Pediatric News back issues from August 2007:
Even mild asthma can lead to ICU.(News)(intensive care unit)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- Current classifications of pediatric asthma fail to capture the potential for severe exacerbations in patients with mild disease, according to Dr. Christopher Carroll of Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford. In a study of nearly 300 children with asthma, ...
Lisdexamfetamine, guanfacine show benefit for ADHD: new studies affirm efficacy of both drugs.(News)(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... SAN DIEGO -- Lisdexamfetamine, the recently approved once-daily medication for ADHD that appears to have low abuse potential, was safe and effective when given for a full year, and guanfacine, an investigational alpha2A-adrenoreceptor, produced substantial improvement in a phase III trial, ...
Pilot program streamlines child psychiatry training.(News)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Starting next summer, pediatricians will have a new pathway to receive training in child and adolescent psychiatry. Pediatricians who have completed residency programs approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) will be eligible to apply for a ...
No specific birth defects linked to maternal diabetes.(News)(Report)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Pregnant women with diabetes have a two- to four-times higher risk of having a child with a birth defect, but a thorough review of a national birth defects registry does not show that any one type of defect is associated with diabetes, Dr. Adolfo Correa said at the annual ...
Anaphylaxis reports spur stricter Xolair rules.(News)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Patients treated with Xolair for asthma must now receive injections under direct medical supervision in a health care setting so they can be monitored for signs of anaphylaxis. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration announced this and other new requirements--and a black ...
Tilt-table test for syncope falling out of favor.(News)(Survey)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... DENVER -- Tilt-table testing is seen as increasingly irrelevant in the evaluation of syncope in children, according to a survey of Pediatric Electrophysiology Society members. Survey respondents indicated they think tilt-table testing has only limited utility for this purpose. ...
MODY seen in 5% of antibody-negative diabetes.(News)(maturity-onset diabetes of the young)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Approximately 5% of antibody-negative /C-peptide-positive children and adolescents who are diagnosed with diabetes in the United States may have maturity-onset diabetes of the young rather than type 2 diabetes, Dr. Lisa Gilliam reported at the annual scientific sessions of the ...
Child abuse rate rises with combat deployment.(News)(Report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... The rate of child abuse in U.S. Army families that are prone to such maltreatment rises significantly when the soldiers are deployed for combat, researchers reported. Most of this increase is attributable to civilian wives of the Army enlisted personnel. Their rates ...
SCHIP bills ready for House/Senate conference.(News)(State Children's Health Insurance Program)
Aug 01, 2007; ... With Congress returning from its August recess, the fate of the State Children's Health Insurance Program reauthorization is up in the air, and so is the fate of physician pay relief. As a planned Oct. 6 adjournment looms, a House/Senate conference committee must reconcile the ...
ACIP backs rotavirus vaccine for kids with HIV.(Infectious Diseases)(Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Aug 01, 2007; ... ATLANTA -- Physicians now have formal approval to vaccinate HIV-exposed or HIV-infected infants and children against rotavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted at its summer meeting to approve changes in ...
Varicella breaks out despite double doses of vaccine.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... ATLANTA -- Children who had received two doses of varicella vaccine comprised nearly a third of the cases in a varicella outbreak among elementary school children in Arkansas. "This was one of the largest varicella outbreaks investigated in recent years, and it was the first ...
CDC ties hepatitis A infections to adopted Ethiopian children.(Infectious Diseases)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Aug 01, 2007; ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory urging families who adopt children from Ethiopia to make sure all family members are vaccinated for hepatitis A, which is endemic throughout the African continent. The advisory, issued July 19 via the CDC's ...
Questioning antibiotic prophylaxis for UTI.(ID Consult)(urinary tract infection)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Emerging evidence suggests that we shouldn't be prescribing prophylactic antibiotics for every child with recurrent urinary tract infection, even when vesicoureteral reflux is present. Just as the pendulum has swung over the last decade away from universal use of antibiotics ...
Community-acquired MRSA, spider bites present similarly.(Infectious Diseases)(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
Aug 01, 2007; ... PHOENIX -- When a child presents with what looks like a spider bite, but the family can't fend a spider, Dr. Lawrence F. Eichenfield considers community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. "Most pediatric cases we see are not in wrestlers or football players ....
Palivizumab prophylaxis cuts later wheezing in preemies.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Palivizumab prophylaxis against respiratory syncytial virus in premature infants without chronic lung disease significantly reduces the incidence and severity of recurrent wheezing, compared with preterm infants not on the preventive therapy, according to a study by Dr. Eric A.F. Simoes of ...
