News

Researchers have discovered a reliable biomarker for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a potentially deadly bowel infection that affects primarily extremely low-birth-weight (LBW) infants.

Researchers recently determined that acute otitis media is associated with an incremental increase in outpatient health care costs of $314 per child per year in the United States, which translates into approximately $2.88 billion in added health care expense annually.

About 10% of the more than 7 million emergency department visits resulting from injuries sustained at school are the result of intentional injuries and not accidents resulting from sports or other physical activity.

Prophylactic use of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 during the first 3 months of life significantly reduces colic, regurgitation, and constipation, according to a recent study.

About one-third of parents of children with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders try complementary and alternative forms of medicine (CAM), and those that do tend to be wealthier and more highly educated, according to a recent study.

It seems that cost and lack of information are at the heart of why more adolescents aren’t vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV), according to a recent review of the literature.

One in every 3 annual healthy visits with adolescents contains no discussion about topics related to sexuality. When discussion does occur, it often lasts barely more than half a minute.

The leading cause of death for persons younger than the age of 24 years is unintentional injuries, according to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Almost half (48%) of parents across the United States are concerned or very concerned that their children and teenagers will try electronic cigarettes, according to a poll conducted by the University of Michigan. In fact, nearly 44% of parents worry that trying the electronic devices will make their adolescents more likely to start smoking tobacco products.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) combined with amitriptyline results in fewer days with headache and migraine disability in kids and teenagers with chronic migraine than does education about migraines and the tricyclic antidepressant.

In my day . . .

Contemporary Pediatrics' content managing editor looks at how pediatric practice has changed since her own childhood.

An Institute of Medicine (IOM) panel says that despite public concern about concussions in young people, we really know precious little about them, including how often they occur and their short- and long-term effects.

Restrictions on the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medications for children aged younger than 2 years and subsequent labeling changes in these products has led to a decline in their unintentional ingestion, therapeutic errors, health care facility referrals for ingestions, and serious medical outcomes in these children, a retrospective database study showed.

Do parents know whether their pediatric provider offers enhanced access services? Is access to such services associated with fewer visits to an emergency department (ED)? Investigators conducted an Internet-based national survey of 820 parents to answer these questions and determine the prevalence of such enhanced access services in pediatric primary care.

The worried mother of a 4-week-old boy brings her son to you for evaluation of a rash that started 3 weeks ago on his left eyebrow and chest, then spread to his back, arms, and legs despite treatment with topical steroids. What’s your diagnosis?

Baby teeth are vitally important. It’s time we made their protection a North American public health priority.

Despite some key pieces of federal legislation passed in recent years, most drugs-about 93%-are still not studied in neonates. Of those drugs that researchers have studied in this vulnerable population and that bear labels reflecting the changes in pediatric prescribing information, only about half (54%) are used in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

A single intranasal spray of the naturally occurring hormone oxytocin improves function in areas of the brain associated with social interaction in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study.