Debora Porter

BURN OUT from GOBELINS Paris on Vimeo : Stella, a space mechanician, has broken down and ended on a desert planet. While she is in despair, a little girl appears out of nowhere. Following the child into a tunnel, in the depths of the planet, she discovers a big cave full of objects that belonged to her, reminding her the dreams she has left behind.     source http://www.thepediablog.com/2022/12/31/cool-video-of-the-week-539/

These pages from the European Pediatric Association by Pettoello-Mantovani et al summarize and duplicate scientific information recently published, Preparing for uncertainty: endemic pediatric viral diseases after Covid-19 pandemic disruption [Lancet 2022 Jul 14;S0140-6736(22)01277-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)1277-6] by Messacar et al. (citation 9). There was no intent by the authors to appropriate Dr. Messacar's findings or conclusions, but rather to report his findings for the benefit of general pediatricians. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01062-9/fulltext?rss=yes

*This post originally appeared on The PediaBlog on December 30, 2021.   Bumpy Road Ahead     Little baby River was born in the time of coronavirus and climate change. The father is already apologizing to his newborn son: My dearest River, Against all odds you were conceived in a lighthouse, born during a pandemic and will taste just enough of Life as We Knew It to resent us when it’s gone. I’m sorry. I’m sorry we broke your sea and your sky and shortened the wings of the nightingale. I’m sorry that the Great Barrier Reef is no longer great, that we value Amazon more than the Amazon and that the waterfront neighborhood where you burble in my arms could be condemned by rising seas before you’re old enough for a mortgage.   Bill Weir is River’s dad. He is also CNN’s Chief Climate Correspondent. He has done what so many have resisted: he’s actually read the science. For generations, scientists told us that if we weren’t careful, a different kind of in...

Cosmic Cliffs of Carina Nebula (NASA)   I was just a toddler when President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to “commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” In a remarkable speech given four months later to a packed stadium at Rice University in Houston, Texas, President Kennedy spoke words that still resonate 60 years on: “We meet at a college noted for knowledge, in a city noted for progress, in a state noted for strength and we stand in need of all three, for we meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.” “We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people.”   Every space launch following JFK’s speech was avidly...

  There must be more… more… More current more spark More touch deep in the heart Not more thoughtless cruelty Not more feeling this lonely — Bruce Cockburn, More Not More   What a year it’s been. Another year living through a deadly global pandemic. War in Europe, natural disasters, drought and famine in Africa, mass shootings on the streets, in schools and places of worship, decaying social discourse… That’s not all the weight of the world our children our carrying on their small and still-developing shoulders. Psychologist Kathy Wu, PhD is an expert in treating child survivors of trauma: Compounding these macro-level stresses are adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that a majority of children (61%) experience at least one of in their lifetimes. ACEs of a potentially traumatic nature include exposure to or witness of violence in the home or community, abuse, or neglect, mental health or substance use problems in the household, and a family member attempting o...

                After parents share some of yesterday’s New Year’s resolutions ideas with their kids, Talking Parents suggests they consider adopting a few for themselves: Setting your own New Year’s resolutions alongside your kids can help them feel encouraged and supported. Children learn by example , so participating in goal setting with your kids will show them that everyone has room for self-improvement, regardless of age.   As 2022 comes to a close, the American Academy of Pediatrics offers  8 parenting goals that reinforce many of the lessons learned here on The PediaBlog over the years: 1. Get everyone vaccinated against COVID & flu . COVID vaccines and flu shots are the best way to protect yourself, your children, and other loved ones from these dangerous viruses circulating together. You can even get COVID and flu vaccines at the same time. Call your pediatrician to make sure your children are up-to-da...

  Seldom do we end a year or start a new one on The PediaBlog without making lists of New Year’s resolutions. This year, Talking Parents takes a cue from pediatricians: New Year’s resolutions can be a great way to motivate your kids, helping them start the year off on the right foot. That’s according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which encourages parents to sit down with their children to come up with healthy goals for the new year. You and your co-parent can discuss New Year’s resolutions with your kids and then communicate with each other about how you can help them reach their goals.   The days between Christmas and New Year’s Day is a good time for reflecting on the past and looking forward to a happy and healthy year ahead. Parents can help their children make New Year’s resolutions that reinforce desirable behaviors and develop healthy and lasting habits… 10 healthy New Year’s resolution ideas for preschoolers 1. I will clean up my toys befo...

