Joshua Fitch is the senior editor for Contemporary Pediatrics. He joined the brand in March of 2023 as an editor before being promoted to senior editor in January 2024. Fitch graduated from Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio in 2020 with a degree in telecommunications and journalism. He started his career as a news and sports videographer before becoming an on-air sports anchor at the NBC-affiliated news station in Youngstown. Fitch briefly worked as a national content writer for a Chicago-based national television station before joining the Contemporary Pediatrics team. He can be reached at: jfitch@mjhlifesciences.com.
How pediatricians can support patients exposed to intimate partner violence
June 26th 2023About 1 in 4 children are exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP has released tips and recommendations for pediatricians to help support these patients and their families.
FDA clears Owlet’s pulse oximetry sock for infants
June 23rd 2023After Owlet’s baby-monitoring Smart Sock was pulled from the market in 2021, the FDA has cleared the company’s BabySat pulse oximetry sock for infants, capable of monitoring and alerting parents of pulse rate and oxygen saturation levels.
Discussing the importance of lipid screenings in the pediatric population
June 21st 2023In this Contemporary Pediatrics® interview, Dave Little, MD, MS, Physician Informaticist at Epic, discusses the importance of lipid screening in the pediatric population, specifically for children aged 9 to 11 years and those aged 2 to 8 years with increased risk of diabetes, obesity, or high blood pressure. Little says awareness of lipid screenings at the provider and parent levels can lead to more screenings overall, which can lead to healthier lifestyles for children.
FDA approves empagliflozin, empagliflozin plus metformin for pediatric type 2 diabetes
June 21st 2023Children 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes (T2D) can now be treated with empagliflozin and empagliflozin plus metformin hydrochloride to improve blood sugar control, per a recent approval by the FDA.
Children with ASD respond well to a family-centered procedural sedation protocol
June 20th 2023A family-centered procedural sedation protocol for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or developmental delay (DD) allowed 93% of patients to be free of restraints during routine health care procedures.
How do parents handle their child’s belly pain?
June 20th 2023Based on results from a recent C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, find out how comfortable parents feel when it comes to abdominal pain in their child, and how likely they are to handle the issue themselves, or to reach out to a health care provider for help.
How do infant formulas compare to composition or performance of human milk?
June 14th 2023Infant formula companies add new ingredients to match or best mimic human milk and breastfeeding advantage for the child, but comparing new-ingredient formulas with existing formulas and human milk to determine efficaciousness can present clinical and ethical challenges.
AMA asking physicians to de-emphasize BMI use for health and obesity assessment
June 14th 2023The American Medical Association is asking doctors to scale back the use of the body mass index (BMI) when assessing obesity and health in patients, noting it should be used jointly with other measurements, and not solely.
How linaclotide can change the functional constipation treatment landscape
June 13th 2023Kirk Thame, MD, associate professor, pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee, explains how linaclotide differs from other treatment options for pediatric functional constipation, and why children will benefit from its recent FDA approval.
Diabetes risk perception not associated with greater risk-reducing behaviors
June 13th 2023Intensive lifestyle change remains the primary treatment for youth-onset type 2 diabetes. According to a study in Jama Network Open, there is more work to be done as risk perception and awareness of diabetes alone were not associated with risk-reducing behaviors.
Nirsevimab recommended by FDA Advisory Committee to prevent RSV in infants
June 9th 2023In unanimous fashion, the FDA AMDAC voted 21 to 0 that nirsevimab has a favorable benefit risk profile for the prevention of RSV lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) in newborns and infants during their first RSV season.
Medicaid-enrolled children not receiving mental health services after firearm injuries
June 8th 2023Investigators state public health strategies should prioritize early detection of mental health needs and equitable access to it, as some Medicaid-enrolled children are not receiving mental health services following a firearm injury.
FDA warns of drug compounding amid shortages of drugs containing semaglutide
June 7th 2023Semaglutide (Wegovy; Novo Nordisk) for obesity in adolescents, along with 2 other approved products containing semaglutide, are currently on the FDA’s drug shortages list, prompting the agency to warn patients and providers about drug compounding.
Early risk factors associated with behavioral dysregulation trajectories
June 2nd 2023Risk detection practices and targeted interventions promoting adaptive developmental trajectories for at-risk children can be successful by identifying the earliest antecedents of persisting emotional and behavioral dysregulation.
Getting children's mental health on track
May 31st 2023In this Contemporary Pediatrics® interview, Benjamin Maxwell, MD, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, California, details the rise in pediatric mental health concerns, emergency department visits, and the potentially concerning aspects of social media among youth.
How AI can help detect and monitor coughing in infants and young children
May 31st 2023Devan Jaganath, MD, MPH, pediatric infectious disease physician, University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospitals, explains how Hyfe AI and other artificial intelligence algorithms can detect and monitor coughing, potentially playing a role in treating RSV patients.
Here’s what parents think of pre-owned child health and safety equipment
May 25th 2023Over 50% of parents said they have used pre-owned child health and safety equipment. Whether it comes from family or a stranger, from cribs to car seats, all equipment should be inspected and researched before allowing a child to use it according to a C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
FDA clears algorithm-based automated insulin dosing system for T1D patients 6 years and up
May 25th 2023The Beta Bionics iLet ACE Pump and the iLet Dosing Decision software, matched with a compatible FDA-cleared integrated continuous glucose monitor, use an algorithm to determine and command insulin delivery to users.