News

The first 3 days of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2014 National Conference and Exhibition in San Diego have featured stimulating and thought-provoking plenary and educational sessions as well as forums, focus groups, and industry- and foundation-sponsored symposia.

Computed tomography (CT) is widely used for evaluating children with blunt head trauma (BHT) but it is not without risks.

Pediatricians can play a key role in preventing cancer by recommending vaccination with a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for their adolescent patients.

Pediatricians should make education about safe sleep a priority at all newborn and infant visits.

Days 1 and 2 at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2014 National Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, California, offered more of what’s new in pediatric research through symposiums, plenary sessions, poster presentations, and myriad educational sessions covering topics from the latest treatment guidelines to diagnosing clinical manifestations of disease to the newest therapies.

In a recently updated guidance, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that immunoprophylaxis against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection be reserved for certain high-risk infants.

Menstrual irregularity, acne, and other characteristics often seen in adolescent girls may be misdiagnosed as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Chest pain and syncope are common complaints in children.

Tests for allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) performed by in vitro assays or skin testing identify a sensitized state and may identify triggers to be eliminated and help guide treatment.

Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption and utilization, and vitamin D deficiency can result in rickets in young children and increased fracture risk in older children and adolescents.

The risks for growth suppression and adrenal insufficiency with the use of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma in children are relatively small and can be minimized with proper administration.

Babies who receive repeated doses of certain antibiotics between birth and 23 months of age have a higher risk of developing obesity in early childhood than babies who don’t, a 12-year study reveals.

The American College of Cardiology has published the first appropriate use criteria for initial outpatient transthoracic echocardiography to evaluate children with possible heart disease.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Adolescence has issued a new policy statement that recommends the safest and most effective contraceptive options for teenagers.

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most often reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States with more than 1.4 million cases in 2012, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Blood transfusions and maternal breast milk are the main conduits for transmitting cytomegalovirus to very low-birth-weight babies. A new study identifies the primary source.

Online ratings of physicians strongly influence how parents choose a physician for their children, a new study reports.

At its late September meeting, the Pediatric Advisory Committee (PAC) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it’s time to remind healthcare professionals that Singulair (montelukast) may have adverse effects on mental and behavioral functions.

Birth rates for adolescents in the United States continue their dramatic drop, although they are still far higher than in most developed countries, according to a National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) report.

The parents of a healthy 12-month-old girl are worried about yellow bumps that have been present on the baby’s heels for 7 months.

A web-based program that guides parents in supervising their children’s practice drives with focus on specific skills in a variety of driving environments improves driving performance in prelicensed 16- and 17-year-olds, a trial of such a program showed.

The oral respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) entry inhibitor GS-5806 reduces both viral load and clinical manifestations of RSV infection, according to results of a trial in which investigators infected healthy adults with a nasally delivered clinical strain of RSV.

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) than the general pediatric population, with habitual snoring and low waking pulse oxygen saturation the strongest risk factors for developing the condition.

To aid teenagers’ compliance, try text message reminders.

It is easy to take for granted some of the technologies we use every day. The pulse oximeter was invented 40 years ago and has become such a routine part of medical practice that oximetry measurements have often been referred to as the “fifth vital sign.”

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic inflammatory disorder affecting 15% to 30% of pediatric patients.

The need to protect the skin from excessive sun exposure from ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is now well established based on studies showing a clear causal link between excessive UVR exposure and damage to the skin that raises the risk of skin cancer and leads to premature aging.

ConsumerReports.org reported in 2008 that tattoos had become mainstream. More than one-third of US adults aged younger than 35 years have at least 1 tattoo, according to the article.