CLINICAL GUIDELINES

Cholesterol screening should be done on all children

For the last 20 years, lipid screening has been recommended only for children with a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol. Now, you probably should add it to your routine screening list. The American Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed new government-issued guidelines that suggest that the older protocol misses too many children (from 30%-60%) and instead advocate universal screening. Find out when patients should be screened and the rare circumstances under which a statin should be prescribed. » More

HEALTH LAW & POLICY

Make sure teens get all vaccines at once

Teenagers are much more likely to be up-to-date on their immunizations if all vaccinations are administered at 1 visit. Pediatricians need to do more to make that happen. That’s the recommendation of a study that found that coverage with the meningococcal conjugate vaccine; the tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine; and the human papillomavirus vaccine was increasing for adolescents but could be improved. What do researchers recommend you do to enhance vaccination rates? » More

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CLINICAL GUIDELINES

Can you get paid for drug screenings without violating teens’ confidentiality?

Here’s today’s challenge: Follow new recommendations to screen teenagers for drug use and get paid for it without violating your patient’s confidentially. A new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics urges adding a drug screening to adolescent office visits. Persuading Mom or Dad to leave the room may not be enough to ensure your conversation is private. Here is what you need to watch out for when coding the visit.
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HEALTH LAW & POLICY

Measles outbreak blamed on lower vaccination rate

No one would blame you if you wanted to call those vaccine-hesitant parents and say, “I told you so.” So far this year, the United States has seen 212 cases of measles, the largest number of cases in 15 years, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Of those infected, 99% were unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown. You probably can guess what group of children was most endangered by the lack of herd immunity. » More

NEW RESEARCH

Autism: Diagnosis can vary greatly by site, clinician

Diagnosis is in the eye of the beholder, at least for autism spectrum classification, suggests a recent study. A wide variation in the assignment of specific diagnostic categories of autism spectrum disorders was found across 12 university-based centers, despite similar distribution of scores on standardized diagnostic instruments. Find out why researchers believe the results support eliminating the existing categories in favor of dimensional descriptions of affect, behavior, language, and cognition. » More

Avoid acetaminophen use in children with asthma

When it comes to the possible link between acetaminophen and asthma, the most prudent response might be “first, do no harm.” That’s the advice offered in a review of recent clinical studies on the issue. Acknowledging the challenge facing pediatricians, policy makers, and professional organizations in the absence of incontrovertible evidence, the review advocates that physicians advise any child with asthma or a family history of asthma to avoid using acetaminophen. What clinical studies led to that view? » More

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