Editors Commentary: Three in One . . .

If you are reading this editorial, you've already seen the 2 special supplements to Consultant For Pediatricians that came wrapped with our October issue. The editors of those special issues and I hope that you'll find information in the vaccine and dermatology supplements that you can put to good use in your practice. We hope you'll find the same in our regular issue.

Kirk Barber, MD--dermatologist, clinical associate professor at the University of Calgary, and self-described 20-year student of the skin--creates a "virtual clinic" in Focus on Dermatology that mirrors the office experience of the pediatric residents who attend his clinic. Dr Barber focuses on 8 common skin disorders that you probably encounter often--molluscum contagiosum, psoriasis, acne, scabies, atopic dermatitis, warts, head lice, and pubic lice. Dr Barber, series editor of Dermclinic that appears every month in our regular issue, describes these disorders as "at once simple and complex" to diagnose and treat. He outlines an approach to each that he has found effective in his own practice in hope that the discussions will make you better able to help your patients.

In their Focus on Vaccines, Deepak M. Kamat, MD, PhD, clinical immunologist and professor of pediatrics at Wayne State University and his colleagues Adhi Amer, MD, and Linda Nield, MD, bring you up-to-date--not just on the details of how and when to vaccinate, but also on safety issues related to immunization. Dr Nield, associate professor of pediatrics at West Virginia University, and Dr Kamat explore the reasons why some parents refuse to have their children vaccinated, and outline strategies that may help you assuage parental fears. Dr Nield also summarizes the scientific literature that rules out a link between MMR vaccination and autism and she takes on the issue of the "scare" associated with the use of the preservative thimerosal.

Dr Amer, assistant professor of pediatrics at Wayne State, and Dr Kamat provide handy summaries of several new vaccines that aren't yet on the CDC's recommended immunization schedule--Adacel and Boostrix, HAVRIX and VAQTA, Menactra, RotaTeq, GARDASIL, and ProQuad.

We sincerely hope you like what you see in these 3 issues, and we welcome your questions and feedback. You can reach me by e-mail: the address is SKweskin@cmp.com.

----Susan Kweskin Group Editorial Director