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"Time spent outdoors is the strongest predictor of activity in children," said Gilbert Liu, MD, at an epidemiology platform session here today &#8212 noting, at the same time, the reported dramatic drop in such activity among children. But as parks and green space increase in a given community, Dr. Liu pointed out, people walk more, more social cohesion develops, and the crime rate drops.

A study of children's hospitalizations in the US reveals that only one third of a total 1.7 million admissions in 2000 were to children's hospitals with specialized pediatric expertise, it was reported here today.

An estimated 96 million people in the United States wear prescription eyeglasses. According to Ohio researchers at Columbus Children's Research Institute (CCRI) on the campus of Columbus Children's Hospital, during a two-year period of time, more than 26,000 people were treated in emergency departments in the US for eyeglass-related injuries - 6% of whom had an injury that resulted in admission. Those researchers also found that the mechanism of the injury varied with the wearer's age.

Domestic abuse affects the child. That was the message of a presentation on the epidemiology of domestic violence and issues related to screening, prevention, intervention and teaching. "When there are children involved, domestic violence is anything but a private matter," said speaker Danielle Thomas-Taylor, MD, of the Center for Child Health Research, Rochester, NY. And physicians are likely see numerous victims of spousal abuse, Dr. Thomas-Taylor stressed, given the epidemic proportions of domestic abuse.

Sleep-associated deaths are the leading cause of infant death in Arizona-and that state is the source of new information, presented at the 2005 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, suggesting that most deaths attributable to SIDS, suffocation, and asphyxiation may be preventable.

Door opens for return of ephedra, cancer-risk guidelines offered, greater scrutiny of NSAIDs

Extreme hyperbilirubinemia must be treated swiftly to prevent neurologic damage. Here are methods for determining a newborn's likelihood of developing severe jaundice and guidelines for treating those judged at greatest risk.

Yes, jaundice in newborns is prevalent and usually benign, but these babies still need ongoing clinical assessment. Part 1 reviews ways to identify and categorize hyperbilirubinemia and sets out the testing that a jaundiced infant requires.

Despite a reputation as a "safe"sport, soccer is associated with a variety of acute and overuse injuries. This overview helps you diagnose, manage, and refer these problems, and clarifies how to prevent them.

Your patient in the emergency department today is a 5-day-old girl brought in by her parents because of an episode of what they describe as "shaking." First, they tell you, she had an episode of choking and gagging during a feed, accompanied by noises resembling the hiccups. Shortly afterward, she developed rhythmic twitching of the arms and legs.

Early signs of bilirubin-induced neurologic damage in healthy term and near-term newborns are often vague. A comprehensive approach to management helps prevent rapid progression and irreversible consequence.

Working with pediatric residents and medical students to care for patients provides many opportunities to recognize, and be grateful for, progress. Some patient discussions I recently had highlight improvements in medical care that, in the absence of historical perspective (in other words, if you haven't been around for a long time) would be easy to take for granted.

The irides of a legally blind 19-year-old woman had been absent since birth. When she was 6 weeks old, her parents noted that she was not focusing on objects the way her siblings had. They consulted an ophthalmologist who diagnosed aniridia. The woman is able to read book print close up and can ambulate independently, although she has difficulty at times, such as when stepping off a curb in unfamiliar surroundings.

For 3 days, a 10-year-old girl had redness and vesicles on her right volar wrist. She had not had any pain, fever, or other systemic symptoms.

Pediatric Urology Clinics:

High-Sugar Foods

A 14-year-old girl presented with concerns about a "deformed" right shoulder. Despite the fact that there was no associated weakness, the defect made her self-conscious. She denied recent trauma to the site and severe physical exertion.