DEA allows buprenorphine prescriptions via telehealth, proposes prescriber registry
Login Read the whole storyA Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring the Systemic Challenges of Caring for Children With Medical Complexity at Home
Login Read the whole storyHealthy behaviors in adolescence may lead to better CV health in adulthood
Login Read the whole storyStudy shows positive results for 0.05% atropine eye drops in children with myopia
Login Read the whole storyMost infants survive past 1st year after receiving INZ-701 for ENPP1 Deficiency
Login Read the whole storyBrainChild Bio moves forward with CAR T cell therapy for pediatric brain cancer
Login Read the whole storyRelationships Among Stress, Diabetes Distress, and Biomarkers in Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus from Diverse Income and Racial Backgrounds
Login Read the whole storyInfant outcomes may be better if insulin is used for gestational diabetes
Login Read the whole storyConsistent patching may improve vision in children with congenital cataracts
Login Read the whole storyHuman Trafficking Awareness Month — Human trafficking prevention resources available
Login Read the whole storyPre-infection vaccination reduced long COVID risk in children, adolescents
Login Read the whole storyConcussion recovery curve in children similar regardless of cause, study finds
Login Read the whole storyStudy evaluates respiratory assist for children hospitalized with critical asthma
Login Read the whole storyCommunity SDOH affect out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in children
Login Read the whole storyScreen Time, Outdoor Play, and Sleep Routines in Early Childhood: Longitudinal Associations with Parenting Stress during Toddler to Preschool Years
Login Read the whole storyStudy finds pediatric COVID-19 may have higher cardiac risk than flu, RSV
Login Read the whole storyBehavioral Counseling for Weight Management by Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study
Login Read the whole storyBill would prohibit some medical care for transgender children of US service members
Login Read the whole storyNP: Primary care providers can assess mental, physical health during pediatric visits
Login Read the whole storyStudy: Young children have no unexpected reactions to mRNA COVID-19 vaccination
Login Read the whole storyTikTok to restrict beauty filters for teens to address mental health concerns
Login Read the whole storyUnlocking Care: Join Us for Taryn Hamer's Insight on Seizure Action Plans!
Login Read the whole storyEating less sugar early in life may protect against diabetes, hypertension
Login Read the whole storyAnxiety about food allergies increases psychological care referrals for children
Login Read the whole storyHealth experts weigh in on when children should return to school after COVID-19
Login Read the whole storyAccidental ingestions of synthetic cannabis products increase among children
Login Read the whole storyTenn. study finds many antibiotic prescriptions fail to follow guidelines
Login Read the whole storyRural hospitals may not be equipped to care for children with medical complexity
Login Read the whole storyResearch evaluates impact of air pollution on pediatric brain development
Login Read the whole storyTreatment For CNS Malignancies In Early Childhood Has Adverse Impact On Academic Readiness Skills, Study Finds
Neurology Advisor (9/27, Rao) reported, “Treatment for central nervous system (CNS) malignancies in early childhood has an adverse impact on academic readiness skills, according to the findings of a small study.” Investigators came to this conclusion after using “data from a phase 2 multi-institutional trial” to study “the association between academic readiness and outcomes in patients who received treatment for CNS tumors during early childhood.” The findings were published in JNIC: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Login Read the whole storyResearchers Discover Significant Socioeconomic, Racial Disparities In Treatment Of Children With Unintentional Ingestions In ED
Healio (9/27, Bascom) reported, “There are significant socioeconomic and racial disparities in the treatment of children with unintentional ingestions in the emergency department, according to research.” Researchers “found that, when seeking care for unintentional ingestions, Black children more often received a urine drug screening test (OR = 2.3), social work consult (OR = 1.8) and referral to children services agencies (OR = 2.8), regardless of the type of ingestion.” The findings were presented at a recent medical conference.
Login Read the whole storyWater Beads Can Cause Bowel Obstructions In Young Children, Study Finds
Healio (9/27, Kellner) reported, “Superabsorbent polymer beads that are often used as toys or decorations can cause bowel obstructions in young children, which may require surgery, according to research.” The study authors found that “superabsorbent polymer beads can expand up to 400 times their original size when exposed to liquids, and although most pass through the gastrointestinal tract on their own, they can cause bowel obstructions that require surgery.” The findings were presented at a recent medical conference.
Login Read the whole storyNumber Of Children Who Visited ED For Heat-Related Illnesses Significantly Increased From 2012 To 2023, Research Shows
Healio (9/27, Rhoades) reported, “The number of children who visited the ED for heat-related illnesses significantly rose from 2012 to 2023, according to research.” The researchers’ “analysis revealed 542 heat-related ED visits during the study period.” These findings were presented at a recent medical conference.
Login Read the whole storyNearly 90% Of Babies Hospitalized For COVID-19 Had Mothers Who Did Not Get Vaccine During Pregnancy, Data Show
KFF Health News (9/27, Fortier) reports, “Nearly 90% of babies who had to be hospitalized for COVID-19 had mothers who didn’t get the vaccine during pregnancy, according to new” CDC data. Furthermore, “Babies too young to be vaccinated had the highest COVID hospitalization rate of any age group except people over 75.” This “study drew upon medical data in 12 states, collected between October 2022 and April 2024.” The findings were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Login Read the whole storyFewer Children Born During First Two Years Of COVID-19 Pandemic Received Recommended Vaccines, CDC Data Show
MedPage Today (9/27, Kahn) reports, “Fewer children born during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic received recommended vaccines compared with those born in the 2 years before the pandemic, according to CDC data.” Researchers found that “compared with vaccine coverage during 2018 and 2019, estimated coverage for children born in 2020 and 2021 declined by 1.3 to 7.8 percentage points, depending on the vaccine.” The findings were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Login Read the whole storyUse Of First-Generation Antihistamines For Children Aged 6 To 24 Months Can Lead To Increased Likelihood Of Seizures, Study Finds
Neurology Advisor (9/26, Schettini) reports, “The use of first-generation antihistamines for children aged 6 to 24 months can lead to the increased likelihood of seizures, according to study findings.” Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing data on “1,893,314 individuals born between January 2002 and December 2005.” The research was published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storySome Patients With JIA Do Worse Than Others When It Comes To Taking Their Methotrexate On Schedule, Study Suggests
MedPage Today (9/26, Gever) reports, “Some patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) do worse than others when it comes to taking their methotrexate on schedule, a single-center study indicated.” Researchers found that among 224 patients with JIA “treated at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, younger age, Black race, and living in ‘low opportunity’ neighborhoods were all associated with poorer adherence.” Whereas over “two-thirds of white patients were considered adherent, based on comprehensive pharmacy dispensing records, two-thirds of those identifying as Black were non-adherent.” The findings were published in Arthritis Care & Research.
Login Read the whole storyAdolescent, Young Adult Women Who Initiate Etonogestrel Contraceptive Implant Experience Small Weight Changes Over Three Years, Research Finds
Healio (9/26, Welsh) reports, “Adolescent and young adult women who initiated the etonogestrel contraceptive implant experienced small weight changes over 3 years similar to women who received depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, researchers reported.” In the retrospective study, investigators “also found that BMI changes observed over a 3-year period with the two long-active contraceptive implants were higher compared with teens and young adults prescribed weight-neutral contraceptives or no contraceptives.” The findings were published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Login Read the whole storyFewer Than Half Of HCV-Exposed Children Are Tested For HCV, Research Suggests
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/26, Chan) reports research found that “fewer than half of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-exposed children were tested for HCV, with lower testing rates among Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latinx children.” Study results indicate that “a larger proportion of those tested with RNA vs antibody testing only were Black and Hispanic/Latinx.” The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Login Read the whole storyDisparities In HPV Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescent Girls In USAPI Need To Be Addressed, Study Suggests
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/26, McSwiggin) reports, “Coverage with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among adolescent girls in the United States-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) is on track to meet 2030 goals in 2 jurisdictions; however, disparities in vaccination coverage still need to be addressed, according to study results.” The researchers said, “Implementing evidence-based strategies to increase vaccine access and coverage would benefit jurisdictions with lagging coverage.” The findings were published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Login Read the whole storyRise In SUID Rates Linked To Off-Season RSV Surge In 2021, Study Suggests
ABC News (9/26, Gummerson, Cobern) reports, “A rise in rates of sudden unexpected infant deaths [SUIDs] may have been linked to an off-season surge of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 2021, according to a new study.” By “using records from the CDC, researchers analyzed more than 14,000 cases of SUID and found that rates per 100,000 live births increased by 10% from 2019 to 2021.” Study “results showed the risk of SUID was highest from June to December 2021 – at the same time there was an off-season surge in hospitalizations due to RSV after the virus skipped its typical winter season in 2020.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyMajor Cellphone Carriers Can Now Direct 988 Callers To Local Mental Health Services Based On Their Location
HealthDay (9/25, Foster) reports, “In a move that could mean more Americans in crisis get help and get it quickly, federal officials announced Tuesday that major cellphone carriers now have the technology to direct 988 callers to local mental health services based on their location instead of their area code.” Verizon and T-Mobile began “rolling out the ‘georouting’ technology last week, CNN reported.” Once the change is fully implemented, it “will cover about half of all wireless calls to the 988 lifeline.” AT&T “plans to begin the process within the next couple months.” In October, “the Federal Communications Commission will vote on a rule that would require all wireless carriers to use georouting for 988 calls.”
Login Read the whole storyZiresovir Eases Bronchiolitis, Is Safe For Children Two Years And Younger Hospitalized With RSV Infection, Trial Shows
MedPage Today (9/25, Kahn) reports, “An investigational oral antiviral drug eased bronchiolitis and was safe for children 2 years and younger hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, according to a phase III trial in China.” Researchers found that “from baseline to day 3, the RSV F protein inhibitor ziresovir resulted in a 30% greater decrease in the Wang bronchiolitis clinical score compared with placebo.” Study results indicate that “the proportion of children with a reduction of at least 75% on the 0-12 scale at day 3 also favored the ziresovir group.” The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyJudge Orders EPA To Further Regulate Fluoride In Drinking Water Over Potential Risk To Intellectual Development Of Children
The AP (9/25, Stobbe) reports, “A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children.” According to the AP, “U.S. District Judge Edward Chen cautioned that it’s not certain that the amount of fluoride typically added to water is causing lower IQ in kids, but he concluded that mounting research points to an unreasonable risk that it could be.” The judge “ordered the EPA to take steps to lower that risk, but didn’t say what those measures should be.” Reuters (9/25, Raymond) reports Chen “sided with several advocacy groups, finding the current practice of adding fluoride to drinking water supplies to fight cavities presented unreasonable risks for children’s developing brains.” The judge “said the advocacy groups had established during a non-jury trial that fluoride posed an unreasonable risk of harm sufficient to require a regulatory response by the EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act.” Bloomberg Law (9/25, Rizzuto, Subscription Publication) reports, “Some kind of Environmental Protection Agency response is needed, because adding 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride to drinking water – the level presently recommended by US health agencies – is too risky, Chen said.”
Login Read the whole storyIncreased Levels Of Fructose, Carbonated Soft Drinks, Free Sugar Consumption May Be Associated With Higher Risk For Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, Food Allergies In Children, Research Suggests
Pulmonology Advisor (9/25, Stong) reports a study published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology found “increased levels of fructose, carbonated soft drinks, and free sugar consumption may be associated with a higher risk for asthma, allergic rhinitis, and food allergies in children.” Study researchers also found that “exposure to advanced glycation end (AGE) products may be associated with atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy, and sensitization.”
Login Read the whole storyOver One Third Of Children Worldwide Were Nearsighted Last Year, Research Suggests
CNN (9/25, Guy) reports, “More than a third of children around the world were nearsighted in 2023, and this proportion will rise to almost 40% in 2050, according to new research.” The study found “there has been a significant rise in the prevalence of myopia among children and adolescents in the past 30 years – from 24% in 1990 to almost 36% in 2023.” Although “this increase has largely been gradual, there was a notable spike after the Covid-19 pandemic, say the researchers, who also noted regional disparities.” The findings were published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Login Read the whole storyAdolescent, Young Adult Women Who Have Prediabetes Before Becoming Pregnant Have Greater Risk For Adverse Maternal Outcomes, Study Finds
Healio (9/24, Monostra) says, “Adolescent and young adult women who had prediabetes before becoming pregnant had a higher risk for gestational diabetes and adverse maternal outcomes than those with normal glycemic levels, researchers reported.” One researcher said they “found preconception prediabetes among adolescents and young adults aged 10 to 24 years was associated with more than twice the risk of gestational diabetes at a future first birth, as well as an 18% increased risk of a hypertensive disorder during pregnancy or a preterm birth, respectively.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyResidence Near More Green Spaces In Early Childhood Positively Impacted Lung Function Among School-Age Children, Study Finds
Healio (9/24, Hornick) reports, “Among school-age children, residence near more green spaces in early childhood positively impacted lung function, according to” study results. Investigators came to this conclusion after evaluating “35,407 school-age children and mother pairs to determine how exposure to green spaces in pregnancy and early childhood impacts children’s lung function.” The findings were published in Environment International.
Login Read the whole storyInfants With Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome Face Greater Risk Of Hospital Readmission, Study Suggests
MedPage Today (9/24, Henderson) reports, “Infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) had a higher risk of hospital readmission than other newborns, a retrospective cohort study suggested.” Researchers found that “among nearly 14 million newborns, the 90-day, all-cause readmission rate was 4.2% for those with NOWS versus 3% for those without NOWS.” After risk adjustment, babies “with NOWS had higher odds of being readmitted within 90 days for any cause.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyHHS Awards $74.5M In Grants To Support Substance Use Disorder, Maternal And Hospital Care Services In Rural Areas
Fierce Healthcare (9/24, Muoio) reports that on Tuesday, HHS “unveiled $74.5 million of new grant awards to support substance use disorder, maternal and hospital care services in rural areas.” Most “of the money – $53.7 million over four years by way of HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration – will be doled out to 18 organizations in 14 states working to improve access to treatment and recovery services for substance use disorder and opioid use disorder, the administration said.” That funding “will build upon or create new access points for treatment in collaboration with the local behavioral health workforce and social services.”
Login Read the whole storyMedicaid, CHIP Enrollment Higher Than At Start Of Pandemic, Analysis Finds
Healthcare Finance News (9/24, Lagasse) reports, “More than 25 million people were disenrolled from Medicaid during the unwinding process, and over 56 million had their coverage renewed.” Still, “despite these millions of disenrollments, 10 million more people are currently enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program nationally than at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, finds a new KFF analysis.” The data indicated that “most states ended the unwinding with higher total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment than they began with in February 2020, including seven states where enrollment levels were at least 30% higher.”
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 Booster Dose Is Safe, Elicits Robust Immune Responses In Children Aged Six Months To 11 Years, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/24, Basilio) reports “an mRNA-1273 booster dose was safe and elicited robust immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 infection in children aged 6 months to 5 years and” 6 “to 11 years, according to study results.” Researchers found that “among the younger cohort, solicited local and systemic adverse reactions were reported in 49.0% and 63.4% of patients, respectively.” Meanwhile, “among the older cohort, solicited local and systemic adverse reactions were reported in 90.30% and 61.3% of patients, respectively.” The findings were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Login Read the whole storyUS To Make Additional At-Home COVID-19 Tests Available At No Cost
CNN (9/23, McPhillips) reports, “The US government plans to make more at-home Covid-19 tests available for free this month as the country heads into respiratory virus season with high levels of the coronavirus already circulating.” All households will have the ability “to order another round of four free at-home test kits starting at the end of September at COVIDTests.gov.” CNN adds, “More than 900 million test kits have been delivered directly to US residents through the COVIDTests.gov program, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.”
Login Read the whole storyNew COVID-19 Subvariant Attracting Attention As Possible Threat Going Into Winter
The Los Angeles Times (9/23, Lin) reports new coronavirus subvariant XEC is picking up momentum and attracting additional “attention as a potential threat heading into late autumn and winter – a development that threatens to reverse recent promising transmission trends and is prompting doctors to renew their calls for residents to get an updated vaccine.” The subvariant “is gaining traction in Western Europe, said Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Like virtually all coronavirus strains that have emerged in the past few years, it’s a member of the sprawling Omicron family – and a hybrid between two previously documented subvariants, KP.3 and KS.1.1.”
Login Read the whole storyEnterovirus D68 Infections Rising In US
CNN (9/23, Chiu) reports, “Rates of enterovirus D68 infections are on the rise across the United States, according to the nonprofit WastewaterSCAN network.” The “common virus can lead to a rare but serious polio-like complication known as acute flaccid myelitis.” CNN adds, “Children are among those most affected by this condition.” During an interview, CNN Wellness Medical Expert Dr. Leana Wen discussed what enterovirus D68 is, how to reduce chances of contracting the virus, and how worried parents should be, among other related topics.
Login Read the whole storyPrecocious Puberty More Frequent Among Children, Adolescents With Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Study Finds
HCP Live (9/23, Iapoce) reports, “Precocious puberty was identified more frequently among children and adolescents with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) than those without a diagnosis, according to the results of a recent case-control study.” A review of the Explorys database showed that “pediatric patients with precocious puberty had a two-fold higher risk of HS, which remained after adjustment for demographic characteristics and body mass index (BMI).” The research was published in JAMA Dermatology.
Login Read the whole storyOnasemnogene Abeparvovec-Xioi, Given As Sole Treatment, Improves Motor Skills And Preserves Lung Health And Feeding Abilities In Infants With SMA Type 1, Study Finds
SMA News Today (9/23, Bryson) reports, “The gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi), given as a sole treatment, improves motor skills and preserves lung health and feeding abilities in infants with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, according to a real-world study.” The data indicated that “despite such benefits to patients treated at a mean age of 7.5 months, the therapy did not prevent spinal deformities, with nearly all of 17 children followed for at least two years requiring a spinal brace.” The findings were published in the Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases.
Login Read the whole storyDigital Mental Health Interventions With Game-Like Elements Appeared To Provide Limited Benefit For Some Mental Health Conditions In Young People, Researchers Find
MedPage Today (9/23, DePeau-Wilson) reports, “Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) with game-like elements – also known as gamification – appeared to provide limited benefit for some mental health conditions in young people, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Investigators found that “among more than 2,900 youth in 27 randomized controlled trials, gamified DMHIs had small but significant effects on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder…and depressive disorder.” Additionally, “gamified interventions also had small, nonsignificant effects for anxiety disorders.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Suggests Children Diagnosed With Atopic Dermatitis Or Food Allergy Have Higher Likelihood Of Developing Either Disorder As Time Progresses
Healio (9/23) reports that “children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis or food allergy were more likely to develop either disorder as time went on, according to a study.” Healio adds, “The study recruited pregnant women aged at least 16 years from obstetrics clinics between 2009 and 2014.” Those women received questionnaires regarding their medical history and requested to provide “consent for the review of their children’s medical records for up to 4 years.” The research has been published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyStarting High-Efficacy Monoclonal Antibody Therapy During Childhood Reduced Long-Term Disability In Pediatric-Onset MS, Data Suggest
MedPage Today (9/20, George) reported, “Starting high-efficacy monoclonal antibody therapy during childhood reduced long-term disability in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS), registry data suggested.” Investigators found that “among 282 patients with pediatric-onset MS, 39% started high-efficacy therapy early (at ages 12-17), and 61% started late (ages 20-22). High-efficacy therapy was defined as ocrelizumab (Ocrevus), rituximab (Rituxan), or natalizumab (Tysabri).” The findings were presented at the ECTRIMS annual meeting.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Indicates Epilepsy Drug Valproate Utilization By Would-Be Fathers Will Not Cause Birth Defects In Offspring
HealthDay (9/20, Thompson) reported that would-be fathers need not be concerned that utilizing “the epilepsy drug valproate will result in children with birth defects, a new review concludes.” Valproate “is known to cause birth defects and developmental disorders when taken by pregnant women.” However, it doesn’t seem to yield the same effect “on the fetus when taken by men hoping to become fathers, researchers report.” The evidence review was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Indicates Pediatric Patients With Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Have Higher Admission Rates Post-Emergency Departments Visits, Increased Rate Of Comorbidities
Dermatology Advisor (9/20, Stong) reported that “pediatric patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa have significantly higher admission rates following emergency department visits and have an increased rate of comorbidities.” Study results indicated that when it comes to “pediatric patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), more than one-half of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) were admitted to the hospital from 2015 to 2019.” Dermatology Advisor added, “Researchers evaluated the frequency, demographics, cost, and comorbidities associated with ED visits among pediatric patients with DEB using data from the 2015 to 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample.” The study was published in Pediatric Dermatology.
Login Read the whole storyPaternal HBV Infection Before Pregnancy May Heighten CHD Risk In Offspring, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/20, Chan) reported paternal hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection before pregnancy was associated with heightened “risk for congenital heart disease (CHD) in offspring, according to study results.” Infectious Disease Advisor added, “Researchers in China conducted a matched retrospective cohort study from January 2010 to December 2018 to evaluate the association between paternal preconception HBV infection status and CHD risk in offspring. Study patients included married men with and without preconception HBV infection whose wives were aged between 20 and 49 years, uninfected with HBV, and had conceived within 1 year after prepregnancy examination.” The research was published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyNewsom Inks Legislation To Curtail Ability Of Social Media Firms To Provide Minors With “Addictive Feeds”
The Los Angeles Times (9/20, Luna) reported California “took a major step in its fight to protect children from the ills of social media with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature on a bill to limit the ability of companies to provide ‘addictive feeds’ to minors.” Newsom on Friday inked Senate Bill 976, which becomes effective January 1, 2027, and bars “internet service and applications from providing ‘addictive feeds,’ defined as media curated based on information gathered on or provided by the user, to minors without parental consent. SB 976 also bans companies from sending notifications to users identified as minors between midnight and 6 a.m. or during the school day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. unless parents give the OK.” Also reporting were the AP (9/21) and the New York Times (9/21, Hubler, Qin).
Login Read the whole storyFDA Approves First At-Home Flu Vaccine
The Washington Post (9/20, Malhi) reported the Food and Drug Administration on Friday “approved the first at-home flu vaccine, a nasal spray that consumers with a prescription will be able to order online starting next year.” According to health experts, the convenience of the product, known as FluMist, could result in higher flu vaccination rates. AstraZeneca, which makes the product, “said it will supply the vaccine to a third-party online pharmacy where people can complete a screening assessment to determine if they are candidates.” Also reporting were the New York Times (9/20, Jewett) and Reuters (9/20, Singh).
Login Read the whole storyUN Says It Will Add Micronutrients To Second Round Of Gaza Polio Vaccination Campaign
Reuters (9/19, Nichols) reports the second round of a polio “vaccination campaign to protect 640,000 children in Gaza…will also deliver micronutrients – essential vitamins and minerals – and conduct nutritional screening, a senior U.N. Children’s Fund official said.” According to the official, negotiations are ongoing in an effort to add additional immunizations to the campaign, including a measles vaccination.
Login Read the whole storyGetting Flu Shots During Successive Pregnancies Did Not Increase Risk For Adverse Perinatal Outcomes, Study Finds
MedPage Today (9/19, Kahn) reports, “Getting flu shots during successive pregnancies did not increase the risk for adverse perinatal outcomes,” researchers concluded in a “retrospective longitudinal cohort study” of “data from 82,055 women with two singleton pregnancies from 2004 to 2018.” The research was published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyWhooping Cough Infections Spiking This Year, CDC Says
NBC News (9/20, Edwards) reports, “The U.S. is experiencing more than four times as many whooping cough cases compared with last year – a spike that some experts attribute to post-pandemic vaccine fatigue.” On Thursday, the CDC “said that 14,569 cases of whooping cough had been reported so far in 2024,” which is a “significant increase over last year’s total of 3,475 cases.” And according to an agency “spokesperson, preliminary cases reported so far this year are the highest since 2014.”
Login Read the whole storyVaccine Coverage Among Military Children Higher Than National Average, But Unique Barriers May Prevent Military Children From Receiving On-Time Childhood Vaccinations, Study Finds
Healio (9/19, Kellner) reports, “Vaccine coverage among military children is higher than the national average, but there are unique barriers that prevent military children from receiving their childhood vaccinations on time, according to” investigators who “tracked vaccination coverage for 275,967 children of military members” and found “74.4% of children in the study had completed the combined seven-vaccine series, 36.2% of whom experienced delays. Vaccine coverage was highest for polio (95%) and lowest for rotavirus (77.5%).” The data were published in Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyResearch Suggests Routine Childhood Vaccinations Prevented Approximately 508M Illnesses, 32M Hospitalizations Between 1994 And 2023
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/19, Basilio) reports, “Routine childhood vaccinations have prevented approximately 508 million lifetime cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1,129,000 deaths among approximately 117 million children born between 1994 and 2023, resulting in a net savings of $540 billion and $2.7 trillion in direct and societal costs, respectively,” results published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report show. Study researchers wrote, “This analysis demonstrates the continued and substantial health benefits associated with vaccinating young children, rendering the investment in vaccines and immunizations services an important and cost-saving public health strategy.”
Login Read the whole storyUS Ranks As Worst Performer Among 10 Developed Nations In Critical Areas Of Healthcare, Report Says
NBC News (9/19, Lovelace) reports, “The U.S. ranks as the worst performer among 10 developed nations in critical areas of health care, including preventing deaths, access (mainly because of high cost) and guaranteeing quality treatment for everyone, regardless of gender, income or geographic location, according to” a “report published…by The Commonwealth Fund, an independent research group.” The report indicates that “people in the U.S. die the youngest and experience the most avoidable deaths, even though the country spends nearly twice as much – about 18% of gross domestic product – on health care than any other nation ranked.” CNN (9/19, Howard) reports, “The three top-performing countries in the report were Australia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.” The Hill (9/19, O’Connell-Domenech) also covers the story.
Login Read the whole storyRisks For Respiratory Viral Infections Increased Among Children With Asthma Exposed To High Levels Of Cockroach And Mouse Allergens, Study Finds
Healio (9/18, Gawel) reports, “Risks for respiratory viral infections increased among children with asthma who were exposed to high levels of floor cockroach and mouse airborne allergens, according to a study.” But, “exposure to cat allergens appeared to have a protective effect.” The findings were published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyLymphopenia An Independent Risk Factor For Secondary Infection In Children With Sepsis, Regardless Of Immunocompromised Status, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/18, Basilio) says, “Lymphopenia is an independent risk factor for secondary infection in children with sepsis, regardless of immunocompromised status,” a recent prospective cohort study found. Persistent lymphopenia was tied to “secondary infection in immunocompetent” and immunocompromised patients; “in immunocompromised patients, persistent neutropenia was independently linked to secondary infection,” findings published in Infection show.
Login Read the whole storyCortisol Circadian Rhythm Gradually Emerges Among Infants From 6 To 9 Months Of Age, Research Finds
Endocrinology Advisor (9/18, Schettini) reports, “The 24-hour rhythm of cortisol secretion gradually emerges from birth onwards to form a stable morning to evening ratio among infants from 6 to 9 months of age, according to study findings.” Investigators came to this conclusion after conducting “a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies, cross-sectional studies, or randomized control trials providing data on salivary cortisol concentrations among healthy infants aged 0 to 1 year.” The research was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Login Read the whole storyKentucky Governor Signs Executive Order Banning “Conversion Therapy” On Minors
The AP (9/18, Schreiner) reports Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) “banned the use of ‘conversion therapy’ on minors in Kentucky on Wednesday, calling his executive order an overdue step to protect children from a widely discredited practice that tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling.” The executive order “bans the practice and makes it illegal to use state or federal funds to provide the therapy on minors. It also gives the state’s board of licensure the authority to take action against” the practice in certain cases.
