News

In May 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the revamping of the rules for the “nutrition facts” label box on packaged foods, the first major such overall in 20 years.

The introduction of conjugated vaccines has decreased the incidence of bacterial meningitis in children, amounting to one of the biggest public health successes in the practicing pediatrician’s career.

A previously healthy, 16-year-old Hispanic boy initially presents to the clinic with a 5-day history of tactile fevers, achy malaise, congestion, and a dry cough. He was afebrile with negative rapid strep and monospot tests, but was prescribed fluticasone, benzonatate, and ibuprofen for a presumed upper respiratory infection. He was encouraged to return if symptoms did not improve.

Two common questions asked of pediatricians by parents are “When can my child return to school?” and “how long will I be staying home with my child?” Understanding when, how long, and under what conditions a pediatric patient with an infection is contagious to others is an important part of disease prevention and treatment.

Coding grief

Kevin's mother and father came to what should have been his 4-month group well-child appointment without him.

Nutritional deficiencies may play a role in the development and/or perpetuation of migraines in children, according to a new study, but further research is needed to determine if supplementation would help.

Pediatricians often administer vaccines in clusters, but a new study reveals that certain vaccines may increase the risk of febrile seizures when given on the same day.

I believe we have an opportunity to improve the care of our children by overcoming the stigma of mental health disorders and other barriers, and by applying professional standards in the pediatric medical home for the provision of mental health services to children.

Children with ADHD are more likely than their peers to consume less water, exercise less, and spend more time staring at screens-all behaviors that may be negatively affecting their ADHD symptoms, according to a new report.

A call to care

As a general surgery resident on my research sabbatical in East Africa, I observed the high burden of surgical disease children suffered there, particularly in trauma and burn injuries. Although international aid was being directed to infectious diseases, few governmental or nongovernmental funding agencies seemed to be addressing the issue of trauma and burn injuries in the pediatric population.

Intervening less frequently and at spaced durations is an effective tool in sleep conditioning for infants, particularly when paired with gentler methods, according to a new report.

For Contemporary Pediatrics, Dr Bobby Lazzara explains key findings from a nationally representative survey published in Clinical Pediatrics. The survey asked parents what they wanted to know about vaccines and how they wanted providers to handle their concerns.

I believe many physicians in primary care are troubled practicing in the current healthcare environment. Regardless of what they earn, many feel they are too busy and don’t have time to adequately listen to the concerns of their patients and their families.

The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription (FVRx) Program began with the testimonials of the families enrolled in the childhood weight management clinic I had started in my community health center in 2006.

Newborn babies are more likely to develop jaundice requiring treatment if they have significant hemolysis contributing to their bilirubin levels (ie, bruising, ABO blood group incompatibility, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PD] deficiency).

Compared with traditional Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) outreach, the use of parent mentors (PMs) raises rates of insured minority children and improves healthcare access along with providing other benefits-including cost effectiveness-a new study shows.

High school students who report sleeping 7 hours or less on an average school night are significantly more likely than their peers who sleep up to 9 hours a night to engage in several injury-related risk behaviors: infrequent bicycle helmet use; infrequent seatbelt use; riding with a driver who has been drinking; drinking and driving; and texting while driving.