Investigational antibody effective against RSV.(Infectious Diseases)(respiratory syncytial virus)(motavizumab)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- The investigational drug motavizumab may offer high-risk infants additional protection against respiratory syncytial virus disease, Dr. Xavier Carbonell-Estrany reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. Motavizumab ...
Higher respiratory syncytial virus load could be protective.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- Contrary to conventional thinking, a high respiratory syncytial viral load may be protective against progression of bronchiolitis. Elevated respiratory syncytial viral (RSV) load was unexpectedly associated with less severe bronchiolitis disease in a convenience ...
FDA warns on antibiotic, calcium solution interaction.(Infectious Diseases)(Food and Drug Administration)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Fatal cases of calcium-ceftriaxone precipitates in the lungs and kidneys of both term and premature newborns have prompted a warning and a new contraindication regarding concomitant use of the intravenous antibiotic ceftriaxone with calcium or calcium-containing solutions or products. ...
Adherence to protocol cuts line sepsis in NICU.(Infectious Diseases)(neonatal intensive care unit)
Aug 01, 2007; ... PHILADELPHIA -- A central venous line hub access protocol using 2% chlorhexidine was linked to an almost 50% decline in overall line infections in an urban neonatal intensive care unit. It's unclear whether the decrease in line sepsis was related to the choice of antiseptic ...
CDC emphasizes flu shots for 6 months to 8 years.(Infectious Diseases)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Aug 01, 2007; ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's updated recommendations for the 2007-2008 flu season emphasize vaccinating health care personnel and catching up previously unvaccinated children aged 6 months to 8 years with two doses of vaccine. The CDC's Advisory Committee on ...
DTaP-HepB-IBV can be given with Hib, PCV-7.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... coadministering the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and a Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine with the pentavalent diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, and polio combination vaccine in infants does not compromise the safety and immunogenicity of ...
Chlamydia screening guides closer to agreement.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Updated U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines on chlamydial infection detection recommend screening all sexually active, nonpregnant women aged 24 years and younger, as well as older women at increased risk and all pregnant women aged 24 years and younger. The ...
Teens' urinary complaints not checked for STI.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- Despite guidelines to the contrary, 55% of adolescents presenting to the emergency department with urinary complaints were not investigated for a sexually transmitted infection in one study, Dr. Najah Musacchio said at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. ...
Accurate developmental screening saves.(Guest Editorial)
Aug 01, 2007; ... To help judge effectiveness in identifying children with developmental and behavioral problems, clinicians should ask themselves the provocative question, "What is my referral rate?" If that rate is less than 16% (1 out of 6), such problems are being missed. This figure may seem ...
Wake-up call for pediatric psychiatry.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2007; ... As a practicing clinician in southwest Virginia, I feel compelled to make an observation and, hopefully, a call to action for all pediatricians. April 16, 2007, will live on in many memories as the most unspeakably horrific and unexpected of all events. In the aftermath, a ...
Cruel waits to see subspecialists.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Since I started practicing in Orange County, California, in 1976, I have seen a profound decline in the availability of subspecialty pediatricians in our area ("In Short Supply," Letters from Maine, April 2007, p. 29). The current average time for neurology, psychiatry; ...
We can help with school readiness.(Adviser's Viewpoint)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Large numbers of children show up not ready for kindergarten and first grade. This is a problem troubling all who care for children; it is of particular concern for us as pediatricians and developmental specialists. As we become more aware of the interconnectedness between ...
The right stuff.(Letters From Maine)
Aug 01, 2007; ... One of the perks that a maturing physician can enjoy is a declining frequency of unexpected clinical outcomes. As the face-to-face patient encounters accumulate over the years, repeating patterns begin to emerge. Ironically, while the older physician notices that his memory for specifics ...
Training, protocol increase use of developmental screening tools.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- Implementing routine developmental screening at every well-child visit does not have to eat up valuable time in a busy pediatric practice, said Dr. Alison Schonwald, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital in Boston. "This is a real concern that providers have, but our ...
Russian adoptees close gap on speech skills.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- Within 4 months of their arrival in the United States, adopted children from Russia have similar expressive speech skills to children adopted from either China or Guatemala, even though they had lagged significantly in speech in the first month after adoption, Dr. Patrick Mason ...
Child abuse victims' siblings seldom medically investigated.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(Report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- Only about one-quarter of children who are living with a physically abused child are medically investigated for signs that they too might be abused, according to Dr. Kristine A. Campbell of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. And an additional "surprising and ...
Spotting selective mutism.(Behavioral Consult)
Aug 01, 2007; ... The quietest children are often the ones who make our office hours run smoothly. They're in and out during well-child visits, letting Mom or Dad field the questions as they peek out from behind bangs or tucked heads. When the clock is ticking and the exam rooms are full, we're unlikely to ...