Baby Blues by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott ( GoComics.com )           Merry Christmas!   source http://www.thepediablog.com/2022/12/25/sunday-funnies-537/

“Joy & Heron” from PASSION Animation on Vimeo : Kyra and Constantin have crafted a beautiful story for Chinese retailer JD.com. Kyra and Constantin developed the existing character of Joy, the brand’s logo, into an adorable tale of a dog, a heron and a can of worms.     source http://www.thepediablog.com/2022/12/24/cool-video-of-the-week-538/

*This post originally appeared on The PediaBlog on December 23, 2012.   Sunday Funnies   Liz Climo                                   source http://www.thepediablog.com/2022/12/23/flashback-friday-238/

This study assessed the association between standing intravenous acetaminophen and opioid exposure after cardiac surgery. Before versus after implementation of a standardized pain pathway, we report decreased opioid exposure, 0.38 MME/kg [IQR 0.10-0.81] vs. 0.26 MME/kg [0.09-0.56] (p=0.01) and increased acetaminophen exposure, 3 [2-4] vs. 4 [4-5] doses (p<0.001). source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01112-X/fulltext?rss=yes

  So far this year, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has issued 64  health advisories across the PA Health Alert Network (PA-HAN), targeting the inboxes of health professionals and practitioners, hospital personnel, and health systems. Two health alerts — one concerning PFAS exposure and the other about  invasive Group A Streptococcal infections — recently got the attention of  The PediaBlog here  and   here . Yesterday, PADOH alerted physicians about a shortage of osteltamivir (Tamiflu), a popular anti-viral medication used to treat people infected with influenza who may be at higher risk for developing serious illness and complications. As new cases of influenza cause hospitals and clinics to overflow with sick patients, providers and pharmacies were reminded that treatment options — oral baloxavir, inhaled zanamivir, intravenous peramivir — are still available for their patients. Last week, an update on COVID-19 Omicron variants and monoclo...

  This week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued a health advisory to medical providers, hospitals, and health systems regarding possible increases in invasive Group A Streptococcal infections that have been observed this fall in the United States. Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes a number of very common bacterial infections that are familiar to pediatricians: Strep throat, scarlet fever (strep throat + rash), and impetigo (skin infection). Strep throat and scarlet fever occur most commonly in children between the ages of 5 and 15, usually during winter and spring. The CDC reviews the telltale signs and symptoms of strep throat, noting that the infection primarily involves the throat and lymph nodes and rarely produces cold symptoms, like runny nose and cough: In general, strep throat is a mild infection, but it can be very painful. The most common symptoms of strep throat include: • Sore throat that can start very quickly • Pain when swallowing • Fever ...

To determine whether intravenous (IV) or oral iron suppletion is superior in improving physical fitness in anemic children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01134-9/fulltext?rss=yes

Three sisters with a history of atopic disease developed wheals, throat discomfort, and dyspnea about 30 minutes after eating okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake). The 11- and 13-year-old sisters were judged to have moderate to severe anaphylaxis and treated with intramuscular epinephrine. The symptoms in the 8-year-old sister were mild and disappeared after receiving an antihistamine. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01130-1/fulltext?rss=yes

We identified children diagnosed with kernicterus in California Department of Developmental Services and estimated an incidence of 0.42 per 100,000 births from 1988-2014, significantly decreasing to 0.04 per 100,000 births after 2009. In comparison, CDC data from 1979-2016 showed no change in national mortality from kernicterus. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01077-0/fulltext?rss=yes

  The headline and lede  written by Kris Mamula in yesterday’s  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  should shake us up when tragedy hits so close to home: Neighbors and first responders describe ‘terrifying’ scene of Brighton Heights fire that claimed three lives Neighbors in Brighton Heights awoke early Saturday to screaming, flames and a wall of smoke as a raging fire destroyed a three-story brick home, killing a 19-year-old man and two children, one of whom was scheduled to start school Monday.   Cold weather and December’s ambient darkness increase the risk for tragic home fires, The PediaBlog learned earlier this year: According to the National Fire Prevention Association, home fires occur most frequently in winter compared to other seasons. Heating, holiday decorations, winter storms and candles all increase the risk of residential fires during the winter months. There are about 45,000 electrical fires each year, making them the leading cause of all home...

The author declares no conflicts of interest. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01136-2/fulltext?rss=yes

An 8-year-boy presented with a history of “clicking sounds” in both ears on opening his mouth; this was present for two months. The ‘click’ was associated with abnormal pressure sensation in the ears and would disappear on mouth closure and during sleep. Oral examination revealed the rhythmic, repetitive, bilateral symmetrical bilateral movement of the soft palate and uvula [Video available at www.jpeds.com]. The rest of the neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain were normal. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01129-5/fulltext?rss=yes

An ex-full term, healthy, and developmentally typical 22-month-old boy presented after several spontaneous episodes of "walking like a drunken man." In total, the patient endured 6 self-limiting ataxic attacks over 2 months, each lasting 60-90 minutes, in absence of any associated symptoms, such as loss of consciousness, emesis, pallor, or abnormal eye movements. During the episodes, the patient displayed unsteadiness on his feet with frequent falls. (Video available at www.jpeds.com) Although he did not appear overtly fearful, his parents often "carried him around for comfort." Family history was significant for maternal migraines but no other neurologic disorder. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01133-7/fulltext?rss=yes

Each year before the Christmas holidays, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) cautions shoppers about potentially dangerous products to give to children in its annual “Trouble in Toyland” report. Overall, toy manufacturers have been doing better than before, though that trend may be changing: All toys sold in the United States (and intended for use by children 12 years or younger) must meet U.S. safety standards. And, by all indications, toys overall are safer today than in years past. Injuries and recalls are down, from 251,700 toy-related injuries in 2010 to 198,000 toy-related injuries in 2020. Toy recalls used to hit 50-plus a year more than a dozen years ago. We actually had 172 toy recalls in 2008. For the last seven years, they’ve ranged from nine to 28 per year. This year, recalls could top 30 for the first time since 2014.   This year’s 37th annual toy safety report shows there is room for improvement: About 200,000 people go to an emergency room ...

