Articles related to Pediatrics

The extra calories and lower physical activity of modern culture are yielding higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses. Evidence is mounting that intermittent fasting may help reverse these trends. This neuroscientist brings 25 of studying intermittent fasting to explain why and how it works, and what your patients’ options are.

Eighty-eight children ages 6 through 12 were randomized to daily pine bark extract, methylphenidate, or placebo for 10 weeks. Total ADHD-Rating Scales scores decreased 29% with pine bark extract, 45% with methylphenidate, and 5% with placebo. Hyperactivity/impulsivity decreased 34% with pine bark extract and 36% with methylphenidate and increased 1% with placebo. Inattention decreased 25% with pine bark extract, 52% with methylphenidate, 9% with placebo. Adverse events were reported 5 times more frequently with methylphenidate than with pine bark.

Amar Gajjar, MD, who serves as the co-chair of the oncology department and chair of the pediatric medicine department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, answers questions from our friends at Cancer Therapy Advisor. Proton therapy, conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and observed glioma progression are all topics covered by Dr. Gajjar when talking about treatment options for pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG) that have relapsed or progressed.

The FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) unanimously decided on October 28 that there is insufficient evidence to support the claim that the pediatric oncology drug 131-I-omburtamab improves overall survival. A radiolabeled antibody, 131-I-omburtamab was created to treat central nervous system/leptomeningeal (CNS/LM) metastases in pediatric patients with neuroblastoma.

Teva Pharmaceuticals is the primary supplier of both branded and generic versions of the stimulant, which is approved to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. Teva has cited increased demand, workforce shortages, and manufacturing disruptions due to packaging constraints as reasons for the supply problems.

Some studies in children have reported a relationship between antidepressant use in pregnancy and neurodevelopment disorders after birth. In this analysis of 145,702 antidepressant-exposed and 3,032,745 unexposed pregnancies, crude results suggested up to a doubling in risk of neurodevelopmental outcomes. Significantly, however, no association was observed after balancing for confounding variables.