Pediatric News articles from March 2006

Pediatric News archives from March 2006

ACIP advocates flu vaccine for ages 2-5.(News)
March 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- All children aged 2-5 years should be immunized annually against influenza, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended unanimously at its winter meeting. The new...

Black Box initiative for ADHD drugs stirs controversy: panel proposes, official opposes warning.(News)
March 1, 2006... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The best way to inform physicians and the public about potential cardiovascular risks of drugs used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is to conduct a trial rather than add a black box warning to the labels...

New dietary guide features cardiovascular health.(News)
March 1, 2006... New dietary recommendations from the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics mark the organizations' first substantial revision of pediatric nutritional guidelines in 24 years, according to Dr. Samuel S. Gidding, chair...

New product for postexposure varicella.(News)
March 1, 2006... The dwindling U.S. supply of varicella-zoster immune globulin has been replenished with a new unlicensed product made available under a Food and Drug Administration investigational new drug application, according to the Centers for Disease...

ACIP wants health care workers to get new Tdap vaccine.(News)(Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices)(tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine)
March 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Health care workers in hospitals or ambulatory care settings and those who have direct patient contact should receive the adolescent/adult formulation of the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine, the Advisory Committee on...

New rotavirus vaccine recommended by ACIP.(News)(Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices)
March 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Rotavirus immunization may be back. At a meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the committee voted to recommend that all infants receive Merck & Co.'s...

Hybrid diabetes 'type 1.5' is rising phenomenon in children.(News)
March 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- The rise in the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes among children is calling attention to certain differences in disease characteristics between children and adults, Dr. Francine Ratner Kaufman reported at the Third World Congress on...

Data show MRSA colonization is not common.(News)(methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Nearly a third of the United States population aged 1 year and older are colonized with Staphylococcus aureus, but only about 1% are colonized with methicillin-resistant S. aureus, according to prevalence estimates from the National Health and...

British agency cites new risks with atomoxetine.(News)
March 1, 2006... British physicians are being warned by their country's medical authorities about new risks associated with atomoxetine in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The new risks of seizures and abnormal heart rhythm (QT...

Infant formula recalled due to metal particles.(News)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Mead Johnson & Co. has recalled 41,464 24-oz. cans of Gentlease powdered infant formula because samples from this batch were found to contain metal particles up to 2.7 mm in size Such particles could present a serious risk to an infant's...

Alternate acetaminophen, Ibuprofen to treat fever.(Infectious Diseases)
March 1, 2006... A child's fever can be reduced more quickly and safely by alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen instead of administering either agent alone, according to Dr. E. Michael Sarrell and his colleagues at Tel Aviv University in Israel. About...

Oral cefdinir found safe for penicillin-allergic patients.(Infectious Diseases)
March 1, 2006... KAPALUA, HAWAII -- Oral cefdinir is safe for the treatment of skin and soft-tissue infections in people who are allergic to penicillin, Dr. James Q. Del Rosso said in a poster presentation at the Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference, Hawaii....

RSV diagnosis not based on rapid or viral tests: depend on history and exam to diagnose a disease that peaks in midwinter and early spring.(Infectious Diseases)
March 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- Respiratory syncytial virus infection is a clinical diagnosis based on patient history, physical exam, and the season of the year, Dr. Veda L. Ackerman said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and its...

ProQuad may be second-dose MMR, MMRV.(Infectious Diseases)
March 1, 2006... A combination MMR-varicella vaccine can be substituted for the second dose of the MMR vaccine or for the second doses of coadministered MMR and varicella vaccines in children aged 4-6 years, reported Dr. Keith S. Reisinger of Primary Physicians...

Teethers recalled for bacterial contamination.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The First Years has recalled six liquid-filled teethers for infants age 3 months and older due to possible bacterial contamination. The liquid inside the teethers may contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida, which can cause...

Rotavirus vaccine offers many benefits.(ID Consult)
March 1, 2006... We now have one--and will probably soon have a second--new and improved rotavirus vaccine, with which we will be able to prevent much of the winter-spring infant gastroenteritis misery. Further, a lower economic burden will result from fewer...

S. aureus tops list of pediatric pathogens in North America.(Infectious Diseases)
March 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen isolated from pediatric patients in North America in 2004, according to data from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program presented as a poster at the annual Interscience...

