Contemporary Pediatrics week in review: August 17-21, 2026

Thank you for visiting the Contemporary Pediatrics® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from last week (Monday, August 17 18 to Friday, August 21, 2026) and click each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

1.) AAP updates 2026-2027 pediatric influenza vaccine and antiviral recommendations

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its influenza vaccination and antiviral recommendations for the 2026–2027 season, continuing to recommend annual influenza vaccination for all children aged 6 months and older who do not have medical contraindications. All influenza vaccines available in the United States this season are trivalent, and the AAP does not recommend one age-appropriate vaccine product over another. The updated guidance also addresses antiviral use in pediatric patients, providing clinicians with current recommendations for influenza prevention and management as they prepare for the upcoming respiratory virus season.

2.) Social media linked to riskier product use in teens

A Rutgers-led study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found that social media engagement with beauty content was associated with greater personal care product use among high school students, potentially increasing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In a survey of 143 New Jersey students, teens who followed influencers with their own product lines reported using 30% more personal care products in the previous 24 hours, while those who regularly watched hair or beauty tutorials used 40% more. Girls reported a median of 14 products per day, twice the number reported by boys, and 57% of all participants used fragrance products. Despite potential exposure to chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, and phenols, only 19% of students regularly read ingredient labels, and 5% used apps or websites to identify potentially harmful ingredients. Researchers plan to investigate which social media accounts and messages most influence teen product choices and to examine whether greater product use translates to measurable differences in chemical exposure.

3.) FDA accepts ecopipam NDA with priority review for pediatric Tourette syndrome

The FDA has accepted Teva Pharmaceuticals’ New Drug Application for ecopipam, a selective dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, for the treatment of pediatric Tourette syndrome and granted the application priority review, with a target action date in late Q1 2027. The application is supported by phase 2b and phase 3 data, including a randomized withdrawal study in which pediatric responders who continued ecopipam had a 53% lower risk of relapse over 12 weeks compared with those switched to placebo. Across the clinical program, investigators reported no clinically meaningful changes in body weight, BMI z-score, metabolic measures, ECG parameters, or drug-induced movement disorder scales. If approved, ecopipam would be the first new therapy for Tourette syndrome in more than a decade and the first FDA-approved treatment for the condition to target the D1 rather than D2 dopamine receptor.

4.) Permanent Daylight Saving Time could disrupt sleep and school performance in children, expert says

Proposed federal legislation to establish permanent Daylight Saving Time could affect children’s sleep, academic performance, and safety by creating darker winter mornings and extending evening light exposure, according to pediatric psychologist Dawn Dore-Stites, PhD. The Sunshine Protection Act, which passed the US House of Representatives in July 2026 and awaits Senate action, would eliminate the annual return to Standard Time. Dore-Stites said adolescents could be particularly affected because their naturally later circadian rhythms may be further delayed by reduced morning light, potentially contributing to difficulty waking, daytime sleepiness, and poorer school performance. Darker mornings could also raise safety concerns for children waiting for buses and inexperienced teen drivers. Although the American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports ending seasonal clock changes, it recommends permanent Standard Time because it more closely aligns with human circadian biology.

5.) Pediatricians can help address child mental health demand by identifying risk earlier

John Walkup, MD, president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, said addressing pediatric mental health needs will require more than expanding the child psychiatry workforce, given that approximately 20% of children experience a mental health problem in any given year. With pediatricians serving as the front line of care, Walkup emphasized beginning mental health assessment as early as the first well-baby visit by documenting family psychiatric history and considering factors such as household structure, predictability, and discipline practices. Understanding family risk alongside the typical ages of onset for conditions such as autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and psychotic disorders can help pediatricians provide anticipatory guidance and identify concerns earlier. Greater collaboration between pediatricians and child psychiatrists, he said, could facilitate earlier intervention, smoother specialty referrals, and help prevent children from reaching care only after their mental health needs become more acute.