Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pediatrics for July 2010. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Higher Pediatric Mortality Marked 2009/2010 Flu Season
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Since April 2009, influenza activity in the United States has been characterized by much higher pediatric mortality and higher rates of hospitalization in children and young adults than seen in previous years, according a report published in the July 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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FDA: Evamist Tied to Adverse Effects in Children, Pets
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that unintentional exposure to estradiol transdermal spray (Evamist) through skin contact with patients using the spray may cause adverse effects in children and pets.
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Black Youths May Benefit From Higher Vitamin D Dose
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Black youths on 2000 IU/day of vitamin D achieve higher vitamin D levels more quickly and have significantly less arterial stiffness than those on 400 IU/day, according to research published online July 21 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
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Specialties See Modest Compensation Increases in '09
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Most medical specialties saw modest compensation increases in 2009, but many provider organizations are still operating at a substantial loss, according to the findings of the American Medical Group Association's (AMGA) 2010 Medical Group Compensation and Financial Survey.
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Cuvposa Approved for Chronic Drooling in Children
THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Cuvposa (glycopyrrolate) Oral Solution has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat chronic drooling in children aged 3 to 16.
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Early Puberty More Likely in Obese, Overweight Girls
THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese girls are likely to reach puberty earlier than their normal-weight counterparts, and are also at risk for the long-term health consequences related to obesity, according to a review published online July 29 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
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Scoliosis Patients May Have Worse Perceived Health Status
WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- People with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) may have perceived mental and physical health that is moderately, albeit significantly, worse than those without the condition, according to twin-based research published in the August issue of Spine.
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Nerve Stimulation Helps Control Overactive Bladder in Kids
WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- Parasacral transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PTENS) appears effective for treating overactive bladder in children, according to research published in the August issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Late Preterm Babies Still at Risk for Respiratory Morbidity
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Late preterm babies -- those born at 34 to 37 weeks' gestation -- are more likely than full-term babies to suffer respiratory distress syndrome and other respiratory morbidity, though the risk decreases with each additional week of gestation, according to research in the July 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Iron Deficiency Anemia Affects Infants' Cognitive Function
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in infancy appears to affect areas of cognitive function, and these effects seem to be stronger in infants with socioemotional deficits, according to research published online July 26 in Pediatrics.
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Maternal Affection in Infancy Predicts Distress in Adulthood
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Higher levels of maternal affection during infancy are associated with lower levels of emotional distress in adulthood, according to a study published online July 26 in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
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Orientation Can Start Med Students Off on Right Foot
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- A well-planned and -implemented orientation for medical students who are entering a new learning environment provides benefits for both the institution and the students, according to an article published online July 26 in Pediatrics.
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Younger Children Have Longer H1N1 Viral Shedding Period
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Children under 13 years of age shed the 2009 H1N1 virus longer than other age groups, posing a higher risk for spreading the virus; yet, closing schools during a flu pandemic has limited effectiveness for isolating children, according to two studies published in the August issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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Cardiac Function Poor in Many Childhood Cancer Survivors
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Decreased cardiac function occurs in 27 percent of five-year childhood cancer survivors (CCSs), and higher cumulative anthracycline dose, radiation to the thorax, and younger age at diagnosis are all associated with left ventricular shortening fraction (LVSF) in these patients, according to a study in the July 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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EEG Protocol Results Found Similar in Epilepsy Diagnosis
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- For diagnosing epilepsy in children with new-onset seizures, early electroencephalography (EEG) or later sleep-deprived EEG (SD-EEG) provide similar results and diagnostic utility, according to a study published online July 12 in the Archives of Neurology.
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MODS Culture Method Beneficial in TB Diagnosis
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- The microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility (MODS) culture method, using duplicate gastric-aspirate specimens, may be the best diagnostic test for pulmonary tuberculosis in high-risk children in a resource-poor setting, according to research published online July 26 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
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Physician Advice Ups Dental Visits for Young Children
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Young children who receive a recommendation for dental care from their physician are more likely to receive dental care than children with physicians who do not address the issue, according to research published online July 26 in Pediatrics.
