Pediatric News articles from May 2006

Pediatric News archives from May 2006

Hospitalist puts a face on inpatient services.(News)
May 1, 2006... Pediatrician Brian Hartinger says he felt a calling to provide acute care for children but not to work in the emergency department. Instead, he became a pediatric hospitalist. And that makes him part of a growing trend, according to new...

Vital signs.
May 1, 2006... VITAL SIGNS Top 10 Drugs Prescribed by Pediatricians in 2005 Singulair 4,556 Zithromax suspension 3,937 Omnicef 2,923 Concerta 2,904 Adderall XR 2,556 Zyrtec Syrup ...

FDA approval for new patch extends ADHD therapy use: transdermal methylphenidate gets the nod.(News)(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder )
May 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration's approval of a transdermal methylphenidate patch for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children could broaden use of the drug for patients who need it. "Some patients may have...

For a minority, therapy is linked to autism recovery.(News)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 1, 2006... Baltimore -- Growing evidence suggests that a small minority of children with autistic spectrum disorder can recover from the condition to near-normal levels with only mild residual deficits, Deborah Fein, Ph.D., said at a meeting on...

Early insulin Tx, inpatient education help teens with type 2 diabetes.(News)
May 1, 2006... Boston -- The use of insulin early in the management of adolescent type 2 diabetes mellitus may provide substantially improved glycemic control compared with the use of oral hypoglycemic agents alone, Dr. Aneesh K. Tosh said at the annual...

Contact solution pulled in wake of Fusarium cases.(News)
May 1, 2006... Federal, state, and local health officials are investigating at least 109 cases of Fusarium keratitis in which the use of a contact lens solution may have played a role. Bausch & Lomb, which had stopped shipment of the product, ReNu with...

Adenotonsillectomy linked to reduction in ADHD symptoms.(News)(attention deficit hyperactivity disorde)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... Half of all children undergoing adenotonsillectomy who were found to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder before the surgery no longer met the diagnostic criteria a year later, according to a prospective, controlled study. The...

ACIP working group backs two-dose varicella policy.(News)(Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices')
May 1, 2006... Available data support the move to a routine two-dose varicella vaccination policy, according to members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' varicella working group. The working group recommended a shift to a two-dose...

CDC survey: one in three U.S. girls sexually active by age 15.(News)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... Boston -- By age 15, more than a third of American girls say they are sexually active, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey, About 26% have had oral sex, 26% have had vaginal intercourse, and another 8% have had oral...

ID consult: put mumps back in the differential Dx.(Infectious Diseases)(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 1, 2006... You may actually see cases of mumps in the coming year. It's time to get reacquainted with what it looks like, what the complications are, and what the control measures are. As of the first week of May, a mumps outbreak that began in...

Three more Guillain-Barre cases associated with menactra.(Infectious Diseases)
May 1, 2006... Three additional cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome related to the Menactra MCV4 meningococcal conjugate vaccine have been reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta. Even with these additional cases, the...

PCV7 herd immunity covers unvaccinated infants.(Infectious Diseases)(pneumococcal conjugate vaccine )(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 1, 2006... The rate of invasive pneumococcal disease among U.S. infants younger than 2 months has declined by 43% since the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the United States, even though these children are too young to have received...

Pneumococcal vaccine stops hMPV infection.(Infectious Diseases)(human metapneumovirus-associated infections )(Brief article)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... Children vaccinated with three doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine had a reduced rate of human metapneumovirus-associated infections of the lower respiratory tract, as well as a lower rate of clinical pneumonia than children given placebo,...

MRSA in Nurseries Blamed on Bad Hand Hygiene.(Infectious Diseases)(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
May 1, 2006... Outbreaks of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among healthy, term newborns in Chicago and Los Angeles County hospitals probably originated in the newborn nursery and illustrate the critical importance of...

