Pediatrics (all articles)
COVID-19 pandemic measures may have caused reduced cognitive abilities among German students, study shows
20 Mar, 2023 | 13:50h | UTCSummary: This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cognitive abilities of secondary school students in Germany. The study compared the intelligence test performance of 424 students in Grades 7 to 9, tested after the first six months of the pandemic, to the results of two highly comparable student samples tested in 2002 and 2012.
The study found that the 2020 sample had substantially lower intelligence test scores than both the 2002 and 2012 samples. The study also retested the 2020 sample after another full school year of COVID-19-affected schooling in 2021 and found no signs of catching up to previous cohorts or further declines in cognitive performance.
It can be inferred from the article that the lower intelligence test scores of the 2020 sample may have been caused by the prolonged disruption of regular schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including lockdowns and school closures.
The study highlights the potential negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cognitive abilities of secondary school students and suggests that these consequences should be taken into account when conducting intelligence assessments in the post-pandemic era. It also recommends that appropriate compensatory measures be implemented to address any learning loss or cognitive deficits that may have resulted from the disruption of regular schooling during the pandemic.
Study | Public health policies should recommend introducing peanut products to infants at 4-6 months of age to prevent peanut allergy
20 Mar, 2023 | 13:33h | UTCCommentary: Expert reaction to research on giving peanut products to babies – Science Media Centre
Related study: Early Introduction of Allergenic Foods Can Prevent Food Allergies in High Risk Infants
Related Guidelines:
AAP Updated Recommendations for Dietary Interventions to Prevent Atopic Disease
Timing of introduction of allergenic solids for infants at high risk – Canadian Paediatric Society
Commentary from the author on Twitter
Latest paper from #LEAPStudy is now published in @JACIonline. We have looked at what happens if peanut products are introduced into the infant diet at different ages across the whole population. https://t.co/zpOlrNHOSihttps://t.co/xDIgYjezyS
More details below. @GoAllergy 1/12 pic.twitter.com/jY5MvdJ2AZ— Graham Roberts (@ProfGRoberts) January 12, 2023
Review | The latent phase of labor
20 Mar, 2023 | 13:28h | UTCThe latent phase of labor – American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Commentary on Twitter
AJOG Expert Review in Labor: The latent phase of labor- Management of a prolonged latent phase of labor https://t.co/ep0rPrldAn @acog @RCObsGyn @SOGCorg @ranzcog @ISUOG pic.twitter.com/fm7cUaQsOr
— AJOG (@AJOG_thegray) March 17, 2023
M-A | Global prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in pediatric type 2 diabetes
20 Mar, 2023 | 13:12h | UTC
Consensus Statement | Point-of-care ultrasound for systematic assessment of the crashing neonate
17 Mar, 2023 | 13:05h | UTC
SR | Planned hospital birth compared with planned home birth for pregnant women at low risk of complications
17 Mar, 2023 | 12:51h | UTCSummary: Planned hospital birth versus planned home birth – Cochrane Library
RCT | Impact of two ketogenic diet types in refractory childhood epilepsy
16 Mar, 2023 | 13:13h | UTCImpact of two ketogenic diet types in refractory childhood epilepsy – Pediatric Research
Related:
Efficacy and Safety of Dietary Therapies for Childhood Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis – JAMA Pediatrics (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Safety, Efficacy, and Tolerability of Modified Atkins Diet in Persons With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial – Neurology (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Updated recommendations for the use of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and interventions to reduce perinatal HIV transmission
15 Mar, 2023 | 15:22h | UTC
M-A | Comparison of pediatric emergency department visits for attempted suicide before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
15 Mar, 2023 | 14:56h | UTC
20 million pregnant women with group B streptococcus carriage: consequences, challenges, and opportunities for prevention
15 Mar, 2023 | 14:53h | UTC
RCT | Immersive virtual reality intervention reduces pain among pediatric patients undergoing venipuncture
