Pediatric News articles from September 2008

Pediatric News archives from September 2008

AED availability at schools is urged.(News)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Pediatricians should advocate for the availability of automated external defibrillators in schools and sports facilities used by young people, Dr. Andrew Gregory said at a meeting on pediatric and...

New treatments key in updated rhinitis guidelines: first update in 10 years more individualized.(News)
September 1, 2008... New changes to diagnosis and treatment guidelines for rhinitis emphasize the relative effectiveness of newer medications and treatment combinations for relieving symptoms, especially in determining what drugs are most effective when patients...

Infantile hemangioma risk tied to low birth weight.(News)
September 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- A recent multivariate analysis found that low birth weight is the single most significant risk factor for having a hemangioma of infancy These findings come at a time when the rates of preterm and low-birth-weight infants...

Reimbursement is physicians' top concern on HPV vaccine.(News)
September 1, 2008... NEW ORLEANS -- Getting reimbursed is the top concern for physicians who offer the human papillomavirus vaccine, according to a survey conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston. Using a Web-based tool, Brigham resident...

Curtailed sleep in infancy may predict later adiposity.(News)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... Sleep duration of less than 12 hours per day during infancy may predict childhood overweight, researchers reported. In a prospective study of 915 mother-child pairs, sleep curtailment at age 6 months to 2 years doubled the odds that, at age...

Capitol Hill gearing up for health care reform.(Election 2008)
September 1, 2008... Democrats and Republicans are so confident about the chances of some type of health reform in the next administration that staff meetings and hearings geared toward crafting legislation have been going on in earnest in both the House and the...

FDA reports cases of CT interfering with medical devices.(News)
September 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration is alerting health care professionals about reports of malfunctions in pacemakers and other electronic medical devices worn by patients during computed tomography scanning. The agency has received a "small...

They'rrrre baaaaack! Harry and Louise ride again, this time for health reform.(News)
September 1, 2008... Harry and Louise, who became infamous in a 1993-1994 television ad lambasting the Clinton administration's health care reform plan, were dragged briefly out of mothballs to appear in a new commercial that urged Congress and the next president...

Hemangioma distribution predicts PHACES risk.(News)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... KYOTO, JAPAN -- The distribution of large facial hemangiomas appears to be helpful in identifying infants at risk for PHACES syndrome, according to a first-of-its-kind multicenter prospective study. PHACES, also known as Online Mendelian...

Incontinentia pigmenti may not be that rare.(News)
September 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- A rare genetic disorder that usually is lethal to male babies and can leave abnormalities of the skin, eyes, and other body parts in females, appears to be more common than originally thought. Incontinentia pigmenti is...

Propranolol found to rapidly shrink hemangiomas.(News)
September 1, 2008... DESTIN, FLA. -- Propranolol appears to have impressive beneficial effects on severe hemangiomas of infancy, according to the events related by physicians in a letter to the editor in the New England Journal of Medicine. "Keep your eyes out...

ADHD symptoms linked to enterovirus infection.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... Children who had had an enterovirus 71 infection involving the central nervous system were significantly more likely to have symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder than were matched controls in a prospective study that evaluated...

Check Gardasil adverse-event data.(ID Consult)
September 1, 2008... Since July 22nd, you have no doubt received phone calls from anxious parents who heard the news report about adverse events associated with the human papillomavirus vaccine, Gardasil. As usual, the media did a good job of creating anxiety both...

Safety, not sex, tops parents' concerns about HPV vaccine.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2008... Safety, not sexuality, was a key factor in the reluctance of mothers to have their teenage daughters vaccinated against human papillomavirus, according to results from a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The Centers for...

International adoptees' records of immunizations are often unreliable.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HONOLULU -- Children adopted internationally by American parents often are accompanied by immunization records from their birth countries, but the records cannot be relied on, according to a study of more than 400...

Brochure available on eye allergies.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2008... The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America is offering a free brochure titled "Eye Health and Allergies." The brochure describes causes, signs and symptoms, and tips for preventing eye allergies. It also lists strategies and options for...

