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Thank you for visiting the Contemporary Pediatrics® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from the week (Monday, August 11, to Friday, August 15, 2025), and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.
A JAMA Network Open research letter analyzing passive smartphone activity data from over 11,000 students found that adolescents with smartphones at school spent nearly an hour per day using them, with most of that time on social media. Data from the Aura parental monitoring app, collected between September 2024 and February 2025, showed that 71% of monitored weekdays included school-hour phone use. Students aged 14 to 17 years used smartphones more than younger peers, averaging 55.9 minutes on social media compared with 42.4 minutes for those aged 10 to 13 years.
A study in JAMA Pediatrics found that a tidal volume of at least 4 mL/kg may be an optimal target for achieving successful lung aeration in preterm neonates during delivery room resuscitation. Researchers analyzed data from more than 240 infants born between 22 and 31 weeks’ gestation who required positive pressure ventilation (PPV). Effective lung aeration was defined as a sustained heart rate of at least 100 beats per minute within the first 10 minutes after birth. Of all respiratory parameters measured, only expiratory tidal volume (VTE) was significantly associated with this outcome.
CDC data from the 2024 National Immunization Survey-Teen showed year-over-year increases in adolescent vaccination rates, with Tdap coverage rising to 91.3% and MenACWY to 90.1% among teens aged 13 to 17 years. Smaller gains were also seen for MMR, hepatitis B, and meningococcal B vaccines, while HPV vaccination rates held steady at about 78% for at least 1 dose. Coverage for Tdap and MenACWY exceeded 90% in most states, reflecting ongoing public health efforts, though disparities persisted—particularly lower HPV vaccination recommendations in rural areas compared with urban ones.
The FDA has approved Viatris’ iron sucrose injection, USP, as the first generic version of Venofer for treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adults and children aged 2 years and older with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Available in multiple single-dose vial strengths, the intravenous therapy also received competitive generic therapy designation for certain doses, granting expedited review and potential market exclusivity.
On August 12, 2025, the FDA approved brensocatib (Brinsupri; Insmed) as the first treatment for non–cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) in patients aged 12 years and older. The oral DPP1 inhibitor targets neutrophilic inflammation, aiming to reduce pulmonary exacerbations—a hallmark of NCFB. Approval was based on phase 3 ASPEN trial results, where both 10-mg and 25-mg doses significantly reduced annual exacerbation rates, prolonged time to first exacerbation, and increased the proportion of patients who remained exacerbation-free over 52 weeks compared with placebo.
NCFB affects an estimated 500,000 people in the US and millions worldwide, causing chronic airway widening, mucus buildup, and recurrent infections. Experts say the approval marks a major advance in care, offering the first FDA-approved therapy to address the disease’s underlying inflammatory pathway.
