Academic pediatrics
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Academic pediatrics · Jan 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialUse of a pictographic diagram to decrease parent dosing errors with infant acetaminophen: a health literacy perspective.
Medication dosing errors by parents are frequent. We sought to whether a pictographic dosing diagram could improve parent ability to dose infant acetaminophen, and to determine whether pictogram benefit varies by health literacy level. ⋯ Inclusion of pictographic dosing diagrams as part of written medication instructions for infant acetaminophen may help parents provide doses of medication more accurately, especially those with low health literacy. High error rates, even among parents with adequate health literacy, suggest that additional study of strategies to optimize dosing is needed.
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Academic pediatrics · Jan 2011
Comparative StudyNatural history of pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza infection in healthy pediatric outpatients.
The pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 (pH1N1) virus is expected to remain a prominent circulating strain in the current and subsequent influenza seasons. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical course of infection with laboratory-confirmed pH1N1 and seasonal influenza A and B in a cohort of previously healthy children managed in the outpatient setting without antiviral therapy. ⋯ In most children without underlying risk factors for severe influenza, pH1N1 virus causes an uncomplicated respiratory tract illness, no more severe than seasonal influenza.
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Academic pediatrics · Nov 2010
Multicenter StudyAssociation of adolescent choking game activity with selected risk behaviors.
Previous research has recommended education for parents, teachers, and anticipatory guidance by pediatricians regarding participation in the so-called choking game, a potentially fatal behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine possible associations between selected demographic variables and risk behaviors with youth engagement in the choking game on the basis of secondary data analysis from a general adolescent health risk behavior survey. ⋯ Engaging in the choking game was highly associated with abuse of substances, suggesting that youth engage in the choking game for the thrill-seeking experience of brief euphoria, a drug-related feeling. To reduce the potentially fatal consequences associated with this behavior, pediatricians should screen youths and provide anticipatory guidance for higher-risk youths and their parents.
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Academic pediatrics · Jul 2010
Risky health behaviors among mothers-to-be: the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are risk factors for health problems later in life. This study aims to assess the influence of ACEs on risky health behaviors among mothers-to-be and determine whether a dose response occurs between ACEs and risky behaviors. ⋯ ACEs were associated with risky health behaviors reported by mothers-to-be. Greater efforts should target the prevention of ACEs to lower the risk for adverse health behaviors that have serious consequences for adults and their children.