Model predicts cost-efficacy of HPV vaccination.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2008... Human papillomavirus vaccination should be targeted at preadolescent girls, with initial "catch-up" programs aimed at women and girls aged younger than 21 years, but should not be directed at older women, according to a report. The impact...

An expert makes the case for universal HPV vaccination.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2008... CALGARY, ALTA. -- As an epidemiologist whose research focuses on the prevention of cervical cancer, Dr. Eduardo L. Franco spends a lot of his time dispelling arguments and protests from other health care professionals and patients that more...

Atopic patients appear free of extra MRSA risk.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Patients with atopic dermatitis are highly colonized with Staphylococcus aureus, but do not appear to be preferentially infected with community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Up to 79% of patients with atopic...

Skin infections in young athletes demand extra vigilance.(Infectious Diseases)
September 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Managing skin infections in young athletes can be more challenging than in the general pediatric population, because close physical contact and use of shared equipment can lead to rapid spread of infections and outbreaks. ...

Pediatricians' mental health care role suggested.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... Pediatricians should identify and refer, but not treat, the majority of children's mental health problems, results from a survey of Cleveland-area primary care pediatricians and child and adolescent psychiatrists suggest. The exception was...

Lesions, developmental delay? Try blood test.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... STANFORD, CALIF. -- If a young child exhibits both global developmental delay and stripes or swirls of skin hypopigmentation on the trunk, get a peripheral blood sample for chromosome analysis. Hypomelanosis of Ito presents as developmental...

Postdisaster talk guides for children, teens.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... A free brochure, "Tips for Talking to Children After a Disaster: A Guide for Parents and Teachers," is offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The brochure describes how to help children from preschool age to...

Adolescents suffer higher rates of repeat abuse.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Adolescents are far more likely to suffer recurrent abuse than are younger children, according to an analysis of data from 18 states within the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. "Age matters," Dr. Vincent J. Palusci...

Study seeks new criteria to avert eating disorders.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Significant predictors of the onset of disturbed eating behavior within the next several years in girls with type 1 diabetes include concerns with weight and shape, a higher body mass index, depressive symptoms, and poor...

Best treatment is unclear for disordered eating in diabetes.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Identifying adolescent type 1 diabetes patients with eating disorders is a lot easier than figuring out how to help them, according to several experts. "It's a very difficult problem to treat, and none of us knows...

Watch girls with type 1 diabetes for signs of disturbed eating.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Red flags for disturbed eating behavior in adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes include a persistently high glycosylated hemoglobin level, frequent episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis, and behaviors such as skipping insulin...

Congenital illness: confronting the dark side.(Behavioral Consult)
September 1, 2008... During the course of a normal pregnancy--and often long before--prospective parents prepare to love their babies by creating a set of expectations for what their children will be like. Sometimes these dreams are very vivid, full of detail about...

A child's social competence may affect diabetes control.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Total social competence and externalizing behavior may play a role in how well children and adolescents control their diabetes, according the results of a study involving 78 patients. "Lower total psychosocial competence is a...

Behavioral therapy cuts need for ADHD drug.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... PHOENIX -- Using behavioral interventions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder delayed the start of medication and reduced the dose needed in a randomized, controlled study of 127 schoolchildren. The study is the rest to use...

How to counsel parents on FDA drug warnings: know the evidence and monitor the FDA Web site regularly, an expert suggests.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... MIAMI BEACH -- More parents concerned with childhood medication warnings from the Food and Drug Administration are likely to consult you, because the frequency of these warnings is expected to increase as more and more manufacturers complete...

Antidepressant prescribing by pediatricians rose after warning.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... PHOENIX -- The proportion of clinic visits to psychiatrists involving antidepressants for youths fell and the proportion of such visits to primary care physicians increased after the 2004 black box warning that linked antidepressant use to...

Youth suicide rate may be rising after years of decline.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
September 1, 2008... The suicide rate among children and adolescents appears to be rising after a decade of decline, according to an analysis. The rate of suicide among youth aged 10-19 years was significantly greater in 2004 and 2005 than was expected, based...