Login Read the whole storyResearchers Identify Two Distinct Multi-Omic Signatures That May Predict Progression Of Preschool Recurrent Wheeze Toward Type 2 High Asthma
Pulmonology Advisor (9/18, Stong) reports, “Two distinct multi-omic signatures have been identified that may predict the progression of preschool recurrent wheeze toward type 2 high asthma, according to” a study. Investigators identified one signature “associated with an inferred trajectory toward childhood asthma characterized by type 2 immune-related changes in the airway epithelium and the presence of transcriptionally active pathogens, and one signature” that “was specific to preschool wheeze, characterized by neutrophilic, type 1 immune-associated signals and changes in local metabolite and lipid abundance.” The findings were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyNumber Of Congenital Syphilis-Related Stillbirths Increased Annually From 2016 To 2022 While Proportion Of Cases Resulting In Stillbirth Remained Stable, Data Show
Healio (9/17, Welsh) reports, “The number of congenital syphilis-related stillbirths increased annually from 2016 to 2022 in the US while the proportion of cases resulting in stillbirth remained stable,” according to researchers who “evaluated 13,393 congenital syphilis cases reported to the CDC from 2016 to 2022 with data on vital status and gestational age.” The researchers “highlighted a need for more testing for congenital syphilis, noting that 34.2% of women did not receive a syphilis test at their first prenatal visit.” The research was published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Login Read the whole storyEnterovirus D68 Spreading Across US, Wastewater Samples Show
NBC News (9/17, Edwards) reports enterovirus D68 “is spreading across the US, raising concerns about another possible rise in polio-like illnesses.” Wastewater samples analyzed by monitoring network WastewaterSCAN reveal “a significant escalation in” the virus, “which, in rare cases, has been linked to acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM. The illness affects the nervous system and causes severe weakness in the arms and legs. This most often occurs in young children.” NBC News adds, “So far in 2024, 13 AFM cases have been confirmed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2014, 758 cases have been logged.”
Login Read the whole storyAntimicrobial Resistance Could Cause More Than 39M Cumulative Deaths From 2025 To 2050, Study Projects
CNN (9/16, Howard) reports, “Cumulatively, from 2025 to 2050, the world could see more than 39 million deaths that are directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance or AMR,” an annual increase of nearly 70%, according to a study published The Lancet. Study researchers reviewed “about 520 million individual records” and “found that from 1990 to 2021, deaths from AMR fell more than 50% among children younger than 5 but increased more than 80% among adults 70 and older – trends that are forecast to continue.” The study projects “that deaths from antimicrobial resistance will increase by 2050 if measures are not in place to improve access to quality care, powerful antibiotics and other resources to reduce and treat infections.” HealthDay (9/17, Thompson) reports researchers identified the need for “new strategies to decrease the risk of severe infections through vaccines, new drugs, improved healthcare, better access to existing antibiotics and guidance on how to use them most effectively.”
Login Read the whole storyPediatric Scurvy Hospitalizations On The Rise In US, Data Show
Healio (9/17, Kellner) reports pediatric scurvy hospitalizations are rising in the US, “with a significant increase after 2017, according to data published in Pediatrics.” In a “retrospective repeated cross-sectional study of 138 children,” researchers found that “in 2006, there were less than 0.5 scurvy diagnoses per 100,000 hospitalizations. There were nearly two scurvy diagnoses per 100,000 hospitalizations in 2017 and more than four diagnoses per 100,000 hospitalizations in 2021.”
Login Read the whole storyInstagram Says It Will Expand Privacy Protections For Children
The New York Times (9/17, Isaac, Singer) reports Instagram on Tuesday said it would bolster its privacy protections for children. The social media firm “said the accounts of users younger than 18 will be made private by default in the coming weeks.” The Meta-owned company “also plans to stop notifications to minors from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. to promote sleep. In addition, Instagram will introduce more supervision tools for adults, including a feature that allows parents to see the accounts that their teenager recently messaged.” The AP (9/17, Ortutay) reports Instagram “says it will require” users “to verify their ages in more instances.” The company “also said it is building technology that proactively finds teen accounts that pretend to be grownups and automatically places them into the restricted teen accounts.” According to ABC News (9/17, Kindelan), “With the new accounts, teens will have the power to choose the age-appropriate topics they want to see more of on Instagram, like sports or art, and parents will also be able to see the topics their teens choose.”
Login Read the whole storyRepeated Exposure To High Levels Of Particle Pollution Raises Children’s Risk Of Depression, Anxiety, Other Mental Health Symptoms, Study Finds
HealthDay (9/17, Thompson) reports, “Repeated exposure to high levels of particle pollution increases kids’ risk of depression, anxiety and other mental health symptoms,” according to researchers who “analyzed data from 10,000 kids ages 9 to 11 participating in an ongoing study of brain development.” Published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the results show that “for both boys and girls, the risk of depression, anxiety and other symptoms increased with each day they had been exposed to particle pollution.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Reveals Dynamic Brain Changes During Pregnancy
The Washington Post (9/16, Johnson) reports researchers in a proof-of-concept experiment “have captured one woman’s cognitive evolution into motherhood, taking repeated brain scans over three years to reveal the most detailed picture yet of the dynamic brain changes that unfold over the course of pregnancy.” Published Monday in Nature Neuroscience, the study “revealed how malleable” the subject’s “brain was on a month-by-month basis.” The 38-year-old subject “slid into the scanner 26 times – before, during and after her pregnancy – providing an unprecedented view of a transformative event in human biology that has long been overlooked by science.” The Post adds, “Key areas in her cortex, the wrinkly outer layer of her brain, shrank and thinned and remained that way long-term, while the superhighways that connect brain regions improved during pregnancy, then returned to baseline after her son was born.” The New York Times (9/16, Belluck) says the study adds detail to earlier studies, “including that white matter fibers showed greater ability to efficiently transmit signals between brain cells, a change that evaporated once the baby was born.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Identifies 22% Increased Risk For Seizure Among Young Children Prescribed First-Generation Antihistamines
Healio (9/16, Kellner) says, “A Korean study identified a 22% increased risk for seizure among young children who were prescribed first-generation antihistamines.” Investigators also “calculated that there was a statistically significant increased risk for seizure among children aged 6 months to 2 years who received first-generation antihistamines, but not among children aged 25 months to 6 years, according to” the study published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyBirth Parental PCOS Status Tied To Lower Birth Weight, Shorter Birth Length, And Smaller Head Circumference Among Offspring, Analysis Finds
According to Endocrinology Advisor (9/16, Maitlall), “Birth parental polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) status is linked to a lower birth weight, shorter birth length, and smaller head circumference among offspring,” researches concluded in an analysis of “390 individuals with PCOS and 68,708 individuals in the reference group.” Compared with those in the “reference group, the PCOS group had a significantly lower placenta weight…but higher [birth weight to placenta weight] BWPW ratio.” The analysis was published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Finds Children Who Reported Severe Sleep Disturbances At Age 10 Have Higher Odds Of Reporting Suicidal Ideation Or Attempt At Age 12
MedPage Today (9/16, DePeau-Wilson) says, “A study of more than 8,000 kids found that those who reported severe sleep disturbances at age 10 had a higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation or attempt…at age 12.” The findings from the longitudinal cohort study were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyPolicymakers Raising Alarm Over Need To Protect Children From Harmful Effects Of Social Media Platforms
The Washington Post (9/16, Chang, Beard) says various state and federal lawmakers “are sounding alarms about the need to protect children from the harmful effects of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.” Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, for example, called in June “for warning labels…on social media platforms to alert users that the platforms can harm children’s mental health.” The Post adds, “Some studies have established only an association between social media use and mental health outcomes. But there are no scientific studies yet that establish a causal relationship between social media use and anxiety, depression or other adverse mental health effects, says the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine and others.”
Login Read the whole storyCannabinoids Used For Medical Purposes In Children And Adolescents Come With Risk Of Adverse Events, Analysis Finds
MedPage Today (9/16, Henderson) reports, “Cannabinoids used for medical purposes in children and adolescents come with a risk of adverse events,” researchers concluded in “a systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 randomized clinical trials.” Researchers identified diarrhea, elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase, elevated alanine aminotransferase, and somnolence among “specific adverse events significantly linked to cannabinoid treatment.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyLouisville And Kentucky See Slip In School Entry Vaccination Rates
The AP (9/15, Stobbe) reports health officials last month “praised” Louisville and the state of Kentucky “as success stories” over a 2% increase in kindergarteners’ vaccination rates statewide in the 2022-2023 school year compared with the prior school year, but “that progress didn’t last.” Kentucky and Jefferson County’s school entry vaccination rates fell, and “the rates for both the county and state remain well below the target thresholds,” according to state data. The AP adds, “It raises the question: If this is what success looks like, what does it say about the nation’s ability to stop imported infections from turning into community outbreaks?”
Login Read the whole storyFDA Approves Lebrikizumab-lbkz For Use In Adults, Children Above 12 With Atopic Dermatitis
Reuters (9/13, Singh) reported the FDA has approved Eli Lilly’s injectable lebrikizumab-lbkz (Ebglyss) for use in adults and children above 12 years old with atopic dermatitis. Regulators based the approval “on three studies involving over 1,000 patients with moderate-to-severe eczema who were unable to control their symptoms with topical medicines or other systemic treatments, Eli Lilly said.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Says Intermittent And Continuous Energy Restriction Diets Improve Cardiometabolic Measures, Reduce Symptoms Of Depression And Disordered Eating Among Adolescents With Obesity
Healio (9/13, Kellner) reported researchers found that “intermittent and continuous energy restriction diets both improved cardiometabolic measures and reduced symptoms of depression and disordered eating among adolescents with obesity.” Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the research also associated both types of diets with “reductions in blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and fasting plasma insulin; there was no significant difference between groups, according to the researchers.”
Login Read the whole storyPoison Control Center Calls Related To Children Consuming Energy Drinks Rose By About 20% In 2023, Data Show
ABC News (9/13, Benadjaoud, Yu) said, “The number of calls to US poison centers about children consuming energy drinks increased about 20% in 2023 after years of remaining relatively flat, according to data from America’s Poison Centers.” The group “said children’s exposure to energy drinks rose from 2,323 in 2022 to 2,834 cases in 2023. About 48% of cases in young kids were unintentional, and the rate of cases among kids between the ages of 6 and 12 nearly doubled.”
Login Read the whole storyEach Additional Hour Of Total Screen Time Or Social Media Use Raises Likelihood A Child Will Have Eating Disorder Symptoms Two Years Later, Findings Suggest
HealthDay (9/13, Thompson) reported, “Each additional hour of total screen time or social media use raises the likelihood that a kid or young teen will have eating disorder symptoms two years later,” according to findings published in Eating and Weight Disorders. These symptoms, researchers found, “include worrying about gaining weight, linking one’s self-worth to weight and binge eating, researchers said. Others include excessive exercise, restricting calories, throwing up, or taking water pills, laxatives or diet pills.”
Login Read the whole storyResearch Shows 23% Increase In Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Young People
The Washington Post (9/14, McMahan) reported recent research published in The BMJ reveals a 23% increase in global consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by children ages 3 to 19 from 1990 to 2018, correlating with an increase in obesity. The study, involving data from 1.4 million children and adolescents in four countries, found the largest increase in sub-Saharan Africa. Study researchers wrote, “Obesity in childhood tends to persist into adulthood, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality.”
Login Read the whole storyReport: Polio Threat To US Only Relevant In Communities With Low Vaccination Levels Amid Gaza Anti-Polio Vaccination Campaign
The Washington Post (9/12, Johnson) reports that as the World Health Organization carries out a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, the threat of polio to the US “is only in communities that have low vaccination levels. This was the case in July 2022, when New York announced that an unvaccinated man in Rockland County had contracted the first case of polio in nearly a decade.” Still, the Post adds, “as public pushback against vaccines has grown in recent years, scientists are concerned a polio outbreak would be more difficult to contain.”
Login Read the whole storyBlack Mothers Remain Twice As Likely To Lose A Fetus Compared With White Mothers, CDC Data Show
USA Today (9/12, Cuevas) says, “Despite a historic drop in fetal deaths in the US, Black mothers are still twice as likely to lose a fetus compared with white mothers, according to” a CDC report (PDF) released Thursday. The data show “the national fetal mortality rate in 2022 had declined 4% from 2021,” and the report “noted there had been a 27% drop in fetal deaths since 1990. In 2022, there were 20,202 fetal deaths, a rate of 5.48 fetal deaths for every 1,000 live births. The year before, the rate was 5.73.” In addition, the CDC found “Black mothers saw a slight increase, from a fetal death rate of 9.89 in 2021 to 10.05 in 2022.”
Login Read the whole storySocial Media Companies To Partner On Initiative To Prevent Content Featuring Suicide, Self-Harm
NBC News (9/12, Rosenblatt, Eaglin) reports Meta, Snapchat, and TikTok are partnering on “a new initiative to prevent content featuring suicide or self-harm from spreading across the social media platforms, Meta said Thursday in a blog post.” Under the program, Meta “will identify content that features suicidal themes or self-harm and flag that content to TikTok and Snapchat so they can also investigate if the same or similar content has been posted to those apps.”
Login Read the whole storyData Show Naloxone Prescriptions Dispensed To US Patients Aged 10 To 19 Rose More Than 600% From 2017 To 2022
Healio (9/12, Kellner) reports naloxone prescriptions dispensed to US patients aged 10 to 19 “rose more than 600% from 2017 to 2022,” according to data published in Pediatrics. Researchers found that “general practice physicians were the most common prescribers (16.5%), followed by nurse practitioners (14.2%), surgical specialists (12.7%), family physicians (9.5%) and physician assistants (9.2%).”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Finds Elevated Levels Of Lead In One-Third Of Tested Cinnamon Samples
The New York Times (9/12, Jewett) reports, “One dozen of 36 cinnamon products tested by a consumer group contained elevated levels of lead, according to” a Consumer Reports study “released on Thursday that reinforced concerns about metals in foods after tainted cinnamon applesauce poisoned dozens of children last year.” Consumer Reports researchers “tested the spice and found high levels in lead in 12 items sold at discount stores and ethnic markets, with lead levels reaching 3.5 parts per million” (ppm). The findings come after the FDA earlier this year “urged a series of recalls of cinnamon products.” The Washington Post (9/12, Amenabar) says the study “recommended that consumers throw away the 12 products that tested above 1 ppm.” The Post adds, “Some experts say the amount of lead in one serving of cinnamon at the levels detected in the Consumer Reports study wouldn’t typically be of concern to human health. But consistent exposure could pose a risk, especially for those most vulnerable to lead’s harmful effects, including infants and young children.”
Login Read the whole storySelf-Compassion In AYAs With IBD Associated With Better Psychosocial, Physical, And Global Health Outcomes, Study Says
Gastroenterology Advisor (9/11, Stong) says, “Increased levels of self-compassion in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are associated with better psychosocial, physical health, and global health outcomes,” research shows. This “cross-sectional study enrolled AYAs diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), [Crohn’s] disease (CD), and IBD unclassified (IBD-U) who were aged 15 to 25 years and English speaking. All participants completed a 1-time online survey.” The findings were published in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
Login Read the whole storyPediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis Impacted By Socioeconomic Status, Parental Education, Findings Suggest
Neurology Advisor (9/11, Via) reports parental education and neighborhood-level socioeconomic status impact pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis risk, findings published in Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation show. The research shows that “higher maternal education remained protective against pediatric-onset MS,” while “the effect of postnatal neighborhood disadvantage did not withstand.”
Login Read the whole storyYoung Children At High Genetic Risk For Type 1 Diabetes May Be More Likely To Progress To Disease Based On Dietary Intake, Researchers Say
Healio (9/11, Monostra) reports, “Young children at high genetic risk for type 1 diabetes may be more likely to progress to the disease based on their dietary intake, according to” researchers who concluded “a prospective longitudinal analysis.” The team found that “eating more rye, oats and fruits increased the risk for progression to type 1 diabetes, whereas eating more berries lowered the risk for progression to type 1 diabetes and high consumption of cruciferous vegetables reduced the risk for biochemical islet autoimmunity.” The findings were presented during the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting.
Login Read the whole storyPediatric Subspecialty Outreach Clinics Reduce Travel Time For Children, Especially In Rural Areas, Research Finds
Healio (9/11, Kellner) reports, “Hosting pediatric subspecialty outreach clinics reduced travel time for children in Maine, especially in rural areas, but many clinics occurred less than 12 times a year, according to” researchers who found that “outreach clinics reduced median driving time by 5 to 26 minutes overall and 16 to 46 minutes for children in rural communities.” The researchers wrote in BMC Pediatrics, “Outreach clinics should be considered by policymakers hoping to improve access to care and should be accounted for in research describing the geographic access or barriers to care.”
Login Read the whole storyPresence Of TEWL At Anterior Cubital Fossa Of Newborn Babies Associated With Clinical Signs Of Atopic Dermatitis, Data Show
HCPlive (9/11, Smith) reports, “The presence of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) at the anterior cubital fossa of newborn babies is associated with clinical signs of atopic dermatitis, according to” data published in JAMA Dermatology that highlight “a method for clinicians to assess atopic dermatitis risk in this age group.” Researchers evaluated data from 40 newborns and “highlighted the fact that the quantification of cytokines showed that an evaluation of patients’ cord blood serum levels of CCL17 and IL-31 could allow for additional insights into the identification of infants’ susceptibility to eczema.”
Login Read the whole storyChildren With Tracheostomy, Home Ventilation Had Low COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Despite Higher Influenza Vaccination Coverage, Data Show
Healio (9/11, Kellner) reports, “Children with tracheostomy and home ventilation had low COVID-19 vaccination rates, especially for boosters, despite higher than average influenza vaccination coverage, according to” researchers who “evaluated influenza and COVID-19 vaccine rates for 193 children.” Published in JAMA Network Open, the data show that “uptake of the initial COVID-19 vaccination series was similar among participants and US children overall (53% vs. 50%), but fewer participants received a COVID-19 booster (23% vs. 50%).”
Login Read the whole storyOne In Three US Counties Does Not Have Any Obstetric Clinicians, Report Says
CNN (9/10, Howard) says the US “is facing an ongoing maternity health crisis in which 1 in every 3 counties does not have a single obstetric clinician, affecting women’s access to care, according to a new report.” The report, released by “March of Dimes, says that in many parts of the country, obstetrician/gynecologists and family physicians who deliver babies are leaving the workforce, which worsens access to care.” Nationwide, OB/GYNs “delivered more than 85% of babies born in 2022, according to the report.” NBC News (9/10, Edwards) says “more than 2.3 million women of childbearing age lived in” a “maternity care desert” in “2022, when the data was collected for the new report, up from 2.2 million in 2020.” Meanwhile, “the number of babies born in these counties also rose, from 146,000 to more than 150,000.”
Login Read the whole storyStrengths-Based Stress Management Intervention Reduces Diabetes Distress Among Adolescents With T1D, Study Finds
Endocrinology Advisor (9/10, Kuhns) reports, “A strengths-based stress management intervention via a coach and digital app results in reduced diabetes distress and improved self-management behaviors among adolescents with type 1 diabetes, according to study results.” The researchers said the “findings suggest that the strengths-based” Promoting Resilience in Stress Management “intervention represents a feasible and moderately efficacious approach to promote psychosocial and behavioral health benefits among adolescents with [type 1 diabetes] and elevated diabetes distress.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyResearch Suggests Compound Found In Personal Care Products May Be Linked To Early Puberty
NBC News (9/10, Carroll) reports “the age when girls hit puberty has been falling at an alarming rate for decades,” and “new research suggests a compound found in a wide variety of products – from cosmetics to air fresheners to detergents and soaps – may send a signal to an area of the brain that triggers the start of puberty.” While “combing through 10,000 compounds in a library of licensed pharmaceuticals, environmental chemicals and dietary supplements, the researchers found several that might influence the timing of puberty.” However, “children were most likely to be exposed to only one of them: musk ambrette, according to the report.” The findings were published in Endocrinology.
Login Read the whole storyGirls With Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions Have Lower HPV Vaccination Coverage, Study Suggests
Healio (9/10, Kellner) reports, “Girls with diagnosed mental health conditions had lower HPV vaccination coverage than their peers without mental health conditions, according to a study.” Researchers found that “girls who were exposed to parental mental health conditions were slightly less likely to get their first vaccine dose compared with girls who had no exposure.” The findings were published in The Lancet Public Health.
Login Read the whole storyOver 40 State AGs Urge Congress To Require Surgeon General Warning Labels On Social Media Apps
CNN (9/10, Seher) reports “a bipartisan group of” 42 “attorneys general on Tuesday demanded that Congress require Surgeon General warning labels on social media apps to help curtail addiction and a mental health crisis among young adults.” The AGs’ letter to Congress said, “As state Attorneys General, we sometimes disagree about important issues, but all of us share an abiding concern for the safety of the kids in our jurisdictions – and algorithm-driven social media platforms threaten that safety.” The AGs said, “In addition to the states’ historic efforts, this ubiquitous problem requires federal action – and a surgeon general’s warning on social media platforms, though not sufficient to address the full scope of the problem, would be one consequential step toward mitigating the risk of harm to youth.” The Washington Post (9/10, Lima) also reports.
Login Read the whole storyTeenage Girls’ Brains Aged Faster Than Expected During Pandemic, Research Suggests
HealthDay (9/10, Foster) reports, “New research uncovers a possible reason why teenaged girls struggled so mightily with their mental health during the pandemic: Scans showed their brains aged far faster than expected during that stressful time, even faster than the brains of their male peers.” Researchers found that “after pandemic shutdowns started to lift, scans taken in 2021 showed that both boys and girls had experienced rapid cortical thinning during that period.” However, “the thinning was far more pronounced in girls, whose thinning had accelerated, on average, by 4.2 years ahead of what was expected.” The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Login Read the whole storyYoung Adults Who Vape Have Lower Exercise Capacity Than Those Who Do Not, Research Finds
HealthDay (9/9, Mundell) reports researchers found that “in exercise bike tests, twentysomethings who’d been vaping for at least two years had much lower exercise capacity than those who didn’t, and the losses were equal to those of folks who’d spent a similar amount of time smoking.” One researcher said the young adults who vape “found it harder to breath, their muscles became more fatigued, and they were less fit overall.” The findings were presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.
Login Read the whole storyAdolescents, Young Adults With DGBI Often Experience Suboptimal Care Transitions Into Adult Care, Study Suggests
Gastroenterology Advisor (9/9) reports, “Adolescents and young adults with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) have high rates of suboptimal care transitions into adult care, according to study results.” Researchers found that “two of the biggest barriers to care described by the group participants were difficulty [accessing] care due to long wait times to see sub-specialists as well as a change in interpersonal style between the pediatric specialist and the adult specialist.” The findings were published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.
Login Read the whole storyOseltamivir Prescription Among Infants With Influenza Increased From 2012 To 2020, Study Suggests
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/9, Kuhns) reports, “Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) prescription among infants with influenza increased significantly from 2012 to 2020, suggesting growing adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s antiviral guidelines, which were updated in 2011, according to study results.” Researchers found that “a greater proportion of infants not prescribed Tamiflu vs those prescribed the drug were more likely to” be “hospitalized at time of diagnosis” and “have more severe influenza requiring oxygen treatment or pediatric intensive care unit admission.” The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. Healio (9/9, Kellner) reports the research found that “presence of a fever and time since symptom onset were two factors that affected whether providers prescribed oseltamivir to infants with influenza.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Describes Clinical Features, Management Of Severe Infection In Infants During 2022 Human Parechovirus Outbreak In US
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/9, Basilio) reports, “Although further longitudinal follow-up data is needed to define predictors and outcomes of severe disease among infants, clinical features and management of severe infection in infants during the 2022 human parechovirus outbreak in the United States have been described in a study.” Researchers found “all-cause mortality was observed in 2 of 34 (6%) infants with severe neurologic disease and no infants with nonsevere disease.” The findings were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Login Read the whole storyResearch Suggests Young People With Chronic Pain Have Higher Rates Of Depression, Anxiety
MedPage Today (9/9, DePeau-Wilson) reports, “Young people with chronic pain also have higher rates of depression and anxiety, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.” In the “analysis of 79 studies totaling almost 23,000 youth, the prevalence of anxiety was 34.6% in those with chronic pain, and the prevalence of depression was 12.2%.” Those rates are over “three times greater than observed in the community setting, the authors noted.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyMetabolites May Help Identify Babies With Elevated SIDS Risk, Study Finds
NBC News (9/9, Bendix) reports “a new study has found that a particular group of chemicals called metabolites, which are tested for as part of routine newborn screenings, could identify babies with an elevated risk” for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The “heel stick” test is required “for infants in all 50 states and involves collecting a blood sample from a baby’s heel shortly after birth.” The study “found that a group of eight metabolites included on the newborn screening panel was associated with SIDS.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics. MedPage Today (9/9, Henderson) reports that “among 32 infants in the test set with model-predicted probability greater than 0.5, 62.5% had SIDS.” These babies “had 14.4 times the odds…of SIDS compared with those with a model-predicted probability less than 0.1.”
Login Read the whole storyPublic Health Officials, Physicians Developing Innovative Strategies To Curb Spread Of Syphilis
NBC News (9/8, Bajaj) reports syphilis “was nearly eliminated in the U.S. at the beginning of the 21st century but has made a dramatic comeback.” In 2022, the CDC “reported more than 200,000 syphilis cases – the highest counts since 1950.” The return of the disease “is the result, experts say, of poorly funded prevention programs over the past two decades and difficulties in diagnosis; syphilis is referred to as the ‘great imitator’ because its symptoms can vary so widely.” As syphilis cases rise, physicians “and public health officials are starting to develop innovative and sometimes unconventional strategies to screen people for syphilis and curb the spread of the disease.” Oftentimes, “that comes down to figuring out how to get people tested, a task that’s far easier said than done.”
Login Read the whole storyFish Oil Supplementation During Pregnancy Linked To Children Having Lower Or Higher Risk For Developing Atopic Dermatitis Depending On Mother’s Genotype, Study Finds
Healio (9/7, Grasso) reported, “Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy was associated with children having a lower or higher risk for developing atopic dermatitis depending on the mother’s genotype, according to a study.” Researchers found “that supplementation with fish oil was associated with lower urinary thromboxane A2 metabolites in children aged 1 year.” The findings were published in JAMA Dermatology.
Login Read the whole storyData Show Guns Are Leading Cause Of Death For US Children, Teens
CNN (9/7, Choi) reported, “Guns continue to be the leading cause of death for US children and teens since surpassing car accidents in 2020.” CDC data show “firearms accounted for 18% of childhood deaths (ages 1-18) in 2022.” Roughly “3,500 children died in gun-related incidents that year.” A KFF analysis found that “in no other comparable country are firearms within the top four causes of mortality among children.”
