News

As our legislators craft their bills, the media is feeding us a relentless diet of health care debate coverage. TV, newspapers and journals, and the blogosphere report and opine tirelessly on questions of whether there will be a public option, how much health care reform will cost, how it wilil be financed, and others.

Pediatricians on their way to Washington, DC, for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2009 National Conference & Exhibition this weekend (October 17-20) will likely have both a sense of anticipation and some concern.

For the discerning pediatrician, choosing which sessions to attend at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition (AAP NCE) can be a daunting task. The editors of Consultant for Pediatricians have prepared a list of “must-see” sessions to help narrow down the selection process.

There are 2 major reasons to vaccinate your child.

Given the array of childhood disorders that can adversely affect the immune system, most pediatricians at some point will care for children who are immunodeficient.

Vaccines have saved more lives than any other single medical advance and are among the most important preventive tools available to clinicians.

A 5-year-old girl was brought to the emergency department after she was injured during a drive-by shooting. She had 5 small entry wounds: 2 in the arm, 2 in the buttocks, and 1 in the left torso. Radiographs confirmed that a piece of pellet had entered her upper torso but was not in the lung or causing any problem.

A review of three articles, about media exposure's link to increased BMI, a better test for tuberculosis, and how parents may be put off if you don't greet them properly.

Communities that use science-based approaches to problem behaviors in adolescents, including alcohol and tobacco use, are more likely to see positive results.

Profiles of a portable table, a pediatric gait trainer, and a software program that uses RFID tags to track nursery infants.

A 12-month-old awakens with asymptomatic juicy red papular eruptions on her cheeks. It is diagnosed as Gianotti-Crosti Syndrome.

Communities that use science-based approaches to problem behaviors in adolescents, including alcohol and tobacco use, are more likely to see positive results.

The tenth in a year-long series of commentary reviewing topics published in Contemporary Pediatrics 25 years ago. This month's article discusses the influence of TV on children and the AAP's current stance on the subject.

Profile of Charoltte Cowan, MD, a pediatrician who has written a series of children's books about common child maladies such as earaches and fevers.

Caring for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth requires both an understanding of general adolescent cognitive and sexual health development, as well as an awareness of some of the unique medical and social issues these young people may face.

A year-old child with a jaundice and respiratory distress is eventually diagnosed with HIV.

An editorial that examines the prominence of pediatric metabolic syndrome over the last few years.

Dr. Andrew Schuman recently sat down with Dr. David Kaelber to discuss the implications of his vastly simplified screening tool for pediatric hypertension.

A collection of links for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth, and their parents, friends, and doctors.

Letters about iron supplementation and testicular self-exam (TSE).

A short window of action exists for the newborn with suspected sepsis. With little time and less-than-perfect lab studies, are CRP values the added clue you need to arrive at a diagnosis?

CA and NY nurses seek H1N1 protection; nurse-doctor teamwork shown to save money; formation of national nursing union faces obstacles; nurses' Internet use studied

The high spirits and optimism of a patient receiving her latest in a long series of chemotherapy treatments provides perspective to a stressed-out nurse, and an enduring lesson in what truly matters.

Patients may be overwhelmed with the multiple lifestyle changes that control of hypertension requires. RN's care guide will help them understand why each step toward normal blood pressure is so important for long-term health.

After receiving a negative diagnosis, patients often are too emotional to understand or even hear you explain their condition. Help give your patients a clearer picture of what lies ahead with our tips for sensitive engagement and education.

Because of the presence of unusual skin findings, a 3-year-old African American girl was evaluated for possible child abuse. The father, the primary guardian, reported that his daughter had returned home from her mother's residence 2 days before-a day earlier than planned. According to the father, the child was crying and had skin lesions, which initially appeared white and then darkened over the course of the next day or two.

A 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome was referred for evaluation of nonspecific symptoms, including difficulty in breathing on standing up from a sitting position, dizziness, frequent abdominal pain, and diarrhea after ingesting fatty foods and milk. He had intermittent asthma exacerbations for which he occasionally used a β-agonist. He had no history of trauma, surgery, or allergies.

Impoverished parents who spank their one-year-old children may encourage aggressive behaviors and cognitive delays in their children for the next two years.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently doubled the amount of vitamin D that it recommends all infants, children, and adolescents receive each day-from 200 to 400 IU. Also new is the academy's recommendation that vitamin D supplementation begin as soon after birth as possible. Supplementation is recommended in infants who do not receive 400 IU per day from formula.

For years, pediatricians have discussed with parents the important role that reading to their children plays in the development of language skills. We have encouraged talking to children about things around them, describing objects and events, and telling stories.