Microdebrider tonsillectomy bests electrocautery.(Infectious Diseases)
March 1, 2006... Intracapsular tonsillectomy performed with a microdebrider results in less pain and quicker recovery than does tonsillectomy involving electrocautery, Dr. Craig S. Derkay said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head...

Avian flu pretest yields results in hours, not days.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... A rapid test to detect human infection with avian influenza provides preliminary results in just 4 hours instead of the standard 2-3 days, according to officials with the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and...

Flu pneumonia rare, mild in children.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Pneumonia was found in 14% of 936 children aged younger than 16 years with influenza, reported Dr. Elina Lahti of Turku (Finland) University Hospital and her colleagues. Nearly half (47%) of the children with both illnesses showed no specific...

Climate change shortens RSV season.(Clinical Capsules)(respiratory syncytial virus)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Global warming could be curtailing the respiratory syncytial virus season in England and Wales, according to a study by Dr. Gavin C. Donaldson of University College London. The seasons associated with both respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)...

Strep changes cut rheumatic fever.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Nonrheumatogenic types of group A streptococcus may be replacing rheumatogenic types in cases of acute streptococcal pharyngitis in children, said Dr. Stanford T. Shulman of Northwestern University and his colleagues. This change could be...

How to slash accounts receivable.(Guest Editorial)
March 1, 2006... Quick, what's the largest asset on your balance sheet? Almost certainly it's accounts receivable. Many physicians fail to appreciate that aggressive management of accounts receivable is key to any practice's financial success. Collecting...

Calcineurin inhibitors and black boxes.(Guest Editorial)
March 1, 2006... When the Food and Drug Administration posted a Public Health Advisory in March 2005 and then added a black box warning and medication guide to the labeling Jan. 19, 2006, to "inform health care providers and patients about a potential cancer...

Pain by the numbers.(Letters From Maine)(Column)
March 1, 2006... When the view from your living room includes hundreds of lobster trap buoys, out-of-town visitors expect to be served lobster for dinner. It often comes as an unnerving surprise to our guests, though, when they hear the clattering death throes...

Answering the call 24/7.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... For most of the 25 years since I came to this small community, I have been the only permanent fixture as far as pediatrics is concerned, and the only answering service we have is the hospital operator ("Answering Service vs. Machine," Efficient...

Is RDA for toddlers too high?(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... Jennifer Orlet Fisher, Ph.D., is quoted as saying: "On average, a 2-year-old's intake is 1,249 calories, which is 32% higher than the estimated daily requirement" ("Promote Prevention to Parents With Chubby Toddlers," January 2006, p. 30)....

Task Force won't push speech-delay screenings.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
March 1, 2006... The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force was unable to determine whether using brief, formal screenings to identify delays in speech and language development in children 5 years and younger was more beneficial or more harmful than no screening,...

Body discontent during puberty worse in whites.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Pubertal changes were more likely to trigger body dissatisfaction in white girls than in African American girls in a study of 331 girls, reported Tiffany Floyd, Ph.D., in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association...

Bipolar disorder remains a conundrum.(Behavioral Consult)(bipolar disorder in children)
March 1, 2006... When I was in training during the 1970s, we did not diagnose bipolar disorder in children. We rarely diagnosed depression in prepubertal children, although we eventually learned that depression is common in the pediatric population. Even today,...

Many depressed children responded well to fluoxetine.(Behavioral Consult)
March 1, 2006... TORONTO -- More than 65% of depressed children and adolescents taking fluoxetine went into remission by 12 weeks, and remission was more likely among those who responded quickly to the medication and those who had a family history of...

Methylphenidate is linked to increases in cell abnormalities.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
March 1, 2006... Methylphenidate is associated with significant increases in cell abnormalities when given to children at therapeutic levels, reported Dr. Randa E1Zein of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and colleagues. Data from 12...

Keep eye on slow growth during stimulant therapy.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
March 1, 2006... New York -- Significant growth slowdown during treatment with stimulants may occur in a small subset of children who require closer monitoring and referral, Dr. Harold E. Carlson said at a psychopharmacology update sponsored by the American...