Login Read the whole storyInsecticide Use, Infant Mortality Increasing In US Counties Impacted By Falling Bat Populations, Study Suggests
Healio (9/6, Kellner) reported, “Insecticide use and infant mortality have increased in United States counties affected by declining bat populations, according to a study.” The researcher who conducted the study “estimated that from 2006 to 2017, declining bat populations and increased pesticide use accounted for 1,334 infant deaths.” The findings were published in Science.
Login Read the whole storyAdvocates, Officials Reflect On Changes Years After Declarations Tying Racism To Public Health
The AP (9/6, Hunter) reported, “More than 200 cities and counties declared racism was a public health crisis in the past few years, mostly after George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis in May 2020.” Advocates of racial justice “said they finally felt heard by the quick swell of political will to address disparities like disproportionate COVID-19 deaths or infant and maternal mortality rates.” According to the AP, “years after the declarations, community organizers and public health advocates in Milwaukee and Sacramento County say not much has changed.” However, “officials counter that it’ll take more than a few years to undo centuries of structural and institutional racism.” Still, “experts, officials and advocates all agreed on one thing: The declarations were an important first step toward creating a racially equitable society.”
Login Read the whole storySaltwater Nose Drops Reduce Length Of Children’s Colds, Study Suggests
HealthDay (9/6, Thompson) reported, “Saltwater nose drops can reduce the length of a kid’s cold by two days, a new study demonstrates.” One researcher said, “We found that children using saltwater nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, where those with usual care had symptoms for eight days.” The researcher added, “The children receiving salt water nose drops also needed fewer medicines during their illness.” The findings were presented at the European Respiratory Society’s annual meeting. Healio (9/6, Kellner) reported “hypertonic saline nose drops” also “decreased household transmission.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Identifies Misattribution Of Race, Ethnicity In Electronic Medical Records In Three Large Pediatric Health Systems
HCPlive (9/5, Derman) reports, “A new study detects misattribution of race and ethnicity in electronic medical records across 3 of Michigan’s largest pediatric health systems.” The study “suggests these significant errors may weaken strategies to improve care.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyResearch Identifies Disparities In HPV Vaccination Rates Among Adolescents Between Public, Private Healthcare Facilities In US
Infectious Disease Advisor (9/5, Kuhns) reports, “Significant disparities in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates among adolescents exist between public and private health care facilities in the United States, according to study results.” Researchers found that “those who received recommended vaccines at public vs private facilities had lower odds of initiating…and completing…the HPV vaccine series.” Additionally, “those who received recommended vaccinations at public vs private facilities had lower odds of receiving clinician recommendation for the vaccine.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storySignificant Percentage Of Children Use Consumer-Grade Pulse Oximeter At Home, Study Suggests
Pulmonology Advisor (9/5, Goldberg) reports, “A significant percentage of children, especially those with asthma and other cardiorespiratory conditions, use a consumer-grade pulse oximeter at home, according to study findings.” The investigators found “trust in consumer-grade oximeters among the families studied ‘seemed inappropriately high,’ with nearly half of families saying they believed their oximeter was ‘very accurate,’ and only 1 respondent said they did not believe their device was either ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ accurate.” The findings were published in Pediatric Pulmonology.
Login Read the whole storyYouth E-Cigarette Use Has Fallen Almost 70% Since 2019 Peak, Survey Finds
The Washington Post (9/5, Roubein, Ovalle) reports, “Youth e-cigarette use has declined nearly 70 percent since its peak in 2019, federal officials said Thursday, touting the new results of an annual government survey as progress in the fight against the popular products that have hooked adolescents on nicotine.” Almost “6 percent of U.S. middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes this year compared with last year’s 7.7 percent.” The “majority flocked to flavored products, with fruit being the most common, followed by candy and mint.” The findings were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The New York Times (9/5, Jewett) reports “fewer than 8 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past month, the lowest level in a decade.” That is “far lower than the apex, in 2019, when more than 27 percent of high school students who took the survey reported that they vaped – and an estimated 500,000 fewer adolescents than last year.” The AP (9/5, Perrone) reports, “Vaping was unchanged among middle schoolers, but remains less common in that group, at 3.5% of students.” The survey found that among students who currently “use e-cigarettes, about 26% said they vape daily.” CNN (9/5, McPhillips) reports, “Nearly half a million students in middle or high school, about 1.8%, use nicotine pouches, according to the survey data – up slightly from 1.5% last year.” Also reporting is NBC News (9/5, Lovelace).
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 Pandemic Caused More Women To Suffer Health Issues During Pregnancies Than Previously Known, Study Suggests
The Hill (9/4, O’Connell-Domenech) reports, “The COVID-19 pandemic caused more women to suffer serious health issues during their pregnancies than previously known, according to a new study.” The research “shows a connection between the pandemic and an increase in rates of gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders and gestational weight gain among pregnant women.” Investigators “did notice a positive trend during part of the COVID-19 pandemic – more pregnant women received adequate prenatal care.” The findings were published in Epidemiology.
Login Read the whole storyDEA Increases Production Limit For ADHD Drug Lisdexamfetamine To Address Ongoing Shortage
Reuters (9/4) reports, “The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has increased the production limit for Takeda Pharmaceutical’s ADHD drug Vyvanse [lisdexamfetamine] and its generic versions by about 24% to address the medicine’s ongoing shortage in the United States.” The drug’s production limit “was increased by 6,236 kilograms (kg), which includes 1,558 kg to address increased domestic demand and 4,678 kg for increased foreign demand for finished dosage medications, according to the DEA.” The DEA said, “These adjustments are necessary to ensure that the United States has an adequate and uninterrupted supply of lisdexamfetamine to meet legitimate patient needs both domestically and globally.”
Login Read the whole storyChildren With SMA Exhibit Widespread Metabolic Disruption, Research Finds
SMA News Today (9/4, Shapiro) reports, “Children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) exhibit widespread metabolic disruption — changes that affect the body’s metabolism — relative to children without SMA, according to a new Chinese study.” In the study, “metabolic analyses of the cerebrospinal fluid…indicated metabolic disruption across several different systems.” The findings were published in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyInvasive Aspergillosis Occurs In Around 3% To 5% Of Children With Acute Leukemia, Research Suggests
Healio (9/4, Kellner) reports research found that “invasive aspergillosis occurs in around 3% to 5% of children with acute leukemia.” The investigators “conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis that included 24 studies conducted between Jan. 1, 2000, and July 31, 2023 – 14 of which reported data about patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 15 included data about acute myeloid leukemia.” The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Login Read the whole storyOver 30 Republican Officials File Brief With SCOTUS Condemning Tennessee Gender-Affirming Care Ban
ABC News (9/4, Alfonseca) reports, “A group of more than 30 current and former Republican officials filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday condemning a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming medical care for trans youth.” The brief says, “States have no business overruling the decisions of fit parents who make an informed medical choice for their children that is supported by their doctors.” The high court “is preparing to take up a constitutional challenge to the law, which restricts access to puberty blockers, hormone therapies and surgeries specifically for the purpose of gender transitioning for people under the age of 18.”
Login Read the whole storyHaving Uncontrolled Asthma Heightens Child’s Odds For Sleep-Disordered Breathing, Research Suggests
Healio (9/4, Hornick) reports research found that “having uncontrolled asthma significantly heightened a child’s odds for sleep-disordered breathing.” Investigators found that “in terms of quality of life, children with sleep-disordered breathing had a median PedsQL [Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory] score of 75, whereas children without this condition had a higher median score of 82.6.” The findings were published in Respiratory Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyWHO-Commissioned Review Finds No Connection Between Cellphone Use, Brain Cancer
The Washington Post (9/3, Pannett) reports, “A review commissioned by the World Health Organization into the potential risks of cellphone radiation has found no connection between cellphone use and brain cancer, even for people who spend all day glued to their smartphone.” Eleven experts “looked at 5,000 studies published between 1994 and 2022, narrowing in on 63 for their final analysis.” The experts “found the risk of brain cancer did not increase, even with prolonged cellphone use (defined as 10 years or more), among those who spent a lot of time on their cellphones, or for people who made a lot of calls.” The experts “also found no increased risks of leukemia or brain cancer in children exposed to radio or TV transmitters or cellphone towers.” The findings were published in Environment International. Also reporting is Reuters (9/3, Rigby).
Login Read the whole storyReport Describes Episodes Of Skin Rash Associated With Joint Pain, Inflammation In Four Females With CF
Cystic Fibrosis News Today (9/3, Lobo) says, “A report described episodes of skin rash associated with joint pain and inflammation, known as dermatitis-arthritis syndrome, in four females with cystic fibrosis (CF).” The four “patients had similar symptoms, including pink, swollen, itching skin eruptions associated with joint pain.” In the report, “researchers proposed cystic fibrosis dermatitis arthritis syndrome as a new and unifying name for these clinical presentations.” The findings were published in Pediatric Dermatology.
Login Read the whole storyWHO Has Vaccinated Roughly One Quarter Of Gaza Children Under Age 10 Against Polio
Reuters (9/3, Farge) reports, “The World Health Organization said that it was ahead of its targets for polio vaccinations in Gaza on Tuesday, day three of a mass campaign, and had inoculated about a quarter of children under 10.” The campaign “relies on daily eight-hour pauses in fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in specific areas of the besieged enclave.” Rik Peeperkorn, a “WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian territories, told reporters that it had vaccinated more than 161,000 children under 10 in the central area in the first two days of its campaign, compared with a projection of around 150,000.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Finds Caregivers More Likely To Disclose Social Needs, Mental Health Concerns After Practices Switch From Paper To Electronic Screenings
Healio (9/3, Kellner) reports, “Caregivers were more likely to disclose social needs and mental health concerns at well-child visits after practices transitioned from paper-based screenings to electronic questionnaires, according to a study.” The researchers found “more patients disclosed concerns through electronic means than paper (26% vs. 11%).” Study results also indicate that “after switching to electronic forms, practices referred a larger proportion of patients to social workers…or medical-legal partnerships.” The findings were published in Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyPalestinian Health Authorities, UN Agencies Start Polio Vaccination Campaign In Gaza Strip
The AP (9/2, Shurafa, Magdy) reports, “Palestinian health authorities and United Nations agencies on Sunday began a large-scale campaign of vaccinations against polio in the Gaza Strip, hoping to prevent an outbreak in the territory that has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war.” Officials “plan to vaccinate children in central Gaza until Wednesday before moving on to the more devastated northern and southern parts of the strip.” The vaccination “campaign began with a small number of” inoculations “on Saturday and aims to reach about 640,000 children.” The Washington Post (8/31, A1, H. Sun, Harb) reported, “The WHO announced Thursday that there will be limited ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Gaza to allow for a vaccination campaign lasting three to four days in each zone.” However, “due to dislocation, lack of security, and damage to roads and infrastructure, the three days might not be enough to reach the 90 percent coverage needed to stop transmission in Gaza and prevent international spread, [Rik Peeperkorn, who heads WHO operations in the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank,] said.”
Login Read the whole storyUS On Track To Break Heat Records, Putting Many Americans In Harm’s Way For Long-Term Health Problems
NBC News (9/2, Edwards) reports, “The U.S. is on track to shatter heat records, putting millions of Americans in the most affected parts of the country in harm’s way for long-term, life-threatening health problems.” The majority of “states in the South and Southeast, including Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia and the Carolinas,” were “facing heat warnings on this Labor Day, according to the National Weather Service.” In states like Alabama, “Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina, the rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease are among the highest in the U.S.” Those chronic “diseases make it harder for bodies to cool themselves effectively during heat waves.”
Login Read the whole storyFDA Grants Emergency Use Authorization For Updated Version Of Novavax’s COVID-19 Vaccine
Reuters (8/30, Roy) reported the FDA “on Friday granted emergency use authorization for an updated version of Novavax’s COVID shot.” Novavax’s “updated vaccine is authorized for use in individuals 12 years of age and older and will target the JN.1 strain of the virus.” Vaccine “doses are on track to be available as early as the end of next week, the company said in an emailed response.” The Hill (8/31, Timotija) reported, “The new version of the vaccine ‘more closely targets’ variants circulating nationwide, therefore providing more protection against ‘serious consequences’ of the virus, including hospitalization and death.”
Login Read the whole storyMajority Of Providers Still Prescribing 10-Day Courses Of Antibiotics For AOM, Study Finds
Healio (8/30, Kellner) reported, “Most providers are still prescribing 10-day courses of antibiotics for acute otitis media [AOM] despite recommendations calling for shorter durations of treatment, according to study findings.” The study found “providers prescribed antibiotics during 61,612 (84%)…encounters.” In the study, 10-day “prescriptions were the most common, accounting for three-quarters of all antibiotic prescriptions.” The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Login Read the whole storyMaternal Tdap Immunization Between 20 And 24 Vs 30 And 33 Weeks’ Gestation Linked To Less Protection Against Pertussis Among Infants, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (8/30, Basilio) reported, “Maternal tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) immunization between 20 and 24 vs 30 and 33 weeks’ gestation is associated with less protection against pertussis among infants, according to study results.” Researchers found that “in preterm vs term infants at age 2 months postmaternal Tdap vaccination between 20 and 24 weeks’ gestation,” geometric mean concentrations “were significantly lower for filamentous hemagglutinin” and tetanus toxoid. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyReview Finds Teaching Schoolkids To Practice Mindfulness Can Boost Mental Health, Grades
HealthDay (8/30, Miller) reported “a new review of more than three dozen research studies on school-based mindfulness interventions, such as seated or slow-walking meditation,” found that “teaching schoolkids to practice mindfulness can boost their mental health – and, maybe, even their grades.” Overall, “these programs teach kids to pay attention to the present moment and not to be judgmental about it.” The findings were published in Psychiatric Services.
Login Read the whole storyFDA Approves New Stent Designed For Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Defects
Cardiovascular Business (8/29, Walter) reports Renata Medical has gained FDA “approval for a new stent specifically designed for pediatric patients with congenital heart defects.” According to Cardiovascular Business, “the Minima Growth Stent was built to treat newborns, infants and young children, and then it continues to expand as the patient ages.” The federal agency’s “approval covers both aortic and pulmonary stenosis.”
Login Read the whole storyHealth Officials Face Obstacles In Encouraging Americans To Receive Updated COVID-19 Vaccines
Politico (8/29, Cirruzzo) reports, “New COVID-19 vaccines are hitting the shelves just as a summer surge infects people across the nation,” leaving public health officials to contend with a “myriad of obstacles as they try to boost the population’s defenses, including dwindling enthusiasm for the shots, lackluster testing and the end of a program meant to help the uninsured get vaccinated.” While the new vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna “target KP.2,” the most prevalent COVID-19 strain in June, “related subvariants, KP.3 and KP.3.1.1 – now the most prevalent strains – are estimated to account for more than half of U.S. cases, according to the CDC.” However, health experts emphasize that these new vaccines are still effective and advise “everyone older than 6 months get their Covid (and flu) shot ‘in September or October ahead of the expected increases in both viruses this winter.’”
Login Read the whole storyMCV1 Uptake Among Children In South Asia Was Lowest Among Children Born To Mothers Aged 15 To 19 Years, Study Finds
Pharmacy Times (8/29, McGovern) reports a new study “evaluated the impact of socio-demographic factors on measles vaccination uptake among children living in South Asian countries” in order to determine why “achieving the desired immunization rates continues to remain a challenge in certain countries.” Researchers discovered that “the uptake of first dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV1)” was “lowest among children who were born to mothers aged 15 to 19 years (n = 1918; 56.1%), but uptake was higher among mothers aged 20 to 25 (n = 22,797; 69.5%) and older (n = 39,592; 74.3%).” The findings were published in Preventive Medicine Reports.
Login Read the whole storyExperts Warn Against Unsafe Counterfeit Children’s Car Seats Sold Online
HealthDay (8/29, Thompson) reports, “Online retailers are selling fake kid’s car seats that are very likely to fail in a crash, child health experts warn.” Often costing “much less than major brands” and being sold “on prominent national retail websites through third-party sellers,” these counterfeit seats “are missing key components that could protect children in a crash.” To avoid dupes, experts recommend parents “buy directly from a reputable manufacturer’s website, or to go to a store in person to purchase the seat.” They can also “look for several things on car seats that show they meet strict federal safety standards,” including “the name of the car seat, date of manufacture, branding, model number and expiration date.” By contrast, “counterfeit seats often are missing these labels or they’re written in another language,” and may have occasional “grammar or spelling errors.”
Login Read the whole storyDecrease In Hospitalizations, Emergency Visits For Respiratory Tract Infections Was Identified Among Infants Eight Weeks Or Younger Following Implementation Of New York State’s Paid Family Leave Policy, Study Finds
The American Journal of Managed Care (8/29, Shaw) reports, “A significant 18% decrease in hospitalizations and emergency visits for respiratory tract infections, including a 27% reduction in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, was identified among infants 8 weeks or younger after the implementation of New York State’s paid family leave policy, according to new findings.” Researchers came to this conclusion after identifying “a total of 950,020 deliveries in New York and 426,342 deliveries in the control states during the study period, with 52,943 acute care encounters in infants 8 weeks or younger for respiratory tract infection and related symptoms.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyChildren With Medical Complexity Were Twice As Likely To Be Diagnosed With Neurodevelopmental Or Mental Health Condition, Study Shows
Healio (8/29, Kellner) reports, “Children with medical complexity were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental or mental health condition, according to” a study. Investigators also observed that children with medical complexity “were seven to eight times more likely to be diagnosed with an intellectual disability (RR = 7.25; 95% CI, 7.01-7.5) or developmental delays or unspecified neurodevelopmental disorders (RR = 8.42; 95% CI, 8.22-8.62)” when compared to children without medical complexity. The findings were published in Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyCDC Urges Public To Avoid Eating Recalled Deli Meats Amid Expanding Listeria Outbreak
CNN (8/28, Christensen) reports the CDC “is reminding the public to avoid eating recalled deli meats amid a listeria outbreak that has expanded to become the nation’s largest since 2011.” In late July, Boar’s Head issued a recall “for more than 7.2 million pounds of its ready-to-eat liverwurst and some other deli meat products due to concerns about potential listeria contamination, but the CDC says at least a dozen more listeriosis cases have been reported in recent weeks.” So far, “57 people have been hospitalized in 18 states.” NBC News (8/28, Burke) reports, “The total number of deaths is now nine.” The fatalities “have occurred in Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, South Carolina, Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia.”
Login Read the whole storyHealth Experts Urge People To Prep For Respiratory Virus Season
USA Today (8/28, Rodriguez) reports health experts are urging “eligible people to get their recommended vaccines and plan for the respiratory virus season by stocking up on at-home test kits and over-the-counter medications and making action plans with their providers for what to do when they get sick.” Following the FDA’s approval of updated COVID-19 vaccines, experts “hope this year’s rollout will be smoother than last year’s, which was the first time the COVID-19 vaccine was managed by commercial supply chains instead of the federal government.” Along with COVID-19 vaccines, “health officials are also recommending pregnant people get Pfizer’s maternal vaccine Abrysvo,” which “is approved for use during the 32nd and 36th weeks of pregnancy during the RSV season.”
Login Read the whole storyRacial Disparities Continue To Affect Maternal Health, Data Show
Healthcare Finance News (8/28, Lagasse) reports new data show that “in 2020, severe maternal morbidity was twice as high among Black mothers than white mothers.” Specifically, investigators discovered that “infant mortality was 2.9 times higher among infants born to Black mothers (10.6 per 1,000) than Asian mothers (3.6), 2.4 times higher than white mothers (4.5) and 2.2 times higher than Hispanic mothers (4.8) in 2018-2021.” However, the data also showed “infant mortality rates improved 15% among babies born to white mothers, 12% among Black babies and 9% among Hispanic children.” The findings were published by the United Health Foundation.
Login Read the whole storyFDA Gives Priority Review To NDA For Mirdametinib In Treating Adult, Pediatric Patients With NF1-PN
OncLive (8/28, Seymour) reports, “The FDA has accepted and granted priority review to the new drug application (NDA) for mirdametinib in the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with neurofibromatosis type 1–associated plexiform neurofibromas (NF1-PN).” The application includes data “from the phase 2b ReNeu trial (NCT03962543) in which mirdametinib demonstrated objective response rates (ORRs) of 41% in adults and 52% in children at least 2 years of age with NF1-PN causing significant morbidity per blinded independent central review.”
Login Read the whole storySurgeon General Issues Public Health Advisory About Effects Of Stress On Parents’ Mental Health
Reuters (8/28, Mason) reports, “The U.S. surgeon general on Wednesday issued a public health advisory about the impact of modern stresses on parents’ mental health, calling on government, businesses and community organizations to increase resources to provide them more support.” Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s advisory “highlighted a long list of issues that stress out parents and called for policy changes and better community support for them, other caregivers and families as a whole.” Among the advisory’s “policy recommendations, Murthy pressed for federal, state, tribal and local governments to expand funding that supports parents, establish a national paid family and medical leave program, see to it that workers have paid sick time, and provide caregivers with access to affordable mental health care options.” CNN (8/28, Gumbrecht) reports, “The advisory describes how mothers and fathers now work many more hours than in 1985 but also spend many more hours every week on primary child care – and that doesn’t count their total time spent with children.” The advisory says, “Demands from both work and child caregiving have come at the cost of quality time with one’s partner, sleep, and parental leisure time.” The Hill (8/28, Irwin) reports, “In the advisory, Murthy said 41 percent of parents say they are so stressed most days they can’t function, and 48 percent say their stress is completely overwhelming compared to other adults.” Politico (8/28, Schumaker) reports Murthy’s “report found that 65 percent of parents and 77 percent of single parents report feeling lonely, compared with 55 percent of non-parents.” Also reporting is HealthDay (8/28, Mundell).
Login Read the whole storyMaternal PCOS Tied To Growth Restriction In Offspring, Research Suggests
MedPage Today (8/27, Henderson) reports, “Maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was associated with growth restriction in offspring, a Norwegian population-based cohort study suggested.” Researchers found that “among 390 newborns of women with PCOS and 68,708 newborns of women without the condition, those in the PCOS group had lower birth weight, shorter birth length, and smaller head circumference compared with their counterparts in the reference group.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyIncreasing Number Of States, School Districts Implementing Restrictions On Cellphone Use In Schools Amid Mental Health Concerns
The Washington Post (8/27, Meckler, Natanson, Elwood) reports, “Students returning to school in a growing number of states and districts are facing tight restrictions and outright bans on cellphone use as evidence mounts of the damaging impact persistent connection to the internet has on teenagers.” Of the 20 largest school districts in the US, “at least seven forbid use of cellphones during the school day or plan to do so, while at least another seven impose significant restrictions, such as barring use during class time but permitting phones during lunch or when students are between classes, according to a Washington Post review.” Pressure on school officials “has come from teachers and parents who see cellphones as a distraction, an impediment to learning and a constant toll on students’ mental health.”
Login Read the whole storyTransgender Patients Facing Healthcare Barriers After Court Rules That Florida Gender-Affirming Care Ban Can Be Enforced
The AP (8/27, Payne) reports, “Advocates say transgender patients are facing barriers to ‘potentially life-saving health care’ after a federal appeals court ruled that a Florida law banning gender-affirming care can be enforced while a legal challenge plays out.” The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision “cleared the way for Florida to prohibit transgender minors from being prescribed puberty blockers and hormonal treatments, even with their parents’ permission.” Additionally, the law “requires that transgender adults only receive treatment from a doctor and not from a registered nurse or other qualified provider.”
Login Read the whole storyBiden Administration Expands Maternal Home Visiting Programs
CNN (8/27, Hassan) reports that the Biden Administration announced $440 million to expand the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. Another $118 million “will go to the” CDC “to help ‘better identify and prevent pregnancy-related deaths.’”
Login Read the whole storyReview Finds Schools With Universal Free Meals See Greater Meal Participation, Improvements In Attendance
Healio (8/27, Kellner) reports, “Schools with universal free school meals saw greater meal participation, as well as improvements in attendance and suspensions, according to a systematic review.” The research found that “three studies reported greater meal participation in schools after implementing universal free meals, with 4.32 percentage points of growth in Texas to an 8.2% uptick in South Carolina elementary schools.” Meanwhile, “in Pennsylvania, 69% more meals were served to students who would not have qualified” for reduced-price meals. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyNumber Of Heat-Related Deaths Was Higher In 2023 Than Any Other Year Over Nearly A Quarter Century Of Records, Research Shows
The Hill (8/26, Budryk) reports, “Extreme heat killed more Americans in 2023 than any other year over nearly a quarter century of records, according to research published Monday.” Specifically, investigators found that “at least 2,325 people died from the heat last year,” which included deaths that listed “heat as both an underlying and contributing factor.” CNN (8/26, Christensen) reports this number marks “a 117% increase in heat-related deaths from 1999 to 2023.” Using CDC data, investigators discovered that “heat-related deaths decreased by 1.4% from 1999 to 2016, then increased by 16.8% each year from 2016 to 2023.” The findings were published in JAMA.
Login Read the whole storyHealth Authorities Face Challenges In Distributing Polio Vaccines Throughout Gaza
The New York Times (8/26, Yazbek) reports, “More than 1.2 million doses of the polio vaccine arrived in Gaza on Monday, in preparation for an expansive effort to inoculate more than 640,000 Palestinian children and curb a potential outbreak, the United Nations, Israel and health authorities in Gaza said.” The UN “said on Monday that its already hamstrung humanitarian operations had been brought to a temporary halt after the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of Deir al-Balah,” though a senior UN official “said at a briefing on Monday that there was no change to plans to begin polio vaccinations.” Meanwhile, UNRWA “said they hoped to deliver the first vaccines to Gazan children starting on Saturday.” Both UNICEF and WHO “have called on ‘all parties’ in the conflict to put in place a weeklong humanitarian pause in Gaza to allow both rounds of vaccines to be delivered, saying that ‘without the humanitarian pauses, the delivery of the campaign will not be possible.’”
Login Read the whole storyCalifornia Bill Would Ban Food Dyes In Schools
The New York Times (8/26, Callahan) reports “a bill before the California Senate, which is expected to come to a vote this week,” would “prohibit K-12 public schools in California from offering foods containing six dyes – Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6 and Red No. 40.” Despite the FDA maintaining that these dyes are safe, studies have shown that a diet with food dyes leads to “a small but significant increase in hyperactivity.” Researchers are still trying to determine the reason for this change, which could involve the “regulation of histamine” or “cellular damage” that affects “signaling and structures in the brain.” The California bill has received support from “many school districts, health providers, health advocates and Democratic and Republican lawmakers,” while “industry groups…have opposed” it.
Login Read the whole storyHouse Dust Mite AIT May Be Effective Especially Among Children With Atopic Dermatitis, Study Suggests
HCPlive (8/26, Smith) reports, “House dust mite allergen immunotherapy (AIT) may be effective especially among children with atopic dermatitis, new findings suggest, though there is an increased risk of local adverse events among those in the younger age range.” Investigators also observed that “that AIT’s efficacy appeared more pronounced in sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) as well as within the pediatric patient subgroups, compared to the results of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and those of the adult patient subgroups.” The findings were published in Chinese Medical Journal.
