Pediatric News articles from October 2008

Pediatric News archives from October 2008

RSV-Apnea linkage may be overrated.(News)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DENVER -- Apnea risk may be lower than previously believed in otherwise normal infants with bronchiolitis. Early studies included many children with serious comorbid conditions that may have compounded their...

Youths with type 2 diabetes may face triple the CV risk: early prevention and treatment are urged.(News)
October 1, 2008... ROME -- Youths with type 2 diabetes had an average of nearly three cardiovascular risk factors each, compared with just one among healthy controls in an analysis of 295 participants in a large multicenter U.S. case-control study The data...

Data review: news on teen sexual risks not all good.(News)
October 1, 2008... MEXICO CITY -- Some of the favorable trends in sexual risk behaviors achieved among U.S. adolescents in the last 2 decades appear to have had anomalies, particularly in certain subgroups, according to a study presented at the International AIDS...

Most expensive adverse events in pediatric inpatients.(VITAL SIGNS)
October 1, 2008... Most Expensive Adverse Events in Pediatric Inpatients Death following heart surgery $337,000 Postoperative sepsis $261,000 Medical sepsis $172,000 Foreign body left in during procedure ...

FDA focuses on confusing food allergen labels.(News)
October 1, 2008... COLLEGE PARK, MD. -- Efforts to improve the confusing, inconsistent, and often misleading statements on food packages that indicate a food allergen may be present in the product are underway at the Food and Drug Administration. ...

U.S. formula declared free of melamine threat from China.(News)
October 1, 2008... Following the first results of a Chinese government investigation into reports of contaminated milk-based infant formula in that country, the Food and Drug Administration has warned U.S. consumers not to use formula that is made in China. ...

Top 10 major diagnostic categories for children.(DATA WATCH)(Statistical table)
October 1, 2008... Top 10 Major Diagnostic Categories for Children (in thousands of hospital stays) Respiratory 513 Digestive 310 Nervous 174 Pregnancy/childbirth 174...

Early-onset diabetes tied to cognition problems.(News)
October 1, 2008... Children with early-onset type 1 diabetes have lower cognitive scores, compared with children without diabetes and those with later-onset type 1 diabetes, according to a meta-analysis. Compared with an age-matched control group without...

Early acetaminophen use tied to asthma at age 7.(News)
October 1, 2008... Exposure to acetaminophen, known as paracetamol outside the United States, may be an important risk factor for the development of asthma later in childhood, according to new data from an international study. In a sample of more than 200,000...

Early UTI therapy fails to reduce renal scarring.(News)
October 1, 2008... Prompt antibiotic treatment of acute pyelonephritis in infants and young children had no significant effect on preventing subsequent renal scarring, data from two prospective, randomized, controlled trials of 287 children showed. Treatment...

FDA seeks views on pediatric OTC cold products.(News)
October 1, 2008... BELTSVILLE, MD. -- The use of over-the-counter cough and cold products in children continued to be questioned by pediatricians and consumer advocates at a Food and Drug Administration public hearing on this issue the latest step in the agency's...

ADHD drug manufacturers warned about misleading ads.(News)
October 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has warned five manufacturers of drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder against using what it terms "false or misleading" promotional materials that overstate the drugs" efficacy and downplay risks....

Restrictions on rabies vaccine due to supply issue.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... Health care providers who prescribe postexposure rabies prophylaxis will be required to confer with public health officials and obtain a confirmation code from their respective state health departments before they can order doses of the...

How to revaccinate patients with allergy history.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... Most patients with a history of suspected vaccine allergy can be vaccinated safely against other diseases and some can receive additional doses of the vaccines to which they previously reacted, according to a report. Careful monitoring and...

Physicians, staff are urged to get flu vaccine.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- It is "unconscionable for health care workers who do not have a medical contraindication to not receive the flu vaccine," Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a press...

Kingella kingae adds twist to osteomyelitis Dx.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- Consider Kingella kingae as a cause of infection when diagnosing and treating children with suspected acute osteomyelitis, an infectious disease specialist advised. The incidence of acute osteoarticular infections in young...

Immunization coverage rates in U.S. reach new heights.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... More than three-quarters of the nation's young children have been immunized with the full series of childhood vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to data from the CDC's 2007 National Immunization...

Hospital infection control requirements upgraded.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... The Joint Commission has issued new requirements for hospitals in an effort to prevent infections from multidrug-resistant organisms, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections. The requirements, which are...

