Active teens have enhanced quality of life
September 1st 2012A survey of a large group of Australian schoolchildren when they were aged 12 years and again at 17 years found that levels of physical activity and of sedentary behaviors are associated with health-related quality of life (QOL), which includes physical, mental, and social well-being.
A baby's pseudo paralysis of the hip stumps her doctors
September 1st 2012You are doing a pediatric nephrology rotation. It is late in the evening, and you're just about to leave for home when your pager goes off. You answer the call and learn about a 5-week-old girl who was seen in the orthopedic clinic that afternoon for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).
Protein type linked to Kawasaki disease
September 1st 2012Investigators set out to determine whether plasma levels of follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL-1), which is produced by cardiac myocytes, correlate with Kawasaki disease (KD) and acquired coronary artery aneurysms (CAA), of which KD is a major cause.
AHRQ says obesity-related interventions understudied
September 1st 2012A number of studies show that some school-based interventions for the prevention of childhood obesity can be effective, says a draft review from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the key federal agency charged with improving quality and effectiveness in health care.
Children with type 1 diabetes may live longer
September 1st 2012Life expectancy has increased markedly for children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, to the point that estimated life expectancy of patients diagnosed between 1965 and 1980 is only about 4 years less than that of the general US population.
Meningococcal disease causes lasting deficits
August 30th 2012Most children survive serogroup B meningococcal disease without major sequelae. British researchers report, however, that about 10% of children who have had meningococcal infection experience major disabling deficits. What screening is needed for survivors of meningococcal disease? More >>
Falling circumcision rate raises medical costs
August 30th 2012The steadily declining rate of circumcision in US newborn boys could add more than $4.4 billion in avoidable health care costs for treating the increasing cases of sexually transmitted infections and related cancers among uncircumcised men and their women partners over the next decade. More >>
AAP endorses elective newborn circumcision of boys
August 30th 2012The health benefits of newborn circumcision of boys outweigh the risks and justify elective, although not routine, use of the procedure, according to the latest policy statement on circumcision from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). What are the benefits? More >>
Life-Threatening Dermatologic Disorders in Infants and Children: Part 1
August 24th 2012Not all patients with life-threatening dermatologic disorders are sick enough or symptomatic enough to go to the emergency department. . . some may come to your office with what may look like a relatively benign lump or bump. Yet within a few hours, such lesions can cause significant morbidity or even death.
Codeine after tonsillectomy can be fatal
August 23rd 2012Some children who receive typical doses of codeine for pain relief after tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy may suffer life-threatening adverse effects or death, a drug-safety communication from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns. More >>
Household mold increases kids' asthma risk
August 16th 2012Researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center found that infants exposed to 3 types of mold in their homes were more likely to develop asthma by the time they were aged 7 years. Targeting these specific mold species could lead to more efficient asthma treatment. More >>
Young women can get HPV without intercourse
August 16th 2012At their first dose of quadrivalent vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), more than 11% of young women aged 13 to 21 years who had never had sexual intercourse were already infected with 1 or more strains of HPV, a study has found. What is the mechanism of transmission? More >>