Login Read the whole storyIntermittent Fasting Worked As Well As Calorie Restriction For Weight Loss In Teens With Obesity, And Both Methods Could Help With Underlying Mental Health Issues, Analysis Shows
MedPage Today (8/26, Monaco) reports, “Intermittent fasting worked as well as calorie restriction for weight loss in teens with obesity, and both methods could help with underlying mental health issues, analyses of an Australian randomized trial showed.” The study’s primary analysis “showed an estimated marginal mean change in body mass index (BMI) z-scores of -0.28 (95% CI -0.37 to -0.20) in the intermittent energy restriction (IER) group and -0.28 (95% CI -0.36 to -0.20) in the continuous energy restriction (CER) group,” while a secondary analysis revealed “reductions in self-reported depression, eating disorder symptoms, and binge eating with both IER and CER.” Findings from both the primary and secondary analyses were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyIncome, Education, Social Class May Determine Who Can Play In Youth Sports Leagues, Researchers Report
HealthDay (8/23, Thompson) said, “Income, education and social class are determining who can play in youth sports leagues, with the children of more privileged families more likely to hit the field or court, researchers reported.” Specifically, investigators observed “a 24-percentage point difference in sports participation between children with and without a college-educated parent,” with the average family spending “$883 for one child’s participation in their primary sport in 2022.” The findings were published in Leisure/Loisir.
Login Read the whole storyHealth Experts Advise Schools To Stay Vigilant Against COVID-19
The Hill (8/25, Lonas, O’Connell-Domenech) reports, “Health experts are urging school staff and families to take active steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 amid rising infections as school districts stick to their previous plans to combat the virus similarly to how they would the flu or strep throat.” Despite weekly death tolls in the US rising “since mid-June” and wastewater viral activity climbing since May, “schools have largely chosen to treat COVID-19 like RSV or the common flu, at the recommendation of health organizations like the CDC.” In the meantime, “health experts are urging school communities not to become complacent when fighting against the virus’s spread,” recommending that they stay up-to-date on vaccinations and get tested regularly. They also advise that any students or staff members who feel sick stay home and “test themselves multiple times” to be sure “they do not have the virus.”
Login Read the whole storyResidential Proximity To Highly Trafficked Roadways Is Associated With Lower Lung Function Measures, Higher Levels Of Diesel PM Exposure In Children With Poorly Controlled Asthma, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (8/23, Stong) reported, “In children with poorly controlled asthma, residential proximity to highly trafficked roadways is associated with lower lung function measures and higher levels of diesel particulate matter (PM) exposure, according to study findings.” Specifically, investigators observed that “children who lived within 1000 meters of a major roadway had significantly increased PM2.5 days and diesel PM concentrations.” The findings were published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyExperts Detail Signs To Watch Out For Regarding Vision Loss In Children
HealthDay (8/24, Foster) reported parents should watch out for their children complaining about headaches or frequently rubbing their eyes, which could be signs that they need glasses. Other symptoms parents should pay attention to include children closing one eye to read, being unable to focus, having poor grades at school, or complaining about being unable to see the board at school. To protect children’s vision, experts recommend visiting an “eye care provider regularly,” always wearing “eye protection during activities where there is a risk of eye injury,” and reducing time spent staring at screens. Experts emphasize that “noticing these signs early is critical for young children,” particularly during the first eight years of life “when the brain and the eye are learning to work together.”
Login Read the whole storyGovernment Announces Free COVID-19 Tests, Treatments To Mitigate Fall And Winter Spread
CNN (8/23, Goodman) reported US “government officials announced on Friday the return of programs to offer free [COVID-19] tests, vaccines and treatments to see the nation through the winter respiratory virus season.” The free tests will come back “in time for fall and winter gatherings,” and “government-purchased supplies of the antiviral drug Paxlovid will also be available at no charge to people who are uninsured or who are on Medicare or Medicaid.” While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “forecasters are predicting that the US will see about the same number or fewer hospitalizations for respiratory diseases as it did at the same time last year,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen “said that forecast could change if lower-than-expected numbers of people get vaccinated or if there’s a variant of COVID-19 or the flu that causes more severe disease than anticipated.” The Hill (8/23, Weixel) reported the officials “said they are recommending annual COVID-19 shots to align with flu shots because they want to make sure people are getting vaccinated.” Also reporting was Healio (8/23, Feller).
Login Read the whole storyNumber Of Whooping Cough Cases On The Rise, CDC Says
The New York Times (8/22, Blum) reports, “After a yearslong lull thanks to Covid-19 precautions like isolation and distancing, whooping cough cases are now climbing back to levels seen before the pandemic, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Thus far this year, “there have been 10,865 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, nationwide,” which is “more than triple the number of cases documented by this time last year.” Physicians “say these estimates are most likely an undercount, as many people may not realize they have whooping cough and therefore are never tested.” Experts also say the rise in cases could be due to delayed childhood vaccinations as a result of the pandemic.
Login Read the whole storyWhite House Announces $26M To Combat Lead Contamination In School Water
The Washington Post (8/22, Foster-Frau, Ajasa) reports, “The White House on Thursday announced $26 million in new funding to test for and remove lead from water in schools and child-care facilities, two months ahead of plans to publish a new rule requiring such testing at elementary and middle schools.” Health organizations warn that no level of lead exposure is safe, and drinking “lead-contaminated water as a child can result in developmental disabilities, behavioral issues and attention-deficit disorder.” Though “there is no national requirement to test for lead in school water,” the new funds represent “one of several buckets” aimed at “addressing the ongoing problem of lead contamination in drinking water around the country.” Both environmental and health advocates point to the announcement as “a positive step,” but one that “fails to go far enough in solving the issue for the nation’s schoolchildren.”
Login Read the whole storyHPV Immunization Rates Stagnate Among US Teens, CDC Finds
Bloomberg (8/22, Garde, Subscription Publication) reports HPV “immunization rates have stagnated for kids aged 13 to 17 for the past two years, according to data that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Thursday.” This trend “could cause alarm among public health officials,” as HPV is the cause of “more than 21,000 cases of cancer in women and about 16,000 in men” each year. However, “routine shots for diseases like tetanus and meningitis have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to the CDC survey, which analyzed results from nearly 17,000 teenagers.”
Login Read the whole storyFDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines
The New York Times (8/22, Mueller, Weiland) reports, “The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the latest slate of annual Covid vaccines, clearing the way for Americans 6 months and older to receive updated shots in the midst of a prolonged summer surge of the virus.” Pfizer and Moderna “are expected to begin shipping vaccines to pharmacies and doctors’ offices within days.” The AP (8/22, Neergaard) reports the updated vaccines “target a subtype called KP.2 that was common earlier this year” and will provide cross-protection for additional offshoots such as the currently spreading KP.3.1.1. Meanwhile, a third vaccine manufacturer, “Novavax, expects its modified vaccine version to be available” later. The Hill (8/22, Choi) reports the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been “approved for people 12 years old and older.” The FDA has also granted emergency use authorization “for three doses of the updated Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine or two doses of the Moderna vaccine to be administered to unvaccinated children aged between six months and 4 years of age.” Also reporting is CNN (8/22, Gumbrecht, Tirrell).
Login Read the whole storyChildren With Obesity Are More Likely To Develop Immune-Based Skin Problems Like Eczema, Psoriasis, Study Finds
HealthDay (8/21, Thompson) reports children with obesity “are more likely to develop immune-based skin problems like eczema or psoriasis, a new study says.” However, investigators also observed that children with overweight “who shed pounds and reached a healthy weight had a lower risk of eczema.” The findings were published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Login Read the whole storyInfants Are 16% More Likely To Suffer Major Health Issues Following Delivery If Their Mothers Engaged In “Light Smoking” Of One Or Two Cigarettes A Day Prior To Pregnancy, Study Shows
HealthDay (8/21, Thompson) reports, “Infants are 16% more likely to suffer major health issues following delivery if their mothers engaged in ‘light smoking’ of one or two cigarettes a day prior to getting pregnant, researchers found.” Investigators also observed that “newborns were 24% more likely to require intensive care if their mom smoked prior to pregnancy, and 30% to 32% more likely if she smoked during pregnancy.” The findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
Login Read the whole storyAdolescents With Myopia Have Up To Twofold Increased Risk Of Experiencing Anxiety, Mood Disorders, Study Shows
Healio (8/21, Cimberle) reports, “Adolescents with myopia have up to a twofold increased risk of experiencing anxiety and mood disorders, and the odds for both conditions increase with myopia severity, according to a study.” However, investigators observed no differences “in relation to sex, best corrected visual acuity and health status.” The findings were published in Eye.
Login Read the whole storyMany Commercial Baby Foods In US Do Not Meet International Nutritional Guidelines, Study Suggests
CNN (8/21, LaMotte) reports, “The supermarket baby food aisle in the United States is packed with non-nutritious foods containing far too much sugar and salt and misleading marketing claims, a new study found.” Specifically, investigators discovered that 60% of “651 foods that are marketed for children ages 6 months to 36 months on 10 supermarkets’ shelves in the US failed to meet recommended World Health Organization nutritional guidelines for infant and toddler foods,” with 50% “of the sugar consumed from infant foods” coming from pouches. The findings were published in Nutrients.
Login Read the whole storyKids, Teens Experience Different Set Of Long COVID Symptoms From Adults, Study Finds
NBC News (8/21, Bendix) reports, “A large, national study offers new insights into what [long COVID] looks like in kids and teens, suggesting that they experience a markedly different set of symptoms from adults.” As part of the RECOVER initiative, researchers “asked the caregivers of more than 3,800 children about their kids’ symptoms at least 90 days after COVID,” also surveying “the caregivers of around 1,500 children without a history of COVID” to compare responses. STAT (8/21, Cooney, Subscription Publication) reports the investigators observed “that school-age children (6 to 11 years old) with prolonged symptoms were more likely than uninfected children to experience headaches (57%); trouble with memory, focusing, and sleeping (44%); and abdominal pain (43%) at least four weeks after COVID.” Meanwhile, “infected adolescents (12 to 17 years old) more often had daytime fatigue, sleepiness, and low energy (80%); body, muscle, or joint pain (55%); and trouble with memory and focusing (47%) post-infection than uninfected peers.” The findings were published in JAMA.
Login Read the whole storyPrenatal Iron Supplementation Reduces Incidence Of Iron Deficiency And Iron Deficiency Anemia In Pregnancy, But Has Unclear Health Outcomes For Moms And Babies, USPSTF Says
MedPage Today (8/20, Robertson) says, “While prenatal iron supplementation reduces the incidence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy, health outcomes for moms and babies are unclear, according to an updated U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) evidence report.” After conducting “a systematic review of 17 randomized trials with over 24,000 participants,” investigators also observed that “iron supplementation was associated with decreased risk of maternal iron deficiency at term compared with placebo or no supplementation.” HCP Live (8/20, Iapoce) reports the USPSTF’s “statement recommendations apply to asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults but do not apply to those who are severely malnourished, have symptoms of iron deficiency or anemia, or have specific hematologic conditions or nutritional deficiencies that may increase the need for iron intake.” The report was published in JAMA.
Login Read the whole storySpending At Least 15 Minutes At A Time Outside Appeared To Result In Less Myopic Shift Among Elementary School Students, Data Show
Healio (8/20, Kellner) reports, “Spending at least 15 minutes at a time outside appeared to lead to less myopic shift among elementary school students, according to data.” Investigators came to this conclusion after conducting a “prospective cohort study” with 2,976 children who “spent an average of 90 minutes (SD, 28 minutes) outdoors per day and were exposed to an average sunlight intensity of 2,345 lux (SD, 486 lux).” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyUS Congenital Syphilis Rates Rose From 2016 To 2020, Were Linked To Preterm Birth, Hospital Length Of Stay, And Higher Costs, Study Finds
Healio (8/20, Welsh) reports, “U.S. congenital syphilis rates rose from 2016 to 2020 and were linked to preterm birth, longer hospital length of stay and higher costs with race/ethnicity, insurance, income, admission year and hospital characteristics tied to likelihood.” After conducting “a retrospective, cross-sectional study using data from the National Inpatient Sample,” investigators observed the “rate of congenital syphilis rose from 2016 to 2020 from 27.5 to 60.5 per 100,000 newborn hospitalizations with an annual percentage change of 24.6%.” The findings were published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Login Read the whole storyIncrease In Child Anxiety Symptoms Associated With Lower FEV1 Z-Scores, While Maternal Stress Was Not Associated With Child Lung Function Outcomes, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (8/20, Stong) reports, “An increase in child anxiety symptoms was associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) z-scores, and maternal stress was not associated with child lung function outcomes, according to study findings.” Investigators came to this conclusion after evaluating “data for 294 mother-child dyads” from “the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors (PROGRESS) birth cohort from July 2007 to February 2011.” The findings were published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyEndometriosis Linked To Higher Risk For Preterm Birth, Adverse Outcomes Of Pregnancy, Study Finds
Endocrinology Advisor (8/19, Kurek) reports, “Endometriosis is linked to a higher risk for preterm birth and adverse outcomes of pregnancy, according to the results of a study.” Specifically, investigators observed the “prevalence of preterm birth at less than 37 weeks of gestation was 11.1% among patients with endometriosis vs 7.7% among those without endometriosis,” also identifying higher risks for preeclampsia, placenta previa, and postpartum hemorrhage among patients with endometriosis. The findings were published in Fertility and Sterility.
Login Read the whole storyHigher Genetic Risk For COPD Linked With Reduced Lung Function Starting In Childhood, Study Shows
COPD News Today (8/19, Maia) reports, “A higher genetic risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with reduced lung function starting in childhood, a study of more than 45,000 people across Europe shows.” Specifically, investigators observed that a higher polygenic risk score (PRS) “was significantly linked to lower scores on forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and/or the ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FVC), indicating poorer lung function,” which across age groups was “generally not affected by smoking, sex, or a diagnosis of asthma.” The findings were published in eClinicalMedicine.
Login Read the whole storyPediatric Inpatient Psychiatric Bed Capacity Remained Unchanged From 2017 To 2020, With Number Of Beds Varying Widely By State, Study Shows
MedPage Today (8/19, DePeau-Wilson) reports, “Despite the growing mental heath crisis among kids, pediatric inpatient psychiatric bed capacity remained unchanged from 2017 to 2020, and the number of beds varied widely by state, a cross-sectional study showed.” Investigators also observed that “pediatric inpatient psychiatric beds were offered most frequently at nonprofit and general medical hospitals,” with 52.2% of 11,276 beds being “in free-standing psychiatric hospitals (34.9% at general psychiatric hospitals and 17.3% at children’s psychiatric hospitals), and 23% of beds…in hospitals specializing in pediatric care.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyNeffy Shows Promise For Treating Severe Allergic Reactions, Offers Potential Option For Needle-Averse Patients
The New York Times (8/19, Rosenbluth) reports Neffy, “a new device recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration,” may help circumvent patients’ fear of “syringe-like devices like the EpiPen that deliver a drug needed to head off potentially fatal allergic reactions.” With “most children and up to 30 percent of young adults [being] afraid of needles, according to one systematic review,” Neffy shows promise not only for needle-averse patients, but anyone who appreciates its smaller size relative to EpiPens and expected price of “$25 for most people with commercial insurance.” However, Neffy is “only approved for adults and children who are heavier than 66 pounds” and its efficacy is backed by “very limited clinical data.” Until more research is conducted, experts advise patients using Neffy “who have had severe allergic reactions to carry an EpiPen as a backup option.”
Login Read the whole storyPediatric Asthma Is More Prevalent In Males, Manifesting In Earlier Symptom Onset, Worse Pulmonary Function, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (8/19, Goldberg) reports, “Pediatric asthma is more prevalent in males, manifesting in earlier symptom onset and worse pulmonary function, according to study findings.” Investigators also observed that “boys (79.9% White) vs girls (80.1% White) had higher levels of serum periostin and more commonly experienced blood eosinophilia and atopic sensitization (particularly to Timothy grass),” which “suggests boys with asthma vs girls with asthma experienced more prominent T-helper-2 (Th2) inflammation.” The findings were published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyCDC Warns Clinicians About Spread Of Oropouche Virus
The Washington Post (8/17, Sun) reported, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning clinicians to be on the lookout for a viral disease that is spread by small flies and some types of mosquitoes and that causes sudden fever, severe headaches and chills.” Oropouche virus cases “have been climbing in South America and the Caribbean in the past two years, and turned deadly for the first time this year.” Issued Friday, the agency’s advisory “recommends that pregnant people reconsider nonessential travel to Cuba, which reported its first confirmed case in June.” In both the US and Europe, “travelers returning from Cuba and Brazil have been diagnosed with the condition,” while “Florida has reported 11 travel-related cases this year, according to the state health department.”
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 Variant KP.3.1.1 Makes Up Roughly 37% Of Cases, CDC Data Show
USA Today (8/16, Forbes) reported, “The KP.3.1.1 COVID-19 variant is the dominant strain of the virus, the latest projections from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.” The CDC’s “Nowcast data tracker, which displays COVID-19 estimates and projections for two-week periods, projects the KP.3.1.1 variant is accounting for 36.8% of positive infections, followed by KP.3 at 16.8% in the two-week stretch starting Aug. 4.” The agency’s data also show “COVID-19 test positivity rate was recorded at 18.1% for the week of Aug. 4 to Aug. 10, an absolute change of 0.2% from the prior week.”
Login Read the whole storyParents Worried That Social Media, Technology Will Prevent Schoolkids From Building Meaningful Connections With Classmates And Teachers During Upcoming School Year, Poll Finds
HealthDay (8/16, Thompson) reported, “Parents are worried that social media and technology will get in the way of schoolkids building meaningful connections with classmates and teachers during the upcoming school year, a new poll finds.” Specifically, 50% of parents “say too much time spent with technology will be their kids’ top challenge in forming positive connections with those around them, say national poll results from the Kids Mental Health Foundation,” while “30% considered bullying the top challenge to building connections, and 22% are concerned about the lingering social impact of the pandemic.” The findings were published in a news release from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Login Read the whole storyMinnesota’s Universal Newborn Screening Program For CMV Identified Infants With Neurologic Abnormalities, Those At Risk For Permanent Hearing Loss, Data Show
MedPage Today (8/16, Kahn) reported, “Minnesota’s new universal newborn screening program for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) identified infants with neurologic abnormalities and those at risk for permanent hearing loss who otherwise might have been missed by routine care or targeted screening, according to data from the state’s health department.” In total, investigators identified “184 cases of congenital CMV infection or disease…among 60,115 infants screened using dried blood spot polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, the majority of which (n=174) were detected during the first 21 days of life.” The findings were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Login Read the whole storyKids Considering Suicide After Receiving Mental Healthcare At A Hospital Can Be Helped By Automated Text Messages That Help Them Feel Hopeful, Supported, Study Finds
HealthDay (8/16, Thompson) reported, “Kids considering suicide after receiving mental health care at a hospital can be helped by automated text messages that help them feel hopeful and supported, a new study finds.” Investigators found that “about 83% of the children said they felt moderately to very hopeful after receiving the texts, and 88% felt moderately to very supported.” The findings were published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting.
Login Read the whole storyParents’ Excessive Smartphone Use Could Be Harming Children’s Mental Health, Study Finds
HealthDay (8/16, Mundell) reported parents’ excessive smartphone use “could be harming the mental health of children, a new study suggests.” Investigators found that “kids ages 9 to 11 who said their parents spent way too much [time] on their smartphones were more prone to anxiety, attention issues and hyperactivity later on compared to the youngsters of parents who weren’t phone-obsessed.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyFDA Lays Out Goals To Reduce Sodium Levels In Packaged, Processed Foods By 20%
Reuters (8/15, Vanaik) reports the FDA “on Thursday laid out fresh goals to cut sodium levels in packaged and processed foods by about 20%, after its prior efforts to address a growing epidemic of diet-related chronic diseases showed early signs of success.” In October 2021, the FDA “had set guidelines to trim sodium levels in foods ranging from potato chips to hamburgers in a bid to prevent excessive intake of salt that can trigger high blood pressure.” The FDA “is now seeking voluntary curbs from packaged-food makers such as PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz and Campbell Soup.” The agency “wants to cut sodium intake over the next three years to an average of 2,750 milligrams per day – 20% lower than the levels prior to 2021, though above the recommended daily limit of 2,300 mg.”
Login Read the whole storyIncreased Availability Of Photoscreeners Leads To Higher Rates Of Vision Screening For Children Aged Three Years, Study Suggests
Healio (8/15, Mahoney) reports, “Increased availability of photoscreeners led to higher rates of overall vision screening for children aged 3 years in one large health care system, according to a study.” But, “additional targeted efforts beyond mass photoscreening are needed to address existing care disparities in children with amblyopia, the researchers wrote.” The findings were published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Login Read the whole storyUse Of Guidelines For CPAP Weaning Improves Rate Of Weaning Success On First Attempt In Preterm Infants, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (8/15, Goldberg) reports, “In preterm infants using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), use of guidelines for CPAP weaning significantly improved the rate of weaning success on the first attempt, according to study findings.” The researchers said, “Implementing guidelines for weaning preterm infants off nasal CPAP based on predetermined age and weight criteria and utilizing a gradual CPAP weaning method increased the success rate of weaning during the first attempt in the preterm infants.” The researchers added, “There was an increased incidence of infants achieving full oral feeds sooner.” The findings were published in Respiratory Care.
Login Read the whole storyDupilumab, Tralokinumab, And Lebrikizumab Treatment Leads To Sign, Symptom, And Quality Of Life Improvements Among Children Or Adolescents With Atopic Dermatitis, Study Finds
HCPlive (8/15, Smith) reports, “Dupilumab, tralokinumab, and lebrikizumab treatment lead to significant sign, symptom, and quality of life improvements among children or adolescents known to have moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, according to recent findings, with no substantial increase in adverse events.” The researchers said further high-quality randomized controlled trials “with longer-term follow-up are still warranted to substantiate” the drugs’ therapeutic benefits. The findings were published in the Australasian Journal of Dermatology.
Login Read the whole storyRegular Bedtimes May Help Keep Children From Abusing Drugs Or Alcohol As Teenagers, Research Suggests
HealthDay (8/15, Mundell) reports, “Regular bedtimes won’t just help your child be alert for a busy school day; they might also help keep them from abusing drugs or alcohol as a teen, new research suggests.” Youth who “had early bedtimes in childhood and adolescence were significantly less likely to be drinking or using marijuana by the time they were 15, compared to kids who’d stayed up late and had fewer hours [of] sleep, researchers report.” The findings were published in the Annals of Epidemiology.
Login Read the whole storyWHO Declares Mpox An International Health Emergency As Outbreak In Africa Grows
The Washington Post (8/14, A1, Nirappil, Chason) reports, “The World Health Organization on Wednesday again declared mpox an international health emergency in response to a growing outbreak in Africa.” The WHO’s “declaration comes after suspected and confirmed cases in Africa exceeded 15,000 this year, exceeding the toll in all of 2023.” Mpox cases “reached record highs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the virus has been endemic for decades and the vast majority of African cases are concentrated.” Meanwhile, “a new form of the virus, known as clade 1b, has spilled into eastern parts of the African nation and has been reported in other countries for the first time, including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.”
Login Read the whole storyNational Integrated Heat Health Information System Releases 2024-2030 National Heat Strategy
Bloomberg Law (8/14, Subscription Publication) reports, “The National Integrated Heat Health Information System has released a national heat strategy for 2024-2030, the agency announced Wednesday.” The national “strategy aims to promote proactive coordination related to heat planning, response, and resilience and builds on continuing efforts of federal departments and agencies, led by the” CDC, “the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the NISSIS said.” The Hill (8/14, Frazin) reports, “A strategy document lays out overarching goals of public outreach, research into extreme heat and providing solutions.” Among the outlined solutions are “assessing at-risk populations, setting up early-warning systems, adopting safety measures through regulation, increasing planning and supporting community efforts to adapt.”
Login Read the whole storyInfections Account For Most In-Hospital Mortality In Childhood SLE, Research Suggests
Healio (8/14, Cooper) reports research found that “infections account for most in-hospital mortality in childhood systemic lupus erythematosus, with patients exhibiting lupus nephritis or end-stage renal disease at increased risk.” Researchers “wrote that infections are a ‘small but increasing’ driver of hospitalizations in childhood-onset SLE.” The findings were published in The Journal of Rheumatology.
Login Read the whole storyIn-House Testing For HSV Via PCR Improves Efficiency, Quality Of Neonatal HSV Evaluations, Study Suggests
Infectious Disease Advisor (8/14, Kuhns) reports, “In-house testing for herpes simplex virus (HSV) via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was found to significantly improve the efficiency and quality of neonatal HSV evaluations, leading to reduced acyclovir exposure, shorter hospital stays, and more complete diagnostic workups, according to study results.” The researchers said “in-house performance of HSV PCR testing should be considered to minimize acyclovir exposure, expedite discharge, and improve outcomes in neonates warranting evaluation for HSV.” The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Login Read the whole storyNearly 200 Organizations Urge Congressional Leadership To Support 12-Month Continuous Medicaid, CHIP Eligibility
Healthcare Finance News (8/14, Morse) reports, “A group of 188 federal and state organizations have sent a joint letter to Congressional and committee leadership urging them to support 12-month continuous eligibility for adults enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.” The letter urges “Congress to enact the Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act, H.R. 5434 and S. 3138.” The organizations “signing the letter represent healthcare consumers, payers and providers.”
Login Read the whole storyResearch Finds Doubling In One Year Of US Pediatric ER Visits Linked To Toy Water Beads
HealthDay (8/14, Mundell) says “child safety experts have warned about the sometimes lethal dangers of toy water beads,” and now, a new “report finds a doubling in just one year of U.S. pediatric ER visits linked to the products.” Children “swallowed a bead in 46% of these cases or put them in their ear or nose in 33% and 12% of cases, respectively.” Meanwhile, “eye injuries made up another 9% of cases.” The findings were published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyMany Health Systems Girding For Increasing Threat Of Cyberattacks, Network Outages
Modern Healthcare (8/13, Kacik, Subscription Publication) reports many health systems are “girding for the growing threat of cyberattacks and network outages.” Healthcare “providers are augmenting firewalls, obfuscating administrative login credentials, segmenting email software between internal and external messaging, rigorously vetting third-party vendors and expediting critical IT updates.” Almost “80% of 48 health systems that responded this spring to the 2024 Modern Healthcare Hospital Systems Survey listed cybersecurity threats and data privacy as one of their greatest challenges.” Almost “60% said they have made significant changes or investments in cybersecurity over the past year.”
Login Read the whole storyLower Baseline Levels Of S100A8/9, S100A12 Proteins May Be Predictive Biomarkers For Abatacept Treatment Response In pJIA, Study Suggests
Rheumatology Advisor (8/13, Kuhns) reports, “Lower baseline levels of S100A8/9 and S100A12 proteins may be potential predictive biomarkers for abatacept treatment response in polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA), with lower vs higher levels predicting a better response, according to study results.” According to the researchers, methotrexate “background therapy did not significantly influence the ability of S100 proteins to anticipate JIA improvement.” The findings were published in Arthritis Research & Therapy.
Login Read the whole storyUS Families Living With CF Who Are Impacted By Food Insecurity Think Financial Constraints Imposed By Disease Contribute To The Problem, Interviews Reveal
Cystic Fibrosis News Today (8/13, Shapiro) reports, “Families in the U.S. living with cystic fibrosis (CF) who’ve been affected by food insecurity feel that financial constraints imposed by the disease contribute to the problem and that government support programs are insufficient, interviews with patients and caregivers suggest.” People who were “interviewed report feeling stigma and embarrassment about the issue, and called for better screening and intervention programs at CF care centers to help those in need.” The findings were published in Pediatric Pulmonology.