Consider EBV in patients with genital ulcers.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... DESTIN, FLA. -- Since Epstein-Barr virus is known in rare cases to initially present as severe, painful genital ulcerations without other clinical or laboratory evidence of acute disease, this infection should be considered in the differential...

Biopsy data refute MMR vaccine and autism link.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was not associated with a diagnosis of autism in children aged 3-10 years, based on data from 25 children with autism and 13 controls. These findings contradict the results of a 2002 study in which...

The pitfalls in diagnosing and treating mono.(ID Consult)(mononucleosis )
October 1, 2008... Mononucleosis is no stranger to most clinicians, who know it is most often caused by Epstein-Barr virus. Still, it presents diagnostic and management difficulties. Consider a 12-year-old with 4 days of fever, headache, severe sore throat,...

Excess antibiotics beefing up bacteria in soil, study says.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Bacteria are no longer just resistant, but have learned how to live on antibiotics as their only food source, according to the first study to analyze bacterial resistance in soil samples. Dr. Alan Greene, a pediatrician...

Ondansetron may curb vomiting in gastroenteritis.(Infectious Diseases)
October 1, 2008... Ondansetron therapy effectively reduced vomiting and other emetic complications--including hospital admissions--in children with acute gastroenteritis, based on results from a meta-analysis. Current practice guidelines for treating children...

Study: most needles for IM injections too long.(Infectious Diseases)(intramuscular)
October 1, 2008... Up to 61% of children getting intramuscular injections in the shoulder are probably receiving overpenetration injuries, because the recommended needles are longer than the average fat and muscle layer of the deltoid, according to results of an...

Obama: preserve what works, improve what doesn't.(Election 2008: Physicians' Perspectives)
October 1, 2008... As doctors, you know well what ails our health care system. Are here any among us who have not cared for a patient without health insurance? Who hasn't noticed that the cost of care has risen so high that many can no longer afford the care we...

McCain: control costs, ensure access.(Election 2008: Physicians' Perspectives)
October 1, 2008... For the past several months I have closely followed the health care policies of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz). I am impressed how the senator places the individual--patient and physician--at the center of this policy. The McCain plan is not simply...

"We the [imperfect] people ...".(Letters From Maine)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... A few months ago, I was invited to a retirement party for an old house-officer mate. He wasn't actually retiring, but he was calling it quits from active clinical practice. The food was good and the wine was very good,' but the rest of the...

Tummy time key to prevent delays.(Guest Editorial)
October 1, 2008... The incidence of early motor delays is increasing, according to a new national survey that quantifies the observations of more than 400 pediatric physical, occupational, and speech therapists. More than two-thirds of therapists reported seeing...

It's all talk in pediatrics.(BEHAVIORAL CONSULT)
October 1, 2008... If you were to poll pediatricians about why they chose this specialty, I think you can guess what the top answer would be: They like kids! And yet, data show that once they get into practice, pediatricians don't actually talk with children...

Bullying, school violence: need for culture change.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
October 1, 2008... Violence in schools often has its roots in bullying, and recent research suggests that attempts to uproot the problem may first involve gathering information about bullying and victimization, and then undertaking a "whole-school" intervention...

Cognitive-behavioral therapy best after trauma.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
October 1, 2008... Only cognitive-behavioral therapy, of all the major interventions being used to reduce psychological harm in children and adolescents who have witnessed or been victims of trauma or violence, has strong evidence to show it is effective,...

Treatments for acne, beginning with touch.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- The art and science of treating acne in adolescents start with touching the patient. "Many adolescents have a feeling that their acne is very dirty, and they take it personally," Dr. Alfred T. Lane said at a pediatric...

Diabetic patients with celiac disease face dietary concerns.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Many type 1 diabetic patients with comorbid celiac disease say the celiac disease is actually the harder of the two to deal with, according to a presentation at a conference on the management of diabetes in youth. The...

In the dance world, health issues abound.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Overtraining, disordered eating, and lower extremity injuries are some of the many health issues that physicians who care for young dancers may encounter, according to a pediatric sports medicine specialist. Several...

Unsupervised play main cause of golf-related eye injuries.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... Most pediatric golf-related eye injuries occur off the course and were caused by other children wielding a golf club during unsupervised play, according to a small retrospective study and a review of the literature. Although golf has been...

