Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) now affect 1 in 88 children in the United States and are almost 5 times more common among boys than girls, according to estimates based on a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Why are the numbers growing?
Increasing out-of-pocket prescription costs may be responsible for reductions in asthma medication use among children and more frequent asthma-related hospitalizations. What strategies can help you improve medication therapy adherence in your patients with asthma?
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of pediatric chronic liver disease. New research has found that genetic variants are associated with increased susceptibility to fatty liver disease in children with obesity. What does this finding mean for your patients with obesity?
White teenage girls with obesity who lose weight may benefit physically, but the weight change does not guarantee a boost to their self-esteem. Why is it important to help patients overcome the negative stereotypes associated with obesity?
The presence of foul or strong urine odor is often taken as an indicator of urinary tract infection (UTI) in young children. A new study finds that parent report of malodorous urine increases the likelihood of infection among patients being evaluated for suspected UTI, but is the association strong enough to confirm a diagnosis?
Abnormal childhood aggression : When systems are unbalanced Mastering the language : Communicating with parents who have low health literacy Dermcase : Now where did he get that big blister? Puzzler : Chest pain in child with persistent fever Updates : Alcohol screening, FDA approves Lucinactant Medication Poisoning, Chlamydia testing, PPACA Home Health Provision
The problem of pediatric medication poisoning is getting worse, according to a new study.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved lucinactant, a new surfactant that prevents respiratory distress syndrome, most common in babies born 6 weeks or more before their due dates.
A study finding that tweens start out ambivalent toward cigarette and alcohol use also suggests that their negative associations with the substances are more easily weakened than their positive associations can be strengthened.
To find out what factors raise the risk of prescription going unfilled after an emergency department visit, researchers conducted a study in children discharged with a prescription from the pediatric ED of an urban safety-net hospital serving a low-income population.
You are called to the emergency department to evaluate a 15-month-old child with a "burn" on his foot.
Pediatricians can still ensure quality patient care and optimal outcomes even after they realize that caretakers cannot process basic health information.
This case involves an 11-year-old boy who presented with persistent fever, generalized muscle aches, and progressive right-sided chest pain.
Aggressive behavior could be considered developmentally normal in most children, but when aggression becomes more intense and occurs frequently, intervention may be necessary.
It is apparent to anyone who works with children that available US child and adolescent mental health services are woefully inadequate to meet the needs of children and their families.
Investigators used recent data to compare the screening value of 3 questions posed to 166,000 teens aged 12 to 18 years about their alcohol consumptionfor identifying drinking problems.
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual chlamydia screening for sexually active women aged 25 years and younger, data from 2006 to 2008 show that only 30% of those aged 15 to 19 years reported having had a chlamydia test within the past year.
Child health advocates need to be at the table now for health care reform at the state and local levels, according to one expert.
Children who present to the emergency department (ED) with moderate to severe acute asthma symptoms and receive oral corticosteroids from ED nurses show improvement earlier, are discharged sooner, and are less likely to be admitted to the hospital than children who are not treated until after assessment by the ED physician. Find out how a medical directive allowing nurses to initiate oral corticosteroid treatment significantly improved the efficiency of a pediatric ED.
Pediatric care providers should be familiar with the warning signs and symptoms of pediatric sudden cardiac arrest and ensure that those at risk are referred to a pediatric cardiac center for evaluation, according to a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Learn why a comprehensive family history is critical in identifying individuals at risk.
Five-year survival for acute lymphoblastic leukemia among children and adolescents treated through Children's Oncology Group clinical trials increased from 83.7% from 1990 to 1994 to 90.4% from 2000 to 2005, according to a study showing similar gains in 10-year survival. The researchers credited the advances to treatment that comes as part of rigorous clinical trials.
Although emergency contraception (EC) is safe, effective, and widely available, misinformation communicated by pharmacies to adolescents and their physicians can make it difficult for teens to obtain EC in a timely manner. Do you know how to counter the misinformation and help your patients access EC?
Frontal headaches of a month’s duration trouble this 14-year-old girl. The pain is dull and worsens with Valsava’s maneuver.. She has gained weight recently, and shows papilledema.
A study of a large, multiethnic sample found that shifts in body mass index (BMI) are common in middle-school students. Are these changes associated with meaningful changes in cardiometabolic risk factors?
A study based on a nationally representative sample showed that, on average, 1 child younger than 5 years is treated in an emergency department every 6 minutes for a stair-related injury. See what simple precautions can be taken to reduce the number of injuries.
A study comparing 3 weight-loss diets for children with obesity found that all were effective, but some children adhere to certain programs better than others. Which diet appears to be the most promising for long-term weight management?
A study of Canadian children found that the youngest children in the class are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and prescribed medication than their peers in the same grade. Find out why overdiagnosis and overprescribing are a concern.
Intense bilateral frontal headache accompanied by severe retching followed by frequent bouts of emesis despite a normal neurological exam. What is going on in this 10-year-old?
The developers of a dedicated, Internet-based therapeutic application for adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome-myalgic encephalomyelitis-say that in a study of treatment through the Fatigue In Teenagers on the interNET program, 63% of adolescents reported having recovered after 6 months, almost 8 times as many as those given standard care. Now effective treatment for adolescents suffering with chronic fatigue could be as close as their laptops.