Login Read the whole storySystemic Corticosteroid Exposure During Pregnancy Raises CKD Risk In Children, Study Suggests
Renal & Urology News (8/13, Persaud) reports, “Exposure to systemic corticosteroids during pregnancy increases the risk that chronic kidney disease (CKD) will develop in children born to these mothers within 10 years, a new study finds.” Researchers found “systemic glucocorticoid exposure during pregnancy was significantly associated with a 1.7-fold increased risk of childhood CKD compared with no exposure.” The findings were published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
Login Read the whole storyParvovirus B19 Increasing In Activity, CDC Says
CNN (8/13, Dillinger) reports, “A seasonal respiratory virus named parvovirus B19 – sometimes also called fifth disease – is increasing in activity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday.” As with “other respiratory illnesses, efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 during the pandemic dramatically lowered parvovirus B19 infections, with a corresponding loss of immunity.” The CDC warned “that it has received reports of higher test positivity rates recently, as well as clusters of complications among people at high risk of severe illness.” The percentage “of people with antibodies indicating recent infection, which fell below 3% during 2022-24, reached 10% in June, with the highest increase among children ages 5 to 9.”
Login Read the whole storyAI Model Is Able To Identify Several Common Eye Diseases In Children Using Cell Phone Photos That Can Be Taken At Home, Researchers Report
Healio (8/12, Gallagher) says, “An AI model was able to identify several common eye diseases in children using cell phone photos that could be taken at home, researchers reported.” Investigators observed that the AI “model accurately identified” cases of myopia, strabismus, and ptosis, “but performed best in the diagnosis of ptosis,” demonstrating “a sensitivity of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.82-0.87), specificity of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93-0.97) and accuracy of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.91-0.93) for” this disease. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyMaximum Blood Glucose, Blood Urea Nitrogen Levels, Sodium Abnormalities Predict Adverse Outcomes In DKA Or HHS Among Children, Study Shows
Endocrinology Advisor (8/12, Nye) reports, “Maximum blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, and sodium abnormalities predict adverse outcomes in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS) among children,” according to a study. Researchers came to this conclusion after conducting “a retrospective review of clinical data from the Children’s Medical Center Dallas in Texas or its satellite facility between 2010 and 2023,” which included children “with diabetes presenting with DKA and/or HHS.” The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Login Read the whole storyAlmost A Quarter Of Children, Teens With Severe Wheezing Have Undetected Lung Infections, Research Shows
HealthDay (8/12, Thompson) says, “Nearly a quarter of children and teens with severe wheezing have undetected lung infections, researchers reported.” However, “these infections won’t respond to corticosteroids commonly used to treat wheezing,” and “higher doses of steroids might put children at higher risk of lingering lung inflammation, as well as other known side effects of those drugs.” The findings were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyOver 16,000 Baby Formula Cans Recalled From Stores In 12 States
The Austin (TX) American Statesman (8/12, Addison, Subscription Publication) reports a notice by the FDA said Perrigo issued a recall Thursday for over 16,000 cans of baby formula across 12 states, including Texas. The recall involves “three lots within a batch of its store-brand Premium Infant Formula with Iron Milk-Based Powder due to excessive levels of vitamin D, which can cause health complications for vulnerable infants.” They were sold at various H-E-B and CVS locations. The FDA “said in the recall announcement that there have been no reports of the formula sickening babies,” and assured that no other retailers or products had been affected.
Login Read the whole storySuicide Rates Among US Preteens Increased Significantly From 2008 To 2022, With Greatest Increases Being Among Hispanic Preteens And Girls, Study Finds
Healio (8/12, Mahoney) reports, “Suicide rates among U.S. preteens increased significantly from 2008 to 2022, with the greatest increases being among Hispanic preteens and girls, according to a study.” Investigators also observed “the rate of suicide remained highest among Black preteens from both 2001 to 2007 (4.94 per 1 million persons) and 2008 to 2022 (8.5 per 1 million persons).” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyChild Tablet Use At 3.5 Years Old Is Linked To A Higher Number Of Expressions Of Anger, Frustration A Year Later, Study Indicates
CNN (8/12, Hetter) reports a new study “shows that child tablet use at 3.5 years old was associated with a higher number of expressions of anger and frustration a year later.” Investigators also observed that “children who were more prone to anger and frustration at 4.5 years old were more likely to have higher tablet use a year later (at 5.5 years old),” suggesting that “early childhood tablet use ‘may contribute to a cycle’ of problems in emotional regulation, the authors wrote.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storySchools Hope To Limit Virus-Related Closures Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
ABC News (8/11, Kekatos) reports despite rising numbers of COVID-19 cases across the country, “school officials from various districts told ABC News that they feel prepared to handle cases of any respiratory viruses that may emerge, and to try and prevent classroom disruptions because of them as much as possible.” States like Arizona leave decisions on school closures to each local school board, while “leaders in Gwinnett County, Georgia, say they are not advocating for school closures, but that any decision regarding whether classes need to be conducted remotely due to outbreaks will come after conversations with the local health department.” To facilitate in-person learning, health officials recommend children stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines.
Login Read the whole storyFDA Approves Epinephrine Nasal Spray For Treating Anaphylaxis
The Washington Post (8/9, Roubein, Gilbert) reported, “The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a nasal spray for serious allergic reactions to food, medications and insect stings, marking the first needle-free treatment for such conditions.” Called Neffy, the two-milligram spray “is designed to block allergic reactions, including” anaphylaxis. Its approval “introduces an alternative to auto-injector devices such as the EpiPen for blocking severe allergic reactions” and “vindicates the approach of Neffy manufacturer ARS Pharmaceuticals, which pitched its product as a superior way of treating anaphylaxis that overcomes people’s hesitation to inject themselves or someone else.”
Login Read the whole storySocial Media Bans May Harm Teens Seeking Mental Health Help, Experts Say
KFF Health News (8/10, Chang) reported “the emphasis on fears about social media may cause policymakers to miss the mental health benefits it provides teenagers, say researchers, pediatricians, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.” While “most research suggests that some features of social media can be harmful,” these platforms can reduce isolation “for children of color and LGBTQ+ young people.” A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee “found that the relationship between social media and youth mental health is complex, with potential benefits as well as harms.”
Login Read the whole storyTransgender Youths Reported Social Concerns, Facing Hostility, Being Worried About Losing Access To Care During Interviews About Legislation Prohibiting Gender-Affirming Care, Study Shows
Healio (8/9, Monostra) reported, “Transgender youths discussed social concerns, facing hostility and being worried about losing access to care when interviewed about legislation prohibiting gender-affirming care, according to findings.” Study participants also “said negative messaging on social media has hurt their emotional health and social well-being,” which “has led to peer alienation, less support from teachers and withdrawal from unsupportive peers and family members.” The findings were published in LGBT Health.
Login Read the whole storyChildhood Immunizations Lag Globally, Data Suggest
The Washington Post (8/11, Blakemore) reports “progress toward global immunization goals has stalled, according to recent World Health Organization and UNICEF estimates, suggesting such immunizations have not rebounded since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.” New data “shows that the number of children worldwide who have not received a single dose of the DPT (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine increased from 13.9 million in 2022 to 14.5 million in 2023,” while measles vaccine numbers amount “to an 83 percent worldwide coverage rate, well short of the 95 percent necessary for population-wide immunity.” Vaccine coverage for children varies globally, with over half “of the children who have not had a single dose of childhood vaccines” living in Nigeria, India, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Indonesia, and Yemen. The New York Times (8/9, Rosenbluth) reported vaccine coverage in the US is shifting as well, with a recent Gallup poll finding “that just 40 percent of Americans think it’s important for children to get vaccinated, down from about 64 percent in 2001.” For the 2022-23 school year, “nearly three-quarters of all states had MMR vaccination rates below the ‘target’ rate of 95 percent, according to a C.D.C. report.” Further, only “93 percent of U.S. kindergartners were immunized with all state-required vaccines that school year, compared with about 95 percent of students before the pandemic.”
Login Read the whole storyUS Death Rates Fell In 2023, With COVID-19 Dropping To Tenth Leading Cause Of Death, CDC Data Show
The AP (8/8) reports, “U.S. death rates fell last year for all age groups compared with 2022, federal health officials said Thursday,” with COVID-19 falling “to the 10th leading cause of death,” down from fourth in 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data also showed the “leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer and a category of injuries that includes gun deaths and drug overdoses.”
Login Read the whole storyPatch Testing In Pediatric Patients With ACD At Single Center Shows Emulsifiers, Fragrances Are Among Top Contributors To ACD In This Patient Population, Study Finds
Dermatology Advisor (8/8, Kuhns) reports, “Patch testing in pediatric patients with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) at a single center showed that emulsifiers and fragrances are some of the top contributors to ACD among this patient population, underscoring the value of patch testing patients for supplemental allergens and personal products in an ‘as-is’ capacity in addition to standard testing, according to results of a retrospective review.” Investigators also observed that positive reaction rates “were 75% among patients aged 1 to 5 years, 83% among patients aged 6 to 11 years, and 89% among those aged 12 to 17 years.” The findings were published in Dermatitis.
Login Read the whole storyIncident Asthma Is Less Likely Between School Age And Young Adulthood When There Is A Decrease Of Particulate Matter Of 2.5 μm Or Less, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (8/8, Goldberg) reports, “Incident asthma is less likely to occur between school age and young adulthood when there is a decrease in ambient particulate matter of 2.5 μm [or] less (PM2.5), according to study findings.” Researchers came to this conclusion after undertaking “a population-based prospective study of the BAMSE cohort, which included newborns born between 1994 and 1996 from the Stockholm area who were followed-up via questionnaires and clinical examinations at the ages of 8, 16, and 24 years.” The findings were published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Login Read the whole storyConcussions In Children Most Frequently Related To Recreational Play Rather Than Sports, Study Finds
Neurology Advisor (8/8, Patel) reports, “Concussions in children, particularly those aged 5 to 12, most frequently are related to recreational play vs sports, according to study findings.” Investigators also observed that “among recreationally related injuries, the most common external causes were fall (46.6%), strike by object (35.3%), and strike by person (14.1%).” The findings were published in the Journal of Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyExperts Say Federal Regulations Fall Short In Preventing Lead-Contaminated Water In Schools
The Washington Post (8/8, Foster-Frau) reports that “despite an increased awareness of the danger posed by lead in water, there is no national mandate that requires testing drinking water in schools and child-care facilities.” Water tests in schools often reveal the presence of lead, leading to “blowback from the parents and community” that disincentivizes further action. As children “are the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead poisoning,” experts and advocates alike say the government is failing at a core responsibility by not solving the issue. An expected new rule from the Environmental Protection Agency in October would require “utilities to test at all the elementary and child-care facilities they serve” and offer “to test at middle and high schools within the first five years,” though the schools would not be required “to fix the water if the testing reveals elevated lead levels in it.”
Login Read the whole storyThirty-Year Program Mobilizing Families To Routinely Vaccinate Children Has Saved Millions Of Lives, Trillions Of Dollars, CDC Data Show
USA Today (8/8, Cuevas) reports, “A 30-year-old effort that mobilized families to get routine vaccines for children has saved a million lives and trillions of dollars, a new analysis found.” Looking at “money saved by averting deaths and medical bills from preventable but debilitating illnesses,” researchers found that Vaccines for Children, “established in 1994 following a deadly measles outbreak,” led to the prevention of “1.13 million deaths, 32 million hospitalizations and 508 million illnesses, according to a study the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Thursday.” CNN (8/8, Howard) reports the “cumulative number of illnesses prevented in the study ranged from about 5,000 cases for tetanus to around 100 million for measles and varicella.” Researchers “also found that routine childhood vaccinations among children born between 1994 and 2023 yielded a net savings of $540 billion in direct costs, such as the medical care costs of treating an infection, and $2.7 trillion in societal costs, such as parents missing work to care for a sick child.”
Login Read the whole storyWHO To Convene Expert Meeting To Decide If Mpox Outbreak In Africa Is A Global Emergency
The AP (8/7) reports World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus “said Wednesday he will convene an expert group to determine if the increasing spread of the mpox virus in Africa warrants being declared a global emergency.” Citing the increasing prevalence of mpox cases outside of Congo, Tedros said he has decided to request that independent experts advise WHO “as soon as possible.” Reuters (8/7, Satija, L) reports, “The WHO said that 50 more mpox cases had been confirmed and more were suspected in four countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda – where cases have previously not been reported.” Due to this development, the organization has “released $1 million from the WHO contingency fund for emergencies to support scale up of the response,” Tedros said on a call with journalists, with plans to release more funds in the coming days. Bloomberg (8/7, Oladele, Subscription Publication) reports the mutated strain of mpox has most affected “children and adolescents,” causing “almost 500 deaths related to the infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo alone, where the variant was first reported less than a year ago.”
Login Read the whole storyPoll Shows Decline In US Adults Who Say It’s Important To Get Children Vaccinated
The Hill (8/7, Fortinsky) reports a Gallup poll published Wednesday shows “only 40 percent of U.S. adults said it is ‘extremely important’ for parents to vaccinate their children, a marked decline from the 58 percent who said the same in 2019 and the 64 percent who said the same in 2001.” This decline “is similarly stark when tracking the combined percentage who said vaccinating children is either ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important,” with 69% of US adults holding this view compared to 84% in 2019 and 94% in 2001. The results “come as experts warn of the dangers of rising vaccine skepticism.”
Login Read the whole storyMistakes In Immune System Can Cause Multi-Inflammatory Syndrome In Children, Study Shows
The New York Times (8/7, Mandavilli) reports mistakes in the immune system, resulting in attacks against the body rather than a virus, drive “multi-inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, a mysterious condition that in rare cases strikes children who have had a severe bout of Covid-19, according to a new study.” Based on an analysis of “a subset of children with the syndrome,” researchers observed “immune cells become confused by the similarity between a protein carried by the coronavirus and one found throughout the human body,” which can affect “the heart, the brain, the kidneys and the lungs.” The findings were published in Nature.
Login Read the whole storyTreatment With Nipocalimab Improved Live Birth Outcomes, Delayed Or Prevented Fetal Anemia Or Intrauterine Transfusions In Pregnancies At High Risk For Early-Onset Severe HDFN, Study Shows
MedPage Today (8/7, Henderson) reports, “Treatment with the monoclonal antibody nipocalimab improved live birth outcomes and delayed or prevented fetal anemia or intrauterine transfusions in pregnancies at high risk for early-onset severe hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN), an open-label phase II study showed.” Specifically, investigators observed that “among 13 pregnancies – during which all mothers received intravenous nipocalimab – live birth at 32 weeks’ gestation or later without an intrauterine transfusion occurred in seven of them.” The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyUninsured Rate Rises To 8.2% As States Resume Medicaid Eligibility Checks, CDC Finds
Healthcare Dive (8/7, Pifer) reports, “The percentage of Americans without health insurance grew to 8.2% in the first quarter of this year as states culling their Medicaid rolls reversed a once-record low uninsurance rate, according to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.” Specifically, “an additional 1.6 million people lost coverage from January through March, bringing total Americans without insurance to 27.1 million, the CDC said.” Many Americans who are losing coverage “have turned to the Affordable Care Act exchanges for insurance, causing enrollment in the plans to swell to historic highs this year.” The rate of uninsured Americans “could hit 8.9% over the next decade because of Medicaid unwinding and the loss of the subsidies, according to recent projections from the Congressional Budget Office.”
Login Read the whole storyAdolescents With History Of Vaping Were 35% More Likely To Report Quitting After Seven Months Of Text Message Program, Study Finds
CNN (8/7, Howard) reports, “Among adolescents with a history of vaping, those who participated in a first-of-its-kind text message program called This is Quitting were 35% more likely to report that they had quit vaping after seven months compared with adolescents who did not participate in the program, according to a study.” Examining “more than 1,500 adolescents in the United States, ages 13 to 17, who reported vaping in the previous 30 days,” 94% of whom “reported feeling somewhat or very addicted to vaping,” researchers discovered that after seven months, “about 38% of participants in the This is Quitting program reported not vaping in the previous 30 days, compared with 28% in the assessment-only group.” The findings were published in JAMA.
Login Read the whole storyAmerican Red Cross Facing Emergency Blood Shortage Worsened By Extreme Temperatures
NBC News (8/6, Chow) reports, “The American Red Cross is facing an emergency blood shortage after the national supply fell by more than 25% since July 1.” The American Red Cross “said Monday that extreme temperatures and oppressive heat waves impacted almost 100 blood drives last month, in almost every state where the Red Cross collects blood.” Blood donations usually “slow down during the summer because of travel and other seasonal activities, but the Red Cross said extreme heat exacerbated the challenge, contributing to a shortfall of more than 19,000 blood donations in July.”
Login Read the whole storyEPA Takes Emergency Action To Stop Use Of Pesticide Associated With Serious Health Risks For Fetuses
The Washington Post (8/6, Joselow, Ajasa) reports that “for the first time in 40 years, the Environmental Protection Agency has taken emergency action to stop the use of a pesticide linked to serious health risks for” fetuses. The agency’s “emergency order applies to dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, also known as DCPA, a weedkiller used on crops.” When pregnant people “are exposed to the pesticide, their babies can experience changes to fetal thyroid hormone levels, which are linked to low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ and impaired motor skills later in life.” The emergency order “temporarily suspends all registrations of the pesticide under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.” The EPA “plans to permanently suspend these registrations within the next 90 days.” USA Today (8/6, Rodriguez) reports, “The emergency action comes after the pesticide’s sole manufacturer, AMVAC Chemical Corporation, failed to provide sufficient data on DCPA and its health risks.”
Login Read the whole storyThyroid Autoimmunity Develops As Early As 10 Months Of Age Among Children With Increased Genetic Risk For Type 1 Diabetes, Study Finds
Endocrinology Advisor (8/6, Kuhns) reports, “Thyroid autoimmunity develops as early as 10 months of age among children with increased genetic risk for type 1 diabetes, especially girls and those with a family history of autoimmune thyroid disease, according to study results.” The researchers said the “investigation revealed that thyroid autoimmunity may be triggered in younger children than has hitherto been recognized and that double positivity at seroconversion showed the highest risk for progression to clinical thyroid disease, within an HLA-selected population.” The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Login Read the whole storyCDC Survey Shows Small Signs Of Improvement In US Teenagers’ Mental Health
The AP (8/6, Johnson) reports, “There are small signs of improvement in the mental health of U.S. teenagers, a government survey released Tuesday said, but the share of students – particularly girls – feeling sad and hopeless remained high.” From 2021 to 2023, the percentage “of high school students who reported feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness declined from 42% to 40%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report” (PDF). Among girls, the CDC found “the percentage reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness fell from 57% to 53%.” The New York Times (8/6, Ghorayshi) reports the survey found “just 28 percent of teenage boys felt persistent sadness, about the same as in 2021.” Meanwhile, “suicide risk among girls stayed roughly the same as the last survey.” However, “Black students, who reported troubling increases in suicide attempts in 2021, reported significantly fewer attempts in 2023.” ABC News (8/6, Kekatos) reports the survey found “youth who identify as LGBTQ+ reported higher rates of poor mental health and experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors than their cisgender and heterosexual peers.” Last year, “more than three in five LGBTQ+…high school students said they experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and more than half reported having poor mental health, according to” the findings. Also reporting is CNN (8/6, Goodman).
Login Read the whole storyCDC, WHO Weigh Stronger Mpox Warnings Following Spread Of New Strain
NBC News (8/5, Edwards) reports the CDC “is poised to warn doctors in the United States about” potential mpox cases as a deadlier form of the virus “has spread beyond the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.” The agency has said it will release updated information in the coming days, while the World Health Organization is also “examining whether the latest outbreak should be declared a global public health emergency.” Though previous mpox outbreaks “mainly affected men who have sex with men,” the current strain, named clade 1b, “is worrisome because of its virulence.” Almost “4% of clade 1b mpox cases are deadly, compared to less than 1% of the 2022 subtype, called clade 2b,” with children accounting “for 62% of mpox deaths in Congo, according to the WHO.”
Login Read the whole storyHealthcare-Associated Violence In Pediatrics Often Goes Unreported, Mostly Involves People Other Than The Patient, Studies Show
Healio (8/5, Weldon) reports, “Health care-associated violence in pediatrics often goes unreported and mostly involves people other than the patient, according to findings from two studies.” In the first study, researchers identified “31 episodes of health care-associated violence” at a community hospital “from July to December 2022” and saw that “73% of the incidents went unreported.” In the second study, researchers examined 1,727 violent events, discovering that 64.2% of them were “perpetrated by people other than patients.” Both studies were published in Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyMinor Sues Meta Over Addictive, Harmful Instagram Features
The Washington Post (8/5, Nix) reports, “A minor from New York on Monday filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status against Meta, alleging that the social media giant sought to keep teens hooked on Instagram while knowingly exposing them to harmful content.” Filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit “argues that Meta implemented features its leaders knew would make Instagram addicting for teens, such as displaying counts of how many ‘likes’ posts receive, even as internal evidence grew that the service could harm their mental health.” The plaintiff “is seeking $5 billion in damages, to be shared among eligible Instagram users if the suit is certified as a class action.” The filing “adds to a growing swarm of suits against the company from state attorneys general and school districts aiming to tie America’s teen mental health crisis to social media.”
Login Read the whole storyUS Heart Transplant List For Children Is Not Accurately Ranking Sickest Patients Highest, Study Indicates
HealthDay (8/5, Thompson) reports, “The U.S. heart transplant list for children isn’t accurately ranking the sickest kids highest, making it more likely they may die while waiting for a donor heart, a new study claims.” Investigators found that “some very sick children were categorized as category 2, the lowest of the three categories of urgency on the list, while others who were not as sick had a 1A ‘most urgent’ status.” Thus, “a less sick child was sometimes offered a donor heart that might have gone to a child nearer death, results showed.” The findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Login Read the whole storyChildhood Exposure To NO2, PM10 May Be Linked to Bronchitic Symptoms In Adulthood, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (8/5, Goldberg) reports, “Childhood exposure to residential air pollution – specifically, to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter less than 10 µm (PM10) – may be associated with bronchitic symptoms in adulthood, according to study findings.” After analyzing 1,308 participants, investigators found that “childhood NO2 and PM10 exposure were positively associated with increased odds of adult bronchitic symptoms,” which “were not explained by pollutant effects on childhood respiratory health.” The findings were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyHealthcare Adds 55K Jobs In July
Medical Economics (8/2, Payerchin) reported, “Health care added 55,000 jobs in July as the national unemployment rate crept up to 4.3%, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. Department of Labor.” Leading the sector, “home health care services added 21,600 jobs, while hospitals hired 19,500 workers.” Meanwhile, “nursing and residential care facilities grew by 9,200 workers” and “outpatient care centers added 2,500 workers.” The BLS figures also show that “offices of physicians, medical and diagnostic laboratories, offices of other health practitioners and other ambulatory health care services all grew by less than 1,000 workers,” while “offices of dentists dipped by 100 jobs.”
Login Read the whole storyResearch Shows Time Outside Leads To Improved Health, Mood, Socialization In Children
The Washington Post (8/4, Friedlander Serrano) reports that while “the average American today spends nearly 90 percent of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency,” research shows “children benefit greatly from time spent in nature,” which can lead to better cognition, “mood, self-esteem and social skills,” as well as stronger physical health and reduced anxiety. Numerous studies also support “the mental health benefits of children being in nature,” including a 2022 review that found “engaging in nature can improve kids’ working memory and attention.”
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 Variant KP.3.1.1 Becomes Dominant Strain In US
USA Today (8/2, Forbes) reported, “The KP.3.1.1 COVID-19 variant is the dominant strain of the virus, the latest projections from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.” The agency’s Nowcast data tracker “projects the KP.3.1.1 variant accounting for 27.8% of positive infections, followed by KP.3 at 20.1% in the two-week stretch starting July 21 and ending Aug. 3.” While the agency “has not said if KP.3 or KP.3.1.1 have their own specific symptoms,” a CDC spokesperson “previously explained that the symptoms associated with KP.3 are similar to those from JN.1.”
Login Read the whole storySchools Incorporate Mindfulness Practices To Improve Students’ Mental Health
The AP (8/4, Johnson) reports, “Schools across the U.S. have been introducing yoga, meditation and mindfulness exercises to help students manage stress and emotions” following 2023 recommendations from the CDC. Research shows that “school-based mindfulness programs can help” students struggling with isolation, “especially in low-income communities where students face high levels of stress or trauma.” Programs like Inner Explore, which is “used at Atlanta Public Schools and over 100 other districts across the country,” guide “students and teachers through five-to-10-minute sessions of breathing, meditating and reflecting several times a day.” Teachers and administrators “say they have noticed a difference in their students since” incorporating the practices, which have helped children build confidence and learn emotional regulation.
Login Read the whole storyMpox Cases Increase By 160% In Africa
The AP (8/1, Koena, Cheng) says, “The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released Wednesday that mpox…has now been detected in 10 African countries this year including Congo, which has more than 96% of all cases and deaths.” Officials “said mpox cases have spiked by 160% so far this year” and “nearly 70% of cases in Congo are in children younger than 15, who also accounted for 85% of deaths.” While previous mpox outbreaks resulted in lesions “on the chest, hands and feet, the new form of mpox causes milder symptoms and lesions mostly on the genitals, making it harder to spot.”
Login Read the whole storyRate Of Contraception Use Lower Among Female Adolescents In EDs Compared To General Adolescent Population, Study Shows
Endocrinology Advisor (8/1, Nye) reports, “The rate of contraception use is lower among female adolescents in emergency departments (EDs) than the general adolescent population, according to results of a study.” Based on “a cross-sectional study” of “female adolescents and adults (n=1063) aged 15 to 21 years who were sexually active and presented at 6 pediatric tertiary EDs between 2021 and 2022,” investigators discovered “28.9% reported no contraceptive use in their most recent sexual encounter.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyFathers Carry Nearly Twice As Much Risk Of Passing Type 1 Diabetes To Children Than Mothers With The Disease, Data Show
HCP Live (8/1, Campbell) reports, “Fathers carry nearly double the risk of passing type 1 diabetes down to their children than mothers with the disease, according to a new analysis.” The data, derived “from more than 11,000 people with type 1 diabetes, indicates people with type 1 diabetes were 1.8 times more likely to have a father with type 1 diabetes as they were to have a mother with the autoimmune condition.” The findings were presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Aims To Better Characterize Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
MedPage Today (8/1, Putka) reports, “Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) – along with the related pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) – may be a controversial diagnosis, but a new study attempts to better characterize it.” Researchers “evaluated 193 patients with PANS who were treated at their clinic from September 2012 to December 2021,” finding “that 54% had nonspecific markers of autoimmunity, while just 12% had markers of immune dysregulation or inflammation.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyResearchers Argue Current Federal Authority Allows CMS, HHS To Regulate AI Safety In Hospitals
Fierce Healthcare (7/31, Beavins) reports researchers Lee A. Fleisher and Nicoleta Economou-Zavlanos “contend in a recent JAMA Health Forum viewpoint article that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should use the existing mandates in the Medicare and Medicaid Conditions of Participation (CoPs) to oversee AI safety in hospitals.” Though “Congress and federal agencies are currently in talks about regulating the use of AI in healthcare,” the researchers “argue that CoPs already allow CMS to regulate AI at the bedside,” particularly in the case of “hospitals’ patient safety practices.” The researchers “contend that adverse safety outcomes and benign errors should be reported to the hospital and to the manufacturer or developer of the model,” emphasizing that the “industry, and likely the federal government, need to think about the mechanism to report safety incidents to if not the FDA.”
