AAP National Conference & Exhibition: what you can expect

Sleeping newborn boy in first days of life: © Oksana - stock.adobe.com

If you won't be attending the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, this year in Washington, DC, and are experiencing any symptoms of FOMO, fear not. The editorial team at Contemporary Pediatrics will be on-site throughout the meeting (October 20-24) to provide comprehensive coverage of the most captivating sessions and poster exhibitions. Meanwhile, if you are attending, here's a preview of some intriguing sessions to consider adding to your schedule:

Dermatology Over a dozen sessions are scheduled on this vital medical discipline. Among them will be "Acne vulgaris: update on treatment approaches," led by Christina T. Lauren, MD, MHA, an associate professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center in Aquebogue, New York. Lauren will delve into this common disorder affecting adolescents and adults, covering best practices for diagnosis and treatment, and the proper utilization of acne clinical guidelines.

"More than skin deep: highlighting the diversity of pediatric rheumatic disease," presented by Angela Chun, MEd, MD, FAAP, a pediatric rheumatologist at Northwestern University's Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, will explore visual cues in conditions like lupus, dermatomyositis, and scleroderma, including images of diverse skin tones to differentiate cutaneous features.

Presenting "Beyond steroids: treating pediatric atopic dermatitis," Teresa S. Wright, MD, FAAP, division chief of pediatric dermatology at LeBonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, will point to current management protocols for this well-known dermatological disorder, encompassing both non-pharmacologic management and evidence-based pharmacologic treatment.

Pediatric Pharmacology Ionela Jacobs, MD, FAAP, Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, will provide an overview of the general classification of vascular anomalies, inclusive of guidelines for diagnosis and treatment based on recommendations from the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies.

In "What's eating you? Infestations in children," Albert C. Yan, MD, FAAP, FAAD, from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will share insights into visually diagnosing various infestations, such as lice, scabies, and papular urticaria, and discuss different treatment strategies. Yan will also present "Dermatology lookalikes," offering a review of visual diagnostic features of various pediatric rashes or skin lesions typically encountered by primary care providers. This will help in distinguishing between similar-looking rashes or lesions to formulate appropriate workup and treatment plans.

Nutrition "Feed the baby! Essential advice for food introduction and allergy prevention" by Scott Sicherer, MD, FAAP, from Mount Sinai Doctors in New York City, New York, will offer a review of the latest infant feeding guidelines to help HCPs understand essential aspects of dietary intervention for preventing food allergies.

Together, Julie Skolmowski, MPH, RDN, senior technical advisor for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service in Alexandria, Virginia, and Valery Soto, MS, RDN, CLC, chief of WIC Nutrition Services and Promotion Branch, USDA, Washington DC, will discuss how WIC provides critical nutrition support in early childhood health care. They will also cover the USDA's efforts to increase participation in the program, including proposed changes to the foods offered in WIC.

In "Pediatric obesity and food insecurity: next steps beyond screening," Kofi Essel, MD, MPH, FAAP, from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, and Alexandra Ashbrook, JD, LLM, director of Root Causes and Specific Populations Food Research & Action Center in Washington, DC, will delve into food insecurity, pediatric obesity, poverty, and health care disparities. Attendees will gain practical tools for assisting patients in accessing the necessary resources.

Infectious Diseases Rana E. El Feghaly, MD, MSCI, a professor of pediatrics at Children's Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri, and David Haslam, MD, a professor at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio, will share their insights on "Challenging cases in pediatric infectious diseases." Using case studies, the speakers will cover the recognition and management of complex infectious diseases in children.

In "They're back! The return of almost forgotten vaccine-preventable diseases," Angela L. Myers, MD, MPH, FAAP, FPIDS, from Children's Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri, addresses vaccine hesitancy, the current epidemiology of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, and the importance of keeping patients up to date with routine immunizations.

Anne Kimball Jackson, MD, MPH, from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Geoffrey Hart-Cooper, MD, founder and medical director of the Virtual PrEP Program for Adolescents and Young Adults at Stanford Children’s Health, San Mateo, California, present "PrEP for adolescents: simple steps pediatricians can take to end the HIV epidemic." Registrants will learn how to identify candidates for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and offer it in compliance with confidentiality laws and minors' rights. The presentation will include clear instructions on prescribing antiviral drugs and monitoring for STIs and adverse effects.

Mental Health In an important session for all health care providers, "Keeping children, teens, and families safe from fentanyl," Deepa R. Camenga, MD, MHS, FAAP, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, will summarize the non-medical use of prescription medications, including the presence of fentanyl in adulterated products. Attendees will learn about anticipatory guidance and harm reduction, including naloxone.

As Gary Maslow, MD, MPH, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate professor of pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, soberly notes in his summary of his session, "Mental health ED boarding: the pediatrician's role in addressing the crisis," the number of children presenting to emergency departments with mental health issues has reached a breaking point. Maslow's presentation will use case studies to outline practical actions that pediatric health care providers can take to address this crisis, improve child access to treatment, and facilitate appropriate placements for these patients.

Always a relevant topic, "Psychopharmacology for the general primary care provider," presented by Alison Schonwald, MD, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School in the department of pediatrics, and at Cambridge Health Alliance in Woburn, Massachusetts, will also address the national pediatric mental health emergency. Pediatricians are increasingly asked to assist families through both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions for such disorders as depression and anxiety. Schonwald will focus on the use of psychotropic medications and discuss nonpharmacologic support for children and adolescents.

This is just a glimpse of the engaging presentations we look forward to this weekend!