A diagnosis without a disease.(Letters From Maine)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... Every pediatrician who is sensitive to the needs of his patients believes in the Tooth Fairy. But, do you believe in teething? Sure, we all know that somewhere between birth and their second birthday all children will have teeth erupt through...

Vaccines make practice a challenge.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... I fully agree with Dr. Andrew D. Racine regarding his vaccine cost analysis ("Plethora of Shots Burdens Providers," June 2008, p. 1). I am in solo practice and fend that vaccine administration and tracking consume a substantial amount 0f...

FeNO measurement still at issue.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... Dr. Miguel Lanz recommends that general practitioners refer asthma evaluation to specialists who have the Niox Mino airway inflammation measurement device, because "they will get back much better information if they do" ("Nexium, Niox Mino,"...

Reinventing the pediatric wheel.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... I read with interest "When the Patient is a Close Friend" (The Rest of Your Life, May 2008, p. 43). It described well some of the hazards in that situation. Your readers might be interested to know that this matter has been discussed...

Let's get back to prevention.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... Now that the Supreme Court has ruled against the District of Columbia's ban on personal handguns, perhaps the American Academy of Pediatrics can get back to promoting gun safety and other such preventive measures rather than the liberal...

Autism: genetics, or radio waves?(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... The headline 'Autism Gene ID'd" (February 2008, p. 1) has been on TV as well as in many other publications, and I am very very upset about what I can only say is misinformation. My 1989 edition of Nelson's textbook "Pediatrics" treated...

Corrections.(Opinion)(Correction notice)
September 1, 2008... In the article "Abused Morns Are More Likely to Spank Infants" (July 2008, p. 22), the timing of certain assessments was misstated. During the 3 months postpartum visit, 19% supported corporal punishment in their responses to statements...

Airways more responsive in girls with asthma.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... Airway responsiveness is more severe postpubertal females with asthma, compared with their male counterparts, according to results from a large novel study. The reason for the association is not clear, but it may have to do with hormonal...

Barrier products may be beneficial in AD therapy.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Barrier products may play a role as adjuvant therapy for patients with atopic dermatitis, but better studies are needed to demonstrate their efficacy. That's the conclusion Dr. Andrew C. Krakowski made about three barrier...

DVDs, games "anesthetize' during minor skin procedures.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... WAIKOLOA, HAWAII -- "DVD anesthesia" is an effective distraction technique when performing biopsies, excisions, and other office dermatologic procedures in children, according to a pediatric dermatology specialist. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

'Extreme education' prescribed for parents of eczema patients.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Parents of children newly diagnosed with atopic dermatitis can be overwhelmed with anxiety. Some gravitate to guilt and self-blame, figuring "we did something wrong to our child" or "it must be something we're giving him"...

Oral Vitamin D boosts peptides in AD lesional skin.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... KYOTO, JAPAN -- Supplementation with oral vitamin D boosted chronically low levels of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin in the lesional skin of atopic dermatitis patients in a controlled trial, reported Dr. Tissa R. Hata. These...

Study shows spike in prevalence of food allergies.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- The prevalence of reported food allergies has risen 24% among children under age 5 years and 19% among children aged 5-17 years during the past decade, according to a study by the National Center for Health Statistics. Based on...

Expert: public misperceives rate of food allergies.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- While the number of patients diagnosed with atopic disease is on the rise, the general public might be over-estimating the prevalence of food allergy, according to Dr. Jonathan M. Spergel. At a meeting on skin disorders...

Histology is vital in diagnosing esophagitis.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Up to 20% of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis have a normal-appearing esophagus on endoscopy. That's why it's important to factor in histology before confirming the diagnosis, a pediatric gastroenterologist emphasized. ...

Soft, fluctuant lesion may flag sinus pericranii.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... DESTIN, FLA. -- A soft, fluctuant lesion near the midline of the forehead or on the scalp might look like a port wine stain, but it could be a serious, potentially fatal condition known as sinus pericranii. Maintain a high index of...