Login Read the whole storyFDA Grants Rare Pediatric Drug Designation To VCN-01 For The Treatment Of Patients With Retinoblastoma
OncLive (7/31, Seymour) reports, “The FDA has granted rare pediatric drug designation to VCN-01 for the treatment of patients with retinoblastoma, following its prior receipt of orphan drug designation from the regulatory agency in February 2022.” According to OncLive, “VCN-01 is a systemic, selective, stroma-degrading oncolytic adenovirus designed to replicate within primary tumor and metastatic cells and degrade the tumor stroma.”
Login Read the whole storyWheezing At 30 Months Was Less Frequent For Children Born During COVID-19 Lockdown Compared To Those Born Before, Researchers State
Healio (7/31, Hornick) reports, “Wheezing at 30 months was less frequent in children born during vs. before the COVID-19 lockdown, according to a research letter.” After observing “2,192 children born between February and April 2020 to see how wheezing rates and respiratory medication use differ from 3,889 children born between February and April in 2016 and 2017,” researchers discovered “a significantly greater proportion of children born in 2016 and 2017 vs. 2020 had a minimum of one wheezing episode at 30 months (15% vs. 9.4%).” The letter was published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyNew Program Offers Babies With Peanut Allergies Potentially Life-Changing Treatment At Hospitals Across Australia
CNN (7/31, Kolirin) reports, “Babies who have a peanut allergy are now being offered potentially life-changing treatment at hospitals across Australia in a world-first program aimed at building tolerance to them.” CNN adds, “The ADAPT OIT Program is open to infants under 12 months who have been diagnosed with a peanut allergy and who are under an allergy specialist at one of the ten pediatric hospitals across five states which are participating.” This “is the first time that a nationwide peanut oral immunotherapy program is being introduced into mainstream care anywhere in the world, according to the partnership between Australia’s National Allergy Centre of Excellence…and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.”
Login Read the whole storyHHS Announces More Than $68 Million In Ryan White HIV/AIDS Funding For Women And Children With HIV
The Managed Healthcare Executive (7/31, Lutton) reports that HHS has “announced…through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) more than $68 million in Ryan White HIV/AIDS funding to provide care for women and children with HIV.” The “funding will also advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which aims to call attention to the important of reducing HIV infections in the United States 90% by 2030.”
Login Read the whole storyTaxes On Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Are Associated With Lower BMI In Children, Study Finds
TCTMD (7/31, Maxwell) reports, “Children who live in cities with excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages tend to have lower body mass index (BMI) than those who live in cities that do not have such taxes, according to new data from California.” Investigators “found significant drops in the rates of overweight or obesity across all age groups among more than 44,000 children residing in one of four California cities with these taxes compared with demographically matched control cities.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyCombining Telehealth, Home Spirometry With Some Physical Visits To Assess Lung Function Proves As Effective As In-Person Visits Only In Managing CF In Children, Study Shows
Cystic Fibrosis News Today (7/30, Inacio) says, “Combining telehealth with home spirometry to assess lung function, along with some in-person visits to the doctor’s office, was as effective as in-person visits only to manage cystic fibrosis (CF) in children, a Swedish study reported.” Researchers came to this conclusion after following “a group of 59 children with CF (median age 12) from all CF centers in Sweden from May 2020 to December 2021,” during which period “patients replaced at least two in-person visits with telehealth visits.” The findings were published in Pediatric Pulmonology.
Login Read the whole storyPresence Of Thyroid Autoantibodies May Be Detected As Early As Age 10 Months In Children, Study Shows
Healio (7/30, Monostra) reports, “The presence of thyroid autoantibodies may be detected as early as age 10 months for children, and those positive for both thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin autoantibodies have a higher risk for thyroid disease, according to study data.” Investigators “collected data from children with a high genetic risk for type 1 diabetes enrolled in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study,” with participants attending “clinic visits” and having “serum samples collected every 3 months from birth to age 4 years, and then every 6 months from age 4 to 15 years.” The findings were published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Login Read the whole storySenate Passes Legislation To Protect Children Online
The Washington Post (7/30, Lima) reports, “The Senate overwhelmingly passed a pair of bills to expand online privacy and safety protections for children on Tuesday,” marking “a major win for parent and youth activists who have clamored for action against tech companies they say are endangering the well-being of kids.” These “bills – the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, referred to as COPPA 2.0 – represent the most significant restrictions on tech platforms to clear a chamber of Congress in decades.” The New York Times (7/30, Miller) reports the new legislation “would create a ‘duty of care’ for social networking platforms that mandates they protect minors against mental health disorders and from abuse, sexual exploitation and other harms,” opening the door for these companies to potentially “be held liable for failing to filter out content or limit features that could lead to those adverse impacts.” A second measure in the package “would strengthen privacy protections for anyone under 17 and ban targeted advertising to children and teens,” creating “an ‘eraser button’ for parents and children” that would require “companies to permit users to delete personal information.” Also reporting are the AP (7/30, Jalonick, Ortutay) and CNN (7/30, Shelton).
Login Read the whole storyPrevalence Of Suicide Among Preteens Aged Eight To 12 Years In The US Rose From 2008 To 2022, With A Disproportionate Increase Among Girls, Study Finds
The Washington Post (7/30, Malhi) reports, “The suicide rate for U.S. children 8 to 12 years old has steadily climbed in the past decade and a half, with a disproportionate rise among girls, data released Tuesday…shows.” The Post adds, “Between 2001 and 2022, 2,241 children ages 8 to 12 – known as preteens – died by suicide,” and “while suicide rates were decreasing until 2007, they increased by about 8 percent each year from 2008 to 2022.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open. Reuters (7/30, Sunny) reports researchers “examined U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) records on preteen suicide from 2001 to 2022” and discovered that “suicide was the 5th leading cause of death in girls between 2008 and 2022, moving up from being the 11th leading cause between 2001 and 2007.”
Login Read the whole storyNearly One In Three US Adolescents Received Mental Health Treatment In 2023, Federal Survey Finds
CBS News (7/30, Tin) says, “Close to 1 in 3 adolescents in the U.S. received mental health treatment in 2023, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported Tuesday, which works out to around 8.3 million young people between the ages of 12 and 17 getting counseling, medication or another treatment.” For adolescents, “the biggest increase from 2022 was in the number getting medication for mental health treatment,” with SAMHSA estimating “that 13.9% of those age 12 to 17 received such a prescription in 2023,” up from “12.8% the year before.” The findings were included in SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2023. The Hill (7/30, Nazzaro) also reports.
Login Read the whole storyLosing A Loved One Early In Life Could Make A Person Age Faster, Study Finds
The Hill (7/29, Nazzaro) reports, “The experience of losing a loved one early in life could make a person age faster, according to a new study.” Investigators “found those who lose a parent, partner, sibling or child showed signs of older biological age when compared to those who had not yet experienced such losses.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyGenetic Risk For Dysanapsis Is Linked To Obstructive Lung Function From Early Life Through Adulthood, Research Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (7/29, Stong) reports, “A genetic risk for dysanapsis is associated with obstructive lung function from early life through adulthood, according to study findings.” Investigators came to this conclusion after conducting “a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of computed tomography (CT)-assessed dysanapsis using data from 4 studies.” The research was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyKidney Transplants In School-Aged Children Increased During Summer Break Compared To Non-Summer Break Weeks, Data Show
Healio (7/29, Carter) reports, “Kidney transplants in school-aged children increased during the summer break compared with non-summer break weeks, according to published data.” Researchers examined “data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients to find all U.S. kidney transplant recipients, aged 0 to 65 years, between 2001 and 2022,” with school age being defined as “6 to 17 years” and summer break “as weeks 23 to 32 of the year.” The findings were published in Kidney Medicine.
Login Read the whole storySchool-Based Intervention To Prevent Childhood Obesity Can Potentially Reduce Abdominal Adiposity Measurements, Study Finds
TCTMD (7/29, Maxwell) reports, “A novel, school-based intervention to prevent childhood obesity has the potential to lower abdominal adiposity measurements, with earlier initiation of the program producing more substantial improvements over time, according to a new, randomized study from Spain.” Investigators found that “at 3 years, the” research “showed smaller increases in adiposity, as measured by body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and waist circumference (WC) among the children randomized to schools offering the intervention compared with controls.” These “differences were maintained for WHtR and WC at 6 years, but not for BMI.” The findings were the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Login Read the whole storyBabies Born To Mothers With Obesity Had Higher Risk Of SUID Compared With Those Born To Mothers With Normal BMI, Study Finds
MedPage Today (7/29, Robertson) reports, “Babies born to mothers with obesity had a higher risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) compared with those born to moms with normal body mass index (BMI), according to a nationwide observational study.” Investigators found that “in adjusted analyses, approximately 5.4% of SUID cases were attributable to maternal obesity.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyIncident Cardiovascular, Thromboembolic Events May Be More Closely Linked With Severity Of Kidney Disease Than Glomerular Disease Subtype, Study Shows
Healio (7/26, Carter) reported, “Incident cardiovascular and thromboembolic events may be more closely linked to the severity of kidney disease than with glomerular disease subtype, according to results of a prospective study.” Researchers studied “data from 2,545 patients to describe cardiovascular and thromboembolic outcomes,” with the trial including “children and adults with biopsy-proven minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy, IgA nephropathy or vasculitis.” The findings were published in Kidney Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyWHO Will Send More Than 1M Polio Vaccines To Children In Gaza
Reuters (7/26, Farge) reported, “The World Health Organization is sending more than one million polio vaccines to Gaza to be administered over the coming weeks to prevent children being infected after the virus was detected in sewage samples, its chief said on Friday.” Israel’s military also “said on Sunday it would start offering the polio vaccine to soldiers serving in the Gaza Strip after remnants of the virus were found in test samples in the enclave.”
Login Read the whole storySAMHSA Announces Grant Awards Totaling $45.1 Million
Healthcare Finance News (7/26, Lagasse) reported that HHS, “through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA),” has “announced grant awards totaling $45.1 million, of which $15.3 million will fund services specifically for children and youth.” These “grants will go to organizations combating the nation’s mental health and overdose crises, HHS said.” According to Healthcare Finance News, “The $15.3 million earmarked for children will be used to support their mental health in school settings, serve children and families who have experienced traumatic events and grief, and provide services specific to young people of transitional ages who are at risk for serious mental health conditions, the administration said.”
Login Read the whole storyDaily Fluticasone Furoate/Vilanterol Was Associated With Greater Improvement In Lung Function After 3 Months Than Use Of Fluticasone Furoate Alone Among Pediatric Patients With Uncontrolled Asthma, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (7/26, Goldberg) reported, “Among pediatric patients with uncontrolled asthma, daily use of fluticasone furoate/vilanterol (FF/VI) was associated with greater improvement in lung function after 3 months than use of fluticasone furoate alone.” Investigators came to this conclusion after conducting “a phase 3 multicenter clinical trial…to assess the efficacy and safety of FF/VI vs FF in children and adolescents with asthma uncontrolled by inhaled corticosteroid…monotherapy.” The findings were published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyMeasles Cases In US Triple From Last Year, CDC Data Show
NBC News (7/26, Bendix) said data released Friday by the CDC show 188 cases of measles “have been reported in 26 states and Washington, D.C. No deaths have been reported, but 93 people have been hospitalized – mostly children under 5 years old.” According to NBC News, “the U.S. has seen 13 measles outbreaks this year,” compared to four in 2023. The CDC’s data show that “around 85% of the people who got measles this year were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.” Many of the cases have also “been linked to international travel, meaning the disease was brought into the U.S. by travelers who were infected in other countries.”
Login Read the whole storyFDA Fell Short In Its Risk Management Plans, Supply Recovery When Responding To 2022 Infant Formula Shortage, Report Says
Bloomberg Law (7/25, Phengsitthy, Subscription Publication) reports, “The FDA fell short in its risk management plans and supply recovery when it responded to the 2022 infant formula shortage, according to a new report from national science and medicine advisers.” In the report (PDF), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine “found various weaknesses the Food and Drug Administration faced when it took action on the 2022 infant formula shortage.”
Login Read the whole storyDulaglutide Reduces eGFR, Proteinuria Among Youth With T2D, Study Finds
Endocrinology Advisor (7/25, Kurek) reports, “Dulaglutide decreases estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria among youth with type 2 diabetes, according to the results of a study.” The findings were published in Diabetes Care.
Login Read the whole storyCMS Strengthens Medicaid Enrollment Oversight Following Disorderly Redeterminations Process
Modern Healthcare (7/25, Early, Subscription Publication) reports CMS “has embarked on a new era of Medicaid enrollment oversight after the disorderly redeterminations process highlighted widespread compliance issues at the state level.” Large application backlogs and inappropriate disenrollments “proliferated once states resumed Medicaid eligibility checks 15 months ago after suspending them during the COVID-19 public health emergency.” Since that “process all but concluded this spring, CMS has shown it’s paying closer attention to how states manage renewing enrollees and new applicants.” In doing so, CMS “is taking on systemic deficiencies at state Medicaid bureaucracies that contributed to millions of eligible beneficiaries being kicked off benefits.”
Login Read the whole storyFrequent Use Of Touch-Screen Tablet Games By Toddlers Inhibits Important Interactions With Parents, Research Finds
Healio (7/25, Weldon) reports, “Frequent use of touch-screen tablet games by toddlers may inhibit crucial interactions with their parents, according to preliminary research.” Researchers found “toddlers responded to fewer prompts when they were playing” a “farm-themed game.” Investigators “also reported that the negative impact of the game grew bigger as a child’s age increased.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storySenate Advances Legislation Aimed At Protecting Children, Teens Online
The New York Times (7/25, Miller) reports, “The Senate on Thursday advanced sweeping legislation aimed at protecting children and teens online, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan test vote that put it on track for passage as soon as next week.” However, “the fate of the package remains uncertain in the House, where free speech concerns and a fierce lobbying effort by the technology industry are threatening to complicate its path to enactment.” The “legislation would create a ‘duty of care’ for social networking platforms that mandates they protect minors against mental health disorders and from abuse, sexual exploitation and other harms.” Under the legislation, “companies could be held liable for failing to filter out content or limit features that could lead to those adverse impacts.”
Login Read the whole storyExperts Discuss COVID-19 Testing, Guidelines As Infection Rates Rise Amid New Variants
NBC News (7/24, Edwards, Syal) reports that COVID-19 rates continue to increase across the United States, driven by the highly contagious KP.2, KP.3, and LB.1 variants. As of July 18, the highest infection levels are in Western states, with 21 states experiencing very high levels, according to CDC wastewater data. Experts emphasize the importance of paying attention to symptoms due to reduced testing. The CDC advises that individuals can resume normal activities 24 hours after symptoms improve and fever subsides. Epidemiologist Michael Mina recommends testing on the third day after symptoms begin and advises assuming infectiousness for five days post-positive test.
Login Read the whole storyTeen Births Fell By 69% From 2000 To 2022, CDC Data Show
The Hill (7/24, Weixel) reports, “Teen births declined 69 percent from 2000 to 2022, according to newly released federal data, but racial and ethnic disparities continue to exist.” Births dropped “at similar rates across all races, but Black, Native American and Hispanic teenagers still had higher birth rates in 2022 than white, non-Hispanic teens, according to” CDC data (PDF). The drop “in the number of births was lower for Hispanic teenagers than for other teenagers, but the Hispanic female teen population also increased 79 percent from 2000 to 2022, while other populations decreased.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Suggests Fremanezumab Offers “Significant Efficacy” In Treating Episodic Migraine In Children, Adolescents
Healio (7/24, Bagha) reports Ajovy (fremanezumab) “offers ‘significant efficacy’ compared with placebo to address episodic migraine in children and adolescents, according to topline results from the phase 3 SPACE study.” The clinical trial “met its primary endpoint of ‘superior efficacy’ over a 12-week treatment interval.” Additionally, fremanezumab’s “safety profile was comparable with previous studies in adult volunteers, with no new safety signals observed.” The findings were published in a press release.
Login Read the whole storyAcademics, Government Scientists Working To Find Cure For Progeria With Gene Editing Technique
The New York Times (7/24, Kolata) reports “a small group of academics and government scientists…is working with no expectation of financial gain to halt progeria in its tracks with an innovative gene editing technique.” After over 20 years “of research, the group is approaching manufacturers and planning to seek approval from regulators for a clinical trial on progeria gene editing.” If investigators find “gene editing is effective in slowing or halting progeria, researchers say, the method may also help to treat other rare genetic diseases that have no treatments or cures and, like progeria, have aroused little interest from drug companies.”
Login Read the whole storyAcyclovir Dosing Practices Among Infants With Neonatal HSV Admitted To NICU Commonly Differ From Published Recommendations, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (7/24, Basilio) reports, “Acyclovir dosing practices among infants with neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) commonly [differ] from published recommendations based on population pharmacokinetic analysis, according to study results.” The research found “41% of treatment courses met pharmacokinetic-based recommendations for infants older than 30 weeks (postmenstrual age), and 71% met recommendations for infants aged 30 to fewer than 36 weeks.” The findings were published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
Login Read the whole storyMisuse Of Illicit Prescription Drugs Decreasing Among High School Students In US, Study Suggests
HealthDay (7/24, Thompson) reports, “Misuse of illicit prescription drugs is falling dramatically among U.S. high school students, a new study says.” Researchers found “the percentage of seniors who say they’ve misused prescription drugs in the past year has dropped to 2% in 2022, down from 11% back in 2009.” The findings were published in JAMA.
Login Read the whole storyHealthcare Organizations Have Reported Record Number Of Data Breaches In 2024
Modern Healthcare (7/23, Broderick, Subscription Publication) reports, “Healthcare organizations have reported a record number of data breaches this year – and the full scope of the high-profile ransomware attack on Change Healthcare is still unknown.” Through the end of June, “387 data breaches, affecting more than 45 million people, were reported on” HHS’ Office for Civil Rights breach “portal – the highest number of incidents in the first six months of any year since OCR began publishing cases in 2010.” Roughly “50 million individuals were affected by 357 breaches reported in the first half of 2023.”
Login Read the whole storyMerck’s Antibody-Based RSV Shot Protects Infants In Trial
Reuters (7/23, Sadhamta, Singh) reports, “Merck’s antibody-based shot met the main goal of a mid-to-late stage trial, when tested to protect infants against a disease caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the company said on Tuesday.” The “product, called MK-1654, helped reduce the incidence of lower respiratory infection in infants compared to placebo, and met the safety goals of the study, Merck said.” The company intends “to file the data with global regulators, and would present detailed findings from the study at an upcoming scientific congress.”
Login Read the whole storyAutism Spectrum Disorder Incidence Higher For Children With Prenatal Exposure To Antiseizure Medications, Research Suggests
Healio (7/23, Welsh) says, “Autism spectrum disorder incidence was higher for children with prenatal exposure to antiseizure medications vs. the general population, but some associations weakened after adjusting for treatment indication, researchers reported.” The researchers said, “Overall, results suggest no substantially increased risk of autism spectrum disorder after prenatal exposure to either topiramate or lamotrigine and a dose-dependent increased risk of autism spectrum disorder associated with prenatal valproate exposure.” The findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyLess Than 15% Of Children, Adolescents Undergo Lipid Screening, Research Suggests
HCPlive (7/23, Campbell) reports, “Despite calls to implement universal screenings, new research indicates less than 15% of children and adolescents undergo lipid screening.” Researchers suggest the analysis’ “results demonstrate an area for intervention to better improve long-term cardiovascular risk at a population level.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storySMA Birth Prevalence In US Is Lower Than Historic Global SMA Birth Prevalence, Study Finds
Rare Disease Advisor (7/23, Ozkaya) reports that approximately “1 in 14,694 newborns in the US have spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a new study.” This estimate “is lower than the historic global SMA birth prevalence which was estimated at 1 in 10,000.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyWomen With Primary Hyperparathyroidism Have Similar Pregnancy Rates, Maternal Outcomes And Neonatal Outcomes As Those Without Primary Hyperparathyroidism, Study Finds
Healio (7/22, Monostra) reports, “Women with primary hyperparathyroidism have similar pregnancy rates, maternal outcomes and neonatal outcomes as those without primary hyperparathyroidism, according to study data.” The research found “a lower proportion of women with primary hyperparathyroidism gave birth through vaginal delivery than controls…and median blood loss was lower among the primary hypoparathyroidism group than the control group.” The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Login Read the whole storyPregnant People Who Use Cannabis Before Or During Early Pregnancy Face Increased Risk Of Maternal Complications, Study Indicates
CNN (7/22, LaMotte) reports a new study found that pregnant people who use “cannabis before or during early pregnancy” face “an increased risk of serious, potentially life-threatening maternal complications such as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, which are both disorders of high blood pressure.” The research found “pregnant individuals who used versus did not use cannabis during early pregnancy had a 17% greater risk of gestational hypertension (and) an 8% greater risk of preeclampsia.” The findings were published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyMaternal Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy Linked To Increased Risk For Strabismus In Offspring At Age 3 Years, Research Finds
Healio (7/22, Schaffer) says, “Maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy [HDP] are associated with increased risk for overall and type-specific strabismus, including exophoria and intermittent exotropia, in offspring at age 3 years, researchers reported.” The study found “risk for all strabismus was high for offspring born to mothers with an HDP with poorly controlled blood pressure…compared with unexposed offspring.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyTwo Non-Invasive Tests More Sensitive To Early Lung Disease In Children With CF Than Standard Lung Function Tests, Study Finds
Cystic Fibrosis News Today (7/22, Bryson) reports, “Two non-invasive tests – MRI scans and the lung clearance index (LCI) – were more sensitive to early lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) than standard lung function tests, a study from Switzerland reports.” The research found “pulmonary exacerbations in infants” are “associated with later LCI worsening, while hospitalizations” were “associated with higher MRI morphology scores and ventilation defects later on.” The findings were published in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis.
Login Read the whole storyWhite House’s Task Force On Kids Online Health And Safety Releases Report About Strategies To Keep Children Safe Online
CNN (7/22, Howard) says the White House’s Task Force on Kids Online Health and Safety released a report on Monday about strategies parents should use to keep children safe online. Among the strategies that the report suggests are building “a family media plan to set expectations,” maintaining “open conversations with” children “about their social media use,” choosing “content that’s developmentally appropriate for” the child, setting “good examples,” and balancing “time with and without devices by creating ‘screen-free’ times.” Additionally, the task force “announced plans to launch new webpages online with resources, including age-based handouts for parents that pediatricians can distribute at well-check visits.”
Login Read the whole storyOverground Robot-Assisted Gait Training Improves Gross Motor Function In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Trial Shows
MedPage Today (7/22, Henderson) reports, “Among 6- to 15-year-olds with cerebral palsy, gait training with a wearable, untethered exoskeleton robot improved gross motor function, a randomized clinical trial showed.” Researchers found “six weeks of overground robot-assisted gait training significantly improved Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM)-88 scores by a mean of 2.64…points more on the 100-point scale than with standard physical therapy.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyGlobal Tech Outage Halts Operations, Medical Treatments Across US
The AP (7/19, Bellisle, Shastri) reported on “the many operations and medical treatments halted across the country because of a global technology outage” on Friday. The major outage disrupted medical centers “around the world.” According to the AP, “the American Hospital Association said the impact varied widely: Some hospitals were not affected while others had to delay, divert or cancel care.” STAT (7/19, Palmer, Trang, Ross, Subscription Publication) reported similarly that “a widespread outage to Microsoft systems took down computers in health systems around the globe, leading many to cancel non-urgent medical appointments and surgeries as they encouraged patients to make plans for disrupted travel and delays in care.” The problem “appears to have stemmed from a software update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which disabled computers running Microsoft Windows.”
Login Read the whole storyKids Online Safety Act Gathers Bipartisan Support
The AP (7/21, Ortutay) reports “a bill aiming to protect kids from the harms of social media, gaming sites and other online platforms appears to have enough bipartisan support to pass, though whether it actually will remains uncertain.” Still, supporters of the Kids Online Safety Act “hope it will come to a vote later this month.” Proponents of the legislation “say the bill is a necessary first step in regulating tech companies and requiring them to protect children from dangerous online content and take responsibility for the harm their platforms can cause.” However, opponents fear the bill “would violate the First Amendment and harm vulnerable kids who wouldn’t be able to access information on LGBTQ issues or reproductive rights.”
Login Read the whole storyGun Laws Can Prevent Firearm Suicides Among Children, Teens, Research Suggests
USA Today (7/20, Chernikoff) reported new research “found that some gun laws can prevent firearm suicides among children and teens.” The study found “states with safe storage laws and mandatory waiting periods had lower rates of suicide deaths among children 18 and younger.” Those “same laws did not decrease the risk of kids being murdered by a firearm, the research found.” The findings were published in the Journal of Surgical Research.
Login Read the whole storyTeens Less Than Half As Likely As Parents To Say They Always Receive Emotional, Social Support They Need, Report Says
The Washington Post (7/20, Blakemore) said, “Adolescents and teens are less than half as likely as their parents to say they always receive the emotional and social support they need, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report [PDF] suggests, with less than 30 percent of young people in a survey reporting that they always have such support.” When teenagers “were asked how often they get the social and emotional support they need, 27.5 percent said ‘always,’ 31 percent said ‘usually,’ 12.5 percent said ‘rarely’ and 7.4 percent said ‘never.’” Meanwhile, “76.9 percent of parents said their teenage children always have the support they need.”
Login Read the whole storySummer COVID-19 Wave Spreads Across US As Biden Tests Positive For Virus
The Washington Post (7/18, A1, Nirappil, Ortega, Vozzella) reports “a summer covid wave has washed over most of the United States, bringing yet another round of gatherings turned into superspreaders.” COVID-19 “activity in wastewater reached levels considered ‘high’ or ‘very high’ in 26 states, according to the most recent data reported by the” CDC. Some other metrics “suggest the virus is rising, including the prevalence of covid diagnoses in emergency rooms and the rate of tests processed at labs coming back positive, but not to the degree of the winter surge.” Meanwhile, President “Biden has entered isolation in his Rehoboth Beach home in Delaware after testing positive with mild symptoms Wednesday, the most high-profile example of the virus’s reach.”
Login Read the whole storyOvertreating Acute Conjunctivitis With Topical Antibiotics May Contribute To Antibiotic Resistance With No Improvement In Outcomes In Children, Adolescents, Research Suggests
Healio (7/18, Young) reports, “Overtreating acute conjunctivitis with topical antibiotics may contribute to antibiotic resistance with no improvement in outcomes, according to a research letter.” In 69% of ambulatory care “encounters, topical antibiotics were dispensed within 1 day.” But, “topical antibiotics were less likely to be dispensed after visits to eye clinics (34%), in children aged 6 to 11 years (66%) and in children with viral conjunctivitis (28%).” The findings were published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Login Read the whole storyHumor May Be Important Skill In Parenting, Research Suggests
CNN (7/18, Holcombe) reports humor “may be an important skill in parenting, according to new research.” In a study, “researchers surveyed about 300 people about their experiences being raised with or without humor and their views on their childhood.” Researchers found “people who were raised by adults who used humor were found to have a better view of their parents or caregivers, more likely to say they have a good relationship with them, more likely to say they did a good job, and reply that they would use the same parenting techniques.” The findings were published in PLOS One.
