May 2010 Briefing - Pediatrics

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pediatrics for May 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.

Underage Drinking Emergency Room Visits Rise Over Holiday

MONDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Daily underage drinking-related visits to hospital emergency departments are higher over the three-day Memorial Day weekend than on an average day, according to a new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

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Children Respond Well to Adjuvanted H1N1 Vaccine

FRIDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- An adjuvanted split virion H1N1 vaccine is more immunogenic but is also associated with more reactions compared to a whole virion, non-adjuvanted vaccine in children, according to research published online May 27 in BMJ.

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Indoor Tanning Beds/Booths Increase Melanoma Risk

THURSDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Use of indoor tanning equipment substantially increases the risk of melanoma, with the highest risk found for people who use high-speed/intensity and high-pressure indoor tanning beds, according to a report published online May 26 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

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Early Glycemic Control Vital in Type 1 Diabetes

THURSDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Intense glycemic control early on should be attempted for individuals with type 1 diabetes to reduce the risk of complications related to diabetes arising over time, according to research published in the May issue of Diabetes.

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Shunting Options Compared in Infant Heart Defect Procedure

WEDNESDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- Use of a right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RVPA) shunt in infants undergoing the Norwood procedure results in better transplantation-free survival in the short term than use of a modified Blalock-Taussig (MBT) shunt, but the advantage fades in longer follow-up, according to a study in the May 27 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Drug Switch Tied to Depression Remission at Six Months

WEDNESDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- More than one-third of adolescents with treatment-resistant depression may achieve remission within six months after simply switching their medication or undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy along with a medication switch, and those who show symptom benefits early after switching are more likely to have lasting benefits, according to a study published online May 17 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

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Common School Scoliosis Screening Test Lacks Precision

TUESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The simple and common forward bending test (FBT) used in school scoliosis screening programs lacks precision for detecting spinal curvature and by itself is insufficient, according to a meta-analysis published in the May 1 issue of Spine.

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Trial Finds Topical Gel Effective for Facial Acne in Preteens

TUESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Preteens with mild-to-moderate facial acne respond well to treatment with tretinoin microsphere gel (TMG) without serious adverse effects, according to a small study published online May 24 in Pediatrics.

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Survivors of Childhood Cancer Less Healthy as Adults

TUESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Adult survivors of childhood cancers appear to suffer worse health outcomes and more job limitations than people who never had cancer, according to research published online May 24 in Cancer.

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Childhood Mortality Worldwide May Be Lower Than Thought

MONDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Among children younger than 5, the annual global death toll may be 820,000 lower than the latest UNICEF estimate, as there has been progress in many poorer countries toward achieving the Millennium Development Goal 4 of reducing mortality in this age group by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015, according to an article published online May 24 in The Lancet.

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On-Time Vaccinations in First Year Don't Hurt Development

MONDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Children who are vaccinated on schedule in their first year of life exhibit neuropsychological development at ages 7 to 10 that is as good as or better than children who receive delayed vaccination or do not get vaccinated, according to a study published online May 24 in Pediatrics.

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Battery Ingestions Have Devastating Complications

MONDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- The increased use of 20-mm lithium button batteries has led to a rise in devastating complications from their ingestion. Prevention should be encouraged through education and secure household product design, and, when prevention doesn't work, the removal of batteries from the esophagus must be expedited to prevent major complications, according to two studies published online May 24 in Pediatrics.

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AAP Statement Urges Drowning Prevention Efforts

MONDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- With drowning a leading cause of accidental death in children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is urging pediatricians to actively educate and counsel parents and support community drowning prevention efforts in a revised policy statement published online May 24 in Pediatrics.

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Most Uninsured Young Adults May Gain Health Insurance

FRIDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, there are 13.7 million uninsured young adults, and most of them could gain health insurance coverage under the recently passed Affordable Care Act, according to a report released today by the Commonwealth Fund.

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Intervention Improves Parent-Autistic Child Interactions

FRIDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- A parent-mediated social communication intervention in preschool children with autism improves parent-child interaction but does not result in clinically significant benefits in autism severity, according to research published in the May 21 online edition of The Lancet.

