Miranda Hester

As the rate of suicide climbs, the ability to access shows like 13 Reasons Why without parental supervision grows, and social media pushes an impossible quest for perfection, it has become more important than ever for parents, caregivers, and educators to have a good understanding of what depression is and what the signs are.

A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a positive outcome in the battle against childhood obesity. The number of children and toddlers who are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have shown a downward trend in obesity prevalence from 2010 to 2016.

With a vast potential for benefit, studies show this benefit is likely and of no risk at all, and the analysis overwhelmingly favors a universal recommendation for the early introduction of the Big Eight allergenic foods to infants. It should come as no surprise, then, that despite the measured AAP recommendation, numerous experts and institutions advocate this very approach. Here's what 8 have to say.

Bug bites, sunburn, and homesickness are the worst things that parents likely expect to happen to their children when they send them off to summer camp. However, a new study in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice indicates that camp may not be prepared to recognize and treat anaphylaxis caused by food allergies.

Children who undergo cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease are at increased risk for both long-term end stage kidney disease (ESKD) and mortality, according to a new study in the Clinical Journal of American Society of Nephrology.

A new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shows that 98% of toddlers and two-thirds of infants consume added sugars in their diets each day.

Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of developing depression. A new study in Pediatric Diabetes, however, takes this one step further, suggesting that depressive symptoms among youths with diabetes varies by diabetes type. 

E-cigarette use continues to be popular among middle and high school children, according to a new study published in JAMA. Flavored e-cigarettes are popular among them as well.

One of the most frustrating elements of medicine, for patient and pediatrician alike, is the cost of medication -- and the often-inscrutable reasons for that cost. At the final plenary session for October 27, 2019, at the 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, John D. Lantos, MD, director at the Bioethics Center and professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, presented on the high costs of medication, the ethical conundrums the costs can create, and what the pediatrician can do in practice to help combat.

In a session at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2019 National Conference & Exhibition, Ellen R. Wald, MD, FAAP, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and Pediatrician-in-Chief of the American Family Children's Hospital, in Madison, covered the latest guidance for diagnosing and treating the condition.

It’s one of the scariest moments that a pediatrician will face in his or her career: a medical error or preventable adverse event. Here is some practical advice on how to manage this event.

After assessing a child who is presenting with some type of infectious disease, the next step is to run a diagnostic test, such as a rapid strep test or measles. However, is that always the best decision?

A new study in JAMA Psychiatry provides another reason to recommend long-acting reversible contraceptives to adolescent female patients: oral contraceptives may increase the risk of depression.

Previous studies in adults have shown that anxiety and depression can increase emergency department (ED) visits as a result for asthma. A new study in Pediatrics looks at whether the connection exists in pediatric patients.

Polysomnography has long been considered key to diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children, but a new study in Pediatrics questions how helpful the technique is for determining whether a child will benefit from an adenotonsillectomy.

Computed tomography scans are often used when treating children for traumatic brain injury, but the exposure to ionizing radiation may give a clinician pause in cases that are extremely subtle. A new study published in Pediatrics looked at whether fast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, meaning motion-tolerant MRI sequences done without sedation) was accurate and feasible in young children.

A teenager getting behind the wheel of a car is perhaps the greatest risk, but being an adolescent passenger in that car also carries a great risk. A recent C.S. Mott poll highlights the risks associated with being an adolescent passenger driven in a car by another adolescent.

Healthy Eating Research has issued a consensus recommendation for healthy beverages for children aged young than 5 years. The statement was created via a collaboration between American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and American Heart Association.

The varicella vaccine may have been helpful in reducing the incidence of herpes zoster. A recent study published in Pediatrics confirms what other studies had previously reported.

Fast food is a common element of many teenagers’ diets. This ubiquitous nature has frustrated pediatric providers fighting the tide of pediatric obesity, but a new small study from University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers indicates that another negative consequence could be an increased risk of depression.

With a full-blown opioid epidemic making headlines, the push to use nonopioid medications to treat pain has been pervasive. However, a recent study indicates that children undergoing a tonsillectomy may be given opioid pain relief, going against current practice guidelines that recommend nonopioid relief.

Does childhood-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increase the risk of psychiatric disorders or suicide attempts? A study from the Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden, examines whether the link exists.

The detention crisis at the border of the United States has led to many doctors worrying about the psychological toll on the children held in the detention camps. A recent studyoffers some insight into the problem.

The start of a new school year brings back to the forefront the issue of school start times. In spite of a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommending that high schools begin no earlier than 8:30 AM, many middle and high schools still start much earlier than the recommendation. However, the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado decided to run an experiment with later start times.

The number of completely unvaccinated children may not be large, but they pose a challenge to the pediatric practice. A recent C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health asked a sample of parents how their child’s primary care office deals with children who are completely unvaccinated and how they believe primary care offices should tackle the issue.

It’s one of the biggest problems facing the medical field and has an economic impact of roughly $4.6 billion each year. However, tackling physician burnout can feel like a gargantuan task. A recent study examines whether coaching can help tackle the task.

One of the most well-known antidepressants, fluoxetine, may not be as effective in adolescents and young adults as previously thought.

Preterm infants may face an increased risk for infections that are vaccine-preventable along with associated complications. A recent study indicates that preterm infants may also be at risk of not being vaccinated in a timely manner.

Children who have experience with child protective services may be more likely to experience mental health events, according to a recent Australian study.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, 4.1 million reports of children maltreatment were reported in 2016. A new study suggests that expanding Medicaid could help reduce the number.