Why are teens not being treated for opioid use disorders?
July 11th 2017Although opioid use disorders among teenagers and young adults are increasing, the number of teenagers and young adults who receive medication to treat opioid use is decreasing, with significant inequalities among population types.
Tympanostomy tubes improve short-term hearing but lack long-term benefit
July 6th 2017Tympanostomy tubes are widely used in pediatric care, taking first place as the most popular ambulatory surgery. However, new research reveals that tube placement provides just short-term hearing improvement and has little impact on quality of life.
All Healthcare is not Local: The Human Cost of Disparate Health Data
July 6th 2017Improving care coordination across the healthcare continuum has the potential to dramatically improve patient care, reduce duplicative tests and procedures, and positively impact care quality. This whitepaper explores data coordination that more easily locates records, reduces test and procedure duplication - and boosts your quality of care.
Adverse childhood experiences are linked to ADHD
July 1st 2017Diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at age 9 years is associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), according to an analysis of data for 1572 children who are part of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) birth cohort.
Are children with asthma prescribed too many OCSs?
July 1st 2017An analysis of 2015 claims data for about 69,000 children with an asthma diagnosis suggests that the answer to this question is “yes.” Of these children, who were insured through a large Texas health plan for children with Medicaid and CHIP and who ranged in age from 1 to 18 years, 42.1% were given an oral corticosteroid (OCS) 1 or more times during the year; 9.9%, 2 or more times; and 3.3%, 3 or more times.
Fever without a source, think UTI first
July 1st 2017In children aged older than 2 months, the pediatrician is often faced with the scenario of fever with no apparent source. Because symptoms in young patients are nonspecific and reliable urine samples require invasive testing, there can be a delay in both diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). This delay may be associated with increased risk of renal scarring and a longer duration symptomology for the young child.
Persistent agitation in children with neurologic impairments
July 1st 2017Crying and agitation for no apparent reason in children with severe neurologic impairment is a common and frustrating problem for parents and providers alike. A methodical approach is helpful in dealing with this problem, yet sometimes the cause is not apparent, even after a thorough search. It is helpful to explain to parents and caretakers that the cause of the distress may take some time to figure out, and that diagnosis is often difficult. However, in most cases, a satisfactory treatment can be found.
New AAP guidance addresses teens’ risky eating habits
June 25th 2017Goals for NPs caring for children and adolescents with weight problems are early identification and referral to treatment in order to prevent the well-known adverse effects the diagnosis of eating disorders places on the child, adolescent, and family members-and, in time, the overall health of the adult population.
Why do so many kids die so soon following a cancer diagnosis?
June 14th 2017While improvements have been made to childhood cancer mortality rates, a recent research study aims to identify how many children die before being able to start treatment, and what interventions can be put in place to improve their chances.
Does medication really improve outcomes for kids with ADHD? (VIDEO)
June 13th 2017For Contemporary Pediatrics, Dr Bobby Lazzara discusses a controversial UK-based study published in JAMA Pediatrics that examined how well pharmacologic interventions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) help education and health outcomes for impacted kids.
Study compares non–vaccine-preventable illness in vaccinated, unvaccinated children
June 13th 2017A new study found that unvaccinated children suffer more from colds and the flu than their vaccinated peers, with study authors seeking to provide evidence-based data for parents who worry vaccines are too taxing on their child’s immune system.
Making it easier to prevent ear infections in children
June 7th 2017Results of a new study show the feasibility and efficacy of preventing otitis media (OM), and potentially treat OM recurrence, through the simple use of a Band-Aid to deliver a vaccine targeted at one of the most common pathogens responsible for OM.
Novel antimicrobial shows promise for children with AOM
June 7th 2017Children with acute otitis media (AOM) are routinely and successfully treated with antimicrobials, with data showing that the combination of amoxicillin-clavulanate (A/C) to treat AOM in children aged younger than 3 years is associated with more favorable outcomes than placebo.
Families detect errors hospital incident reports miss
June 1st 2017Rates of medical errors yielded by solicited family reporting were 5 times higher than the rates provided by hospital incident reports and the rates of adverse events (AEs) were 3 times higher, a study in 4 pediatric hospitals found. Most hospitals primarily use incident reports to conduct patient safety surveillance.
Choosy mothers choose . . . fruit!
June 1st 2017Since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published its first recommendations regarding fruit juice 16 years ago, pediatricians have been waving off parents from serving young children apple and other fruit juices in bottles and sippy cups, encouraging water be given instead, because of both caloric and dental caries concerns. Now the AAP has issued a new policy statement that goes further than ever on what constitutes optimal quantities of fruit juice product consumption for children of all ages.
Does residential ‘greenspace’ help asthma control?
June 1st 2017A study in 150 asthmatic children (aged 9 to 17 years) found an interaction between family relationships and residential greenspace, suggesting that children with asthma benefit when they live in high greenspace areas and have positive family relationships.