15 Mar, 2023 | 14:46h | UTCCommentary: Immersive Virtual Reality Beneficial for Children Undergoing Venipuncture – HealthDay
Adolescent substance use | Objective assessment with hair analysis nearly doubled the estimated prevalence based on self-reported data
14 Mar, 2023 | 13:34h | UTCNews Release: Hair analysis shows child drug use could be twice as high as we think – Taylor & Francis Group
Current recommendations for management of pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis
10 Mar, 2023 | 14:38h | UTC
Recommendations for cardiac point-of-care ultrasound in children
10 Mar, 2023 | 14:35h | UTC
SR | Surgical treatments for epilepsies in children aged 1–36 months
10 Mar, 2023 | 14:21h | UTCSurgical Treatments for Epilepsies in Children Aged 1–36 Months: A Systematic Review – Neurology
Commentary on Twitter
Tsou and colleagues summarize findings of a systematic review commissioned by the @AmEpilepsySoc to assess evidence and identify evidence gaps for surgical treatments for #epilepsy in children aged 1–36 months without infantile spasms. Read the article: https://t.co/Q1WW8Yy0Jf pic.twitter.com/Ko1c27x6cw
— Neurology Journal (@GreenJournal) January 9, 2023
Review | Nutritional management of the infant with chronic kidney disease stages 2–5 and on dialysis
9 Mar, 2023 | 14:18h | UTC
Perspective | Antipsychotics are increasingly being prescribed to children – here’s why we should be concerned
8 Mar, 2023 | 14:29h | UTCOriginal study: Cohort Study | Trends in antipsychotic prescribing to children and adolescents in England
SR | Ultrasound‐guided arterial cannulation in the pediatric population
7 Mar, 2023 | 13:15h | UTCSummary:
This updated systematic review analyzed nine randomized controlled trials comparing ultrasound guidance to traditional methods of locating arteries for cannulation, such as palpation and Doppler auditory assistance.
The review found that ultrasound guidance probably improves first-attempt success rates, reduces the risk of complications such as hematoma formation, improves success rates within two attempts and the overall rate of successful cannulation, and reduces the number of attempts and duration of the cannulation procedure.
However, the review also notes that the evidence is only of moderate certainty due to the inability to mask the doctors performing the cannulation and the limited number of children studied. More research is needed to confirm the benefits of ultrasound guidance for arterial cannulation in different age groups of children.
Article: Ultrasound‐guided arterial cannulation in the paediatric population – Cochrane Library
Summary: Ultrasound use for insertion of arterial catheters in children – Cochrane Library
Myocarditis or pericarditis events after BNT162b2 vaccination in individuals aged 12 to 17 years in Ontario, Canada
7 Mar, 2023 | 13:13h | UTCSummary:
A population-based cohort study was conducted to estimate the incidence of reported myocarditis or pericarditis after BNT162b2 vaccination in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years in Ontario, Canada, and to describe the clinical information associated with these events. The study analyzed data from 1.65 million doses of BNT162b2 vaccinations administered between December 14, 2020, and November 21, 2021.
According to the study, 77 adolescents were reported to have developed myocarditis or pericarditis after receiving the vaccine, and there was a greater occurrence of these events among those aged 16 to 17 years compared to those aged 12 to 15 years. Additionally, adolescents with shorter intervals between vaccine doses had a higher incidence of myocarditis or pericarditis.
Most cases of myocarditis and pericarditis were mild, and the adolescents required either no treatment or were treated conservatively with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Update on current contraceptive options | A case-based discussion of efficacy, eligibility, and use
7 Mar, 2023 | 13:06h | UTC
Position Statement | Chronic suppurative lung disease and bronchiectasis in children, adolescents and adults
7 Mar, 2023 | 13:04h | UTC
SR | Intermittent phototherapy versus continuous phototherapy for neonatal jaundice
7 Mar, 2023 | 12:59h | UTCSummary:
Phototherapy is a widely accepted first-line therapy for neonatal jaundice, and while continuous phototherapy is traditionally used, intermittent phototherapy has been proposed as an equally effective alternative with practical advantages such as improved maternal feeding and bonding. This systematic review compared intermittent vs. continuous phototherapy’s effectiveness and safety in treating neonatal jaundice.