Modafinil offers new ADHD option.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder )
March 1, 2006... Modafinil film-coated tablets significantly improved the clinical symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents aged 6-17 years, according to a new study by Dr. Joseph Biederman of Massachusetts General...

Helping parents manage the misbehaving child.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
March 1, 2006... Bal Harbour, Fla. -- "Parents need to understand that we can't solve all the problems of the world in one office visit, but we can provide take-home strategies for the management of behavior problems," Dr. Lewis R. First said at the annual...

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prove tough to diagnose.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
March 1, 2006... San Diego -- Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders receive a wide variety of psychiatric diagnoses and medications, Dr. Julia Murray reported in a poster presentation at the American Psychiatric Association's Institute on Psychiatric...

School nurses disdain recurrent abdominal pain.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... Salt Lake City -- When you diagnose recurrent abdominal pain in a child, do the child a favor and send a letter to the school nurse, Dr. Nader N. Youssef said at the annual meeting of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology,...

Aerospan, Clarinex-D.(New & Approved)
March 1, 2006... Aerospan (flunisolide HFA, 80-mcg inhalation aerosol, Forest Laboratories Inc.) The Food and Drug Administration approved Aerospan (flunisolide HFA, 80 mcg) inhalation aerosol for the maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic...

Data watch.(Clinical Rounds)(Statistical data)
March 1, 2006... Contraceptive Methods Used by Young Women Age 15-19 Years Pill 52.8% Condom 27% 3-Month 13.9% Injectable Other 6.3% Age 20-24 Years Pill 52.3% Condom ...

Pediatric data support inhaled corticosteroid.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... Asthma control in children with mild to moderate disease improved consistently and significantly more with an inhaled corticosteroid than with a leukotriene receptor antagonist in a recent multi center crossover trial. The findings provide...

Adenotonsillectomy found likely to be effective in pediatric apnea.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... Los Angeles -- Adenotonsillectomy is an effective treatment for pediatric sleep disorders, according to the results of a metaanalysis presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery Foundation. ...

Asthmatics' lung function impaired long after exposure to cat allergen.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... Chicago -- For the first time, researchers have shown that lung function remains impaired in people with asthma for up to 22 hours after exposure to cat allergens, even after outward symptoms have abated. High-resolution computed tomography...

SIDS strikes preemies at later age, higher rate: infants small for gestational age were 1.7 times more likely than those of appropriate size to die.(Clinical Rounds)(sudden infant death syndrome )
March 1, 2006... Preterm babies die of sudden infant death syndrome at a later age than do term infants, reported Dr. Donna R. Halloran and Dr. Greg R. Alexander of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In light of this finding, physicians should extend...

Gene variant linked to SIDS in African Americans.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... A variation in the SCN5A Y1103 allele appears to put African American infants at risk for SIDS, reported Leigh D. Plant, Ph.D., of the University of Chicago and associates. In an editorial comment accompanying the research report, Dr....

Subsequent infants are at risk after first SIDS.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... Women who have had a baby who died from SIDS are more likely to have preterm birth or intrauterine growth restriction in their next pregnancy than are other women, reported Dr. Gordon C.S. Smith of the University of Cambridge (England) and his...

CHr testing urged for iron deficiency.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... Las Vegas -- Measuring the concentration of hemoglobin in reticulocytes is a promising way to diagnose iron deficiency in children, Dr. James Stockman III said at a meeting co-sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Academy's...

No recommendation yet to cool babies' injured brains.(Clinical Rounds)
March 1, 2006... Kailua Kona, Hawaii -- There are still too many questions to be settled before hypothermia can be recommended as a neuroprotective treatment for term infants with encephalopathy, Dr. Jeffrey M. Perlman said at a conference on obstetrics,...

Brochure helps select car seat.(FYI)
March 1, 2006... "The Perfect Gift: Your Child's Safety" is a free brochure that describes how to choose car seats and provides instructions for using them correctly. The brochure, which is available in English and Spanish, can be obtained by visiting www.car...

Free asthma screenings set in May.(FYI)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology is once again offering free asthma screenings at more than 300 locations nationwide during May for adults and children who are experiencing breathing problems. The annual program is...

Smoking cessation Web site.(FYI)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Smokefree.gov offers information about quitting smoking and suggestions on preparing to quit, actually quitting, and staying quit. The site also includes links to Websites and government reports for health professionals as well as to clinical...