Some autistic children may be prone to violence.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
Aug 01, 2007; ... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Virginia Tech gunman Seung Hui Cho may be the latest actor in a subset of people with autism who are prone to violent crime, Dr. J. Arturo Silva said at the annual meeting of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry. Many parents and mental health experts ...
Functional abdominal pain linked to depression.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
Aug 01, 2007; ... MILWAUKEE -- A case-control study has found that children with functional abdominal pain are more likely to have anxiety and depression, and their mothers also are more likely to have these disorders, Dr. John V. Campo reported at an international symposium sponsored by the International ...
Rethinking Rituximab for refractory pediatric SLE.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... MIAMI BEACH -- Rituximab treatment appears safe and efficacious for refractory systemic lupus erythematosus in children, Dr. Obioma Nwohi and colleagues reported in a poster at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the University of Miami. Average SLE Disease ...
Addressing sexuality in spina bifida.(Special Needs: Realizing Potential)
Aug 01, 2007; ... There is plenty to talk about when treating children and adolescents with spina bifida without ever talking about sex. Bladder and bowel functions alone can occupy most of the clinical visit. But it's important for pediatricians to be vigilant in addressing the sexual development of ...
Botulinum toxin aids drooling in neurologic disorders.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... PHOENIX -- Drooling by adults and children with neurologic disorders is an underrecognized problem that can be treated with botulinum toxin types A or B, Dr. Phillip C. Song said at a clinical dermatology conference sponsored by Medicis. Especially for otherwise well-functioning ...
Valsartan found safe and effective in young hypertensive children.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Valsartan significantly reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure without significant adverse events in the first trial of an angiotensin II receptor blocker in children younger than 6 years. Valsartan is indicated for the treatment of hypertension and heart ...
Terbinafine granules benefit tinea capitis.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- A new oral formulation of the antifungal drug terbinafine significantly improved tinea capitis in children aged 4-12 years compared with griseofulvin oral suspension, based on efficacy data from 1,286 children in the largest study of the medication to date. The findings were ...
Genetic basis likely behind pediatric psoriasis.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... MONTREAL -- Pediatric psoriasis is "'not just psoriasis in little people," and its differences from adult psoriasis are important to recognize, Dr. Danielle Marcoux said at Dermatology Update 2007. "There are unmet treatment needs" for the pediatric population, said Dr ....
Oral steroids superior for infant hemangioma.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... TORONTO -- Oral corticosteroids offer more clinical benefit than do high-dose pulsed intravenous corticosteroids in children with problematic infantile hemangiomas, but with an increased risk of adverse effects, Dr. Miriam Weinstein reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting ...
Think systemic Rx for teens' severe AD.(Clinical Rounds)(atopic dermatitis)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Assume noncompliance when treating atopic dermatitis in teenage patients, said Dr. Jon M. Hanifm, a dermatologist at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. "Managing atopic dermatitis in teenagers is not for the faint of heart," said Dr. Hanifm, a ...
Filaggrin mutation blamed for atopy predisposition.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... VIENNA -- Genetically determined loss of epidermal barrier function has emerged as a major predisposing factor for atopic dermatitis, Dr. Alan D. Irvine reported at the 16th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. It has long been noted that genetic ...
Don't miss neonatal nesiculopustular disorders.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... MIAMI BEACH -- Several neonatal vesiculopustular disorders can be life-threatening, yet easy to miss, Dr. Ronald C. Hansen said at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the University of Miami. Neonatal herpes simplex is among the most severe perinatal ...
With topical steroids for AD, follow age-specific indications.(Clinical Rounds)(atopic dermatitis)
Aug 01, 2007; ... MAUI, HAWAII -- A thorough familiarity with the age-specific indications for topical steroids in children with atopic dermatitis has become essential in the aftermath of the Food and Drug Administration's black box warning on topical calcineurin inhibitors, speakers said at the annual ...
Headaches, migraine prevalent in older teens.(Clinical Rounds)(Report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... BOSTON -- Approximately one in four adolescents aged 16-18 years in the United States is affected by severe headache or migraine, Dr. Tarannum Lateef reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Lateef of Children's National ...
Use of migraine medications found to vary by age, income.(Clinical Rounds)(Report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... BOSTON -- The use of preventive and acute prescription medication to treat migraine varies by age and household income, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. The findings confirm that barriers for optimal care among ...
Stroke risk not elevated in pediatric migraine patients.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Most children with migraine accompanied by neurologic symptoms aren't at increased risk for stroke, Dr. Catalina Cleves said at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. "Headache with neurologic symptoms in children always raises the possibility of a ...