New swimmer's ear guidelines call for use of antimicrobial drops, pain Tx first.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 1, 2006... The American Academy of Otolaryngology's first-ever guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute otitis externa--commonly known as swimmer's ear--include a recommendation to treat pain and to use antimicrobial drops, rather than oral...

Erythromycin resistance in S. pyogenes.(Clinical Capsules)(Streptococcus pyogenes )(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... Macrolide prescriptions within 1 year of throat culture were significant predictors of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes in a study of 1,225 children, reported Dr. Carlo Gagliotti of the Agenzia Sanitaria Regionale Emilia-Romagna in...

Multiple vaccines pose minimal risk.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine can be given concomitantly with other childhood vaccines, reported Dr. Henry Shinefield of the University of California, San Francisco, and his colleagues. The researchers conducted an...

Molecular diagnosis in empyema.(Clinical Capsules)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... Molecular diagnosis improved detection of bacteria in 28% of children with pleural empyema and in 43% of those with empyema resulting from Streptococcus pneumoniae, reported Dr. Alban Le Monnier of the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris,...

Keeping up in a grand manner.(Letters From Maine)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... While in the past I have criticized the American Board of Pediatrics for adopting a proctored, closed-book exam format, I remain deeply appreciative of the board's decision to "grandfather" me and excuse me from the burden of recertification....

Make reflective practice a habit.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... We agree with Dr. William G. Wilkoff that reflection is a "cornerstone... of medical education" ("Reflecting on Education," Letters from Maine, February 2006, p. 25). While the concept of reflective practice has been a central tenet of...

'Pay as you go' for vaccines.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Dr. Ann Francis hit the nail on the head ("Immunization Access," Guest Editorial, February 2006, p. 30). As pediatricians, we should not be in the position to ensure the survival of drug companies, nor to underwrite the availability of...

Using credit cards for medical care.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Dr. Joseph S. Eastern's account of using credit cards in medical practices is most intriguing ("How to Slash Accounts Receivable," Guest Editorial, March 2006, p. 23). We have flirted with the idea and found resistance, but I suspect it is...

New dads get depressed soon after baby's birth.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
May 1, 2006... San Francisco -- Mothers aren't the only ones who suffer from postpartum depression, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. James F. Paulson, Ph.D., found that almost as many dads as...

Escitalopram for depression in teens only.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... Escitalopram failed to significantly improve the symptoms of depression in children aged 6-11 years, but it did appear to improve symptoms in children aged 12-17 years, wrote Dr. Karen Dineen Wagner of the University of Texas, Galveston, and...

Conduct disorder traits are seriously antisocial.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
May 1, 2006... Albuquerque -- Conduct disorders represent a complex family of conditions, and effective treatment requires careful assessment of contributing variables and comorbid conditions, Dr. David J. Mullen reported at a psychiatric symposium sponsored...

Autism 'epidemic' discounted; Dx shift cited.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
May 1, 2006... Claims of an autism "epidemic" are not backed up by the data, which show evidence that diagnostic substitution accounts for reported increases in the disorder and that even those increases are still short of epidemiologic estimates, according...

Epileptic encephalopathy: regression is selective.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
May 1, 2006... Baltimore -- Childhood regression may be related to epileptic encephalopathy only among children with language regression alone, rather than among those with autistic regression, Dr. John F. Mantovani said at a meeting on developmental...

Sparse evidence guides adolescent bipolar depression Tx.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... New York -- Because of the current lack of data and consensus on the treatment of bipolar depression in children and adolescents, pharmacotherapeutic options need to be discussed with family members on a case-by-case basis, Dr. Gabrielle A....

Of risks and benefits, bicycles and Ritalin.(Behavioral Consult)
May 1, 2006... Practically from a baby's first breath, parents wrestle with balancing risks and benefits as they guide a helpless infant into becoming a healthy, happy, self-assured adult. When their toddler rises to full height and extends a tentative...

