A preview of the August issue of Contemporary Pediatrics

Click the image above to view the digital version of Contemporary Pediatrics' August issue!

The August 2024 issue of Contemporary Pediatrics is now available in digital form! Below, find a message from our Editor in Chief Tina Tan, MD, FAAP, FIDSA, FPIDS, who highlights articles featured in this month's issue.

Tina Tan, MD, FAAP, FIDSA, FPIDS:

Greetings, everyone!

I hope you are enjoying the summer, regardless of that one unwelcome guest still circulating in the community: SARS-CoV-2. Test positivity and emergency department visits for COVID-19 are increasing nationwide, with KP.1, KP.2, and KP.3 the predominant Omicron subvariants, accounting for 55% of all cases.1 Please continue to test patients for COVID-19 when they present to you with fever and respiratory symptoms.

We have several excellent must-read articles in this month’s back-to-school issue, with topics such as preventing infections in schools, kindergarten readiness, and how schools can work better with students who must take medications during the school day.

• The Infectious Diseases section article provides practical information in a Q&A format that reviews the CDC’s new guidance to prevent the spread of infections and keep children healthy in the school environment. This article also features a commentary from Donna Hallas, PhD, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN. Given the increasing amount of group A streptococcus and other infections we have seen in schools over the past 2 to 3 years, the information could not be timelier.
• In Pharmacology, another Q&A-style article reviews a new policy outlining the steps schools can take when students must take various medications at school, a common issue for all pediatric health care providers. Mary Beth Miotto, MD, MPH, and Donna Hallas, PhD, PPCNP-BC, CPNP, PMHS, FAANP, FAAN, also provide commentary.
• The very pertinent Respiratory Disorders article outlines the response from the American Academy of Pediatrics president to the FDA’s marketing authorization of menthol-flavored e-cigarettes and the negative implications this will have on adolescents.
• The Nutrition section features an article on recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force on intensive behavioral interventions for children 6 years and older with a high body mass index. This is a topic of increasing concern as reports indicate that over 20% of children 6 years and older are considered obese.
• In Dermatology, we have a great review on pediatric vitiligo, which includes tips on diagnosis and management and new and emerging treatments.
• Lastly, our Developmental Health section provides practical information on determining the most appropriate age for children born preterm to enter kindergarten and its potential long-term effects on their mental, behavioral, and developmental health. It is highly relevant, given the increasing number of preterm infants being born.

As always, thank you for providing outstanding care to your patients. Take care of yourselves and enjoy the rest of summer. As Van Morrison sang, “Smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly,” and with that you’ll be ready for the start of the school year. And remember, I always welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

With warm regards,

Tina Q. Tan, MD, FAAP, FIDSA, FPIDS, Editor in Chief