Get caught up with Contemporary Pediatrics! This list helps you navigate our top stories from the week, all in one place.
Thank you for visiting the Contemporary Pediatrics® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from the week (Monday, August 25, to Friday, August 29, 2025), and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released updated guidance on screening for mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) problems in children. The recommendations address rising prevalence, persistent detection gaps, and the ongoing youth mental health crisis.
The AAP recommends beginning MEB screening in infancy, with caregiver screening for postpartum depression within the first month and child-focused screening at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Annual MEB screening should then occur from age 3 through adolescence at routine health visits. Additional recommendations include annual anxiety screening for children 8 to 18 years, depression and suicide risk screening starting at age 12 (with earlier screening if indicated), and yearly substance use assessments after age 11.
The report emphasizes the use of validated screening tools tailored to age and condition, while noting ongoing barriers such as limited clinician time, workforce shortages, and disparities in access for racially and ethnically diverse, non–English-speaking, and disabled children. A positive screen should prompt further evaluation, caregiver discussions, and trauma-informed approaches, with referral pathways supported by models such as telepsychiatry and integrated behavioral health.
Beyond screening, the AAP highlights the importance of fostering resilience and protective factors, while calling for systemic advocacy to ensure reimbursement, address disparities, and expand mental health resources.
Click here for the full guidance.
On August 27, 2025, the FDA authorized updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2025–2026 season while narrowing eligibility, particularly for children. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also withdrew Emergency Use Authorizations for several formulations, including Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty, Moderna’s Spikevax, and Novavax’s protein-based vaccine, reducing broad pediatric access.
Pfizer’s new Comirnaty is now approved for adults 65 and older and for individuals 5 to 64 years with underlying conditions, but no longer for children under 5. Moderna’s Spikevax retains approval for children 6 months to 11 years at higher risk, and Novavax’s Nuvaxovid is cleared for individuals 12 and older with medical vulnerabilities. These decisions reflect a shift toward a risk-based, targeted approach rather than universal pediatric use.
In response, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) president Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, expressed concern that limiting vaccine access during respiratory virus season poses heightened risks, especially for infants and toddlers. The AAP continues to recommend vaccination for all children 6 to 23 months and annual vaccination for children 2 years and older with high-risk conditions, emphasizing that families should retain the choice to vaccinate in partnership with pediatricians.
Click here for the full story.
The FDA recently approved donidalorsen (Dawnzera; Ionis Pharmaceuticals) for prophylaxis of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in patients aged 12 years and older. Donidalorsen is the first RNA-targeted therapy approved for HAE and works by inhibiting plasma prekallikrein to prevent acute swelling episodes. It is administered via subcutaneous autoinjector every 4 or 8 weeks.
The approval was based on results from the Phase 3 OASIS-HAE trial, in which donidalorsen significantly reduced attack rates compared with placebo. Patients on the every-4-week regimen saw an 81% reduction in mean attack rate, while the every-8-week regimen achieved a 55% reduction. Both dosing schedules demonstrated durable efficacy in the OASISplus extension study, with a 94% reduction in mean attack rate after 1 year. Patients switching from other prophylactic therapies experienced a 62% lower attack rate, and most reported preferring donidalorsen.
The safety profile was favorable, with most adverse events mild to moderate, including injection site reactions, headache, and nasopharyngitis. Experts noted the significance of donidalorsen as the first RNA-targeted treatment for HAE, citing its strong efficacy, convenient dosing, and potential to improve quality of life for patients managing this rare condition.
Click here for details on the approval.
A recently published study in PLOS Mental Health reported that fewer than half of US adolescents with major depressive episodes (MDE) received treatment in 2022. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that 19.2% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 experienced MDE, with prevalence rising steadily since 2009 and accelerating after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among adolescents with MDE, 47.5% received some form of care in the past year, including 39.1% from a specialist, 30.5% through school-based services, 25.0% via prescription medication, and 34.5% through telehealth. Disparities in care were significant: adolescents in rural areas had lower odds of accessing specialist treatment, older adolescents were less likely to use school-based services, and Black, Asian, and Hispanic adolescents had lower odds of receiving care compared with White peers. Female adolescents were more likely than males to receive treatment.
Insurance coverage strongly influenced access, with insured adolescents more likely to use telehealth and prescription medication. Income level did not significantly affect specialist or school-based service use, though higher-income households showed greater telehealth utilization.
The study authors emphasized that inequities in adolescent depression treatment persist across geography, race, gender, and insurance status. They noted the importance of culturally competent care, improved rural access, and expanded insurance coverage to reduce gaps and ensure more equitable support for adolescent mental health.
Click here to read the full article.
A study published in PLOS Medicine reported that antibiotic exposure during pregnancy or early infancy is not associated with an increased risk of autoimmune disease in children. The findings come amid rising global incidence of pediatric autoimmune conditions and provide clarity on previously conflicting evidence.
Using data from more than 4 million children in the South Korea National Health Insurance Service database, researchers tracked outcomes for over 7 years. They examined associations between maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, as well as infant exposure in early life, and later diagnoses of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Hashimoto thyroiditis.
The study found no evidence that antibiotic exposure increased autoimmune risk. The authors emphasized that prior reports suggesting a link may have been influenced by confounding factors such as genetic predisposition and infection-related indications for antibiotic use. They stressed that appropriate antibiotic use during pregnancy and infancy remains important, both to treat infections and to avoid unnecessary use, but should not be considered a driver of autoimmune disease.
These findings offer reassurance to clinicians and families that medically indicated antibiotic use in critical developmental periods does not appear to heighten autoimmune disease risk in children, while underscoring the importance of continued monitoring and antibiotic stewardship.
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