetic and developmental abnormalities among children conceived through assisted reproductive technology continue, although they have not been borne out by two studies presented at the annual meeting of the American...

Oral glucose better than EMLA at pain reduction in newborns. (Venipuncture Pain).
March 1, 2003... Oral glucose is more effective than local anesthetic cream at reducing pain in newborns undergoing venipuncture, reported Maria Gradin, R.N., of Orebro (Sweden) University Hospital and her associates. In a randomized, controlled,...

Postneonatal death rate is higher if the mother is 15 years or younger. (Neglect and Abuse a Factor).
March 1, 2003... Healthy infants born to mothers aged 15 years and younger are three times as likely to die between the ages of 1 and 12 months, compared with infants born to mothers aged 23-29 years, reported Dr. Maureen Glennon Phipps and her colleagues at...

Allergens spark time-delayed asthmatic reaction. (3-Day Lag After Pollen Exposure).
March 1, 2003... The role of pollen in provoking asthma attacks may have both an immediate and time-delayed effect, according to a study of the relationship between asthma and outdoor allergens. In a separate study that looked inside school buildings, the...

Asthma controllers not used enough, relievers used too much. (Inadequate Asthma Control in 46%).
March 1, 2003... Children aren't using asthma controller medications enough, relying on relievers, said Dr. Paula Lozano of the University of Washington, Seattle, and her colleagues. In a multistate study in which 638 children with mild to moderate...

Survival rose in children with cystic fibrosis from 1985 to 1999. (Probably Due to Better Care).
March 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- Survival of patients with cystic fibrosis increased dramatically during the period 1985-1999 among children aged 2-16 years, based on a review of more than 31,000 patients. Although improved survival among patients with cystic...

Cytopathology differentiates melanoma, Spitz nevus. (In Children Under 10 Years).
March 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Melanoma in prepubescent children must be diagnosed by morphologic findings that are both consistent with and distinctively different from those of Spitz nevi, Dr. A. Bernard Ackerman said at the American Academy of Dermatology's...

Klippel-Trenaunay geographic stain link to lymphatic diseases. (Retrospective Study).
March 1, 2003... ANNAPOLIS, MD. -- Well-defined geographic capillary stains in Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome have a high likelihood of occurring in conjunction with lymphatic diseases and are associated with more complications, Dr. Catherine Maari and her...

Singulair. (New and Approved).
March 1, 2003... (montelukast, Merck & Co. Inc.) The Food and Drug Administration approved a new indication for the leukotriene blocker Singulair (montelukast sodium) for the relief of symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis. The agent is...

Lamictal. (New and Approved).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... (lamotrigine, GlaxoSmithKline) The FDA expanded the indications for Lamictal (lamotrigine) tablets to include add-on therapy for partial seizures in children aged 2 years and older. Lamotrigine is already indicated as adjunctive therapy for...

Insulin sensitivity test may spot diabetes early. (Predicting Risk While Most Preventable).
March 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Insulin sensitivity could have prognostic, diagnostic, and management implications in routine practice. Physicians could identify those children at highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes at a time when it may be...

Diabetic ketoacidosis prevention starts early. (Cerebral Edema).
March 1, 2003... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- The best way to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis and cerebral edema in children is to establish early diagnosis of diabetes and to be aware of possible risk factors for such acute complications, Dr. H. Peter Chase said at a...

Metabolic syndrome begins in children as young as 2 years. (High Fasting Insulin).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Elements of the metabolic syndrome are present in nascent form even in healthy 2-year-olds, Dr. Steven Shea said at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart Association. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance appear...

Coding applications: STAT E&M coder. (Digital Assistance).
March 1, 2003... Overview: STAT E&M Coder is a Palm OS handheld computer application that assists health care providers in the enumeration of clinical encounter elements to determine appropriate evaluation and management (E/M) codes. Practitioners of any...

Head, legs take a beating in soccer games. (At Practice, Girls at Higher Risk).
March 1, 2003... ST. Louis -- Two-thirds of soccer injuries in a 3-year study of 11,500 youths involved the ankle, knee, head and face, lower leg, and foot, Dr. Donald T. Kirkendall reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American College...

Topiramate effective as monotherapy for epilepsy. (Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... SEATTLE -- Topiramate was effective when used as monotherapy in newly diagnosed epilepsy in a study of 470 patients, Dr. Santiago Arroyo said at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society. Among patients treated with 400 mg/day of...

Early treatment best for skull abnormalities. (Rule Out Craniosynostosis First).
March 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- When faced with a case of abnormal head development, the most important thing is to rule out craniosynostosis, the deformity that results from premature closure of one or more cranial sutures. Compensatory enlargement of...

Teacher's presence improves students' nutrition. (Adult Interaction, Peer Influence).
March 1, 2003... Young children who ate lunch together in a quiet classroom setting with their teacher consumed significantly more nutritious food and milk than their peers who ate lunch in the school cafeteria, said nutritionist Kristi Houser. Those who...

High-dose GH tied to earlier puberty onset. (Offsets Gains in Height).(growth hormone)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... High-dose growth hormone treatment triggers rapid bone maturation and early onset of puberty in prepubescent children with idiopathic short stature, compared with controls, reported Dr. G.A. Kamp of Leiden (the Netherlands) University Medical...

Improper piercing may trigger nickel allergy. (Nickel for Your Thoughts).
March 1, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- An "astounding" increase in the prevalence of nickel allergy between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s appears to correlate with the explosion in popularity of body piercing, according to Dr. David E. Cohen, who is the president-elect of...

Greater use of allergy shots recommended. (Prevent Allergic Asthma).
March 1, 2003... Allergen immunotherapy should be considered for children with moderate to severe allergies in order to prevent allergic asthma, according to new guidelines published by the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters. This task force was a...

Twelve drugs picked for imminent pediatric study. (Studies Starting This Year).(Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act)
March 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Lorazepam, spironolactone, and baclofen are among the drugs that are slated to be tested in children this year, as part of the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act. These and nine other drugs already on the market have been...

Suicide top cause of premature death in doctors. (Overwork, Stress, and Access to Drugs).
March 1, 2003... HENDERSON, NEV. -- Suicide ranks as the leading cause of premature death among physicians, Dr. Peter Mansky said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. "Physicians probably start out with better, health than...

Take steps to prevent pediatric medication errors. (Use Care with Calculations).
March 1, 2003... A few extra steps can help prevent medication errors involving children, the U.S. Pharmacopeia said in a list of recommendations for preparing and administering pediatric medications. Pediatric medication errors often involve misplaced...

New medical school will train physician-investigators. (New Model to Help Mitigate Shortage).
March 1, 2003... Are you an accomplished, enthusiastic physician-investigator who can inspire medical students to chase their dream of advancing biomedical research and clinical practice? If so, you might fit the bill to be a guest lecturer for students on...

Tool assesses motor control in cerebral palsy. (Major Advance).(Gross Motor Function Measure)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... New motor development curves provide a better means of assessing the gross motor development of children with different levels of cerebral palsy severity. "We expect that the findings will help parents understand the outlook for their...