News

The mother of a 17-year-old boy frantically brings him to the office for evaluation of an itchy, burning rash that started on his hands 1 hour ago.

I recently had the good fortune to present a forum on medical office technologies (“Must-Have Gadgets, Gizmos, and Technology for the Pediatric Office”) at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in beautiful San Diego.

The culture and technology for online interaction continue their rapid evolution, and the processes for keeping children safe on the Internet must do the same, said several experts at a recent session held by the Child Welfare League of America and others in Washington, DC.

“Mom/Dad, can I have a smartphone?” Children are posing this question to their parents at earlier and earlier ages. If parents wait until they are asked to consider how they will monitor technology and their children, they are already behind.

The pediatrician's role is to support both the child with spina bifida and the family as they come to terms with this chronic illness. This article presents the 10 actions that are most important in preparing for and caring for a child with this complex health need.

In an exclusive interview with Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, senior vice president, University of South Florida (USF) Health, and dean, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, we asked what steps physicians can take to impact the sobering statistic of 1 in 9 US infants still being born at 37 or fewer weeks.

For the second year, Contemporary Pediatrics has surveyed a subset of our readership of approximately 56,000 US pediatricians about the issues you are confronting on the front lines of providing healthcare to children.

One of the year's brightest spots in children's healthcare was the recent news that the national preterm birth rate fell to 11.4% in 2013.

Between January 1 and October 31 of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 603 cases of measles in 22 states-the highest number since 1994-marking a striking resurgence of a disease that was declared eliminated in the United States in 2001.

More than 1 in 5 high school students use tobacco, and 9 of 10 users smoke cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, pipes, or other combustible tobacco products, endangering their future health, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

States with higher rates of cervical cancer (CA) have significantly lower rates of vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), according to data presented at a conference of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Removing tonsils and adenoids to treat obstructive sleep apnea in children also reduces symptoms of asthma, a new study reports.

Schools that stock epinephrine for emergency use to treat anaphylaxis caused by food reactions or other triggers can see striking benefits, a new study shows.

Breast and colorectal cancers, although rare in children, are also more aggressive than in adults, according to 2 studies based on patient records from the National Cancer Data Base that were presented at the recent Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.

New evidence-based guidelines for treating hydrocephalus in children aim to improve current methods and help clear up confusion surrounding effective therapy for the condition.

A new consensus statement from pediatric clinicians and researchers offers guidance for the often difficult diagnosis of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, including sudden-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Many pediatricians fail to provide diagnosis and treatment that meet American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a recent study reports.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Subcommittee on Bronchiolitis has published a new clinical practice guideline on diagnosing and managing bronchiolitis in infants aged 1 to 23 months.

The number of children affected by fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is substantially higher than previous estimates indicate, a new study suggests.

Circumcision beyond the neonatal period can carry higher costs, monetary and otherwise, than neonatal procedures, new research shows.

The first vaccine licensed in the United States to immunize young persons aged 10 through 25 years against invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

With media attention vectored on healthcare professionals who treated Ebola virus victims, coverage of enterovirus D68 has virtually gone dark.

Because even mild hearing impairment hinders children's verbal and social development, Dylan K. Chan, MD, PhD, urged attendees to screen newborns for cytomegalovirus (CMV)-the culprit in 15% to 20% of all congenital hearing loss (HL)-within 21 days of birth when indicated.

Screening high-risk patients for vitamin D deficiency can circumvent problems including rickets in younger children (peak incidence, 3-18 months) and bone fragility in older children, said Neville H. Golden, MD, FAAP, in “Vitamin D-Bones and Beyond: When to Screen, When to Treat, and How to Treat.”

No matter where you turn these days you are reminded that you need to attest to your meaningful use Stage 2 requirements in order to continue to receive payments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program.

How can something that is prescribed by a doctor, or available for purchase without a prescription at Wal-Mart and Walgreens, be so bad or cause such devastating problems for teenagers?

In what may be a misguided attempt to improve patient privacy because of anecdotal reports that a limited number of healthcare providers inquired about patients’ firearms ownership, the 2011 Florida Legislature modified the Florida Statutes related to Weapons and Firearms Crimes, creating §790.338 that prohibits licensed healthcare professionals from inquiring about gun ownership or the presence of guns in the home.

Learning to empathetically communicate with patients and parents in everyday practice builds trust that increases the likelihood of compliance with treatment plans.