Pediatric News articles from November 2008

Pediatric News archives from November 2008

RotaTeq data show disease, costs cut.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- Data from 11 sentinel hospitals in New York indicate that among children aged 1 month to 3 years, there was a 56% reduction in hospital admissions for diarrhea, and an 85% reduction in hospital admissions...

Pediatricians spent more than 35 hours per week in direct patient care in 2007.(VITAL SIGNS)
November 1, 2008... Pediatricians Spent More Than 35 Hours Per Week In Direct Patient Care in 2007 Mean clinical hours per week Hospitalist: pediatrics 39.7 (n = 70) Internal medicine: ...

State boards weighing new relicensing policy: physicians could be tested on clinical skills.(News)
November 1, 2008... Physicians, even those holding permanent board certificates, could face increased requirements when renewing their state medical licenses under a draft model policy being evaluated by the Federation of State Medical Boards. Under the draft...

New diagnostic features of neonatal HSV identified.(News)
November 1, 2008... A series of recent studies identifies new diagnostic features of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection, provides a new prevalence estimate, and suggests cost-effective means to test neonates. Maternal fever, respiratory distress requiring...

ICD-10 transition carries big price tag.(News)
November 1, 2008... The federal government's plan to transition from the ICD-9-CM diagnosis and procedure code set to the ICD-10 by 2011 could cost physicians big bucks, according to a cost analysis commissioned by the Medical Group Management Association and...

FDA approves test to detect influenza A (H5N1) virus.(News)
November 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new test that can diagnose human influenza infections, including the highly pathogenic influenza A (H5N1) virus, and produce results within 4 hours. The device, known as the Human Influenza...

Vigilance urged on hypertension in obese teens.(News)
November 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- Nearly a third of obese teens also have high blood pressure, said Dr. Bonita Falkner, a nephrologist at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia. Obesity has become such a significant problem among adolescents that the...

AAP doubles vitamin D recommendation.(News)
November 1, 2008... Boston -- All children should get at least 400 IU of vitamin D daily, either through dietary intake or supplementation, beginning within days of birth and continuing through adolescence, according to new guidelines from the American Academy of...

Medicaid spending expected to outpace U.S. economy.(News)
November 1, 2008... The price tag for medical assistance under Medicaid is expected to reach nearly $674 billion over the next decade, with the federal government picking up more than $383 billion of the cost, according to projections from the Centers for Medicare...

[beta]-cell dysfunction may mark diabetes risk in obese teens.(News)
November 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES -- Impaired [beta]cell function appears to be one of the earliest signs of type 2 diabetes risk in obese adolescents, according to a study of 60 obese but otherwise healthy teens. Fourteen (23%) of the teens had a progressive...

Rabies vaccine supply issue: facts are key.(ID Consult)
November 1, 2008... The current limitation of the rabies vaccine supply presents an urgent, but not emergent, situation. In fact, nothing has changed regarding the indications for the vaccine's use. However, the supply issue does underscore the need for judicious...

Bacterial coinfection often present in pediatric flu deaths.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... Of the 73 pediatric patients who died of influenza-related causes in the United States during the 2006-2007 flu season, 35% had bacterial coinfection--a fivefold increase over the 2004-2005 season. Most often, that bacteria was...

Few children younger than age 2 years receive influenza vaccine.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Influenza vaccination rates remain low among children aged 6-23 months, despite a recommendation made 3 years ago by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that children younger...

ACIP clarifies PPV23 revaccination for high-risk children.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Vaccination with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine should be given 5 years after vaccination with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in high-risk children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory...

HPV vaccine not linked to serious adverse events.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Postlicensure safety monitoring by three national vaccine safety systems indicates that, in the more than 2 years since the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil was licensed, serious adverse events have been rare and have not been...

Survey cites some gaps in doctors' HPV vaccine knowledge.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Family physicians and pediatricians are knowledgeable about key aspects of human papillomavirus epidemiology and have largely adopted use of the HPV vaccine in their practices, but some important knowledge gaps about the disease and...

Hib shortage persists; defer booster dose in all but at-risk kids.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- The Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine shortage that began last December following a voluntary recall of 1.2 million lots of vaccine continues, so booster doses in most children still should be deferred. Dr. Jeanne Santoli...

MRSA types different in hospital, community.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Community-acquired methicillin-resist ant Staphylococcus aureus is unlike its hospital-acquired cousin epidemiologically, clinically, and genetically, an infectious disease specialist explained at a recent dermatology...

Infection risk up in extreme prematurity of skin.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Enhanced survival of the smallest of premature infants presents special challenges to dermatologists tasked with caring for conditions arising from incomplete development of the skin. Skin is a relatively early...

Controversy abounds over UTI management.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... BOSTON -- A recent study suggesting that prophylactic antibiotics for an initial urinary tract infection in children do not prevent recurrent infection and may, in fact, contribute to an increased risk of recurrent infection with a resistant...

Study finds teen immunizations are increasing.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... Twenty-five percent of girls aged 13-17 had received at least one dose of the human papillomavirus vaccine, according to results from the second National Immunization Survey (NIS-Teen). "This was very good for a first-year measurement for a...

In-office diagnostics can improve clinical care.(Infectious Diseases)
November 1, 2008... BOSTON -- Rapid in-office testing for infectious diseases can help physicians get the right drug on board as quickly as possible, and cut down on unnecessary testing and inappropriate antibiotics. "I really do believe that having the...

