Contemporary Pediatrics Staff

Gestational age independently predicts academic achievement, even among full-term infants (born at 37 to 41 weeks).

A retrospective review of children evaluated for appendicitis in emergency departments between 2005 and 2009 found that the use of ultrasound has risen whereas the use of computed tomography has decreased.

A study found that children with single-suture craniosynostosis had consistently lower mean neurodevelopmental scores than did controls.

The number of children admitted to US pediatric hospitals for physical abuse has increased over the past 10 years despite falling admission rates for all-cause injuries in children aged younger than 6 years for the same period.

A survey of 509 parents of children brought to the emergency department of a large, urban children's hospital suggests that the answer to this question is yes.

Fathers' interactions with their infants in the first months of life appear to influence children's behavior by the time they reach their first birthdays, British researchers have found.

Most adolescents with essential hypertension do not get the recommended diagnostic imaging tests, according to a study of a Medicaid population. Are there missed opportunities for intervention in this population?

Children institutionalized early in life show significant reductions in gray and white matter in the cerebral cortex, researchers report. Can the effects be reversed?

It seems the best way to conquer egg allergy in children is with eggs. Find out how researchers in a clinical trial showed how to rid most children of the sensitivity and achieved a sustained clinical effect.

Have efforts to reduce HIV-related risk behaviors among high school students been successful? The latest data from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention show that teens are practicing safer sex, but progress has stalled over the past decade.

Playing on more than 1 sports team during the school year could reduce obesity rates among high school students by more than 25%, a new study reports. What about other activities? More >>

Finally, help exists for making electronic health records (EHRs) in pediatric practice more useful and user friendly. Find out what tips you may want to incorporate into your practice. More >>

Is it possible that a synthetic compound known as serum di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is contributing to the obesity epidemic among our nation’s children? Find out what the results of 1 study say. More >>

If you think that West Nile virus is the most common cause of neuroinvasive arboviral disease in juveniles, think again. Another arthropod-borne virus has its sights set on children. More >>

More than a third of children taking dietary supplements failed to meet intake recommendations for calcium and vitamin D, a new study reports. Supplementation also raised the likelihood of excess intake of other micronutrients. Which nutrients were above recommended dietary levels? More >>

Of all the neonatal morbidities that commonly plague moderately preterm-born babies, only hypoglycemia is associated with increased risk of developmental delays by the time the children reach preschool. What glucose value increases the risk of developmental delay? More >>

Although it is widely held that uncircumcised boys are at increased risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs) compared with circumcised boys, researchers from Canada set out to determine whether that increased risk varies with the degree of phimosis. Here’s what they discovered. More >>

Siblings of abused children, especially twins, are at high risk for physical abuse that may not be detected on physical examination, according to a new report. The findings support routine skeletal surveys for contacts of injured, abused children who are younger than 24 months, regardless of physical examination findings. More >>

Earlier treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with stimulant drugs may reduce the risk of academic decline, especially in mathematics, a new study suggests. What are the relative benefits for girls and boys? More >>

Just 4 years after the licensing of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, researchers found a substantial decrease in vaccine-type HPV prevalence and evidence of herd immunity among at-risk minority, low-income young women. This discovery could lead to a reduction in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and, ultimately, cervical cancer in the community. More >>

Physical punishment such as spanking is associated with a range of mental and personality disorders in adulthood, researchers have found. The findings point to the importance of more positive parenting approaches that will ensure children’s future mental health. More >>

There may be a good medical reason for parents to get a dog or cat as a pet. It appears that children exposed to a dog or cat in their homes during the first year of life are healthier than those without a furry family member. More >>

Household contacts of children infected with Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are not routinely sampled for S aureus colonization. Failure to do so may facilitate persistent colonization or recurrent infections, according to a new report. More >>

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is widely considered the primary cause of visual impairment in extremely premature children. Now Danish researchers report that cerebral damage may be the strongest risk factor. This finding could affect how children with cerebral damage are managed. More >>

Hospitalizations of children with hypertension doubled over a 10-year period. A recent study suggests why and reveals which children are at greatest risk. More >>

Infants and toddlers with food allergies suffer a high rate of allergic reactions because of lack of vigilance on the part of caregivers, researchers report. What kinds of exposures caused the most problems? More >>

Investigators compared the efficacy of 3 treatment regimens in 699 youngsters aged from 10 to 17 years with type 2 diabetes: metformin monotherapy (1,000 mg twice daily), metformin plus rosiglitazone (4 mg twice daily), or metformin plus a lifestyle-intervention program focused on weight loss through family-based changes in eating and activitiy behaviors.

To describe the typical longitudinal developmental trajectories of social and communication functioning and repetitive behavior in children with autism, investigators analyzed data from birth records and a database of the California Department of Developmental Services that recorded symptom severity and functioning in nearly 7,000 children aged from 2 to 14 years with autism.

A new study shows that infant weight gain may be associated with the way the milk is consumed, not only with the type of milk.

The US FDA has approved a combination vaccine for preventing invasive diseases caused by Hib and Neisseria meningitis serogroups C and Y in children aged 6 weeks to 18 months.