Online tool teaches sun safety.(FYI)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The GatorSHADE program, which teaches children about skin cancer and sun safety, is now available online. The program was developed by University of Florida faculty members and features interactive games and learning tools. For more...

Epocrates offers online formulary.(FYI)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Physicians can now access an online version of the Epocrates Rx mobile drug and formulary guide. The online guide provides, at no charge, information on more than 3,300 drugs, including dosing, pricing, potential drug interactions, and Medicare...

Meningitis vaccine resource.(FYI)
March 1, 2006... The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has launched a resource program to help health care providers implement new meningococcal vaccine recommendations for preteens and adolescents. The "S.T.O.P. Meningitis" toolkit contains...

Managing chronic conditions in a 'medical home': '[it's] not simply a program within a primary care practice ... for children with special health needs.'.(Practice Trends)
March 1, 2006... A "medical home" for children means primary care as a combination of the place where care is provided, the process of care in that place, and the team of people delivering the care. A medical home is not only about improving health and...

ABP president reviews pediatric subspecialty career trends.(Practice Trends)
March 1, 2006... LAS VEGAS -- A medical student approaches you for some advice. She is seeking a career choice in pediatrics and has been thinking about becoming a pediatric gastroenterologist, but she's heard rumors that interest in training in the pediatric...

Teachable moments with the patient's parents.(Practice Trends)
March 1, 2006... SAN DIEGO -- The physical exam and the behavior of both child and parent during an office visit provide good opportunities for pediatricians to teach parents about child development and to help them improve their child-rearing skills, Dr. Barry...

Asthma patients' caregivers crave info.(Practice Trends)
March 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Caregivers of inner-city children with asthma want better information about managing the side effects of asthma medications and practical ways to reduce asthma triggers, Beverley Russell, Ph.D., said at a meeting sponsored by the...

2007 budget: mostly cuts for kids.(Policy & Practice)(Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program budget cuts)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... More cuts are slated for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program under the president's fiscal year 2007 budget request. In an effort to reduce the deficit, the administration has proposed changes that would result in $13.5...

Suit alleges junk-food brainwashing.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Consumer groups and parents are suing Nickelodeon and Kellogg Co. in an attempt to stop the companies from marketing junk food to children. The announcement follows an Institute of Medicine report which found that food advertising aimed at...

Neighborhood weight watch?(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... It pays to know your neighbors: A recent study published in the journal, Social Science & Medicine found that children who grew up in close-knit neighborhoods were less likely to be obese. Researchers surveyed 807 adolescents in 684 households...

Steroid abuse prevention award.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Oregon Health and Science University in Portland is the recipient of the first annual $1 million SI Champion Award from Sports Illustrated magazine for its work on preventing steroid abuse by high school athletes. "Based on the Center for...

Depression prevails in teens.(Policy & Practice)
March 1, 2006... Earlier interventions are needed to address childhood onset of mental health disorders, Missy Fleming, Ph.D., program director for child and adolescent health for the American Medical Association, said at a meeting of the National Institute for...

Cultural competency can improve perinatal care.(Practice Trends)
March 1, 2006... Stanford, Calif. -- The young woman who arrived in labor was accompanied by a large and loud crowd of extended family members who spoke little English. With each contraction, the family yelled louder, Marylouise Martin recalled. Instead of...

Tips for securing your financial future.(The Rest of Your Life)
March 1, 2006... For as long as he can remember, Dr. Robert M. Doroghazi has been prudent with money. "It was difficult to come by," said Dr. Doroghazi, who was raised in Granite City, Ill., as the son of a steelworker. At age 8, he began to earn an...

The business case for electronic health records.(Practice Trends)
March 1, 2006... Washington -- Electronic health records make good business sense for physicians, even those in small- and medium-sized medical groups, Stefanos Zenios, Ph.D., said at a health care congress sponsored by the Wall Street Journal and CNBC. ...

Dividing the salary pie.(Efficient Pediatrician Practices)
March 1, 2006... I appreciate the readers who have written to Pediatric News suggesting topics to cover in practice management. One of those is salary determination for partners in a practice. So, let me roll up my sleeves and dive into that subject. ...