The study included 12 randomized controlled trials involving 1600 infants, and found little or no difference between intermittent and continuous phototherapy in reducing bilirubin levels. Continuous phototherapy was found to be more effective in preterm infants, but the risks and potential benefits are unknown.
The review concludes that while there are theoretical benefits to intermittent regimens, large, well-designed, prospective trials are needed to determine whether intermittent and continuous phototherapy are equally effective and safe in both preterm and term infants.
Article: Intermittent phototherapy versus continuous phototherapy for neonatal jaundice – Cochrane Library
Summary: Intermittent phototherapy versus continuous phototherapy for neonatal jaundice – Cochrane Library
Cohort Study | Early pregnancy exposure to NSAIDs is associated with slightly higher risks of neonatal and maternal adverse outcomes
7 Mar, 2023 | 12:56h | UTCSummary:
A nationwide cohort study in South Korea, including 1.8 million pregnancies, investigated the association between the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) during early pregnancy and neonatal and maternal adverse outcomes.
The study revealed that pregnant women exposed to NSAIDs during early pregnancy were at increased risk of oligohydramnios and had a slightly higher likelihood of having an infant with major congenital malformations and low birth weight. These risks remained elevated when comparing NSAIDs against acetaminophen or past users.
The study suggests that clinicians should weigh the need to prescribe NSAIDs in early pregnancy against the modest but possible risk of neonatal and maternal outcomes and consider prescribing nonselective NSAIDs for <10 days, with continued careful monitoring for any safety signals.
M-A | Oral iron supplementation and anemia in children according to schedule, duration, dose and cosupplementation
7 Mar, 2023 | 12:53h | UTCSummary:
The article is a systematic review and meta-analysis of 129 randomized trials on iron supplementation and anemia in children. The study aimed to identify the optimal schedule, duration, dose, and cosupplementation regimen for iron supplementation in children and adolescents aged under 20 years.
The results showed that frequent (3-7 times/week) and intermittent (1-2 times/week) iron supplementation could be equally effective at increasing hemoglobin and decreasing anemia, iron deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia.
The study supports WHO recommendations regarding the frequency, duration, and dose of iron supplementation, including 3 months annually of daily oral iron supplementation for children aged 6 months to 12 years living in regions with a high burden of anemia. However, it also suggests that weekly iron supplementation might be considered an alternative to the recommended daily regimen in some contexts, given evidence of similar efficacy.
Report | Economic impact of overweight and obesity to surpass $4 trillion by 2035
6 Mar, 2023 | 14:32h | UTCSummary:
A recent report from the World Obesity Federation has issued a warning that the number of people worldwide suffering from overweight or obesity could increase significantly by 2035, surpassing the 50% mark. The report, called the World Obesity Atlas 2023, also highlights the significant economic impact of this trend, estimating that the cost of overweight and obesity could reach $4.32tn annually by 2035, equivalent to almost 3% of the global GDP.
The report also identifies two groups that are particularly at risk: children and individuals from lower-income countries. Childhood obesity is a growing concern, as the report predicts it could double by 2035. Additionally, lower-income countries face a rapid increase in obesity prevalence, with nine out of 10 countries with the greatest expected increases in obesity coming from low or lower-middle income countries.
Report: World Obesity Atlas 2023
News release: Economic impact of overweight and obesity to surpass $4 trillion by 2035
Commentary: Report: Obesity could cost the world over $4 trillion a year by 2035 – STAT
Related:
Report: Tenfold increase in childhood and adolescent obesity in four decades
Global cost of obesity-related illness to hit $1.2tn a year from 2025
The Lancet Series: The Double Burden of Malnutrition