Eating disorders doubly likely in diabetic teens.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
May 1, 2006... Montreal -- Eating disorders occur twice as often in adolescent girls and young women with type i diabetes mellitus, compared with their nondiabetic peers, and prepubertal diabetic girls should be screened routinely for these disorders, experts...

Three-pronged method helps behavioral insomnia: focus on the sleep schedule, a bedtime routine, and a checking routine to conquer behavioral insomnia.
May 1, 2006... Rancho Mirage, Calif. -- Children who have behavioral insomnia benefit from a focus on their sleep schedule, on their bedtime routine, and on a checking routine, Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D., said at a conference on sleep disorders in infancy and...

Sleep abnormalities underestimated in young down patients.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2006... Young children with Down syndrome should be routinely evaluated for sleep abnormalities, regardless of whether their parents perceive any problems, according to Dr. Sally R. Shott of the Cincinnati Center for Developmental Disabilities, and her...

Stimulants for ADHD equal; Tx by gender is not.(Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
May 1, 2006... Treatment with either of the two commonly prescribed stimulants was effective in a long-term retrospective study of children with ADHD in one small U.S. city, despite side effects and disparities in the treatment of male and female patients....

Children in trials unharmed by dental amalgam.
May 1, 2006... Two separate pediatric clinical trials have detected no neurobehavioral, cognitive, or renal adverse effects from exposure to the mercury in amalgam used to fill dental caries. Both research groups examined whether dental amalgam--which...

Cough syrup can promote dental caries.
May 1, 2006... Cough syrup or other liquid medicines taken at bedtime can promote cavities in children's teeth. Many cough syrups are highly acidic with low pH levels. This acid, combined with the sugar in the cough syrup, can cause erosion in teeth,...

Pre-tacrolimus topical steroid benefit affirmed.
May 1, 2006... Koloa, Hawaii -- The popular offlabel practice of prescribing a few days of topical steroids prior to starting tacrolimus for atopic dermatitis is beneficial--but mainly in pediatric patients, not adults, according to the findings of a large...

Alcohol-free foam good for atopic dermatitis.
May 1, 2006... Koloa, Hawaii -- Desonide 0.05% foam is a new investigational alcohol-free formulation of a low-potency topical steroid that overcomes what Dr. Sheila Fallon Friedlander calls "the Yikes! factor" in treating pediatric atopic dermatitis. ...

Emotional toll of atopic dermatitis highlighted.
May 1, 2006... Koloa, Hawaii -- Atopic dermatitis exerts enormous and underappreciated adverse impacts on personality development, psychological functioning, and family relationships, Dr. Sarah L. Chamlin said at the annual Hawaii dermatology seminar...

Ten derm diagnoses pediatricians should make.
May 1, 2006... Scottsdale, Ariz. -- Dr. Lawrence A. Schachner challenged physicians with a rundown of "10 cutaneous diagnoses that the pediatrician should make but usually doesn't" at a pediatric update sponsored by Phoenix Children's Hospital. Not all...

Relenza, flovent HFA inhalation aerosol.(New & Approved)
May 1, 2006... Relenza (zanamivir for inhalation, GlaxoSmithKline) The Food and Drug Administration approved a new indication for Relenza (zanamivir for inhalation) for prevention of influenza in adults and children aged 5 years and older. *...

Birthmarks said to be associated with cancer risk.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Washington -- No particular type of birthmark occurred more frequently among children with cancer, but the risk of any type of cancer increased if birthmarks were present, Kimberly J. Johnson reported in a poster presented at the annual meeting...

Nonpesticide safe, effective for killing head lice.
May 1, 2006... San Francisco -- Suffocating head lice with a benzyl alcohol product appears to be a safe and effective alternative to current therapies, industry-sponsored studies suggest. Unlike many other lice therapies, the "lice asphyxiator" product...

Immediate contraception ups continuance rates.
May 1, 2006... Boston -- The immediate initiation of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate to adolescent and young adult women seeking the contraceptive injection resulted in higher continuation rates and substantially diminished unintended pregnancy rates at 6...