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Postconcussion Syndrome in Children Often Lasts Months
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- A substantial number of children who experience mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are still symptomatic for postconcussion syndrome (PCS) three months after injury, apparently independent of trauma, maternal psychological adjustment, or family dysfunction, according to research published online July 26 in Pediatrics.
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Medical Device-Related Injuries High in Pediatric Population
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- In a recent two-year period, nearly 150,000 children visited an emergency department for treatment of medical device-associated adverse events (MDAEs), suggesting a need for more intensive efforts to prevent such injuries, according to research published online July 26 in Pediatrics.
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Malicious Use of Drugs Affects Dozens of Children Annually
FRIDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- About 160 young children are victims of deliberate, malicious exposure to drugs and alcohol each year in the United States, according to research published online July 21 in the Journal of Pediatrics.
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Pelvic Radiation in Girls Tied to Higher Stillbirth Risk
FRIDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Female survivors of childhood cancer treated with pelvic radiation have a much higher risk of stillbirth and neonatal death in their offspring than do females who did not get radiation, but there is no increased risk for male survivors who received gonadal radiation, according to research published online July 23 in the The Lancet.
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Gene Therapy Shows Benefit in Children With X-Linked SCID
WEDNESDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- In patients lacking an HLA-identical donor for stem-cell transplantation, gene therapy may be effective in treating X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1), though the treatment carries a risk of acute leukemia, according to research published in the July 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Birth Timing Not Tied to Low Birth Weight Infants' Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Timing of birth in very low birth weight infants appears to have very little effect on the incidence of morbidity and mortality, according to a study published online July 19 in Pediatrics.
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Prenatal Anxiety in Moms Tied to Higher Infant Illness Risk
WEDNESDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Babies whose mothers experience prenatal stress and anxiety appear to be at higher risk for illnesses and require more antibiotics in their first year of life, according to research published online July 19 in Pediatrics.
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Automated Audio Method Can Help ID Children With Autism
WEDNESDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- A method of conducting day-long audio recordings, and processing them with automated analysis, can predict children's ages and identify those with language delay or autism, according to research published online July 19 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Overweight, Obese Mothers at Higher Risk for Preterm Birth
WEDNESDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese women appear to be at greater risk of delivering preterm babies, and, after publication bias is taken into account, maternal overweight and obesity do not have beneficial effects on low infant birth weight, according to research published July 20 in BMJ.
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Study Looks at Pediatric Pneumonia Complication Rates
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Rates of systemic complications associated with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) fell only in children under the age of 1 following the introduction of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in 2000, but local complications related to CAP have increased among all pediatric age groups, according to research published online July 19 in Pediatrics.
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Cochlear Implantation Odds Not Lower With Medicaid
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Children with Medicaid coverage have the same odds of receiving an initial cochlear implant as those with private insurance, but are less likely to receive a sequential bilateral implant, and they have higher complication rates and worse follow-up compliance, according to research published in the July issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.
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BMI at Age 18 Found to Predict Psoriatic Arthritis Risk
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Psoriasis patients with a higher body mass index (BMI) at age 18 have an increased risk of developing psoriatic arthritis (PsA) than those with a lower BMI at that age, according to research published in the July issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Study Notes Eating Issues in Children With ASD
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) appear to have feeding-related issues starting in infancy, and eat a less-varied diet starting at a young age, although their growth and energy intake are not impaired compared with children without ASD, according to research published online July 19 in Pediatrics.
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In Vitro Fertilization Linked to Children's Cancer Risk
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Children conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) may have a moderately increased risk of cancer, according to research published online July 19 in Pediatrics.
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Stress in Pregnancy May Contribute to Preterm Birth
FRIDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Women who experience severe life events stress during the first or second trimester of pregnancy may be at increased risk for delivering preterm babies and infants with low birth weight, according to research published in the July issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Children's Mental Health Affected by 9/11 Attack
FRIDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Preschool children exposed to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City were found to be at increased risk of having behavioral and psychological problems if their mothers suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, according to a study in the July/August issue of Child Development. According to a related study in the same journal, direct exposure to the attacks was also associated with depression and PTSD in adolescents and their mothers.
