News

End of life decisions are never easy. But deciding to withhold or withdraw treatment from children adds more layers of emotional and ethical complexity. “Treatment decisions are easier when an infant is clearly dying,” said Jonathan Hellman, MBBCh, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Canada, at the PAS meeting in Honolulu.

It’s been over four years since the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) influenza vaccine recommendations were expanded to include six-23-month-olds, and two years since the recommended expansion for 24-59-month-olds. So how diligent have pediatricians and family medicine (FM) docs been in applying these recommendations? A study by researchers at the University of Colorado, Denver School of Medicine, found that adherence among pediatricians has been almost universal, with family medicine docs trailing behind. Using responses to e-mail and mailed surveys, researchers found that 95% of peds surveyed routinely vaccinated six-23 month olds for the flu, with only 72% of FM docs routinely vaccinating patients in this age group. Surprisingly, in the 24-59 month old age group, adherence among peds was 80%, with only 42% of FM docs vaccinating this group.

Q. What is the Spanish translation of dropperfuls? This is one of the questions pharmacists around the country are encountering when generating Spanish versions of medication labels for pediatric patients. Although medical translation software exists, pharmacists are finding gaps in the softwares’capabilities; there are simply words and phrases that do not have a Spanish equivalent. This raises concern over exactly how pharmacies are overcoming this challenge and, ultimately, the accuracy of the translations being generated. Investigators Iman Sharif and Julia Tse from the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, examined this issue and presented their results at this year’s PAS conference in Hawaii.

This year’s presentation on the media and children played to an overflow audience. Victor C Strasburger, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, highlighted what pediatricians already know about the impact of media on children and adolescents, and discussed some things they may not know and what they need to find out. Although there are many studies discussing the effect of the media on children’s attitudes and behavior, they are not found in pediatric journals.

It was standing room only at a presentation on probiotics given at this year's PAS conference.

Peanut allergy is a growing problem, particularly in developed countries, and all patients with peanut allergy need immediate access to epinephrine and antihistamines as well as an emergency management plan, according to a seminar published in the May 3 issue of The Lancet.

The availability of physician jobs for medical graduates in the United Kingdom is the subject of a Head to Head feature in the May 3 issue of BMJ.

Although young women often see their obstetrician-gynecologists or primary care physicians for pelvic exams, Pap smears and urinalyses, chlamydia testing is often not performed at the same time, according to study findings published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The Washington University Medical Center campus in St. Louis will house a new hospital that will be part of the Shriners Hospitals for Children health care system.

Nurse Advice New Mexico provides 24-7 access to nurses via the telephone for those covered by Medicare and Medicaid, managed-care organizations, and anyone else.

The first FDA-approved device to measure airway inflammation in asthma patients.

A pesticide-free, over-the-counter treatment for lice, eggs, and nits.

A doctor-designed aspirator that can clear the nasal passages of newborns, infants, and toddlers.

Child BMI could decrease thanks to less TV time and computer use.

The benefits of nonpharmacologic therapy for infant GERD.

Investigating a potential link between MMR vaccine and immune thrombocytopenia purpura.

Resources for podiatry.

Resources for child ADHD.

Child and adolescent psychiatrists may reach out to their pediatric counterparts for assistance in ruling out medical causes for behavioral problems, evaluating medication risks, and more. What should you know and do to be ready?

A guide for parents about managing their child's ADHD.

A rock-hard lump on a boy's left great toe that has caused progressive nail distortion and previously diagnosed as a keloid may need a new diagnosis.

Medication remains the mainstay of pediatric ADHD treatment. But these efforts can be complemented by non-medication approaches, targeted at the major areas of functioning in a child's life.

A 17-month-old African-American girl is admitted for evaluation of fever and a limp. She is diagnosed positive for an unexpected pathogen, Kingella kingae.

A new pharmacy coalition, GetRXConnected.com, will give advice to physicians on e-prescribing, its financial impact, and new related technologies.

Discussion on ankyloglossia, otherwise known as tongue-tie.

The challenges of child ADHD and how important medications and support from family, school, and outside activities are to the child.

An overview of how to evaluate, diagnose, and manage common vaginal complaints in prepubertal girls, such as those from vulvovaginitis.

Sharing of medications is a widespread phenomenon that is putting patients at risk for a diverse range of consequences, according to a report published in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

A higher density of trees along city streets may be associated with a lower prevalence of early childhood asthma, according to research published online May 1 in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

DATELINE: Honolulu, Hawaii. Over the next four days, the editors of Contemporary Pediatrics will bring you conference coverage from the floor of the Pediatric Academic Societies and Pediatric Research 2008 Joint Meeting.