Deciphering the complexities of Rett syndrome.(Special Needs: Realizing Potential)
September 1, 2008... Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is seen most often in girls, with an incidence of 1 in 10,000-22,000 live female births. The prevalence among males is not known, because the severity of infantile en cephalopathy, early...

Thyroid dysfunction is linked to pediatric headache.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... BOSTON -- Thyroid disease might play a role in the etiology of pediatric headache. The findings of a new study conducted at the Cleveland Clinic revealed statistically significant associations between hyper- and hypothyroidism and...

Combined therapy slows endometriosis progress.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. -- Disease stage stabilized or improved in 81 of 90 adolescents treated for endometriosis with combined surgical and medical therapy according to results of a retrospective study. The goals of treating endometriosis in...

Sleep, weight problems diminish quality of life.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... BALTIMORE -- Both increased weight and sleep problems were associated with children's reports of poor quality of life, based on results from a study of 100 children aged 8-12 years. Previous studies have linked poor quality of life to...

Family plan helps fight child obesity epidemic: self-guided behavioral changes toward a healthier lifestyle are the focus, rather than weight or BMI.(Clinical Rounds)(Conference notes)
September 1, 2008... ESTES PARK, COLO. -- Physicians can make a difference in the childhood obesity epidemic by using a simple, family-centered program that is created with their busy office practice schedules in mind. The 8-week family fitness plan is an...

Gastric banding Aids teens' metabolic profiles.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
September 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- At 6 months after undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, a small group of morbidly obese teenagers showed significant improvements in risk factors associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and...

Fetal alcohol syndrome kit.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... A resource kit for educating members of Native American communities with an interest in understanding, coping with, and preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services...

Alternative therapies for chronic abdominal pain.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... Chronic recurrent abdominal pain couldn't have a better acronym. It is a very common problem in children, one that causes both the patients and their parents a lot of grief, and one for which conventional drug-based approaches seldom work. ...

Type 2 diabetes found more in Hispanic females.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- From age 15 years onward, Hispanic females in the United States are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with incident type 2 diabetes than type 1 diabetes, according to an analysis of data from the Search for Diabetes in...

Blood monitor bests urine dipstick.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- A unique handheld device for real-time monitoring of blood beta-hydroxybutyrate provides a significant advance over traditional urine ketone testing in the early diagnosis and management of diabetic ketoacidosis, according to...

Short REM sleep linked to overweight in kids.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... Shortened sleep duration, particularly shortened REM sleep, is associated with overweight in children and adolescents, according to a recent report. "[F]amily- and school-based sleep interventions that aim to enhance sleep hygiene and...

Screening guide for prediabetes needs overhaul.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... ESTES PARK, COLO. -- A 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test is far more sensitive than the standard fasting blood glucose test in identifying obese children at increased risk for type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Results of a recent...

Burner/stinger injuries are not always routine.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Most burner/stinger injuries in young athletes resolve quickly, but some become chronic or recur and others are accompanied by red flags signaling a more serious injury. Burner/stinger injuries result from a stretching of...

Clinical criteria key to post-mono sports return.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Physical findings, laboratory values, and imaging results are of little use in determining when it is safe for young athletes with infectious mononucleosis to return to play. Ultimately, the decision on how long to keep them...

Bone load helps predict fracture progression risk: training increase, repetitive activity, fitness level, and training errors should also be considered.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Most stress fractures in young athletes will heal with conservative management, but some carry a high risk for progression to complete fracture or for poor healing and require more aggressive measures. "When you are...

High school sports injury study blows whistle on foul plays.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Illegal plays triggered more than 12% of soccer and basketball injuries during competition, according to the first comprehensive, nationally representative analysis of high school sports. The findings from the Center for Injury...

History is key to correct pulmonary diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
September 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Both exercise-induced asthma and vocal cord dysfunction produce shortness of breath in young athletes, and being able to differentiate them is key to ensuring appropriate treatment. Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) is a...

Tuneful toothbrushes.(Products)
September 1, 2008... The Tooth Tunes Junior toothbrush is designed to encourage young children to brush their teeth for a full minute. The toothbrushes feature a collection of songs popular with preschoolers, including Disney favorites "Hakuna Matata" and "Bare...

