Pediatrics

Article Abstract:

In pediatrics, a major focus of medicine is on the prevention of disease. The most common cause of invasive bacterial infection in infants and young children is Haemophilus influenzae type b. In 1990, a new vaccine against H. influenzae type b was approved for use in children as young as two months old. In the US, 20,000 cases of H. influenzae type b occur each year, and result in between 800 and 1,000 deaths. This new vaccine has the potential to eliminate these infections. Another aspect of preventive medicine is the elimination of nutritional deficits. Vitamin A deficiency can result in eye disease; it is estimated that each year as many as 10 million children in developing countries suffer from eye disease resulting from this deficiency. From 50 to 100 million children may also have increased rates of diarrhea and respiratory disease due to inadequate dietary vitamin A. A major focus of pediatrics is to reduce these statistics by providing vitamin supplements to the people who need them most. In one preliminary study, providing vitamin supplements to a community in southern India reduced the childhood mortality rate by 50 percent. Another way of improving the health of children is to improve prenatal care and the care of low-birth-weight infants. It has been found that active intervention during the first three years of life of low-birth-weight children results not only in improved health, but in higher IQ levels as well. Of a group of 935 children studied over a three-year period, those who did not receive active intervention had an average IQ of 85, while those who received regular medical care had an average IQ of 98. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Children, Child health

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Pediatrics

Article Abstract:

Recent developments in pediatrics have been focused in the areas of neonatology and genetics. Medical and ethical questions have been raised about the advisability of testing children's cholesterol levels and allowing manufacturers of infant formula to advertize. Cholesterol testing can be selective (high-risk children only) or universal, and arguments in favor of each approach are presented. The infant formula controversy arises because formula companies, which recently began to advertise directly to consumers, seem to undermine the roles of pediatricians, and discourage breast-feeding. In addition, the costs of advertising reduce the profits previously directed for pediatric research. Although a free-market economy cannot allow enforcement of voluntary curtailment of advertising, one possible solution is for Congress to declare an exception to free-market policies and prohibit infant formula advertising. This was done in the case of tobacco advertising. The World Health Organization has, in fact, banned advertising infant formula to the public. Neonatology has reduced the mortality of low-birth-weight babies, but, at the same time, the numbers of newborns treated for cocaine withdrawal and born with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, which is associated with AIDS) continue to increase. The infants born to cocaine- or crack-abusing mothers demonstrate evidence of central nervous system damage, and many of the HIV-infected babies will develop AIDS. The identification of the gene for cystic fibrosis was a positive development. Gene therapy techniques will make pediatrics a most exciting profession in the years ahead. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Care and treatment, Research, Causes of, Advertising, Birth weight, Low, Low birth weight, Gene therapy, Neonatology, Drug withdrawal symptoms, Substance withdrawal syndrome, Infant formulas, AIDS (Disease) in children, Pediatric AIDS (Disease)

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Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccine in Health Care Professionals : A Randomized Trial

Article Abstract:

All health care workers should be vaccinated against influenza. Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in 264 health care professionals who received influenza vaccine or a placebo. Throughout the following influenza season, those who received influenza vaccine were much less likely to get influenza compared to the placebo group. Influenza vaccine was about 90% effective against influenza A virus and influenza B virus. Those who received influenza vaccine also had fewer sick days from respiratory illness.

Evaluation, Influenza vaccines, Medical personnel

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