GENE VARIANT IS ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH AUTISM AND GASTROINTESTINAL DYSFUNCTION

Autism is a disorder characterized, in part, by deficits in communication abilities. Gastrointestinal conditions are common among individuals with autism, and it may be difficult for some individuals to communicate that they are experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort. Some theories of autism speculate that gastrointestinal dysfunction may impact brain development, while other theories of autism suggest that the altered nervous system development may affect gastrointestinal function. In the study, “Distinct Genetic Risk Based on Association of MET in Families With Co-occurring Autism and Gastrointestinal Conditions,” researchers demonstrate genetic risk may be playing a role in both the brain and the gut. The scientists found that a functional genetic variant in a gene called MET is more strongly associated with autism specifically in those families where an individual had co-occurring autism and a gastrointestinal condition. Independent studies have shown that the MET gene product, a receptor tyrosine kinase protein, functions in both brain development and gastrointestinal repair. These data suggest that altered MET expression may contribute to a syndrome that includes autism and co-occurring gastrointestinal dysfunction.

REDUCED AIR POLLUTION RESULTS IN IMPROVED BREATHING FOR ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

Better air quality is associated with a significant reduction of airway inflammation in allergic asthmatic children. The study, “Less Air Pollution Leads to Rapid Reduction of Airway Inflammation and Improved Airway Function in Asthmatic Children,” is the first of its kind to adopt a real-life experimental approach to analyze the impact of outdoor air pollution on respiratory health in childhood. In it, 37 untreated children with mild but persistent asthma were recruited from a highly polluted urban environment and relocated to a less polluted rural environment. One week after relocation, researchers discovered that breathing cleaner air was associated in most children with a rapid and highly significant improvement in lung function. The results are consistent with other studies showing that traffic-related exposures are associated with increased airway inflammation, and suggest that this negative influence may be reversible. Study authors conclude that children with chronic respiratory problems may require little or no pharmacological intervention if they breathe cleaner air, and new strategies to further reduce emissions need to be developed to minimize the impact of air pollution on asthma morbidity in children.

Exposing infants and toddlers to television does not improve their language and visual motor skills at age 3, but does not appear to harm them either. In the study, “Television Viewing in Infancy and Child Cognition at 3 Years of Age in a US Cohort,” researchers looked at the amount of time 872 children spent watching television or videos from birth to 2 years of age, then assessed their language and visual motor skills at age 3. When researchers adjusted for other factors that could influence these skills, such as maternal education and breastfeeding, the effect of television appeared neutral. Contrary to many parents’ perception that television viewing is beneficial to their children’s brain development, the researchers found no evidence of such a benefit. The authors point out that there are many potential benefits of limiting television exposure in children, including improved diet, lower risk of overweight, less exposure to violent content, and improved sleep quality.

HALF OF BLACK TEENS MAY BE DEFICIENT IN VITAMIN D

Based on a higher threshold of adequate vitamin D levels, approximately half of non-Hispanic black adolescents were deficient, according to the study “Implications of a New Definition of Vitamin D Deficiency in a Multiracial US Adolescent Population: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III.” Experts differ on optimal vitamin D status, which is measured by plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration. Currently, individuals with serum levels of <11 ng/mL are considered vitamin D deficient. However, citing evidence that problems may actually manifest at higher levels, many experts have proposed that a better minimum level is 20 ng/mL. Using the higher standard, researchers estimated the national prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 14 percent. Non-Hispanic black adolescents had 20 times the risk of vitamin D deficiency compared with non-Hispanic white adolescents. The risk of deficiency was more than double for females compared with males, and overweight adolescents had almost twice the risk of deficiency compared with normal-weight adolescents.

Editor’s note: The February issue of Pediatrics also includes the study, “Vitamin D Deficiency in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease: Uncovering an Epidemic.”

Restrictive age and violent-content labels increased the attractiveness of video games for boys and girls of all age groups, according to a new study. In “Age and Violent-Content Labels Make Video Games Forbidden Fruits for Youth,” researchers tested 310 Dutch children in three groups: 7 to 8, 12 to 13 and 16 to 17 years of age. Participants read fictitious video game descriptions and rated how much or how little they wanted to play each game. An important finding for parents, pediatricians and policy-makers is that age and violent-content labels do not prevent young children from playing games with objectionable content. In fact, they have the opposite effect. Study authors suggest that video games should not be forbidden in Europe or the United States because that will only make the games more attractive, and parents should help in selecting appropriate games for their children to play.

BLOOD LEAD LEVELS DECLINING, BUT CHILDREN STILL AT RISK FOR LEAD POISONING

Children who experience short spells of time without health insurance (1 to 4 months) are more likely to experience delays in needed health care than those who are insured year-round. The study, “The Effects of Varying Periods of Uninsurance on Children’s Access to Health Care,” examined the effect of insurance status on health care access. The authors found that children with brief periods of uninsurance were not only less likely to get needed care but also less likely to have a regular source of care. The consequences were worse for children experiencing longer periods without insurance. This group not only experienced the above problems, but was also more likely to miss preventive care and delay obtaining prescription medications. One of the main reasons given for lack of insurance was affordability. The authors hope this study will encourage state policy-makers to use the reauthorization and expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligibility requirements to expand eligibility and improve enrollment and retention efforts for the program, because even very short periods of uninsurance can have negative consequences for children’s access to health care and utilization.