Home Alone: At What Age Are Children Ready?
April 29th 2010I’d like to increase my hours at my job from part-time to full-time when my son starts middle school. He’d be home by himself for an hour and a half between the end of his afterschool program and the time I’d be back from work. Do you think he’s old enough to be home alone for that time?
10 Tips for Staying Safe on Social Networking Sitesa
April 6th 2010"Don’t post information about yourself online that you don’t want the whole world to know." In the 21st century, this safety rule is as important as the older “don’t talk to strangers” and “look both ways before crossing the street.” If you remember nothing else about Internet safety, remember this.
Developmental Delay in a Teen With Neurofibromatosis Type I
April 6th 2010A 16-year-old boy presented for evaluation of his worsening behavior at school. He was very hyperactive and had difficulty in paying attention. He had always required help with reading and language. Maternal pregnancy and birth history were unremarkable.
Omental Cyst Presenting as Acute Abdomen
April 6th 2010A 2-year-old girl was transferred to the pediatric ICU from a nearby community hospital because of nonremitting, generalized abdominal pain associated with fever and vomiting. Her symptoms had begun 3 days earlier and had progressively worsened despite treatment with antibiotics, pain medication, and fluids.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children: Accurate Diagnosis, Effective Treatment
April 5th 2010Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has a high prevalence in the pediatric population and is associated with significant morbidity, both physical and in the realms of development, cognition, behavior, and school performance.
Fever and Neck Swelling in a Toddler With Growth Delay
April 5th 2010A 20-month-old boy brought to the emergency department with swelling on the right side of the neck and fever (temperature, 39.3°C [102.7°F]) of 1 day’s duration. The parents reported that the child had had intermittent fevers and poor weight gain for the past 3 months but no vomiting, diarrhea, rash, drooling, or difficulty in swallowing.
Journal Club: When is a traumatic brain injury a "concussion?"
April 1st 2010With no standard definition of the term, "concussion," particularly with regard to children, investigators examined the clinical correlates of the concussion diagnosis and identified factors that lead clinicians to use the term.
Vaccines approved for invasive pneumococcal disease and meningococcal disease
April 1st 2010Pfizer's pneumococcal 13-variant conjugate vaccine (Prevnar 13) was approved by the FDA for active immunization of children aged 6 weeks through 5 years for the prevention of invasive disease caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes.
Nasal Congestion and Intermittent Fever in Girl With Transient Hypogammaglobulinemia of Infancy
March 9th 2010A 51⁄2 -year-old girl was brought to her pediatrician’s office by her mother, who reported that her daughter had a 1-week history of nasal congestion, intermittent fever, and cough that was worse in the morning and at night. The child was alert and smiling and appeared to be in no apparent distress.
Congenital Bilateral Thumb Duplication
March 9th 2010Complete duplication of the left thumb in a baby boy was noted at birth; a radiograph of the thumb showed 2 proximal and distal phalanges with 1 first metacarpal bone. He also had fusion and incomplete bony duplication of the right thumb; a radiograph of this digit showed normal proximal and distal phalanges plus a small tiny bony remnant of the proximal and distal phalanges of an accessory thumb.
New-Onset Seizures in Infant With Square Facies, Hypospadias, and Hirschsprung Disease
March 8th 2010A 6-month-old boy with dysmorphic facial features, ear anomalies, and hypospadias brought for evaluation of elevated temperature and generalized seizure. Infant born at term to a 37-year-old mother via uncomplicated cesarean delivery.