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Many Toddlers Watch at Least Two Hours of Television Daily
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- In 2001, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that children's television viewing be limited to no more than two hours of "quality programming" daily, but about one-fifth of Oregon's 2-year-olds watch two hours or more on a typical day, according to research published in the July 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Self-Hypnosis, Video Training Help Tourette Patients
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- In children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome, adding videotape training to self-hypnosis instruction is associated with improvements in tic control after very few sessions, according to a case series reported in the July/August issue of the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.
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Home, Hospital Antibiotics Offer Similar Results in Cystic Fibrosis
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients treated with intravenous antibiotics for respiratory exacerbations have similar lung function outcomes whether their therapy is administered at home or in the hospital, according to research published online June 25 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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MPV4 Vaccine Not Linked to Henoch-Schönlein Purpura
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPV4) does not appear to be associated with post-vaccination Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) in 16- to 20-year-olds, according to research published online July 12 in Pediatrics.
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Intervention Linked to Decrease in Toddlers' Bottle Use
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- An intervention among parents of infants making a routine health maintenance visit at 9 months of age can result in a reduction in prolonged bottle use but is not likely to lead to a decrease in iron depletion at 2 years of age, according to the results of a study published online July 12 in Pediatrics.
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Many Physicians Don't Report Incompetent Colleagues
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- While physicians generally acknowledge their responsibility to report an impaired or incompetent colleague to authorities, many do not actually report incompetent colleagues when faced with this situation, according to the results of a survey published in the July 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Excess Mortality Persists in Childhood Cancer Survivors
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term childhood cancer survivors face an increased mortality risk even 45 years after diagnosis, with the bulk of the excess mortality being from second primary cancers and circulatory diseases, according to research published in the July 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Visual Acuity Screening in Adolescents May Miss Issues
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Testing adolescents for visual acuity (VA) can reliably detect myopic refractive error, but is not effective for detecting hyperopia or astigmatism, according to a study in the July issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.
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Bias Risk Higher in Industry-Funded Pediatric Studies
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- A high proportion of pediatric randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have a high risk for bias, particularly those that are industry-funded or involve assessment of behavioral/educational interventions, but trial registration is linked to less risk of bias, according to research published online July 12 in Pediatrics.
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Review Calls for Evidence-Based Approach to Phenylketonuria
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- While there is agreement that early dietary management of phenylketonuria (PKU) is essential for optimal cognitive development, there is little consensus on the aims of management of the disease after childhood or in use of new therapies, according to a review published online July 12 in Pediatrics.
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Interventions Up Parental Accuracy of Children's Weight
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- A targeted intervention by a pediatrician may improve parental perceptions of children's weight status, and could lead to improvements in childhood diet and physical activity, according to research published in the July issue of Academic Pediatrics.
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Massage, Humor Do Not Help Stem Cell Transplant Patients
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Complementary interventions, including massage, humor therapy, and relaxation/imagery, for children undergoing stem cell transplants and their parents aren't associated with significant benefits for the children, according to a study published online July 12 in Cancer.
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Family History-Based Lipid Screening Misses Some Children
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Use of family history to determine which children need cholesterol screening -- instead of using universal cholesterol screening -- is likely to miss some children who have dyslipidemia, and fail to detect many who may have genetic dyslipidemias requiring pharmacologic treatment, according to a study published online July 12 in Pediatrics.
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Childhood Obesity Linked to Increased GERD Risk
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Moderately and extremely obese children are at an increased risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) compared with normal-weight children, according to research published online July 9 in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity.
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Infant Heart Defects Linked to Pregnancy Bupropion Use
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal use of bupropion during early pregnancy appears to have a modest positive association with left outflow tract heart defects in infants, according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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H1N1 Tied to Death, Serious Illness in Transplant Patients
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Influenza A H1N1 can cause substantial morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients; however, initiation of antiviral therapy within 48 hours of symptom development may decrease intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, according to a study published online July 9 in the The Lancet: Infectious Diseases.