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Cesarean Delivery and Celiac Disease Significantly Associated

THURSDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- There is a significant association between cesarean delivery and celiac disease but not Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, according to research published online May 17 in Pediatrics.

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Self-Reported Peanut, Tree Nut Allergies in Children on the Rise

MONDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Although the number of adults allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and sesame seems to have remained relatively stable since 1997, the prevalence of self-reported peanut and tree nut allergies in children has climbed substantially, according to research published online May 12 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

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Maternal Measles Antibodies Wane by 6 Months of Age

WEDNESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal measles antibodies wane quickly after birth, with nearly all babies losing maternal antibody protection by age 6 months, according to research published online May 18 in the BMJ.

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Steroids for Hemangiomas Affect Immune Function

WEDNESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Corticosteroids used for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas are associated with reductions in lymphocyte cell numbers and changes in immune function, according to a study published online May 17 in Archives of Dermatology.

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Brain-Injured Youths Have More Postconcussive Symptoms

TUESDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Postconcussive symptoms (PCSs) are not unique to children with mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBIs), but children with such injuries experience more PCSs and different neurocognitive recovery than their non-head-injured peers, according to research published online May 17 in Pediatrics.

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Race May Impact Clinician's Infant Drug Screening Choices

MONDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Health care providers may be impacted by maternal race in determining whether to screen for illicit drug exposure in infants, regardless of their institution's standard criteria for screening, according to a study published online May 17 in Pediatrics.

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Higher Pesticide Exposure Linked to Increased ADHD Risk

MONDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of organophosphate exposure have been associated with adverse effects on neurodevelopment, and cross-sectional data suggest that levels of exposure common in U.S. children may contribute to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) prevalence, according to research published online May 17 in Pediatrics.

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Antibiotic Patterns for S. Aureus in Children Have Changed

MONDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- Since the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections, antibiotic treatment for hospitalized children with S. aureus infections has changed dramatically, and clindamycin has become the primary antibiotic treatment for those infections, according to research published online May 17 in Pediatrics.

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CPAP Found Feasible for Extremely Preterm Infants

MONDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- In extremely preterm infants, early treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may be a viable alternative to early treatment with intubation and surfactant, according to a study published online May 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society, held from May 14 to 19 in New Orleans. The study also found that a lower target range of oxygen saturation does not reduce a composite of severe retinopathy or death and may be associated with increased mortality.

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FDA Clears Use of Rotavirus Vaccine, Rotarix

MONDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- The introduction of the RotaTeq (RV5) vaccine is associated with a reduction in hospitalizations for acute gastroenteritis in children under 5, according to research published in the June 1 Journal of Infectious Diseases. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that health care professionals can resume using the vaccine Rotarix, and continue using RotaTeq, to prevent rotavirus in children.

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Low Umbilical Artery pH Linked to Adverse Outcomes

FRIDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Low umbilical artery pH at birth is strongly associated with adverse long-term outcomes, including death and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, according to research published online May 13 in BMJ.

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Early Child Care May Affect Functioning in Teenage Years

FRIDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- The quality and quantity of early child care is associated with functioning, including academic achievement, at age 15, according to a study published in the May/June issue of Child Development. Another study in the same issue found increased cortisol levels in children when they were at full-time, home-based day care versus when they were at home.

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Article Stresses Need for More Pediatric Research Funding

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- The proportion of the National Institutes of Health budget dedicated to pediatric research has declined since 1993, despite the potential impact early treatment and prevention could have on disease burden and financial costs, according to an article published online May 10 in Pediatrics. Separate research in the same issue found that various factors affect parents' understanding of the risks and benefits of studies involving their children.

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Autism Onset Patterns Linked to Developmental Outcomes

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- In children under age 3, the onset of autism has three distinct patterns -- regression, plateau, and no loss or plateau -- which substantially affect developmental, diagnostic and educational outcomes, according to a study published April 2 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Steps Per Day Linked to Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Although public health recommendations have tended to focus on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, an active lifestyle as measured by steps per day is associated with a reduced prevalence of both metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, according to research published online May 4 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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Environmental Exposures Can Affect Puberty in Young Girls

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Environmental exposure to the chemical classes known as phenols, phthalates and phytoestrogens may affect young girls' pubertal development, putting them at risk for health complications later in life, according to a study published online in Environmental Health Perspectives.

