News

Many of today’s practicing PNPs grew up during the “difficult and rebellious” adolescent years when teenagers were trying alcohol, marijuana, drag racing, and attempting to access birth control. In retrospect, that adolescent lifestyle was simplistic in comparison to the complex, tumultuous adolescent life of today.

While late preterm infants may seem as though they’ve escaped the obstacles earlier preemies face, a new study reveals that later preterm infants who seem on part with their peers even at age 2 may have problems with reading and math by preschool.

Treating allergic rhinitis (AR) in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to significantly improve not only AR, but also ADHD symptoms.

Despite concerns about ADHD stimulant therapy as a gateway for future drug abuse, a new study shows that teens treated with stimulants later and for shorter durations, and those treated with non-stimulant medications, have higher rates of later drug abuse than their peers who have used stimulant therapy longer.

A new report shatters earliest estimates that just 0.25% of teens have diabetes, placing that figure closer to 1% plus an estimated 17.7% with prediabetes.

Although new research hints that early motor delays could be a telltale sign that early cognitive intervention is needed, the authors of a new study stop short of making a clinical recommendation.

Here are 5 steps to assist pediatric care providers with the assessment of dyslexia in children and referral of these patients to the appropriate specialists.

By being vigilant to signs of dyslexia, dispelling the myths, and helping to coordinate care, pediatricians can help children with dyslexia enjoy success in school and in daily life.

Asking teenagers how often they have consumed alcohol in the past year provides a simple screen for those at risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD), a study in 1193 adolescents in rural Pennsylvania showed.

Although phototherapy is an established and valuable treatment for infants with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, some investigations have raised concerns that the treatment is associated with cancer.

A new antibody eases treatment of severe hemophilia A.

I was reading the causes of mortality and morbidity in children and noticed that beyond age 2 years, many of the most likely serious harms to children, especially death, are considered “accidents.” I began wondering about all those situations that we so readily call “accidents.”

Key members of a House of Representatives health subcommittee say they are determined to push out legislation intended to pay for better care coordination under Medicaid for children with complex medical conditions. However, key questions are who will do that coordination and how the money will flow.

The parents of a 4-year-old boy who lives in eastern Maryland near the Pennsylvania line are worried about an expanding rash on his back, which started as a small red bump a week ago following a summer picnic. The boy has had a low-grade fever and has not been acting like himself for a few days.

During a routine office visit for mild acute nasal congestion and possible diminished hearing, an isolated, small, pearl-like mass was noted just posterior to the umbo of the left tympanic membrane of a 5-year-old girl.

My clinic is restructuring its physician compensation model, which has led to much consternation among my colleagues.

Sexting is the act of sending or receiving sexually explicit or sexually suggestive photos, messages, or videos digitally by text, e-mail, or instant messaging from a smartphone or computer device. It is more common among teenagers than one might think.

Historically, the care of children with Down syndrome was often managed through specialty services, with the pediatrician/family physician serving a secondary role. Shifts in the healthcare environment have altered this model, with today’s primary care physicians taking on a greater role in care coordination.

I found myself in the trenches of the war on obesity in 2000 when I began working as a general pediatrician at a local community clinic in Southern California. I immediately became aware of the day-to-day barriers that my patients were facing and I began to take on the responsibility of making sure that the children I was seeing would not only survive, but also thrive.

It’s been over a year since the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) announced its intentions to overhaul the maintenance of certification (MOC) process. In this reportorial article, Dr. Andrew Schuman brings you up-to-date with current MOC requirements and the changes likely to occur over the next year.

Flu shots given to mothers during pregnancy provided protection for their babies against three common strains of influenza for several weeks after birth, according to a new report.

For Contemporary Pediatrics, Dr Bobby Lazzara explains key findings from a study published in Cognitive Science Society. The study looked at why toddlers may have difficulty identifying objects presented in non-typical colors.

Suicide has jumped form the third to the second leading cause of death for teens, and the AAP says pediatricians are uniquely positioned to spot risk factors that could lead to suicidal ideation or behaviors.

Significant gaps in the knowledge of EBP are evident as new diagnostic criteria are recognized and evolve in clinical practice. An example of this EBP knowledge gap is the diagnosis of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) that was identified in 2013 as a separate diagnosis in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5).

Maintaining the currently recommended vaccination schedule of influenza, pneumococcal conjugate, and diphtheria/tetanus/acellular pertussis vaccines in young children as put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is likely the best way to manage immunization in this patient population despite the slightly increased risk for febrile seizure.

A new poll found that about a quarter of parents spank, but most believe it’s not a very effective punishment. Instead, parents would like experts, like pediatricians, to give them clear guidance, individualized for their child, on discipline methods that work.

The amount of off-label uses of atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPs) prescribed for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) raises questions about the appropriateness of AAPs for this indication.

For Contemporary Pediatrics, Dr Bobby Lazzara explains key findings from a study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders. The study looked at whether there was a correlation between ADHD and frustration tolerance in children.