Login Read the whole storyYoung Children Who Experience More Infections Face Increased Asthma Risk Later In Childhood, Study Suggests
Healio (7/18, Gawel) reports, “Young children who experience more infections such as colds and pneumonia face greater risk for developing asthma later in childhood, according to a study.” Researchers found “children who had more than 16 infection episodes before age 3 years, which was above the median, had a 4.02 times greater risk for developing asthma between ages 3 and 10 years.” The findings were published in the Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
Login Read the whole storyAdults Who Moved Frequently In Childhood Have Greater Depression Risk, Research Suggests
The New York Times (7/17, Barry) reports “researchers who conducted a large study of adults in Denmark” found that “adults who moved frequently in childhood have significantly more risk of suffering from depression than their counterparts who stayed put in a community.” The research found “adults who moved more than once between the ages of 10 and 15…were 61 percent more likely to suffer from depression in adulthood compared with counterparts who had not moved, even after controlling for a range of other individual-level factors.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Login Read the whole storyOnce-Weekly Prophylaxis With Efanesoctocog Alfa Led To High Sustained Factor VIII Activity, Was Effective In Preventing Bleeding Among Children With Severe Hemophilia A, Study Shows
MedPage Today (7/17, Bassett) reports, “Once-weekly prophylaxis with efanesoctocog alfa (Altuviiio) led to high sustained factor VIII activity and was effective in preventing bleeding among children with severe hemophilia A, the phase III XTEND-Kids study showed.” Investigators found that “no factor VIII inhibitors (neutralizing antibodies against factor VIII) developed among the 74 included children, who were all boys under 12, during the course of the study.” The data indicated that “among the 73 patients treated according to the protocol, treatment with the factor VIII replacement therapy resulted in a median annualized bleeding rate of 0.00…and a model-based mean annualized bleeding rate of 0.61.” The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyCongressional Democrats Urge HHS To Prioritize ACA Access For DACA Recipients
Fierce Healthcare (7/17, Tong) reports “a large coalition of congressional Democrats want” HHS “to further prioritize Affordable Care Act access for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.” In a letter addressed “to the agency, 88 lawmakers pushed the department to invest more in outreach and enrollment assistance to DACAs before open enrollment in November.” About “100,000 uninsured DACA recipients will be eligible for health insurance through the individual marketplace, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced in May.”
Login Read the whole storyGirls, Patients Younger Than 1 Year More Likely To Experience Delayed Antibiotic Delivery Among Pediatric Patients Hospitalized With Sepsis, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (7/17, Kuhns) reports, “Among pediatric patients hospitalized with sepsis, girls and those younger than 1 year are more likely to experience delayed antibiotic delivery, according to study results.” The researchers also “noted significantly higher mortality rates in patients with vs without documented delayed administration” (12.2% vs 3.5%). The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Login Read the whole storyPersistent Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia Associated With Specific Risk Factors Among Children, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (7/17, McSwiggin) reports, “Among children, persistent Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is associated with specific risk factors, including shorter time to culture positivity and osteoarticular site of infection, as well as increased duration of fever, peak temperature, and hospital length of stay, according to study results.” The study “identified a time to culture positivity of 16.35 hours or fewer as a moderate predictor of persistent S aureus bacteremia, with sensitivity and specificity values of 0.7083 and 0.7778, respectively.” The findings were published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
Login Read the whole storyNational Suicide Hotline Has Fielded Over 10M Contacts Over Past Two Years, Federal Officials Say
The New York Times (7/16, Weiland) reports, “More than 10 million calls, texts and chat messages have been answered by counselors working for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s three-digit hotline in the two years since it debuted, federal officials said on Tuesday.” Almost “two million of the 10 million interactions were text messages, while 1.2 million were calls answered by the Veterans Crisis Line, an option that allows service members and veterans to press 1 on a phone’s dial pad to reach help.” So far, “the Biden administration has funneled almost $1.5 billion into 988, federal officials said on Tuesday, and more than $200 million in grants will be given to states in the 2024 fiscal year to support the work.”
Login Read the whole storyFetal Growth Rate Linked To Overweight Risk For Children Of Women With Gestational Diabetes, Study Suggests
Healio (7/16, Monostra) reports, “Fetal growth rate is higher for women with gestational diabetes in the third trimester, and that accelerated growth rate may contribute to an increased likelihood for overweight among children, according to study data from Denmark.” The researchers found that “in secondary analysis adjusting for smoking, parity, age and fetal growth rate, children of mothers with diet-treated gestational diabetes were more likely to have overweight than children of mothers with normal glucose tolerance.” The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Login Read the whole storySpirometry Findings And Patterns Differ Following Use Of Race-Neutral Vs. -Specific Lung Function Equations In Children, Research Finds
Healio (7/16, Hornick) reports research found that “following use of race-neutral vs. -specific lung function equations, spirometry findings and patterns differed, especially among Black children/adolescents.” The study found “Black children/adolescents with asthma had the largest proportion of pattern changes after use of race-neutral vs. race-specific equations (22.1%), followed by individuals of other races (10.2%) and white individuals (7.3%).” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 Vaccination May Grant Protection Against Symptomatic Asthma In Children, Study Suggests
Healio (7/16, Langowska) reports, “COVID-19 vaccination may grant protection against symptomatic asthma in children, according to a study.” Researchers found “that the states in the highest quarter of COVID-19 vaccination rates showed an almost three times decrease in asthma symptoms compared with states in the lowest quarter of vaccination rates.” More “specifically, asthma symptoms decreased by 1.7 percentage points for the highest quarter of states and by 0.6 percentage points for the lowest quarter between 2018 to 2019 and 2020 to 2021.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyModified Criteria Increase Identification Of Anaphylaxis In Infants, Young Children, Research Suggests
Healio (7/16, Gawel) reports, “Modified criteria that incorporated symptoms specific to infants and young children increased identification of anaphylaxis in these age groups, according to a study.” Using “the modified criteria enhanced the identification of anaphylaxis among infants and potentially in toddlers, the researchers concluded, although they called for improved training in recognizing and managing anaphylaxis among health care professionals.” The findings were published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
Login Read the whole storyWorld’s Second Malaria Vaccine Launches In Ivory Coast
Reuters (7/15, Fick) reports, “The world’s second vaccine against malaria was launched on Monday as Ivory Coast began a routine vaccine programme using shots developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India.” So far, “Ivory Coast has received a total of 656,600 doses of the Oxford and Serum shot, which will initially vaccinate 250,000 children aged between 0 and 23 months across the West African country.” The Serum Institute of India “has produced 25 million doses for the initial rollout of the shot and ‘is committed to scaling up to 100 million doses annually,’ the company said on Monday about the launch in Ivory Coast.”
Login Read the whole storyPost-Pandemic Surge In Pediatric RSV Infections Led To Increased Hospital Admissions, Study Suggests
Pulmonology Advisor (7/15, Stong) reports, “A post-COVID-19 pandemic surge in pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections led to increased hospital admissions and a greater need for advanced respiratory support in older children with fewer comorbidities, according to study findings.” During “the 2022 to 2023 postpandemic season, the researchers identified” a “3.5-fold increase in RSV presentations to EDs not requiring hospital admission” and “an 86.7% increase in RSV hospital admissions.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyResearchers Find Link Between Pediatric ICU Admission Rates And Housing Quality, Household Income, Education
Healio (7/15, Hornick) reports that “in assessing neighborhood-level socioeconomic position indicators, researchers found a link between pediatric ICU admission rates and housing quality, household income and education, according to” study results. The research found that “a 10% increase in the percentage of individuals without a high school diploma aged older than 18 years meant a 16% higher PICU admission rate in the city of Baltimore…and a 37% higher rate in Baltimore County.” The findings were published in CHEST.
Login Read the whole storyBrief Intervention Reduces Alcohol Use Among Vulnerable Adolescents With Chronic Medical Conditions, Study Suggests
Healio (7/15, Rhoades) reports, “A brief, disease-tailored intervention reduced alcohol use among vulnerable adolescents with chronic medical conditions, according to a study.” Researchers “found that from baseline to the 12-month follow-up, the mean frequency of alcohol use during the past 3 months among high-risk participants decreased in the intervention group from 6.3 to 4.9 days, or by 40%, and increased in the treatment-as-usual group from 5.5 to 9 days.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyCMS Brief Explores Status Of Children With Autism, ASD In Medicaid And CHIP
HealthPayerIntelligence (7/15, Waddill) reports, “CMS released a brief [PDF] exploring the status of children with autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Medicaid and CHIP.” About “5% of children between the ages of three and seventeen who are under public coverage have autism or ASD.” Meanwhile, “2% of children with private coverage and 2% of children without coverage were reported as having autism or ASD.” The federal agency “found that 8% of boys ages three to eleven and 8% of boys ages twelve to seventeen had autism or ASD, compared to 3% and 2% of female children respectively.”
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 May Accelerate Progression Of Presymptomatic Type 1 Diabetes In Youth, Study Suggests
MedPage Today (7/15, Monaco) reports, “COVID-19 may accelerate progression of presymptomatic type 1 diabetes in youth, a German study suggested.” Researchers found that “incidence of clinical type 1 diabetes nearly doubled after the pandemic started among 591 youth ages 1 to 16 known to have presymptomatic type 1 diabetes.” The findings were published in JAMA. Healio (7/15, Monostra) reports, “Of children who developed type 1 diabetes during the pandemic, incidence rates were higher for those who had COVID-19 than children who tested negative for COVID-19.”
Login Read the whole storyGlobal Childhood Immunization Rates Have Stalled, Data Show
CNN (7/14, Davis) reports that experts say the COVID-19 pandemic was “marked by a significant and concerning drop in the rate of routine vaccinations,” and “new data from the World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund” show “the world has yet to recover.” The new report “analyzed estimates from 185 countries and used a third dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) vaccine — which is recommended for 1-year-olds — as the global marker for immunization coverage.” The report showed “that previous progress in reaching pre-pandemic immunization levels has stalled,” with the data indicating that “worldwide DTP3 coverage was 84% in 2023, the same as in 2022 but below 86% recorded in 2019.”
Login Read the whole storyDNA Contamination From Sample Processing Still A Problem In SMA Newborn Screening, Study Finds
SMA News Today (7/12, Bryson) reported, “DNA contamination from sample processing remains a major problem in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) newborn screening, a study” found. Investigators “proposed analytic cut-off values to clearly separate samples testing positive for SMA from negative samples.” The “data also showed that adding a freezing step before DNA extraction led to significantly higher amounts of DNA for screening.” The findings were published in PLOS One.
Login Read the whole storyStates Turning To Medicaid For Assistance With Diaper Products
NBC News (7/14, Emam) reports California Assemblymember Liz Ortega “has introduced the Medi-Cal diaper bill, AB 2446, legislation that would further expand the definition of ‘medically necessary’ under the state’s Medicaid program so families with children under 5 could get free diapers. California currently covers medically necessary diapers for children over the age of 5.” The bill’s approval would make California “the latest state to add diapers to Medicaid.” Tennessee during 2023 established itself as “the first state to announce that diaper products would be covered for all children under age 2 enrolled in TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program.” Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently greenlit “a Medicaid Section 1115 program in Delaware that offers coverage for diapers among people who qualify.”
Login Read the whole storyChildren Hospitalized With COVID-19 Or Inflammatory Syndrome With Vs Without Severe Neurologic Manifestations Are More Likely To Develop Neurocognitive And/Or Functional Morbidities At Discharge, Study Finds
Neurology Advisor (7/12, Rao) reported, “Children who are hospitalized with acute SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) or an inflammatory syndrome with vs without severe neurologic manifestations are more likely to develop neurocognitive and/or functional morbidities at discharge, according to study results.” The investigators “collected data for the study from the pediatric Global Consortium Study of Neurologic Dysfunction in COVID-19.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyMediterranean Diet Improved Cardiometabolic Health Among Kids And Teens, Meta-Analysis Affirms
MedPage Today (7/12, Henderson) reported, “The Mediterranean diet improved cardiometabolic health among kids and teens, a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials affirmed.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open. Investigators found that “interventions following the diet’s characteristic emphasis on fruit, vegetables, olive oil, and fish, rather than ultraprocessed foods significantly improved systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and total and LDL cholesterol.” Additionally, “HDL cholesterol…improved, although diastolic blood pressure, glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance did not.” Healio (7/12, Buzby) reported that the investigators came to this conclusion after conducting “a meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials evaluating a Mediterranean diet intervention for children and adolescents in Iran, Mexico, Spain and Turkey.”
Login Read the whole storyAlmost One In 10 People Infected With COVID-19 During Pregnancy Develop Long COVID, Study Suggests
The Washington Post (7/11, Malhi) reports, “Nearly 1 in 10 people infected with the coronavirus during pregnancy developed long covid, according to a study.” The research “suggests long covid is more prevalent among people infected while pregnant than in the population overall.” The findings were published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Login Read the whole storyRSV Is Significant Cause Of Medically Attended ARI In Children, Adult Outpatients, Study Suggests
Infectious Disease Advisor (7/11, Kuhns) reports, “Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant and often underrecognized cause of medically attended acute respiratory illness (ARI) in both children and adult outpatients, according to study results.” Researchers found “the prevalence of RSV among adults with medically attended ARI was 9.4%, 6.8%, and 6.9% across the 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 seasons, respectively.” Meanwhile, “the prevalence of RSV among children and adolescents (age, <18 years) with medically attended ARI was 17.0%, 11.8%, and 10.4% across the 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 seasons, respectively.” The findings were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Login Read the whole storyResearch Finds Link Between Sleeping Less On Weekdays, Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In Urban American Indian And Alaska Native Youth
Healio (7/11, Hornick) reports that “among urban American Indian and Alaska Native youth, there was a significant link between sleeping less on weekdays and more depression and anxiety symptoms 2 years later, according to” study results. Furthermore, “there was a significant link between fewer hours of sleep at baseline and heightened odds for alcohol use…and cannabis use…after 2 years.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyElexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor Improves Lung Function In Children With CF, Study Finds
Cystic Fibrosis News Today (7/11, Lobo) reports, “In a real-world study involving children with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Italy, Kaftrio [elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor] – an approved CF therapy sold as Trikafta in North America – was shown to lead to significant improvements in lung function for more than 30 youngsters.” The researchers said the findings “indicate that [Kaftrio] therapy is well tolerated by children with CF and is effective in improving signs of lung function abnormalities from early childhood.” The findings were published in Pediatric Pulmonology.
Login Read the whole storySecondhand E-Cigarette Aerosols Expose Children To Less Nicotine Than Traditional Cigarettes, Study Shows
CNN (7/11, Christensen) reports, “Children who live in homes where adults use e-cigarettes are exposed to significantly less nicotine through secondhand aerosols than children in homes where adults use traditional cigarettes, a new study shows.” However, “vaping still exposes kids to nicotine and may present other risks, too.” The study found “kids who were exposed to e-cigarettes had some nicotine in their bodies, but they had absorbed 84% less than those who lived in homes with people who smoked only tobacco.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyChange Healthcare Publishes Substitute Data Breach Notice Following Cyberattack In February
HealthIT Security (7/10, McKeon) reports, “Change Healthcare published a substitute data breach notice on its website to inform affected individuals of the breach that resulted from the February 2024 cyberattack against the company.” Change “provided a brief timeline of events in its substitute notice.” Change “said that it would begin mailing written letters to affected individuals on June 20, once it completed its data review.”
Login Read the whole storyFourth Dose Of Variant-Adapted Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine Has Favorable Benefit-Risk Profile In Young Children, Research Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (7/10, Basilio) reports, “A fourth dose of a variant-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine has a favorable benefit-risk profile in young children, according to ongoing research.” The research found “that the fourth dose of bivalent BNT162b2 induced a robust immune response in the study patients.” Furthermore, it “met the predefined immunogenicity criteria for superiority and noninferiority against the studied strains when compared with data captured from the matched comparator cohort.” The findings were published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
Login Read the whole storyShort-Term Weight Management Interventions Have Beneficial Effects On BMI Without Serious Harm Among Children, Study Suggests
Endocrinology Advisor (7/10, Nye) reports, “Short-term weight management interventions have beneficial effects on body mass index (BMI) without serious harm among children, according to study findings.” The research found that “behavioral interventions were associated with a small reduction in BMI at 6 to 12 months.” Greater impacts “were observed with interventions that had more contact hours and included physical activity sessions.” The findings were published in JAMA.
Login Read the whole storyAdolescents Who Experience Housing Insecurity Starting In Infancy Have Worse Overall Health Outcomes, Study Suggests
Healio (7/10, Weldon) says, “Adolescents who experienced housing insecurity beginning in infancy reported worse overall health outcomes, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, according to study results.” The study’s “findings indicate a need for screening methods that identify housing insecurity at the start, as well as policies to prevent housing insecurity and associated health outcomes in this population, researchers concluded.” The findings were published in Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyUse Of Nirsevimab To Prevent RSV In Infants Occurs Less Frequently Among Publicly Insured Patients, Those Living In Less Affluent Areas, Study Finds
Pulmonology Advisor (7/10, Goldberg) reports, “Use of nirsevimab to prevent infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) happens less often among publicly insured patients and those living [in] less affluent areas, according to findings of a study.” Researchers “found practices more likely to offer nirsevimab varied by size, with medium (3-7 provider) and large (7 or more provider) practices more likely to offer the treatment.” Meanwhile, “practices offering nirsevimab also had lower proportions of publicly insured patients…and lower proportions of patients living in lower-income areas.” The research also found that, “even within practices that administered nirsevimab, there were disparities in which patients received it, with publicly insured patients and those living in less affluent ZIP codes significantly less likely to do so.” The findings were published in Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Finds Nirsevimab Protects Infants Against Hospitalization For RSV, PICU Admissions, And Mechanical Ventilation
MedPage Today (7/10, Kahn) reports, “The monoclonal antibody nirsevimab (Beyfortus) protected young infants against hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions, and mechanical ventilation, according to the French prospective ENVIE study.” Researchers found that “in a logistic regression model, nirsevimab was estimated to be 83% effective in preventing hospitalization from RSV bronchiolitis…in infants younger than 12 months of age.” The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Also reporting is Healio (7/10, Weldon).
Login Read the whole storyInterpregnancy Weight Retention Not A Predictor For Overweight Or Obesity Among Offspring, Study Suggests
Endocrinology Advisor (7/9, Nye) reports, “Interpregnancy weight retention is not a predictor for overweight or obesity among offspring at 2 years of age, according to results of a study.” The researchers said the “study using routinely collected pregnancy and early childhood data from a large sample in Belgium found no statistical evidence that maternal interpregnancy BMI change is independently associated with overweight/obesity of the second child at 2 years.” The findings were published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Login Read the whole storyPeople Exposed To Nitrogen Dioxide, Particulate Matter Less Than 10 µm As Child Face Greater Odds For Adult Bronchitic Symptoms, Study Finds
Healio (7/9, Hornick) reports “individuals exposed to nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter less than 10 µm as a child faced elevated odds for bronchitic symptoms as an adult, according to” study results. The research found that “as childhood nitrogen dioxide exposure levels rose, those with childhood asthma had greater increased odds for adult bronchitic symptoms…vs. those without childhood asthma.” The findings were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Suggests Daily Social Media Use Linked To Higher Risk For Cigarette Smoking, Vaping In Youth
Pulmonology Advisor (7/9, Goldberg) reports, “Daily social media use is associated with increased risk for cigarette smoking and vaping among those 10 to 25 years of age, according to study findings.” The research found “the percentage of participants smoking cigarettes was 2% in those who did not use social media vs 6.3% in those using social media for less than 1 hour daily, 9.2% for 1 to 3 hours of daily use, 12.2% for 4 to 6 hours of daily use, and 15.7% for those with 7 or more hours of daily social media use.” The findings were published in Thorax.
Login Read the whole storyBabies Experienced Less Wheezing And Bronchiolitis During COVID-19 Lockdowns, Study Suggests
MedPage Today (7/9, Short) reports, “The COVID-19 pandemic had an upside for lockdown babies: substantially less wheezing and bronchiolitis, according to an Italian retrospective cohort study.” The research found that “one or more wheezing [episodes] by age 30 months was observed in 44% fewer babies born while stay-at-home orders were in effect compared with of those born during the same months in 2016 and 2017” (9.4% vs 15%). The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyNearly Half Of Youths Boarded In ED Awaiting Inpatient Psychiatric Care Are Never Admitted, Study Suggests
MedPage Today (7/9, DePeau-Wilson) reports, “Almost half of youths who boarded in the emergency department awaiting inpatient psychiatric care were never admitted to such a facility, according to a cross-sectional study from Massachusetts.” The research found that “of 4,942 episodes of youth boarding in the ED for 3 or more midnights, just 56% resulted in inpatient admission, and certain groups were less likely to get to that point.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyDelays In Antibiotic Administration After ED Admission Linked To Greater Mortality Risk Among Children With Sepsis, Study Finds
Infectious Disease Advisor (7/9, Nye) reports, “Delays in antibiotic administration after emergency department (ED) admission are associated with increased risk of mortality among children with sepsis, according to study findings.” The research found that “patients who received antibiotics early after ED admission (<330 minutes) exhibited sepsis-attributable 3- and 30-day mortality rates of 0.5%” and 0.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, “patients who received antibiotics late after ED admission (≥330 minutes) exhibited sepsis-attributable 3- and 30-day mortality rates of 1.2%” and 2.0%, respectively. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyPfizer’s RSV Vaccine For Pregnant Women Not Linked To Greater Risk Of Pre-Term Or Early Births, Study Suggests
Reuters (7/8, Santhosh) reports, “Pfizer’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for pregnant women was not tied to a higher risk of pre-term or early births, according to a study published on Monday that analyzed real-world use of the shots.” Researchers conducted a “retrospective study in women who were 24 to 36 weeks into pregnancy, and found no significant statistical difference between the vaccinated women’s pre-term birth rate of 5.9% compared with unvaccinated women’s 6.7%.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Links Social Determinants Of Health To Greater Prevalence Of Prediabetes Among Adolescents With Obesity
Endocrinology Advisor (7/8, Kurek) reports, “Food insecurity, lack of private health insurance, and low household income are associated with greater prevalence of prediabetes among adolescents with obesity, according to the results of a study.” The research found that “after adjustment for race, ethnicity, and BMI z score, prediabetes prevalence was 4.1% greater among those with food insecurity vs security, 5.3% greater among those with public vs private health insurance, and 5.7% greater among those with vs without low household incomes.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyResearch Finds Evidence Lacking To Support Recommendations That Children With Autism Benefit From Intensive Interventions
Healio (7/8, Weldon) reports, “There is insignificant evidence to support recommendations that children with autism will benefit from intensive interventions, according to the results of a meta-analysis.” Researchers “found that technology-based interventions evidenced the largest positive association…but this was not statistically distinguishable from zero, a result it shared with the other interventions.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyStudy Bolsters Research Suggesting Gut Microbiome Could Be Path To More Objective Autism Diagnoses
The New York Times (7/8, Rosenbluth) reports a new study “bolsters a growing body of research that suggests an unlikely path to more objective autism diagnoses: the gut microbiome.” After analyzing over “1,600 stool samples from children ages 1 to 13, researchers found several distinct biological ‘markers’ in the samples of” children with autism. According to the Times, “unique traces of gut bacteria, fungi, viruses and more could one day be the basis of a diagnostic tool, said Qi Su, a researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a lead author of the study.” The findings were published in Nature Microbiology.
Login Read the whole storyFederal Cybersecurity Reporting Rule Should Include Insurers And Third-Party Vendors, Healthcare Groups Say
Healthcare Dive (7/8, Olsen) reports, “Healthcare and hospital groups say a federal cybersecurity reporting proposal should explicitly include insurers and third-party vendors.” The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s proposal “would require companies broadly in critical infrastructure industries to report cyber incidents within 72 hours of discovery and document ransom payments within 24 hours.” The agency “decided not to include sector-specific reporting criteria for insurance companies, health IT providers and labs or diagnostics facilities.” However, “the American Hospital Association argued the exclusion doesn’t make sense.” Industry groups “noted in comments on the rule that the sector is deeply interconnected, and an attack at a third party could do serious damage across the industry.”
Login Read the whole storyConcussions Sustained By Younger Children More Likely To Be Result Of Recreational Play Than Sports, Study Finds
Healio (7/8, Weldon) reports, “Concussions sustained by 5- to 12-year-old patients are more likely to be the result of recreational play than sports, according to a study.” The research found that “in contrast to what is seen among older adolescents, out of 1,141 patients aged 5 to 12 years who reported for care 28 or fewer days after injury, the most common injury was a recreation-related concussion (37.3%), followed by a non-sport or recreation-related concussion (31.9%) and then sport-related concussion (30.9%).” The findings were published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyKP.3 Still Dominant COVID-19 Variant, CDC Data Show
USA Today (7/6, Forbes) reported “the KP.3 COVID-19 variant is continuing to lead as the dominant variant, the newest” CDC data show. For a two-week period that started on June 23 and ended “on July 6, the CDC’s Nowcast data tracker showed the projections of the COVID-19 variants,” and “the KP.3 variant accounted for 36.9% of positive infections followed by KP.2 at 24.4%.” CDC spokesperson Rosa Norman said, “Estimates predict that KP.3 is the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant making up 31.2 to 43% of viruses nationally. KP.3 is projected to continue increasing as proportions of the variants that cause COVID-19.”
Login Read the whole storyHealthcare Sector Continues To Add Jobs, Report Says
According to Health Exec (7/5, Van Alstin), “A report on employment numbers released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that, while the overall rate of unemployment has risen, the healthcare sector continues to add jobs.” The data indicated that “in June alone, healthcare added 49,000 new jobs to the economy, surpassing other industries including energy and technology.” However, during “the last year, healthcare averaged a monthly growth rate of 64,000 new jobs, according to the report.”
