Get caught up with Contemporary Pediatrics! This list helps you navigate our top stories from the week, all in one place.
Interested in receiving a copy of the Contemporary Pediatrics journal every issue?
Want to stay up to date with pediatric news? Subscribe to the Contemporary Pediatrics e-newsletter to receive emailed updates regarding new data, pediatric clinical trials, puzzler cases, FDA news, and much more.
Thank you for visiting the Contemporary Pediatrics® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from the week (Monday, August 18, to Friday, August 22, 2025), and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.
On August 19, 2025, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its updated immunization schedule with recommendations for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 ahead of the fall season. The AAP emphasized the importance of routine vaccines to protect infants, children, and adolescents, particularly those at highest risk of severe illness.
The AAP recommends COVID-19 vaccination for children 6 to 23 months and a risk-based approach for children 2 to 18 years, with vaccines also available by parental choice. For influenza, all children 6 months and older should receive an annual flu shot, noting that nearly half of last season’s pediatric flu deaths occurred in children without high-risk conditions. RSV protection includes maternal vaccination during pregnancy or immunization of infants with long-acting monoclonal antibodies (nirsevimab or clesrovimab), with additional doses recommended for high-risk children entering their second RSV season.
Citing that substantial evidence of efficacy was not demonstrated, the FDA has issued a complete response letter (CRL) for PTC Therapeutics' Friedreich ataxia (FA) candidate vatiquinone. The CRL was issued on the therapy's target action date of August 19, 2025. If it had been approved, vatiquinone—a small molecule, first-in-class selective inhibitor of 15-Lipoxygenase (15-LO)—would have become the second therapy approved for patients with FA, behind Biogen's omaveloxolone (approved for ages 16 years and older).
A large nationwide cohort study published in JAMA Network Open found that exclusive breastfeeding during the first 4 to 6 months of life was associated with a lower risk of central precocious puberty (CPP) in both boys and girls compared with formula or mixed feeding. Among more than 322,000 children analyzed, formula-fed children had significantly higher risks of CPP (AHR 1.16 for boys; 1.60 for girls), while mixed-fed children also showed elevated risk (AHR 1.14 for boys; 1.45 for girls). Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed the lowest CPP incidence in exclusively breastfed children, with low birth weight and prepubertal obesity further increasing risk. While limited by its retrospective design and inability to account for all confounders, the study supports breastfeeding as a potential protective factor against early puberty onset, underscoring the need for future prospective research.
The AAP released an updated policy and technical report emphasizing a comprehensive, system-based approach to pediatric trauma care. The guidance highlights the importance of injury prevention, prehospital care, hospital and rehabilitation services, mental health support, and long-term follow-up to ensure children receive equitable, optimal care across the continuum. The policy addresses child abuse identification, injury trends, disparities in care, and pediatric readiness in EMS, urgent care, and emergency departments, while urging states and regions to designate specialized trauma centers and develop coordinated triage systems. It also calls for collaboration among healthcare providers, community members, and policymakers to improve trauma system infrastructure, data collection, research, and education, with the goal of providing “the right child, at the right place, at the right time” for all injured children.