Carts and horses.(Letters From Maine)
November 1, 2008... I was about to enter an exam room to see my 30th patient of the day. "Dr. Wilkoff, her rapid strep test is negative." Meredith is our newest PPS (patient placement specialist, a job category I invented several years ago), and she thought she...

Slow, low pay for vaccines hurts.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I am a solo pediatric practitioner in Canton, Mich., taking the plunge after many years in hospital practice. About the numerous articles discussing universal immunization: None of us in the trenches needs any convincing about the advisability...

So often, it's a matter of trust.(HOME SWEET MEDICAL HOME)
November 1, 2008... "Do you need some help in there?" yelled Mr. B through the closed door. "Thank you for your concern, sir, but it's okay," I answered, as I opened the door and saw a familiar gentleman. He looked at the angry mother beside me in the exam room...

Undertreated chronic pain spurs pseudoaddiction.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
November 1, 2008... BOSTON -- Adolescents with undertreated chronic pain may develop pseudoaddiction to their pain medications, which would involve the demonstration of drug-seeking behaviors that are easy to confuse with true addiction. "These symptoms can...

Recognizing possible early signs of burnout.(Behavioral Consult)
November 1, 2008... The early signs of burnout can be insidious at first, disguised as short-tempered annoyance or vague discontent on the most routine days of pediatric primary care practice. If you don't take heed, these signs may build into a deeper...

Expecting pleasure from alcohol ups risk of heavy drinking.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
November 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Tobacco use and the expectation of social and physical pleasure from alcohol consumption significantly predict the transition to heavy drinking among adolescents and young adults, a 5-year study of more than 200 people shows. ...

Other conditions may mimic diaper dermatitis.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Don't ignore a seemingly simple case of diaper dermatitis, because this near-ubiquitous condition can mask something much more serious. In fact, there are at least four "zebras" whose hoofbeats may be sounding in diaper...

HHS issues new physical activity guidelines for kids.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2008... Children who are physically active for 1 hour a day can realize "substantial" health benefits, according to guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Regular exercise by children can improve cardiorespiratory...

Asthma gadget pro is needed in every office.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- The tables were tinged with pediatricians and before them lay an array of inhalers, spacers, and nebulizers. The task was to activate the gadgets, just as any child with asthma would do. The only problem was that few of the...

Use of room fan found to decrease SIDS risk.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2008... Using a room fan was associated with a 72% reduction in the risk of SIDS in a case-control study. "Previous studies have suggested that, in sleep environments with limited dispersion of exhaled gases, rebreathing is a possible mechanism...

Accessing early intervention and education.(Special Needs: Realizing Potential)
November 1, 2008... Pediatricians have long played an essential role in ensuring that early intervention and education services are provided to children with established disabilities, as well as to those who are at risk of developmental delays. Receipt of...

Children with food allergy are more likely to report asthma or other allergic conditions.(DATA WATCH)
November 1, 2008... Children With Food Allergy Are More Likely To Report Asthma or Other Allergic Conditions Food allergy No food allergy Asthma 29.4% 12.4% Eczema or skin allergy 27.2% ...

Pediatric workforce issues.(On the Learning Curve)
November 1, 2008... While attending the recent American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Boston, I heard a presentation regarding pediatric workforce issues. It occurred to me that this would be a very useful topic for young physicians...

Free drug samples are of concern in pediatric population.(Practice Trends)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Free drug samples not only do little to equalize medication access in the pediatric population, but they also may pose safety concerns in young patients, results of a recent study show. The practice of providing free drug samples to...

Infant mortality rates stagnate.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2008... The infant mortality rate in the United States did not improve between 2000 and 2005, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. infant mortality rate...

New president-elect for AAP.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2008... Dr. Judith S. Palfrey, the new president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said she intends to press hard for all children to have health coverage and a medical home with a physician who can coordinate their care. SCHIP...

Dental disease still Medicaid issue.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2008... Dental disease remains a significant problem for children on Medicaid. National surveys taken between 1999 and 2004 show that about one in three had untreated tooth decay, with one in nine having untreated decay in three or more teeth, a...

Behavioral programs help the obese.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Obese school-aged children and teenagers can lose weight or prevent further weight gain if they participate in medium- to high-intensity behavioral management programs, the AHRQ said in a report. Effective programs taught techniques to improve...

New Jersey mandates flu shots.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2008... New Jersey has become the first state to mandate that children aged 6 months to 5 years who attend day care or preschool receive both the influenza and the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Beginning this year, the federal Centers for Disease...

EPA tightens lead standard.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2008... The Environmental Protection Agency has dramatically strengthened the nation's air quality standards for lead, reducing the allowable lead level from 1.5 mcg of lead per cubic meter of air to 0.15 mcg. The decision is the first changed in 30...

Maternal health resolution passes.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2008... The United States must do more to reduce maternal mortality in this country and abroad, according to a resolution passed unanimously by the Senate. S. Res. 616, introduced by Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), noted...

Law requires parity of mental health coverage.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2008... After a 12-year fight led by mental health advocates, patients, families, clinicians, and a handful of members of Congress, some 113 million Americans will soon have equality of coverage between their benefits for physical health care and those...

Revering the work of physician writers.(The Rest of Your Life)
November 1, 2008... Well before he attended medical school at Columbia University in New York, Dr. Daniel C. Bryant had been captivated by reading and writing, as underscored by an undergraduate degree in French literature that he earned from Princeton (N.J.)...

How to effectively warn and fire office employees.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2008... MIAMI -- A "progressive discipline" system of warnings and suggestions for improvement before firing an underperforming employee maximizes chances of winning a wrongful termination lawsuit, according to a labor and employee attorney. In...