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Sucrose or Glucose Before Shots Reduces Infants' Crying

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- The administration of sucrose or glucose prior to immunization in infants aged 1 to 12 months reduces the incidence and duration of crying as well as pain scores, according to research published online May 12 in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

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IOL for Infant Cataracts Not Superior to Contact Lenses

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Contact lenses for infants who undergo surgery for congenital cataracts result in short-term vision outcomes comparable to those with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, but with fewer additional operations performed, according to research published online May 10 in the Archives of Ophthalmology.

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FDA Warns Consumers Against Swallowing Topical Benadryl

THURSDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has alerted consumers regarding potentially serious side effects associated with mistakenly swallowing Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel, an over-the-counter (OTC) product intended only for topical use.

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Maternal Vitamin A Improves Offspring's Lung Function

WEDNESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal vitamin A supplementation before, during, and after pregnancy in an undernourished population appears to result in improved lung function in offspring, according to a study reported in the May 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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New FDA Program Targets Misleading Drug Advertising

WEDNESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced the launch of a new program to educate health care providers regarding their role in making certain that advertisements and promotions for prescription drugs are truthful and not misleading.

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Infections Cause Most Deaths in Children Under 5 Worldwide

WEDNESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- In 2008, there were an estimated 8.795 million deaths in children younger than 5 worldwide; infectious diseases caused more than two-thirds of these deaths, and almost half of them occurred in just five countries, according to an analysis published online May 12 in The Lancet.

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High BMI Partly Explains Family-Based Diabetes Risk

WEDNESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- A high body mass index (BMI) and, to some extent, specific lifestyle factors may explain a substantial part of the association between family history of diabetes and type 2 diabetes risk, according to research published in the April issue of Diabetes Care.

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CDC: U.S. Preterm Birth Rate Declines From 2006 to 2008

TUESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- In 2008, for the second year in a row, the U.S. preterm birth rate (defined as birth prior to 37 weeks of gestation) declined after a long period of relatively steady increase, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

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Family Physicians Still Provide Many Well-Child Visits

TUESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Although provision of prenatal visits by family physicians has decreased by an estimated 50 percent in recent years, family physicians continue to provide a substantial proportion of well-child examinations during the first two years of life, according to a study published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. Another study published in the same journal found that urban parents are mostly receptive to a pilot intervention aimed at reducing obesity in preschoolers.

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Restless Legs Syndrome Is Frequently Familial

TUESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Restless legs syndrome (RLS) has a high familial rate, and siblings of those who are severely affected by the disease appear to be at increased risk of developing it themselves, according to research published in the May issue of the Archives of Neurology.

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In-Hospital Pediatric Mortality Tied to Patient Characteristics

MONDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Patient characteristics, including age and severity of diagnosis are substantive factors associated with pediatric in-patient deaths, and reducing variability within and between pediatric hospitals may improve mortality rates, according to research published online May 10 in Pediatrics.

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Many Youths With Diabetes Get Too Little Exercise

MONDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Many youths with diabetes mellitus (DM), especially males with type 2 disease, do not meet recommendations for physical activity and electronic media use, according to a study published online May 10 in Pediatrics.

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Sleep Disorders May Be Underdiagnosed in Children

MONDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of sleep diagnoses for children given by primary care providers is lower than prevalence rates reported in epidemiological studies, suggesting that these providers may be under-diagnosing sleep disorders in pediatric patients, according to research published online May 10 in Pediatrics.

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Infants Bottle-Fed Early More Likely to Empty Bottle Later

MONDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Infants who are mainly bottle-fed in early infancy are more likely to empty their bottle in late infancy compared to those mainly breast-fed in early infancy, suggesting a lack of self-regulation that may contribute to childhood obesity, according to a study published online May 10 in Pediatrics.