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CDC: Decline in High School Smoking Rate Has Slowed
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Among U.S. high school students, the rates of those who had ever smoked cigarettes, those who were current users of cigarettes, and those who were current frequent users of cigarettes began to decline in the late 1990s, with a more gradual decline from 2003 to 2009, according to data published in the July 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Preterm Births, Births to Teens Decline; Child Poverty Rises
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- The welfare of America's children has improved in many areas in the last few years, with a decline in preterm births and babies born to adolescents, better reading and math scores for eighth-graders, and improved health insurance status; however, there have also been more negative changes, such as a rise in the proportion of children living in food-insecure homes, according to the new report, "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2010."
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Youths With Diabetes Have Higher Psychiatric Morbidity
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Young people with type 1 diabetes report levels of psychosocial well-being at diagnosis similar to those of their peers without diabetes, but over time they are more likely to experience higher rates of psychiatric morbidity and lower rates of school completion, and there may be an association between mental/emotional distress and poor metabolic control, according to research published in the July issue of Diabetes Care.
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Racial Disparities Exist in Children's Dental Care
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Children covered by Medicaid -- especially Latinos and African-Americans -- visit dentists less frequently than children with private insurance; and, among children on Medicaid, Latinos and African-Americans are more likely to have longer time periods between visits than whites, according to research in the July issue of Health Affairs.
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Children With Migraine Do Not Have More Psychiatric Problems
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- Children with migraine do not, as previously thought, have more psychiatric and social problems than healthy children, according to a review article published online July 5 in Pediatrics.
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'Cyberbullying' Linked to Teen Psychiatric, Social Issues
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Being a "cyberbully" (bullying others via electronic means) or a "cybervictim" (being the target of cyberbullying) -- and especially being both -- is associated with psychiatric and psychosomatic problems among adolescents, according to a study in the July issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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Television and Video Games Linked to Attention Problems
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Television and video game exposure both appear to be associated with increased attention problems in middle childhood, as well as in late adolescence and early adulthood, according to a study published online July 5 in Pediatrics.
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Later Start at High School Linked to Student Benefits
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Delaying school start time from 8 to 8:30 a.m. is associated with improvements in mood, alertness, and health among high-school students, according to research published in the July issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
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Car Seats Can Be Dangerous When Used Outside of Car
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Infants can be seriously injured when they are in an infant car seat being used outside of the car, and parents may not be aware of the danger, according to research published online July 5 in Pediatrics.
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Primary Care Residents Benefit From Breast-Feeding Course
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Primary care residents who participate in a breast-feeding curriculum have improved knowledge, practice patterns, and confidence in breast-feeding management compared with residents who do not participate in the curriculum, and babies at their institutions are more likely to be breast-fed exclusively six months after the intervention, according to research published online July 5 in Pediatrics.
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Underage Drinking Emergency Room Visits Rise Over Holiday
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency department visits for underage drinking almost doubled during the Fourth of July weekend in 2008, according to a new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Passing Tanning Bed Laws May Require New Strategy
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Laws to restrict underage tanning bed use can be more successful if multiple organizations coordinate their efforts and if advocates receive more knowledgeable advice, according to research published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Planned Home Births Linked to Tripled Neonatal Mortality Rate
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Planned home births, which have fewer medical interventions than planned hospital births, are associated with a significantly higher neonatal mortality rate, according to research published online July 2 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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CDC: Surge in Childhood Hepatitis A Vaccination Stalled
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- As the result of a broadened recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), hepatitis A average vaccination coverage for children increased sharply from 2006 to 2007, but has since stalled, according to a report in the July 2 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Report Addresses Physician Financial Conflicts in Care
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- In a new report, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) urges U.S. teaching hospitals to establish policies that ensure financial relationships between physicians and industry do not result in conflicts of interest that influence patient care.
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Patterns in Substance Abuse Admits for Pregnant Teens Shift
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Between 1992 and 2007, there was a substantial increase in the proportion of pregnant teens admitted for treatment of marijuana and methamphetamine abuse -- though the proportion of admissions for alcohol abuse declined over that time period; and admissions are up among Hispanic pregnant teens and down among black and non-Hispanic white pregnant teens, according to a report issued June 28 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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