Wal-Mart selling plan B emergency contraceptive.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Wal-Mart began carrying Plan B emergency contraception at all of its U.S. pharmacies in March. The retailer was already required to sell emergency contraception at pharmacies in Illinois and most recently in Massachusetts. The company could not...

Plan B: altered bleeding patterns appear transient.
May 1, 2006... Boston -- A single dose of Plan B (levonorgestrel) alters the timing and duration of the menstrual period that immediately follows emergency contraception, according to a new study. Taken early in the cycle, it causes the menstrual period to...

Improved imaging tracks congenital heart disease: new tools allow physicians to image the heart and other structures in small pediatric patients.
May 1, 2006... Scottsdale, Ariz. -- With many more infants surviving congenital heart disease, pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists have a new challenge, Dr. Alan H. Friedman told physicians at a pediatric update sponsored by Phoenix Children's Hospital....

Study: amblyopia doesn't affect health or social outcomes.
May 1, 2006... People who have amblyopia don't fare any worse than those with normal vision in both eyes when it comes to health, mental health, educational, occupational, or social outcomes, according to Dr. J. S. Rahi and associates at the Institute of...

Surge in outpatient surgery requires primary care.
May 1, 2006... Bal Harbour, Fla. -- "Increasingly, most surgery on children is done on an outpatient basis, and if there is a problem the family is going to call the doctor that they know best: the pediatrician or family physician," Dr. Myron Yaster said at...

Overweight kids increase health care firms' costs.
May 1, 2006... San Francisco -- Overweight children have more sick and mental health visits and fewer well-child visits than healthy-weight kids do--a finding that translates into increased costs and less access to preventive counseling, Susan Shetterly said...

Mass. to add a recovery high school.
May 1, 2006... This fall, the first high school designed to meet the needs of Massachusetts students recovering from addiction will open its doors in Beverly, said Lt. Gov. Kerry Healy. Such schools provide "an opportunity for kids to continue their education...

Bill Junks junk food in schools.(Bipartisan Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Legislation wending its way through Congress aims to keep junk foods out of U.S. schools. "The bipartisan Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act would update decades-old federal nutrition standards for snack foods sold in...

Teen lawn mower injuries rev up.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Youth aged 15-19 years had the highest rate of hospitalizations from lawn mower injuries, and injuries to those under age 15 years increased substantially from 1996 through 2003, according to a study pubfished in the Annals of Emergency...

Children's health study funding cut.
May 1, 2006... A national study on children's health that would return "significant value to the taxpayers" has been slashed from the Bush administration's budget proposal for the National Institutes of Health, according to Rep. Doris O. Matsui (D-Calif.)....

PDA dose calculator slashes NICU drug errors.(Neonatal intensive care unit)
May 1, 2006... Old Greenwich, Conn. -- A PDA-based drug dose calculator system brought about a marked reduction in medication errors at a university's neonatal intensive care unit, Dr. M. Kabir Abubakar reported a meeting of the Eastern Society for Pediatric...

Certified electronic health record products due soon.
May 1, 2006... Philadelphia -- Physicians purchasing an electronic health record will be able to consult a list of certified products as early as this summer, according to Dr. Mark Leavitt, chair of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information...

Liability, malpractice costs eat 10% of premiums.
May 1, 2006... Washington -- The costs of malpractice insurance and defensive medicine account for about 10 cents of every dollar spent on health care premiums, several speakers said at a press briefing sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans. ...

Two heavy smokers and how they quit.
May 1, 2006... The day Dr. Robert L. Kistner turned his back on cigarette smoking was Jan. 1, 1982, a behavior he began as a 14-year-old growing up in St. Louis. "I smoked through high school, college, and through medical school and the Air Force," said Dr....

Nightmares on scheduling street, Part 1.
May 1, 2006... One of the true joys of a pediatric practice is trying to accommodate patients--or in actuality, parents. This column is the first in a series about the problems of maintaining a schedule while also accommodating your patients. Ask the...