Pediatrics News and Research

Latest Pediatrics News and Research

Local air pollution may explain neighborhood differences in rates of childhood asthma

Where a child lives can greatly affect his or her risk for asthma. According to a new study by scientists at Columbia University, neighborhood differences in rates of childhood asthma may be explained by varying levels of air pollution from trucks and residential heating oil. Results appear online in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.

28 Mar 2012

Dr. Reddy’s introduces Quetiapine fumarate tablets in the U.S.

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories announced today that it has launched Quetiapine fumarate tablets (25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg and 400 mg), a bioequivalent generic version of SEROQUEL tablets in the US market on March 27, 2012 following the approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) of Dr. Reddy's ANDA for Quetiapine fumarate tablets.

28 Mar 2012

Researchers identify genetic causes in nearly 1 in 5 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

Researchers have identified genetic causes in nearly 1 in 5 patients who suffer a type of heart failure called dilated cardiomyopathy.

28 Mar 2012

AABB issues new RBC transfusion guidelines

The transfusion of red blood cells is a common treatment in clinical practice. However, the level at which they are transfused varies based not only on a patient's health, but also is determined by what the administering physician deems appropriate. Today, the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) has issued new guidelines, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, recommending that transfusion of red blood cells be considered at a hemoglobin threshold of 7 to 8 g/dL for stable adults and children.

28 Mar 2012

Morning after pills difficult for teenagers to procure

Quite a few U.S. pharmacies may give teen girls incorrect information over the phone about whether they can get the morning-after pill. The pill is a form of emergency contraception taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy without a prescription, a new study suggests.

27 Mar 2012

CBIM effective in discouraging adolescent dating violence

Male high school athletes' ability to recognize and intervene to stop dating violence -- the physical, sexual and emotional aggression prevalent in adolescent romantic relationships -- is improved with the intervention of some of the most important role models in young men's lives: their coaches.

27 Mar 2012

AIUM to honor four individuals in the field of medical ultrasound

During the opening session of the 2012 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) Annual Convention at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 30, 2012, Alfred Z. Abuhamad, MD, president of the AIUM, will present awards to individuals who have significantly contributed to the growth of medical ultrasound.

27 Mar 2012

Obese youths with particular genetic variants may be more prone to fatty liver disease

Obese youths with particular genetic variants may be more prone to fatty liver disease, a leading cause of chronic liver disease in children and adolescents in industrialized countries, according to new findings by Yale School of Medicine researchers.

27 Mar 2012

Time for no-fault vaccination compensation

David Isaacs, Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Sydney, has called for the introduction of compensation for those who suffer a serious adverse reaction to vaccination.

26 Mar 2012

Fairfax Family Practice Centers, Cigna launch collaborative accountable care initiative

Cigna and Fairfax Family Practice Centers, a primary care family medical practice based in Northern Virginia, have launched a collaborative accountable care initiative to expand patient access to health care, improve care coordination, and achieve the "triple aim" of improved health outcomes (quality), lower total medical costs and increased patient satisfaction.

26 Mar 2012

New IVIG trial can reduce OCD symptoms in children with PANDAS

Criteria for a broadened syndrome of acute onset obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been proposed by a National Institutes of Health scientist and her colleagues. The syndrome, Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), includes children and teens that suddenly develop on-again/off-again OCD symptoms or abnormal eating behaviors, along with other psychiatric symptoms - without any known cause.

26 Mar 2012

Status checks on the health overhaul's implementation

A top Health and Human Services official told a congressional panel on Wednesday that his office is still figuring out how employers will be asked to determine their workers' health insurance status once the overhaul law goes into effect. The issue is important because beginning in 2014, companies with 50 or more full-time workers will be required to provide health insurance coverage or face paying a penalty.

23 Mar 2012

Study provides important clue in type 1 diabetes

In type 1 diabetes (T1D), pancreatic beta cells die from a misguided autoimmune attack, but how and why that happens is still unclear. Now, JDRF-funded scientists from the Indiana University School of Medicine have found that a specific type of cellular stress takes place in pancreatic beta cells before the onset of T1D, and that this stress response in the beta cell may in fact help ignite the autoimmune attack.

23 Mar 2012

Study identifies abnormal brain gene expression patterns in autism

A study led by Eric Courchesne, PhD, director of the Autism Center of Excellence at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has, for the first time, identified in young autism patients genetic mechanisms involved in abnormal early brain development and overgrowth that occurs in the disorder. The findings suggest novel genetic and molecular targets that could lead to discoveries of new prevention strategies and treatment for the disorder.

23 Mar 2012

Urban children more likely to be smokers

More than 75 percent of fourth-graders in urban and rural settings have measurable levels of a nicotine breakdown product in their saliva that documents their second-hand smoke exposure, researchers report.

22 Mar 2012

Anxiety, depression and social support can predict early alcohol and illicit drug use in youth

Anxiety, depression, stress and social support can predict early alcohol and illicit drug use in youth, according to a study from Carolyn McCarty, PhD, of Seattle Children's Research Institute, and researchers from the University of Washington and Seattle University.

22 Mar 2012

Neurosurgeon saves two boys with a parallel brain operation

A neurosurgeon saved the lives of two boys by performing simultaneous brain surgery on them both after they were rushed to hospital with identical injuries.

21 Mar 2012

Whooping cough outbreak despite vaccination

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21 Mar 2012

Early disruptions in serotonin signaling may contribute to ASD

Early disruptions in serotonin signaling in the brain may contribute to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other "enduring effects on behavior," Vanderbilt University researchers report.

21 Mar 2012

Majority of adults do not support legislation that addresses youth sexting

Sexting - sending sexually explicit, nude, or semi-nude photos by cell phone - has become a national concern, especially when it involves children and teens. A new poll shows that the vast majority of adults do not support legal consequences for teens who sext.

21 Mar 2012