Conflicting Recommendations for Lipid Screening and Management in Children: The Need for Consensus
August 31st 2008In July 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their recommendations on lipid screening and cardiovascular health in childhood.1 The new recommendations created a media stir because of the endorsement of the use of statins in certain at-risk children as young as 8 years.
WCC: Cervical Cancer Control Feasible in Third World
August 29th 2008In developing countries, vaccines against the human papillomavirus and new screening strategies offer an unprecedented opportunity to combat cervical cancer since standard Pap smear screening has proven too expensive and complicated to implement, according to research presented at the World Cancer Congress of the International Union Against Cancer held Aug. 27 to 31 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Lancet Supports WHO Report on Health Inequality
August 29th 2008The final report by the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health contains a strong mandate for reducing global inequalities in health care, according to an editorial published in the Aug. 30 issue of The Lancet.
Back-to-school health and safety tips
August 29th 2008With the start of the school year comes a host of unique health and safety concerns for students to keep in mind. Everything from backpack use to appropriate sleep time are topics relevant to child health, and studies have helped guide the way toward avoiding the dangers and practicing preventive methods.
Moms' HPV vaccine attitudes not determined by sexual values
August 28th 2008A mother's intention to vaccinate her daughter against the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) may have to do with parenting factors not related to feelings toward sexuality, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Genetic Deletion Related to Obesity in WAGR Syndrome
August 27th 2008Brain-derived neurotrophic factor haploinsufficiency is associated with onset of childhood obesity in patients with Wilms' tumor, aniridia, genitourinary abnormalities and mental retardation (WAGR) syndrome, and may be related to energy homeostasis in humans, researchers report in the Aug. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Magnesium Sulfate May Reduce Cerebral Palsy Rates
August 27th 2008Use of magnesium sulfate in mothers at high risk of early preterm delivery was associated with less occurrence of moderate or severe cerebral palsy in surviving offspring, according to study findings published in the Aug. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Genetic Link Found in Familial Neuroblastoma
August 27th 2008Heritable mutations of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene appear to be the main cause of familial neuroblastoma, a finding that may offer a therapeutic target for the disease, according to research published online Aug. 24 in Nature.
Allopurinol Shows Promise As Hypertension Treatment
August 26th 2008The blood pressure of teens newly diagnosed with hypertension can be reduced with allopurinol, but the potential for the drug to become a new treatment depends on the outcome of larger clinical trials to better understand the potential side effects of the drug, according to a report published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Perioperative Care Must Be Adapted to Preschoolers' Needs
August 26th 2008Perioperative care for preschoolers must take into account their stage of emotional and psychological development as well as their unique physical and medical needs, according to an article published in the August issue of AORN Journal.
CDC: Measles Outbreaks Seen in Unvaccinated Children
August 25th 2008Recent measles outbreaks in the United States have primarily occurred among unvaccinated school-aged children, often after exposure to people from other countries with ongoing outbreaks, according to a report published in the Aug. 22 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.