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In Abuse Talks, Parents Focus Disproportionately on Strangers

FRIDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- In discussions with their children regarding sexual abuse, parents tend to focus on strangers as the most likely offenders and may neglect to discuss adults the children know as potential threats, according to a study published in Child Maltreatment.

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CDC Finds Rotavirus Vaccine Coverage Is Increasing

FRIDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Since routine rotavirus vaccination of infants began in February 2006, coverage has steadily increased but still lags behind coverage for other infant vaccines, according to a report published in the May 7 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

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Vaccine May Have Role in Dravet Onset; Does Not Cause Disease

THURSDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Pertussis vaccination may cause an earlier onset of Dravet syndrome in children who are destined to develop the disease because of a mutation, but the vaccine does not appear to affect outcomes and there is no reason to withhold it, according to research published online May 5 in The Lancet Neurology.

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Drinking During Pregnancy May Raise Child's Leukemia Risk

THURSDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- In utero exposure to alcohol is associated with a significantly increased risk of childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is relatively rare, according to research published in the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

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Preconception Counseling Benefits Teens With Diabetes

THURSDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- A preconception counseling program aimed at female teenagers with type 1 diabetes is beneficial and cost-effective, and its effects are sustained for at least nine months, according to research published in the April issue of Diabetes Care.

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Seminar Addresses State of Childhood Obesity

THURSDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Although the rapid increase in childhood obesity prevalence in developed countries may be stabilizing, rates have risen substantially since the 1970s, and efforts to prevent obesity should continue at all levels, though bariatric surgery should be used only as a last-resort treatment in extreme cases, according to a seminar published online May 6 in The Lancet.

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Motor Vehicle Accidents Leading Cause of Teen Death

WEDNESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- On average, more than 16,000 12- to 19-year-olds die each year in the United States, and the leading cause of death among this age group is motor vehicle accidents, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

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White Paper Addresses Pros and Cons of HPV Typing

WEDNESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- A new white paper -- "What is the Role of HPV Typing in the United States Now and in the Next Five Years in a Vaccinated Population?" -- provides guidance to clinicians about the administration of advanced screening technologies for cervical cancer prevention. The paper was published online April 24 in Gynecologic Oncology.

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Concomitant Vaccination Feasible in Adolescents

WEDNESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- In adolescents, co-administration of the Gardasil, Menactra, and Adacel vaccines is not associated with decreased safety, tolerability or immunogenicity of the individual vaccines, according to a study published online May 3 in Pediatrics.

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Pediatricians May Not Recognize High Blood Pressure

TUESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- At some pediatric practices, many cases of elevated blood pressure go unrecognized, and the most important factors associated with under-recognition are an absence of cardiovascular disease risk factors such as obviously elevated blood pressure, obesity, and family history of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online May 3 in Pediatrics.

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Rate of Childhood Obesity, Overweight Varies by State

MONDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- In 2007, there were substantial geographic disparities in childhood overweight and obesity, with the prevalence increasing in many states from 2003 to 2007, according to data published online May 3 in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

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Antidepressants in Pregnancy May Impact Child Behavior

MONDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- Antidepressant use during pregnancy and twin birth weight differences may affect later behavior in children, while nicotine use during pregnancy may lead to sleep disturbances in children, according to three studies published in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

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Obese Children Are More Likely to Be Bullied

MONDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- Obese children are more likely to be bullied than their normal-weight peers, regardless of several potential academic, social and sociodemographic confounders, according to research published online May 3 in Pediatrics.

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Spanking Ranks Low as Discipline Option in U.S. Poll

MONDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to child discipline, most parents today opt to reason with their child, take away something the child enjoys, or ground the child or put him or her in timeout to get their point across instead of spanking, according to research published in the April 16 issue of C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

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Children's and Infants' Liquid Medicines Recalled

MONDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- McNeil Consumer Healthcare and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have alerted health care professionals of the voluntary recall of various over-the-counter liquid products for children and infants, including Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl products, as some of them may not meet quality standards.

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