News

Empiric beta-lactam and macrolide monotherapy are similarly effective in outpatient management of children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), according to results of a multicenter retrospective study in 1164 children treated for CAP at primary care pediatric clinics in Pennsylvania.

The mother of a 7-year-old girl brings her to the office for evaluation of eczema. On review of symptoms, she mentions concern about a bald spot above her daughter’s right ear, noticeable when she braids her hair.

Using a text messaging system to remind adolescents of scheduled appointments for a contraception injection appears to improve clinic attendance.

Participation in high school sports may curb persistent antisocial behavior. Investigators assessed almost 1000 boys and girls aged younger than 15 years for the presence of conduct disorder (CD) and questioned them about their involvement in sports and other extracurricular activities.

The incidence and prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) among children and adolescents necessitates that pediatricians be able to identify and treat these increasingly common conditions.

When I started my pediatric practice in 1986, we tested patients for strep throat by performing a throat culture, which was placed in a small office incubator for 48 hours. Typically, we put patients on an antibiotic pending culture results and would stop antibiotics if the culture proved negative. In my first year of practice, an interesting new technology arrived-rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs). These tests were reasonably accurate and enabled us to make a diagnosis at the time of the visit.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) can be a chronic and severe condition that often starts in adolescence. The telltale sign: children’s preoccupation with the idea that there’s something wrong with how they look, when in reality the imperfections they perceive in their appearance are slight or nonexistent.

Medicaid, which along with the smaller Child Health Insurance Program covers 37% of US children, is undergoing a big transformation even as it is expanding significantly.

This article briefly discusses theories on why poor body image develops and the strong link to disordered eating; ways to screen for poor body image and eating disorders in children and adolescents; and some efforts under way to prevent and intervene in children at risk of, or who have developed, poor body image.

A pediatrician makes the case that increasing efforts on preventing iron deficiency can have the added benefit of preventing lead poisoning.

Readers react to Contemporary Pediatrics discussion with Diane Foley, MD

After a poor matchup to circulating viruses in the 2014-2015 season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new vaccine for this year, along with updated administration guidelines.

A federal panel is asking for more research to support regular autism screening, stating in new draft guidance that there is not enough evidence that early, routine screenings recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and many others are worthwhile.

Antibiotics and other medications don’t do any good and surgery is sometimes an extreme fix for otitis media with effusion (OME). Now, a United Kingdom researcher is giving new credence to a nonsurgical treatment that children can do on their own at home.

Although more adolescents are being vaccinated against human papillomavirus, adoption rates for the vaccine are still low in the United States, with 4 out of 10 girls remaining unvaccinated.

Treatment of transgender teenagers may often focus on gender reassignment and hormonal therapy, but a new report offers a glimpse at a host of other issues that pediatricians can help these young persons manage.

A just-released survey from the National Center for Health Statistics reveals new insights into teenaged sexuality in the United States and data behind the falling teenaged birth rate.

The parents of a 3-year-old girl with a history of a slowly regressing infantile hemangioma on her right forehead were afraid that she was developing a new hemangioma near her right eye.

While an array of exciting technologies have emerged in recent years, we narrowed this list down to thosewith the greatest potential to boost the efficiency and profitability

White blood cell (WBC) count, even extreme leukocytosis, does not predict serious bacterial infection (SBI), according to a recent study.

Dangerous underwater breath-holding behaviors (DUBBs) while swimming have led to deaths among teenagers.

A new study questions the traditional belief that the sensitivity of the urinalysis (UA) for diagnosing urinary tract infection (UTI) is not optimal in young infants.

Although parents of children who turn out to have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often express concerns about their child’s development early on, providers are far less likely to respond proactively to these concerns-instead delivering a reassuring/passive response-than to address parental concerns about intellectual disability/developmental delay (ID/DD).

Despite the growth of retail-based clinics, the availability of direct-to-consumer video visits, and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, you are having a busy day in the office.

Pediatric sports and activity participation is on the rise. It is estimated that up to 45 million children are involved in some form of athletics.1 On the whole, exercise is something to be encouraged in today’s children, with benefits of improving physical fitness, increasing social interaction with peers, decreasing stress, achieving self-efficacy, and gaining experience in goal setting, teamwork, and commitment.

A 2012 Huffington Post article described the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) studies conducted by Vince Felitti and Rob Anda as “the most important public health study that you have never heard of.”

In June, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) declined to recommend that a newly approved serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccine series be used universally in adolescents aged 16 to 18 years, basically leaving the decision up to parents and providers.

Sports participation is on the rise among youth in the United States. As we continue to address childhood obesity, it is encouraging to see that the number of high school students playing sports has continued to increase yearly since 1983.