Nearly halfway through the year

It is astonishing how fast 2021 is flying by—it is hard to believe that summer is almost here! On the COVID-19 vaccine front, clinical trials are being conducted in the pediatric population down to 6 months of age. With the encouraging preliminary results from the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials in children aged 12 to 15 years showing 100% efficacy, a vaccine may be available for those aged 12 years and older just in time for school. (Editor’s note: This article was written before the authorization of the vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 years.)

This month’s issue has several “must-read” articles covering topics that all of us in pediatric medicine encounter:

• The cover story on headaches is an excellent review for the practitioner. It sums up the different headache types, signs, and symptoms. Most importantly, it gives you guidance on when a patient needs to be referred to a specialist for further evaluation.
• The respiratory section provides an update on current guidelines and treatment regimens for asthma. With spring a peak time for asthma and other variants of reactive airway disease, the report is especially timely.
• The practice improvement article provides details of the nuances of the new 2021 evaluation and management coding system for outpatient visits, which became effective on January 1. You’ll learn the best way to write patient notes that are compliant with the new guidelines and how to optimally bill for the services that you provide.
• The nutrition section report updates parents on what they need to know about food allergies, including the latest information on Palforzia. Palforzia is the first FDA-approved oral immunotherapy indicated for the mitigation of severe peanut allergic reactions in patients aged 4 to 17 years. This is very exciting news for the 1.2 million children and adolescents in the United States with peanut allergy.

Thank you for providing outstanding care to your patients during these challenging times, and stay safe and well. How this anonymous quote rings true! “Always find time for things that make you feel happy to be alive.” And, as always, I welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

With warmest regards,

Tina Q. Tan