Contemporary Pediatrics Staff

Articles by Contemporary Pediatrics Staff

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released its guidance for influenza vaccination during the 2013-2014 influenza season. As always, AAP recommends that all children and adolescents aged 6 months and older receive either the trivalent or quadrivalent influenza vaccine, and children should be immunized as soon as the vaccine becomes available.

Baby boys who use pacifiers fail to mimic the facial expressions of adults and other children, which in turn impairs learning social and emotional responses to other human beings, according to research that explored the relationship between pacifier use and emotional development in children. More >>

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is revamping its Back to Sleep campaign for the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome to address a wider awareness of all causes of sudden unexpected infant death. The goal is to promote education among health care providers, parents, and caregivers regarding safe sleep practices for all infants. More >>

Adolescents who use their cell phones to send or receive sexually explicit messages and photos, called “sexting,†may perceive the activity as a safe alternative to real-life sexual encounters, but researchers have found that these children are at increased risk for other dangerous sexual behaviors. More >>

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that when it comes to measles, mumps, and rubella and varicella vaccination of children entering school, coverage is still not quite where it needs to be. Find out which states are the leaders and which states lag behind. More >>

Up to two-thirds of mothers of critically ill newborns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) believe their children are less sick than their treating physicians indicate. How can you optimize communication in this most stressful setting?