HPV vaccination rates are rising but have far to go
May 9th 2017Despite controversy surrounding the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, more adolescents and young adults are getting vaccinated. However, overall vaccination rates of HPV compared with other teenaged-years vaccines are still low, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Office preparedness for childhood emergencies
May 1st 2017Studies highlight a need for pediatrician offices to be ready to handle emergencies, available data also demonstrate that many practices, including those that have already needed to treat a critically ill child, are not adequately prepared because they lack the relevant protocols, training, and tools.
Toilet training kids with ASD: Part 2
May 1st 2017Like typical children, children with intellectual disabilities or autism will toilet train at different rates and with different strategies. For some families, this can be a frustrating and depressing time. Discussing the use of positive rewards and avoiding punishment will help these parents slowly make progress. Here is a detailed program to help patients achieve continence.
Look through the lens of trauma
April 24th 2017Children in the foster care system are exposed early in life to adverse experiences by living within dysfunctional families and specific facts have not changed. What has changed is the recognition of the need for the healthcare system to change its care for these vulnerable children to prevent the adverse effects that traumatic stress imposes on their physical and emotional development and well-being.
Choice of needle size when vaccinating children
April 17th 2017Among concerns with administering these multiple and frequent immunizations in young children are the potential pain and adverse effects associated with injections. Along with inducing pain in some children, the early negative experience of needle-related procedures can interfere with adherence to immunization schedules and create long-lasting effects of anxiety and stress around needle-related procedures that remain into adulthood.
COME in preschool-aged children
April 10th 2017A recent study found that pathogen exposure, upper respiratory tract infection (URI), and nasal obstruction all were associated with chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) in preschool-aged children, underscoring the need for improved methods in pathogen transmission prevention in this patient population.
Allergy questionnaire helps determine true penicillin allergy in children
April 4th 2017Although penicillin allergy is the most commonly reported medication allergy in children, the true incidence of this allergy in children is low with data suggesting that the large numbers of adverse drug reactions reported by parents as signs of an allergic reaction, such as rash or diarrhea associated with antibiotics, may not be consistent with a true allergic reaction.
Crizanlizumab helps prevent pain crises in sickle cell disease
April 1st 2017In patients with sickle cell disease, therapy with crizanlizumab, an antibody against the adhesion molecule P-selectin, resulted in a significantly lower rate of sickle cell-related pain crises than placebo, a trial in 198 patients aged from 16 to 65 years showed.
Right question resolves teen’s pain dilemma
April 1st 2017A 16-year-old girl presents to an emergency department (ED) accompanied by her boyfriend to report a 24-hour history of right lower quadrant pain. The pain is associated with midline lower back pain and light vaginal bleeding (1 to 2 tampons per day). She has experienced some nausea but no vomiting.