Gemfibrozil aids severe metabolic syndrome.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... NEW ORLEANS -- Gemfibrozil produces multiple benefits in children with severe metabolic syndrome, including a sharp reduction in triglyceride levels, increased HDL cholesterol levels, and a decrease in elevated liver enzymes, Courtney M. Smalley reported at the annual meeting of the ...
Few pediatric palm burns need surgery.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... SAN DIEGO -- The majority of pediatric palm burns healed without the need for acute or reconstructive surgery in a large single-center study. The finding is important because many burn centers support immediate excision with full-thickness skin grafting for pediatric palm ...
'Risk-based care' advocated in cancer survivors.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... MIAMI -- Children with cancer should be treated according to "risk-based care'" to prevent or minimize adverse effects that often emerge 5 or more years after initim therapy, Dr. Melissa M. Hudson said at a pediatric update sponsored by Miami Children's Hospital. Risk-based ...
Cancer incidence, survival both rise.(Clinical Rounds)(Report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... LOS ANGELES -- The incidence of many childhood cancers has increased in the United States since 1973, but so have survival rates, Amy M. Linabery and Julie A. Ross, Ph.D., reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. ...
Growth hormone may be needed beyond teens.(Clinical Rounds)
Aug 01, 2007; ... SEATTLE -- Many adolescents who have been treated with recombinant growth hormone probably need to continue their treatment into adulthood, Dr. David M. Cook said at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Those patients who are ...
Extina, flovent dose counter.(NEW & APPROVED)(Drug overview)
Aug 01, 2007; ... Extina (ketoconazole foam 2%, Stiefel Laboratories Inc.) The Food and Drug Administration approved Extina (ketoconazole) Foam, 2%, for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis in patients aged 12 years and older. This product features ketoconazole in a thermolabile ...
Preemies given TPN on day 1 gained more before discharge.(Clinical Rounds)(total parenteral nutrition for premature babies)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... PHILADELPHIA -- Premature babies who received protein- and fat-enriched total parenteral nutrition beginning on the day of delivery gained more weight each week and were discharged at heavier weights than those who got a standard lower protein and fat formula started on the second day of ...
Metformin gives teens 'modest' weight losses.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- The use of metformin for weight loss in nondiabetic, obese adolescents--a practice that is becoming increasingly popular--produces about a 6-to 7-pound loss over 1 year, according to a study presented at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. ...
Bariatric surgery rare but on rise among U.S. adolescents.(Clinical Rounds)(Report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... SAN DIEGO -- Less than 1% of patients who underwent bariatric surgery at academic medical centers in the United States between 2002 and 2006 were adolescents, but the number of adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery increased nearly threefold over the same time period, results from a ...
Laparoscopic gastric banding yields safe weight loss in teens.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... ORLANDO -- Sustained weight loss with few complications was achieved after gastric banding placed laparoscopically, according to a single-center series of 73 adolescents after 2 years of follow-up. "Weight loss with laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding led to excellent ...
Topiramate aids basilar migraine in small study.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Topiramate reduced the frequency of basilar migraine by up to 75% in almost 90% of children who took the drug for migraine prevention, Dr. Donald Lewis reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. Migraine drugs are ...
Hypertension linked to more severe Guillain-Barre course.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... PHILADELPHIA -- Hypertension appears to predict a more severe course of Guillain-Barre syndrome in children and, because it appears within 24-48 hours of the onset of maximum motor disability, might be a valid prognostic marker for these patients, a small study indicates. ...
Patient selection key in monitor/pump combo.(Clinical Rounds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Findings from a recent study suggest that the combined real-time continuous glucose monitor/insulin pump system reduces glycemic variability and improves glucose control in selected insulin pump users with type 1 diabetes, Dr. Irl B. Hirsch reported at the annual scientific ...
Very-low-dose glucagon may prevent nocturnal hypoglycemia.(Clinical Ronds)(Clinical report)
Aug 01, 2007; ... CHICAGO -- Nocturnal administration of very-low-dose glucagon appears to prevent hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes, Dr. Steven V. Edelman reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. Hypoglycemia limits the ability to achieve ...
Travel health: CDC 'Yellow Book'.(FYI)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... An updated edition of "Health Information for International Travel," the so-called Yellow Book released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is available at bookstores and flee online. New features include an expanded section on ...
Fighting childhood obesity.(FYI)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has launched a public education program, "Spot the Block," that urges "tweens" (youth aged 9-13 years) to read the ...
For teachers: DVD on stuttering.(FYI)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2007 ... The Stuttering Foundation is offering a 20-minute DVD, "Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teachers." The DVD helps teachers and parents understand how stuttering ...