Gardasil, Valtrex Caplets.(New & Approved)
October 1, 2008... Gardasil (human papillomavirus quadrivalent [types 6, 11, 16, and 18] vaccine, recombinant, Merck & Co.) The Food and Drug Administration expanded the indications for Gardasil vaccine to include prevention of vulvar and vaginal cancers...

Some psychology may aid orthopedic therapy.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- The most common complaints from parents about a child's musculoskeletal condition stem from usually benign causes that don't need treatment, but addressing them can help alleviate parental anxiety. Listen to the...

Teen acne awareness web site launched.(Clinical Rounds)(Website overview)
October 1, 2008... Sanofi-Aventis U.S. has teamed up with "Hannah Montana" television star Cody Linley and Dr. Jessica Wu, a dermatologist at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and clinical instructor at the University of Southern California School of...

SELF correction is prescription for sleepy teens.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- If you haven't diagnosed delayed sleep phase syndrome in some of your teenage patients, then you've missed this most common insomnia pattern of adolescents, a pediatric sleep specialist advised. Adolescents need more...

'Fever phobia' persists in many ethnic groups.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Ethnic differences surround parental perceptions and actions concerning childhood fever, according to two North American studies presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. Both studies found evidence...

When writing an Rx for therapy, think details.(Special Needs: Realizing Potential)
October 1, 2008... Children with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and various neurogenetic or genetic conditions will generally require physical, speech, or occupational therapy. Prescriptions for such therapies are often jotted down in the simple...

Use self-reports to monitor diabetes patient compliance.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- The most popular method of assessing patient adherence to type 1 diabetes management instructions consists of a look at glycosylated hemoglobin values. But this is also one of the least reliable means of doing so, "and I...

Groups urge child focus in election.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2008... Thirty of the nation's child-related organizations--including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Prevent Child Abuse America, Every Child Matters, and the National Association of Social Workers--pleaded for an election-year focus by candidates...

Healthier drinks seen in schools.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2008... The beverage industry has significantly reduced the number of high-calorie beverages available in schools, 2 years into the 3-year implementation of the national School Beverage Guidelines, according to an independent evaluation. The Alliance...

Rx monitoring finds problems.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2008... One-third of drugs studied as part of a Food and Drug Administration initiative designed to spur more testing in children required labeling changes or other actions to warn of side effects or other reactions in the pediatric population, a study...

Special needs dental center opens.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... In an effort to provide better access to oral health care for patients with disabilities and to train the next generation of dental practitioners to care for them, the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine has opened the Center for...

SAMHSA opens 5-year grant program.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2008... The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has opened Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children's Health), a new grant program designed to promote the well-being of children from birth to age 8 by addressing...

Foundation launches recess project.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2008... The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has announced an $18 million investment in recess activities to improve children's health at 650 low-income schools. The foundation will team with SPorts4Kids, a national nonprofit organization ts pioneered an...

A lingering discussion.(Health Policy: The Fine Line)(Essay)
October 1, 2008... One of the best things about writing a column like this is being able to reach a broad audience, to initiate dialogue on topics that are otherwise afterthoughts or not considered at all. Over coffee, between patients, you flip the pages and...

Hospitalists expected to play role in medical home plans.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2008... The time for hospitalists to become involved with and essential to "medical home" systems of health care is now, while these programs are still in the design or pilot stage, according to experts interviewed for this article. The "home" is...

The world of the working mom.(On the Learning Curve)
October 1, 2008... During the past 2 months, I have been home on maternity leave with my 3-year-old daughter, who still attends preschool during the day, and my infant son (who is, thankfully, a very healthy and sweet baby). Spending time as an interloper in the...

Voluntary PhRMA guidelines will ban trinkets.(Practice Trends)(Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America )
October 1, 2008... The free pens and mugs adorned with the names of commonly prescribed drugs are soon to be a thing of the past, thanks to a new set of voluntary guidelines from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. But the real impact...

A joyful return to dancing.(The Rest of Your Life)
October 1, 2008... Finding time for renewal is no easy task for full-time physician Shaun J. Gillis, a married mother of three children, aged 9, 6, and 3. That's why she looks forward to her 2-hour dance rehearsals every Thursday night, which she began 3...

Active naturals have a key role in atopic dermatitis.(CLINICAL UPDATE)
October 1, 2008... Introduction Atopic dermauus accounts for 10% to 20% of visits to dermatologists. (1) About 90% of the cases arise before 5 years of age. (1) For reasons that have yet to be completely explained, the prevalence of the disease has increased...