Diaper rash prevention cream.(Products)
September 1, 2008... Mustela's vitamin barrier cream contains zinc oxide, which can help to prevent diaper rash by creating a protective barrier between the baby's skin and the contents of the diaper. The cream is hypoallergenic and also contains vitamin B5 and...

Moisturizing medicinal bath oil.(Products)
September 1, 2008... Stelatopia Milky Bath Oil can be used to treat eczema flares and reduce intense skin redness in infants and children when used regularly in the bath. For best results, add two to three capfuls of milky bath oil to the bath water before bathing...

Nasal mucus aspirator.(Products)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Parents can safely remove nasal mucus from infants and toddlers with a Swedish innovation, the Nosefrida aspirator. The device, which consists of a simple extraction chamber and filter-protected suction tube, contains neither bisphenol A nor...

Self-disinfecting thermometer.(Products)
September 1, 2008... The Exergen TemporalScanner temporal artery thermometer is suitable for home or office use. The TAT-2000C continuously releases silver ions to destroy bacteria and disinfect itself. The thermometer provides noninvasive temperature readings in...

Cast-decorating decals.(Products)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The Casttoo collection offers "happy healing" with decorative designs for orthopedic casts. The designs are decals in a variety of sizes and styles that patients can apply to casts using a hair dryer. The designs are available to physicians in...

Dental care is the 'most prevalent' unmet need.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2008... Dental care is "the most prevalent unmet health need among children," according to a report by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. Kaiser estimates that 20 million children do not have dental insurance coverage, compared...

President signs Product Safety Act.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2008... President George W. Bush has signed into law the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which reauthorizes the Consumer Product Safety Commission for the first time in 18 years and overhauls various laws regarding products, especially...

Asthma hospitalizations fall.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2008... Hospitalizations of children principally for asthma fell by almost 60,000 between 1997 and 2006, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. However, the number of children with asthma who were admitted to hospitals for other...

Uninsured kids lack care.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2008... Uninsured children are three times more likely not to visit a doctor's office in the course of a year than are insured children, who are far more likely to have had a regular checkup, according to a study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...

SCHIP enrollees' Medicaid data eyed.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2008... An estimated 4% of children enrolled in SCHIP were eligible for Medicaid in 2006, according to a review by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Also, 4.5% of SCHIP enrollees" records lacked the...

Antibiotic spray for apples 'bad idea'.(Policy & Practice)
September 1, 2008... An Environmental Protection Agency decision permitting Michigan to spray the state's apple orchards with gentamicin risks undermining the value of the antibiotic to treat blood infections in newborns, along with other serious human infections,...

Diabetes care providers disagree on primary role.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2008... By and large, pediatricians and endocrinologists agree on the division of roles in the management of children with insulin-dependent diabetes. However, there is some dissension about who should take lead responsibility for certain preventive,...

Lower socioeconomic status patients willing to use e-mail.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- The "digital divide" separating society's haves and have-nots may not be as deep as many fear, according to a study of 120 parents of adolescent patients and the patients themselves. In a survey, more than 60% of parents and...

Privacy is top priority for personal health records, task force says.(Practice Trends)
September 1, 2008... Privacy should be the top priority when developing certification criteria for personal health records, a task force created by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology has recommended. Adequate security and...

Cultivating cultural competency.(On the Learning Curve)
September 1, 2008... Residency and fellowship are great places to learn about pediatric diseases and management. However, they aren't always the ideal environment to learn about some of the more relational aspects of pediatrics, because of the overall structure (a...

Hospitalists and health policy.(Health Policy: The Fine Line)
September 1, 2008... Of the many pediatric specialists out there, some are designated by their interest in organs, like cardiologists or neurologists. Some are defined by their interest in interventions, like surgeons and radiologists, others by their narrowed role...

ABCDEs of Melanoma brochures.(FYI)
September 1, 2008... The Skin Cancer Foundation's brochure titled "The ABCDEs of Melanoma" is now available in both English and Spanish. The foldout helps to identify the most important differences between common moles and melanomas: Asymmetry, Border irregularity,...