Dustin by Steve Kelley and Jeff Parker ( Arcamax.com/thefunnies )             source http://www.thepediablog.com/2022/12/18/sunday-funnies-536/

Kilauea – The Fire Within from Page Films on Vimeo : Many in Hawaii refer to the lava as Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire. After our incredible experiences at the volcano it’s not hard to see why so many islanders to this day see Pele as a living breathing thing. I was born and raised on the island but hadn’t had the chance to come face to face with Pele until we set out to create this film. I wanted to capture the beauty, mystery and danger of Kilauea. I wanted to just see the volcano doing what it does by turning the cameras away from human interaction and toward the fiery blood of the Earth. The Fire Within is our attempt at capturing what it felt like to witness molten rock slowly burning down a dense wet rainforest, or to peer into a 600 foot wide lava lake at Kilauea’s summit crater. I’ve never been anywhere else on the planet that demanded as much respect and awareness for the natural environment around me. Peles mesmerizing beauty and unsettling sense of danger were no...

A 19 month old girl was referred to our hospital with a suspicion of larva migrans. Her parents had observed a lesion at the sole of her left foot that had changed position. The lesion appeared the evening after playing on the lawn in a public park near a fountain and a small pond on a hot day. The lesion did not seem painful or itchy, and did not hindering walking. There were no associated symptoms. The child had not travelled outside Switzerland. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01127-1/fulltext?rss=yes

Song et al 1 reported the usefulness of triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and modified TyG indices in predicting nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in general Korean youths aged 10-19 years. The TyG index, calculated from fasting glucose and triglyceride levels, has high sensitivity and specificity for identifying insulin resistance. 2 This study found the TyG index and modified TyG indices significantly predicted pediatric NAFLD. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) values for NAFLD detection ranged from 0.667 to 0.780 as follows: TyG, 0.667; TyG-BMI, 0.774; TyG-BMI SDS, 0.774; TyG-waist circumference (WC), 0.776; and TyG-waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), 0.780. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01128-3/fulltext?rss=yes

*This post originally appeared on The PediaBlog on December 16, 2019.   Kids Need To Snooze Longer     Whatever the reasons — heavy loads of homework assignments, early school start times, increased use of electronic devices, difficult home-life situations, poverty, and mental health issues are just a few examples — it is clear that too many American schoolchildren are not getting enough sleep. And it’s having an adverse effect on their health and well-being. A new study (awaiting publication) has determined that more than half of students (52%) are not getting the recommended amount of sleep each night. Christopher Curley reports that pediatric researchers discovered a number of consequences of sleep deprivation: “Sleep deprived kids have more behavioral problems, more academic problems, more health problems, more risk-taking behaviors, and more anxiety and mood related problems,” Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD, an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine and...

To determine performance of C-reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosis of early-onset sepsis (EOS), and to assess patient outcomes with and without routine use of CRP. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01123-4/fulltext?rss=yes

  The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) issued an important health advisory alert last month warning medical providers and health systems about the threat patients may encounter from PFAS chemicals found in food, water, and consumer products. The alert comes after the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine documented numerous adverse health effects in children and adults from PFAS exposure. (Read the full report from NASEM  here .  The PediaBlog previously examined the role of PFAS chemicals in promoting obesity and cancer .) Here is what PADOH wants doctors, nurses, and other health providers to know about these so-called “forever chemicals”: • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are human-made chemicals that don’t appear in nature unless people put them there. There are more than 12,000 different compounds that make up this class of chemicals. • PFAS are referred to as “forever chemicals” because the carbon-fluorine bonds...

To determine whether previous infectious and allergic diseases are associated with the development of Kawasaki disease (KD) in children. source https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(22)01124-6/fulltext?rss=yes

  Amoxicillin is one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics pediatricians rely on to treat ear infections, sinus infections, strep throat, and other bacterial infections in their young patients. Yesterday on The PediaBlog , we learned that pharmacies around the country have had a hard time lately keeping amoxicillin suspension — a liquid formulation also known among young kids and pediatricians alike as “The Bubblegum Medicine” or “The Pink Stuff” — in stock. Four suppliers manufacture practically all of the liquid amoxicillin sold in the United States. The ongoing shortage is due to extreme demand for the antibiotic caused by the spike of illnesses in children infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory pathogens rather than from kinks in the supply chain. The good news is that most runny noses, coughs, and sore throats in children don’t need amoxicillin or any other antibiotic to treat them. The American Academy of Ped...