Weekly review: Digital technologies for mental health, obesity, and more
Get caught up with our journal! Review some of the top stories from the Contemporary Pediatrics website over the last week, and catch up on anything you may have missed.
Thank you for visiting the Contemporary Pediatrics® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from last week (Monday, August 5, to Friday, August 9, 2024), and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.
Digital therapeutics and what they can do for mental health
Digital therapeutics offer a valuable tool for pediatricians managing mental health issues in children, particularly when access to specialized care is limited. According to Jason Kahn, PhD, from Boston Children’s Hospital, these technologies can bridge care gaps by helping children develop skills to manage conditions like ADHD, anxiety, and autism while they wait for specialized treatment. Digital therapeutics, such as those involving video games with feedback systems, have been shown to significantly improve outcomes in areas like aggression, oppositionality, and global severity. A study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry demonstrated that these tools can enhance traditional treatments, leading to real-life behavioral changes. Kahn stresses the need for increased awareness of digital therapeutics among healthcare providers, as they can support pediatricians in addressing the growing mental health needs of their patients.
Click here for study details and commentary from Jason Kahn, PhD.
Digital health programs and childhood obesity
A review article in Frontiers explores the impact of digital interventions on managing childhood obesity, a growing global epidemic exacerbated by socioeconomic changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examines mobile health (mHealth) tools, telemedicine, and other technological innovations aimed at preventing and treating obesity in children and adolescents. Findings suggest that these digital health interventions, particularly telemedicine, show promise in supporting weight management and promoting healthy behaviors, though their long-term impact on BMI remains unclear.
The authors emphasize the need for personalized, accessible interventions that account for socioeconomic and ethnic differences and the importance of sustaining long-term engagement with these digital tools.
FDA approves neffy as first nasal spray to treat anaphylaxis
The FDA has approved epinephrine nasal spray (neffy; ARS Pharmaceuticals) for treating type 1 allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis
, in adults and children weighing at least 66 pounds. Approval was based on studies showing comparable epinephrine blood concentrations between neffy and injection products, with similar increases in blood pressure and heart rate.
The nasal spray offers a needle-free alternative, potentially reducing barriers to rapid treatment, particularly for those who fear injections. This approval follows a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study requested by the FDA, which demonstrated that repeat doses of neffy are effective and comparable to traditional epinephrine injections.
"We know that a lot of patients are reluctant to either inject themselves or inject their children with epinephrine because of needle phobia," said Thomas Casale, MD, professor of medicine, chief of Clinical and Translational Research, Allergy and Immunology, University of South Florida, in a previous interview with Contemporary Pediatrics. "Having alternatives is very important."
Click here for the full article and additional comments.
Youth suicide decedents and documented preceding mental health diagnosis
A study published in JAMA Network Open found that 3 out of 5 youth suicide decedents did not have a documented mental health diagnosis prior to their death. The study analyzed data from the CDC National Violent Death Reporting System, covering 40,618 youth suicides from 2010 to 2021, and highlighted significant disparities in mental health diagnoses among different racial and ethnic groups.
The findings emphasized the need for equitable access to mental health services and the importance of addressing family and life stressors alongside mental health risk factors in preventing youth suicide.
Click here for the full article.
FDA grants Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to META-001-PH to treat primary hyperoxaluria
META Pharmaceuticals' investigational new drug, META-001-PH, designed to treat primary hyperoxaluria (PH), has been granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) by the FDA. The drug, which has shown promise in preclinical animal models by reducing urinary oxalate excretion by up to 80%, is currently undergoing IND-enabling toxicity studies, with a phase 1 clinical trial in healthy individuals expected in 2025.
META-001-PH is an orally administered, once-daily treatment aimed at maintaining normal oxalate levels, potentially improving long-term management of kidney stone formation in patients with PH.
Trending articles on Contemporary Pediatrics:
FDA expands maralixibat label to include PFIC patients aged 12 months and older
Maralixibat (LIVMARLI; Mirum Pharmaceuticals), initially approved by the FDA to treat cholestatic pruritus in patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) aged 5 years and older, is now approved for use in patients aged 12 months and older. This expanded indication also includes a higher concentration formulation of the drug evaluated in a clinical study. Maralixibat, an orally administered, once-daily ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitor, has shown significant improvements in pruritus, serum bile acids, bilirubin, and growth in patients with various PFIC subtypes. The drug offers a treatment option for infants who may not have responded to other medications, providing relief from severe itching associated with this rare liver disease.
Click here for full approval details.
Children more likely to inherit type 1 diabetes from fathers than mothers
Children of fathers with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are nearly twice as likely to develop the condition compared to those whose mothers have it, according to a study presented at the 2024 European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting. The research, led by Lowri Allen from Cardiff University, analyzed data from 11,475 individuals with T1D. It found that those with affected fathers were 1.8 times more likely to develop T1D.
This increased risk was particularly evident when the father's diagnosis occurred before the child's birth. The study suggests that exposure to T1D in the womb might offer long-term protection against the disease. Genetic risk scores (GRS2) showed no significant difference between those with affected fathers or mothers, emphasizing the potential protective effect of maternal T1D. The findings could guide future strategies to prevent T1D in high-risk individuals.