Login Read the whole storyWIC Enrollment Tied To Better Pregnancy Outcomes, Research Suggests
HealthDay (7/5, Miller) reported, “Pregnant women enrolled in a federal aid program have better outcomes than those who are struggling to put food on the table, new research shows.” The study “found that women enrolled in” the US Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) “had a lower risk of poor pregnancy outcomes,” including “gestational diabetes, blood transfusion, preterm birth and stays in intensive care for mom and baby alike.” The findings were published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Login Read the whole storyExpanding Contraceptive Services In Pediatric EDs May Lower Number Of Unintended Adolescent Pregnancies, Researchers Say
Healio (7/5, Weldon) said, “More than one-quarter of sexually active adolescents who accessed care in EDs reported not using contraception, raising their risk for pregnancy, according to a study.” The findings “indicate that expanding contraceptive services in pediatric EDs could help reduce the number of unintended adolescent pregnancies, the researchers said.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyEarly Screening, Treatment For SMA Can Improve Health Outcomes In Newborns When Treatment Is Begun Immediately, Study Finds
Managed Healthcare Executive (7/5, Flinn) reported, “Screening newborns for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can significantly improve health outcomes when treatment is begun immediately, compared to infants who are diagnosed and treatment only months later, according to a study.” Investigators “found that early intervention led to much better outcomes. Infants diagnosed through newborn screening started treatment on average at 1.3 months old, compared to 10.7 months for the group diagnosed after symptoms appeared. As a result of the early treatment, 91 percent of the newborn screening group achieved the ability to sit independently, compared to 74 percent of the later-diagnosed group.” The study also found that “64 percent of the early diagnosed group were able to walk independently, compared to only 15 percent of their counterparts.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyBiomarkers Can Be Used To Explain Connection Between Cold Temperatures, Oxidative Stress, And Asthma Flare-Ups In Children, Study Finds
Healio (7/5, Langowska) reported that a study found that “biomarkers – such as nasal fluid, saliva and urine samples – can be used to explain the connection between cold temperatures, oxidative stress and asthma flare-ups” in children. Investigators came to this conclusion after studying “43 children…aged 5 to 13 years diagnosed with mild or moderate asthma.” The findings were published in Pediatric Research.
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 Infections Growing Across Most Of US, CDC Data Indicate
The Washington Post (7/3, Nirappil) reported coronavirus infections in the US “are likely growing in 44 states and territories as of June 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Additionally, “coronavirus activity in wastewater remains low but is increasing; it is highest and rising most sharply in the West, according to the CDC.” However, the June data “may be incomplete because of reporting delays.” As for which variants are dominant, “nearly two-thirds of infections are caused by KP variants dubbed FLiRT…according to CDC data as of June 22. A similar variant, called LB.1, which has an additional mutation than the FLiRT variants, is on the rise and accounted for 17.5 percent of cases.”
Login Read the whole storyDupilumab Effective At Helping Children With Eosinophilic Esophagitis Reach Remission, Study Finds
Healio (7/3, Gawel) reported, “There were significant differences in percentages of children with eosinophilic esophagitis who experienced histologic remission with dupilumab compared with placebo, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.” In the study, “at week 16, 68% (n = 25) of the higher-exposure group, 58% (n = 18) of the lower-exposure group and 3% (n = 1) of the placebo group experienced histologic remission (P < .001), defined as a peak esophageal intraepithelial eosinophil count of 6 or less per high-power field.”
Login Read the whole storyChildren With OSA Treated With Adenotonsillectomy/Positive Airway Pressure Faced Reduced Odds For Mental Healthcare Visits Vs. Before Treatment, Study Finds
Healio (7/3, Hornick) reported, “Children with obstructive sleep apnea treated with adenotonsillectomy/positive airway pressure faced reduced odds for mental health care visits vs. before treatment, according to” a study. Investigators came to this conclusion after assessing “32,791 children with diagnostic polysomnography…data between 2009 and 2016 in Ontario, Canada, to find out the impact of moderate-severe OSA on new mental health care encounters up to March 2021, as well as how 2 years of OSA treatment changes the likelihood for this type of encounter.” The findings were published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Login Read the whole storyIncreasing Age Associated With Negative Effects On Pediatric Patients With Atopic Dermatitis, Caregivers, Study Finds
HCP Live (7/3, Smith) reported, “Increasing age is linked to more negative effects on atopic dermatitis patients and their caregivers, according to recent findings, with caregivers reporting major daily life impairments, including work, sleep, and mood.” In the study, “a major correlation was reported by the team between patients’ ages and increased CDLQI scores noted by either caregivers or patients, with the team highlighting that scores rose by 0.543 points per year of age (P = .01).” The researchers wrote, “Overall, this indicates a need for new, efficacious treatments offering improved disease control for pediatric AD patients, which can be initiated at an earlier age to prevent patient and caregiver burden from progressing with age.” These results were published in the International Journal of Dermatology.
Login Read the whole storyCOVID-19 Vaccination Was Associated With Decrease In Prevalence Of Parent-Reported Asthma Symptoms Among Children, Study Finds
MedPage Today (7/3, Short) reported, “COVID-19 vaccination was associated with a decrease in the prevalence of parent-reported asthma symptoms among kids, according to a cross-sectional study.” MedPage Today added, “A linear regression analysis showed that with each increase of 10 percentage points in COVID vaccination coverage, parent-reported child asthma symptom prevalence decreased by 0.36 percentage points.” Meanwhile, “mean state-level prevalence of parent-reported childhood asthma symptoms decreased from 7.77% in 2018-2019 to 6.93% in 2020-2021.” The findings were published as a research letter in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storySupreme Court To Review FDA’s Decision To Block Flavored E-Cigarette Marketing
The AP (7/2, Whitehurst) reports, “The Supreme Court took up an e-cigarette case Tuesday, weighing Food and Drug Administration decisions blocking the marketing of sweet flavored products amid a surge in vaping by young people.” The agency “is appealing a lower court ruling siding with vape companies who argue the FDA unfairly denied more than a million applications to market fruit or candy flavored versions of nicotine-laced liquid that’s heated by the e-cigarette to create an inhalable aerosol.” Reuters (7/2, Kruzel) reports, “An FDA rule that took effect in 2016 deemed e-cigarettes to be tobacco products, like traditional cigarettes, subject to agency review under a 2009 federal law called the Tobacco Control Act, and said manufacturers of the products would need to apply for approval to continue selling them.” And while “the agency maintains that it has not categorically banned flavored e-cigarette products, companies seeking the agency’s approval must clear a high legal bar since such products pose a ‘known and substantial risk to youth,’ the FDA said in a court filing.”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Suggests Children Given Digital Devices During Tantrums Are Less Able To Manage Negative Emotions Later
HealthDay (7/2, Miller) reports, “When your preschooler pitches a fit, handing them a smartphone or tablet is probably the fastest – and the worst – way to stop it, a new study suggests.” In the study, “responses showed that when parents leaned on digital emotion regulation, kids were less able to manage anger and frustration a year later. Kids who were frequently given devices during cranky times had lower levels of effortful control during the followup.” The results were published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Login Read the whole storyFatigue Partially Mediates Relationship Between Pain Interference, Physical Disability In JIA, Study Finds
Healio (7/2, Cooper) reports, “Fatigue partially mediates the relationship between pain interference and physical disability in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, according to data published in Arthritis Care & Research.” In the study, “pain interference demonstrated a ‘substantial association’ with fatigue (beta = 0.72) and a ‘direct association’ with physical disability (beta = 0.42), while there was a ‘modest’ direct association of fatigue with physical disability (beta = 0.29), [researchers] added.”
Login Read the whole storyConsuming More Isoflavones From Soy Foods Associated With Better Attention, Faster Information Processing In Children, Study Finds
Healio (7/2, Bascom) reports, “For children, consuming more isoflavones from soy foods was associated with better attention and faster information processing, according to the results of a correlational study at the annual NUTRITION meeting.” However, “there was no association between isoflavone intake and general intellectual ability.”
Login Read the whole storyHigh Bacteria Levels In Water Lead To Beach Closures Across US
ABC News (7/1, Kekatos) reports, “Beaches in several states across the country have been closed to swimmers over the last few days due to harmful levels of bacteria in the water.” Closures around the country have been tied to gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis, cyanobacteria, and E. Coli in water. In general, “the CDC recommends staying out of bodies of water – including oceans, lakes and rivers – if the water looks cloudier than usual, is discolored, or smells bad. Swimmers are also cautioned to stay out of the water if they see pipes draining into or around the water, [or] if they themselves have diarrhea.”
Login Read the whole storyUveitis In Childhood Appears Associated With Later Development Of Cataracts, Study Finds
MedPage Today (7/1, Kahn) reports, “Children with uveitis appeared to have an increased risk of developing cataracts over 20-year follow-up, according to a retrospective cohort study.” Out of more than “45,000 children, uveitis was associated with a higher risk of cataracts during 20-year follow-up compared with never having the condition (HR 17.17, 95% CI 12.90-22.80), reported” researchers in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyYouth Mortality Rate In US Increased Over Past Decade Compared With Peer Countries, Study Finds
Healio (7/1, Weldon) reports, “The mortality rate for youths in the United States increased in the last decade compared with peer countries, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics.” In the study, researchers wrote, “We found that approximately 20,000 deaths among American children and teens would be avoided each year if our country had the average mortality rate that exists in peer countries.”
Login Read the whole storyDried Blood Spot Biomarkers May Help Identify Congenital Heart Disease In Newborns, Study Finds
Healio (7/1, Weldon) reports, “Biomarkers in dried blood spot testing may help identify congenital heart disease in newborns, according to a study in JAMA Network Open.” In the study, researchers “found that, combined, NT-proBNP and IL-1 RL1 had a positive predictive value of identifying high-risk congenital heart disease of 95.7%, a negative predictive value of 88.1%, a sensitivity of 93.6%, and a specificity of 91.8%, with an overall accuracy of 93%.”
Login Read the whole storyHHS, FBI Warn Healthcare Industry About Social Engineering Campaign
HealthIT Security (7/1, McKeon) reports, “HHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a joint cybersecurity advisory (CSA) to disseminate indicators of compromise related to a social engineering campaign targeting healthcare and public health entities.” In particular, “the CSA warned that threat actors have been using phishing schemes to steal login credentials for initial access and divert automated clearinghouse (ACH) payments to US-controlled bank accounts.” To do this, “threat actors often call an organization’s IT help desk and impersonate employees to trigger a password reset for the targeted employee’s account. The American Hospital Association (AHA) issued alerts in January and April warning healthcare entities of similar help desk social engineering schemes.”
Login Read the whole storyFirst Trimester COVID-19 Vaccination Not Associated With Increased Risk For Structural Birth Defects, Study Finds
MedPage Today (7/1, Robertson) reports, “Getting an mRNA COVID-19 shot during the first trimester of pregnancy didn’t lead to an increased risk of major structural birth defects, a multisite retrospective cohort study found.” Overall, “major structural birth defects occurred in 1.48% of infants after a first-trimester vaccination and in 1.41% of those without a first-trimester vaccination (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.02, 95% CI 0.78-1.33)… reported” researchers in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storyExposure To Air Pollution In Childhood Tied To Increased Risk Of Bronchitis In Adulthood, Study Finds
HealthDay (6/28, Thompson) reported, “Exposure to air pollution as a child increases an adult’s risk of bronchitis, a new study warns.” Additionally, “young adults with bronchitis symptoms tended to have been exposed during childhood to two types of air pollutants, researchers found: particle pollution from dust, pollen, wildfire ash, industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust;” and “nitrogen dioxide from gasoline engines.” The results were published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Login Read the whole storyExperts Warn Selfies May Help Spread Head Lice Among Children And Teens
The Washington Post (6/28, Bever) said, “Anecdotal reports about a global rise in head lice cases have prompted warnings from some experts about a popular and universal activity among children and teenagers: taking selfies.” Head lice “are typically spread through direct head-to-head contact, mostly among children. And getting close for group selfies – which often means pressing two or more heads together to fit into a cellphone frame – could give head lice an opportunity to crawl from one head to another, as they cannot jump or fly.” Additionally, “some experts said that many countries simply may be seeing a return to pre-pandemic lice levels.”
Login Read the whole storyTexas Supreme Court Upholds State’s Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Transgender Youth
The AP (6/28, DeMillo) reported, “The Texas Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youths Friday, rejecting pleas from parents that it violates their right to decide on and seek medical care for their children.” The measure “prevents transgender people under 18 from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries, though surgical procedures are rarely performed on children.”
Login Read the whole storyAntibiotic Overuse In Early Life Tied To Higher Risk Of Mortality Or Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia In Very Preterm Infants At Low Risk For Early-Onset Sepsis, Study Finds
MedPage Today (6/28, Short) reported, “Overuse of antibiotics early in life may increase the risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or mortality in very premature infants, a national cohort study from China found.” Out of “6,510 such newborns considered to be at low risk for early-onset sepsis, prolonged exposure to antibiotics in the first week of life was associated with a 23% higher odds of moderate to severe BPD or death compared with no exposure (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.50) and a 40% higher odds compared with short-term antibiotic exposures (aOR 1.40, 95% CI 1.15-1.71).” The results were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyChildren Born To Parents Who Had Obesity At Age 17 At Higher Risk Of Obesity At That Age, Study Finds
MedPage Today (6/28, Monaco) reported, “Children born to parents who had obesity at age 17 had a much higher probability of having obesity at the same age, an Israeli cohort study suggested.” In the study, “among nearly 450,000 offspring, 76.6% of 17-year-olds whose parents had obesity at age 17 also had obesity or overweight themselves, according to” researchers. Meanwhile, just “15.4% of youth had overweight or obesity if both parents had a healthy BMI at age 17, the group reported in JAMA Network Open. When both parents were severely underweight, just 3.3% of offspring had overweight or obesity.”
Login Read the whole storyCDC Recommends All Americans Receive New COVID-19 Vaccines This Fall
The New York Times (6/27, Mandavilli) reports, “All Americans ages 6 months and older should receive one of the new Covid-19 vaccines when they become available this fall, scientific advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.” Many “Americans have acquired layers of immunity against the coronavirus from repeat infections or vaccine doses, or both. The vaccines now offer an incremental boost, remaining effective for only a few months as immunity wanes and the virus continues to evolve.” But “across every age group, a vast majority of Americans who were hospitalized for Covid did not receive one of the shots offered last fall, according to data presented at a meeting of the C.D.C.’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.”
Login Read the whole storyNewborn Screening Programs May Have Contributed To Improved Growth In Children With CF, Study Finds
Cystic Fibrosis News Today (6/27, Lobo) reports, “Danish children with cystic fibrosis (CF) born between 2000 and 2022 showed noticeable gains in growth during their first five years of life, with those born after 2016 seeing the most progress in reaching normal growth standards, a study shows.” These improvements were “likely due to newborn screening programs (NBS) that allow earlier diagnosis and treatment, general improved care, and CFTR modulator therapies being introduced, said the researchers in…the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis.”
Login Read the whole storyEating Natural Fiber-Rich Foods, Avoiding Fiber With Phosphate Additives May Help Youth With CKD Meet Adequate Fiber Intake, Study Finds
Healio (6/27, Carter) reports, “Eating a variety of natural fiber-rich foods and avoiding fiber with phosphate additives may help youth with chronic kidney disease to meet adequate dietary fiber intake.” In a study published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition, researchers wrote, “Achieving the recommended intake of fiber in children is important but given the high risk of growth failure in children with CKD, energy and protein intake should be prioritized. … Where possible, we strongly suggest using intrinsic fiber sources rather than added fiber.”
Login Read the whole storyMany White Noise Machines Too Loud For Infants, Study Finds
ABC News (6/27, Okulaja, Parekh) reports, “A new study published in the journal Sleep Medicine analyzed existing data about sound levels of white noise machines and concluded that many devices can produce sounds louder than recommended for even adult workers – making them capable of being too loud for infants, who are more susceptible to negative effects of loud noises.” Currently, “pediatric sound guidelines do not offer parents a specific decibel cutoff for white noise machines.”
Login Read the whole storyTopical Antibiotic Use Not Tied To Healthcare Revisits For Children, Adolescents With Conjunctivitis, Study Finds
HCP Live (6/27, Iapoce) reports, “A recent investigation in JAMA Ophthalmology evaluated the frequency of topical antibiotic treatment and its association with healthcare use among children and adolescents with acute infectious conjunctivitis in the United States.” The study found that over “two-thirds of US commercially insured children with conjunctivitis filed a prescription for topical antibiotics within a single day of an ambulatory care visit. On the other hand, revisits and new antibiotic dispensations remained few, irrespective of initial antibiotic treatment.”
Login Read the whole storyMost Ocular Injuries Related To Nerf Gun Projectiles Have Good Long-Term Visual Outcomes, But Researchers Still Advise Using Safety Eyewear, Study Finds
Healio (6/26, Young) reports, “Although most ocular injuries from Nerf-type gun projectiles are limited to the anterior segment and have good long-term visual outcomes, researchers strongly advise safety eye wear during use.” In the study, “70% of patients were diagnosed with anterior uveitis, 14% with corneal abrasion and 10% with edematous adnexa or eyelids. Other injuries included subconjunctival hemorrhage and hyphemia.” The results were presented at Optometry’s Meeting.
Login Read the whole storyRacial, Ethnic Inequities In Healthcare Persist In US, Report Finds
The AP (6/26, Bose) says, “Racial and ethnic inequities in health care are found in every state in the U.S. despite the passage of legislation intended to improve health outcomes for minorities and increased awareness of health care disparities over the past two decades, according to a new national report released Wednesday.” The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report “detailed how structural racism and people’s surroundings have contributed to worse health outcomes for minorities,” and offered “recommendations and solutions to health care organizations and the federal government, like a more diverse workforce and adjusting payment systems to make health care more affordable.”
Login Read the whole storyDelivery Room Resuscitation With High Initial Levels Of Oxygen For Very Preterm Infants May Reduce Mortality Odds, Study Finds
MedPage Today (6/26, Short) reports, “Challenging existing recommendations, delivery room resuscitation with high initial levels of oxygen for very preterm infants may reduce their odds of death, a systematic review and individual participant data network meta-analysis suggested.” The review found that among “more than 1,000 infants younger than 32 weeks’ gestational age…a high initial fractional inspired oxygen (FiO2) of 90% or greater was associated with a 55% reduction in mortality (OR 0.45, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.23-0.86) when compared with a low FiO2 of 30% or less, though with low certainty of evidence.” The results were published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Login Read the whole storySleep Duration, Social Media Use, And Neural Reward Responses Interconnected In Teens, Study Finds
Neurology Advisor (6/26, Via) reports, “The dynamics between sleep duration, social media use, and neural reward responses are all interconnected in adolescents, according to study results presented at the SLEEP 2024 Annual Meeting.” In the study, “greater use of social media was associated with shorter sleep duration (P <.001),” and “interactions between sleep duration and brain activation in the cingulate gyrus (P =.021), inferior frontal gyrus (P =.009), and precuneus (P =.008) predicted social media engagement.”
Login Read the whole storyCoalition Releases Draft Framework For Development Of AI In Healthcare
Healthcare IT News (6/26, Fox) reports, “The Coalition for Health AI has released its draft framework for responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence in healthcare.” The framework “would provide a common language and understanding of the life cycle of health AI, and explore best practices when designing, developing and deploying AI within healthcare workflows while the draft checklists assist the independent review of health AI solutions throughout their life cycle to ensure they are effective, valid, secure and minimize bias.”
Login Read the whole storyChildren Hospitalized With SARS-CoV-2 Or MIS-C Who Experience Severe Neurological Symptoms May Be At Higher Risk For Long-Term Impairment, Study Finds
Healio (6/26, Weldon) reports, “Children hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 or an inflammatory syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection who experience severe neurological manifestations may be at a higher risk for long-term impairment, a study found.” Researchers found that “when adjusting for risk factors in those with severe neurological manifestations, patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 1.85; 95% CI, 1.27-2.70) or with MIS-C (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.22-3.89) had higher odds of having new neurocognitive and/or functional morbidity at hospital discharge.” The results were published in JAMA Network Open.
Login Read the whole storyCDC Warns Of Increased Risk For Dengue Fever Infections In US
The Washington Post (6/25, Sun) reports, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned clinicians, health authorities and the public Tuesday about an increased risk for dengue virus infections in the United States because of the record-breaking global incidence of the mosquito-borne viral disease.” So far in 2024, “countries in the Americas have reported more than 9.7 million dengue cases, twice as many as in all of 2023, exceeding the highest number ever recorded in a single year, the CDC said in a health advisory.” In the US, “Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency because of the unusually high number of cases reported in the winter and spring, the dry season, when dengue cases are typically low.” However, “there is no evidence of a dengue outbreak in the continental United States.”
Login Read the whole storyChildren Conceived With Assisted Reproductive Technologies At Increased Risk For PWS/SRS, BWS, Study Finds
Endocrinology Advisor (6/25, Kuhns) reports, “Children conceived with the combined use of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and frozen embryo transfer (FET) are at an increased risk for Prader-Willi/Silver-Russell syndrome (PWS/SRS) and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS), according to study results published in Fertility and Sterility.” In the study, “the overall risk for imprinting disorders was higher in ART-conceived children compared with all other children (hazard ratio [HR], 1.84; 95% CI, 1.38-2.45).”
Login Read the whole storyYouth Mental Health Has Begun To Improve In Seven States Following Pandemic Dips, Data Indicate
Axios (6/25, Rubin) reports, “Youth mental health has begun to improve after major pandemic dips, new data shows.” Nonetheless, “some of the recovery…trails pre-pandemic mental health metrics.” In seven out “of nine states identified by Axios with published 2023 data, surveys showed lower rates of sadness and hopelessness. Overall, dedicating more resources to student well-being during the pandemic has started to pay off, Kathleen Ethier, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, told Axios.”
Login Read the whole storyChildren With CF Treated With Ivacaftor/Tezacaftor Or Ivacaftor/Lumacaftor Experience Few Sinonasal Side Effects, Study Finds
Cystic Fibrosis News Today (6/25, Maia) reports, “Children with cystic fibrosis (CF) who are being treated with Symdeko (ivacaftor/tezacaftor) or Orkambi (ivacaftor/lumacaftor) experience few to no symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis and maintain a normal sense of smell, a study in Denmark found.” The result “suggests that not only Trikafta, a triple combination of elexacaftor, tezacaftor, and ivacaftor, but also double combinations of CFTR modulators like those in Symdeko and Orkambi can help to relieve chronic rhinosinusitis, where the nose and sinuses remain inflamed for long periods of time.” The findings were published in the Journal of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.
Login Read the whole storyAdding Low-Dose Dapagliflozin To Insulin Improved Renal Function, Glycemic Control In Teens With T1D, Study Finds
MedPage Today (6/25, Monaco) reports, “Adding a low dose of an SGLT2 inhibitor to insulin improved renal function and glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the late-breaking ATTEMPT trial found.” In the study, “treatment with a 5-mg dose of oral dapagliflozin (Farxiga) showed a renal-protective effect versus placebo, leading to a significant attenuation in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), the ‘gold standard’ for measuring kidney function, said Farid Mahmud, MD, of the University of Toronto in Canada.” Additionally, “treatment with the oral SGLT2 inhibitor yielded a significant 0.48% reduction in HbA1c over a 22-week period compared with placebo (P=0.001).” The results were presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions.
Login Read the whole storyUS Surgeon General Issues Advisory Declaring Gun Violence A Public Health Crisis
ABC News (6/25, Cobern) reports US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, “issued a new advisory on Tuesday declaring gun violence a public health crisis.” More than “50% of Americans say they or their family have experienced a firearm-related incident in their lifetime, and about 60% of U.S. adults say that they worry ‘sometimes,’ ‘almost every day,’ or ‘every day’ about a loved one being a victim of firearm violence, according to the advisory.” The new “advisory outlines an evidence-informed public health approach with prevention strategies that public health leaders and policymakers can consider to reduce and prevent firearm-related death and injury, including by increasing research investments and data collection, implementing risk reduction strategies and engaging communities.”
Login Read the whole storyFDA Approves Supplemental New Drug Application For Pitolisant To Treat Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Or Cataplexy In Pediatric Patients With Narcolepsy
HCP Live (6/24, Derman) reports the FDA “has approved the supplemental New Drug Application for pitolisant (Wakix) tablets to treat excessive daytime sleepiness or cataplexy in pediatric patients aged ≥6 years with narcolepsy.” The drug is “a selective histamine 3 (H3) receptor antagonist/inverse agonist” and “has already been commercially available for this indication in adults since the last quarter of 2019. Now it is approved for children and adolescents, too.”
Login Read the whole storySupreme Court To Hear Challenge To Tennessee’s Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Transgender Minors
The AP (6/24, Sherman) reports that on Monday, the Supreme Court “jumped into the fight over transgender rights, agreeing to hear an appeal from the Biden administration seeking to block state bans on gender-affirming care.” The case “involves a law in Tennessee that restrict[s] puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors.” Previously, “the federal appeals court in Cincinnati allowed laws in Tennessee and Kentucky to take effect after they had been blocked by lower courts.” Reuters Legal (6/24, Chung) reports, “The challengers contend that banning care for transgender youth violates the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment’s equal protection and due process guarantees by discriminating against these adolescents based on sex and transgender status.”
Login Read the whole storyDapagliflozin May Improve Renal Function, Glycemic Control In Youth And Adolescents With T1D, Study Finds
HCP Live (6/24, Brooks) reports, “Dapagliflozin may be a safe and effective option to improve kidney function and glycemic management in youth and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, according to findings from a recent study.” The ATTEMPT study was presented during a late-breaking session at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions. It found “treatment with low-dose dapagliflozin attenuated direct measures of GFR and was associated with a significant decline in HbA1c of 0.48% (P = .001).”
Login Read the whole storyStudy Finds Overall Link Between Anxiety, Depression In Teens And Time Spent On Social Media, But Level Of Impact Is Unclear
CNN (6/24, McPhillips) reports, “When US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy pushed last week for a tobacco-style warning on social media, he called the mental health crisis in young people an emergency that demanded action without waiting for ‘perfect information.’” However, “authors of a sweeping new review of research into social media and mental health say there’s still key information missing to know whether prevention programs and interventions will work.” Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the study “found an overall link between anxiety and depression in adolescents and the time spent on social media platforms, as well as a link between the types of activities and content they were interacting with. However, the level of impact varied enough to suggest that the findings shouldn’t be generalized to the population as a whole.”
Login Read the whole storyKP.3 Variant The Dominant Strain Of COVID-19 Circulating In The US, Data Show
USA Today (6/21, Forbes) reported, “Positive cases for the COVID-19 KP.3 variant are rising, according to newly released data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Over the past two weeks, “the KP.3 variant has risen from accounting for 25% of positive cases to 33.1%. The KP.3 variant has become the new frontrunner after JN.1 held the reigns for several months after making its first appearance in 2023.” The KP.2 variant makes up 20.8%, with the “new variant LB.1 at 17.5%” and JN.1 at “1.6% of positive cases, the data shows.”
Login Read the whole storyFDA Approves First Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarette Products
The Washington Post (6/21, Ovalle) reported the FDA “on Friday approved the first menthol-flavored e-cigarette products, drawing swift criticism from some public health advocates while signaling the agency believes vapes can help adult smokers quit smoking tobacco.” The approval “arrives as the FDA faces increasing criticism for failing to rein in illegal but widely available flavored vaping products that appeal to young people and comes amid mounting legal challenges over its handling of e-cigarette regulations.” The AP (6/21, Perrone) reported, “The FDA said it authorized four menthol e-cigarettes from Njoy, the vaping brand recently acquired by tobacco giant Altria, which also sells Marlboro cigarettes.” The approval “lends new credibility to vaping companies’ longstanding claim that their products can help blunt the toll of smoking, which is blamed for 480,000 U.S. deaths annually due to cancer, lung disease and heart disease.” Reuters (6/21, Rumney, Tabassum) reported that until now, “the regulator has rejected the vast majority of the 26 million applications it has reviewed so far, including from British American Tobacco, and all of those relating to flavored products.” The Hill (6/21, Weixel) reported advocates criticized the decision. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the decision “will create an opening for more children to become addicted to harmful products.”
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