Pediatric stroke: Risk factors and diagnostic challenges
February 1st 2015Recent data indicate that the incidence of stroke in the pediatric population is much higher than previously estimated, and the explanation may be multifactorial, including more accurate methods of ascertainment as well as increased recognition because of greater awareness and advances in imaging.
FDA warns against bone graft substitutes in kids
January 29th 2015Doctors should not use bone graft substitutes containing recombinant proteins or synthetic peptides routinely in children aged younger than 18 years because such off-label use can result in serious injury, a safety communication from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns.
Do not overlook CMV in children with SLE
January 29th 2015Persistent fever despite prednisone treatment accompanied by anemia and other characteristics may signal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in children who have been diagnosed with pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE), a Canadian study suggests.
PODCAST: Marvin L Wang, MD discusses the CDC’s draft recommendation on adolescent circumcision
January 20th 2015Marvin L Wang, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Director of Newborn Nurseries at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the CDC’s draft recommendation on the health benefits and risks of circumcision in children and adolescents.
More pediatricians using EHR systems
January 15th 2015A new study reports that the percentage of pediatricians using electronic health records (EHRs) has increased from 58% to 79% since 2009, when passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act implemented incentives for adopting EHRs.
Can older teens manage their own healthcare?
January 6th 2015Even though most parents believe teenagers should transfer from a pediatrician to adult healthcare by 18 years of age, fewer than half think their adolescent can manage his or her own care. Only 30% of 18-year-olds make the transition, according to a recent national poll.
Algorithm for identifying K kingae infection of the hip appears unreliable
January 1st 2015Investigators conducted a retrospective multicenter study to assess how well the standard Kocher predictive algorithm differentiates between children with Kingella kingae infection of the hip and those with transient synovitis.
Tackling BPD-associated hospitalizations
January 1st 2015Boston Children’s bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) rehospitalization rates for children aged 1 and 2 years are dramatically lower than the national average. Lawrence Rhein, MD, a neonatologist and pulmonologist, and director of the Center for Healthy Infant Lung Development, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts, says it’s not high-priced technology that keeps children with this serious lung disease out of the hospital.
Infant girl with progressive hypotonia
January 1st 2015A 9-month-old girl is brought to the emergency department for evaluation after 3 days of poor feeding and 1 day of decreased activity. The day prior to presentation, she was no longer crawling or pulling herself to stand. On the morning of evaluation, she is no longer able to lift her head.