MARCH 2007 MEDIA MAILING
AAP Department of Communications Contact: Debbie Linchesky, 847-434-7084,
or Mindy Weinstein, 847-434-7131.
(Please do not reply
directly to this e-mail, as you will not receive a response. Contact
Debbie Linchesky at dlinchesky@aap.org or Mindy Weinstein at mweinstein@aap.org
if you have questions about the contents of this mailing.)
Information in this
mailing is embargoed for release: Monday, March 5, 12:01 am ET. PLEASE
RESPECT THE EMBARGO DATE .
In this mailing:
The Table of Contents
(TOC) from the March issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed scientific
journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and Pediatrics
electronic pages, the Internet extension of Pediatrics. These are available
electronically and can be viewed at:
Current issue TOC:
http://www.pediatrics.org/current.shtml
Future issue TOC:
http://www.pediatrics.org/future.shtml
Also in this mailing:
1. Many Teens Exposed to Work-Related Hazards
2. Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen or Codeine - Which is Best for Kids’
Pain?
3. Weight in Young Girls and The Onset of Puberty
4. Most Doctors Oppose Drug Testing - Addendum to AAP Policy Statement
5. Flu Vaccine Effective Even If It Doesn’t Exactly Match Strain
6. Lead Exposure Linked to Behavior Problems and Lower IQ
7. High-Deductible Health Plans Too Risky for Children
8. Preventive Dental Care in the United States
9. AAP Partners on Addiction and Recovery Campaign
10. Strategic Outreach to Families of All Reservists (SO FAR) Campaign
11. National Poison Prevention Week - Poison Safety Tips
12. Spring Break Safety Tips
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Below are news releases
and briefs on articles appearing in the March issue of Pediatrics, the
peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP). To receive the full text of these articles, contact the AAP Department
of Communications. The embargo date for all information in this mailing
is Monday, March 5, 12:01 am ET.
AAP Contact: Debbie
Linchesky, 847-434-7084, dlinchesky@aap.org or Mindy Weinstein, 847-434-7131,
mweinstein@aap.org
Note: Please attribute
the source as the journal, Pediatrics when covering the following studies.
1. MANY TEENS EXPOSED TO WORK-RELATED HAZARDS
In the national
study, “Work-Related Hazards and Workplace Safety of U.S. Adolescents
Employed in the Retail and Service Sectors,” 928 teenage workers,
14 to 18 years old, were interviewed by telephone about their work environments.
Results indicated that not only are teens exposed to multiple workplace
hazards and work long hours during the school week, 52 percent of males
and 43 percent of females use dangerous equipment such as box crushers
and slicers, or serve and sell alcohol where it is consumed, despite
federal child labor laws. In addition, more females than males are involved
in cash handling (84 percent vs. 61 percent) leaving them exposed to
risks associated with robberies. Helpful information on teen worker
rights is available from the federal government, non-profit organizations,
and state agencies.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
2. ACETAMINOPHEN,
IBUPROFEN OR CODEINE -- WHICH IS BEST FOR KIDS’ PAIN?
A Canadian study
found that ibuprofen provided better and more efficient pain relief
than acetaminophen or codeine for children brought in to the emergency
department with acute musculoskeletal injuries. From May 2002 to January
2003, researchers working on “A Randomized, Controlled Trial of
Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and Codeine for Acute Pain Relief in Children
With Musculoskeletal Trauma,” evaluated 300 children (6 to 17 years)
at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario emergency department
with pain from an injury (to extremities, neck and back) who were randomly
assigned to receive orally acetaminophen, ibuprofen or codeine. Patients
that received ibuprofen experienced greater pain relief at 60 minutes
after receiving the dose than the other two medications. In addition,
patients taking ibuprofen did not need to take additional doses, where
as patients taking acetaminophen or codeine did need additional doses
in order to achieve adequate pain relief.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
3. WEIGHT IN YOUNG
GIRLS AND THE ONSET OF PUBERTY
A new study provides
additional evidence that increased body fat in young girls is associated
with earlier onset of puberty. The study, "Weight Status in Young
Girls and the Onset of Puberty," included 354 girls from diverse
socioeconomic backgrounds in 10 regions of the US. According to the
authors, this is the first study to report that a higher body mass index
(BMI) score in girls as young as 36 months of age and larger increases
in BMI between 36 months of age and first grade are associated with
earlier puberty. The authors state that more studies are needed to identify
exactly how increased body fat leads to earlier puberty in girls.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
4. MOST DOCTORS OPPOSE
DRUG TESTING
Recent U.S. Supreme
Court decisions have resulted in recommendations for adolescent drug testing
in schools, and products made available for parents to test their children
at home. A addendum to the 1996 AAP Policy Statement, “Testing for
Drugs of Abuse in Children and Adolescents,” opposes involuntary
drug testing of adolescents at school or at home and believes more research
is needed on both the safety and effectiveness before testing programs
are implemented. Laboratory testing for drugs is a scientifically complex
procedure, which may be prone to both false-positive and false-negative
tests. Testing should only be carried out by professionals with special
training in the procedure; most pediatricians have not been adequately
prepared to do this. The majority of physicians surveyed in the 2006 Journal
of Adolescent Health (83 percent) disagreed with drug testing in public
schools, which can be perceived by adolescents as an unwarranted invasion
of privacy. The AAP encourages parents who are concerned their child may
be using drugs or alcohol to consult their child’s pediatrician rather
than rely on school or home-based drug testing products.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
5. FLU VACCINE EFFECTIVE
EVEN IF IT DOESN’T EXACTLY MATCH STRAIN
The study, “Vaccine
Effectiveness Against Medically Attended, Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza
Among Children Ages 6 to 59 Months, 2003-2004,” reviewed the cases
of 290 patients from an Atlanta, Georgia, pediatric practice who had laboratory-confirmed
influenza infections during the 2003-2004 influenza season. The authors
found that full vaccination provided an approximate 50 percent reduction
in laboratory-confirmed influenza among children aged 6 and 59 months.
This occurred despite a suboptimal match between the vaccine and circulating
influenza strains for the 2003-2004 season. Partial vaccination also provided
some protection, but only for children aged 24-59 months. Younger children,
ages 6 to 23 months, who were only partially vaccinated, had no reduction
in influenza. The authors assert that this study confirms immunization
against influenza, even in years with a suboptimal vaccine match, can
reduce the impact of this disease.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
6. LEAD EXPOSURE LINKED
TO BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS AND LOWER IQ
Lower IQ scores might
not be the only measurable effect resulting from a child’s exposure
to lead. The study “Lead Exposure, IQ, and Behavior in Urban 5-to
7-Year-Olds: Does Lead Affect Behavior Only by Lowering IQ?” found
that high lead exposure was associated with behavior problems in urban
5-7 year-olds. The researchers analyzed data from 780 children exposed
to high levels of lead in four U.S. cities. They examined the associations
between blood lead concentrations at different ages, IQ, and behavioral
test scores. In 5-year-olds, the blood lead concentrations had no direct
effect on behavior. In 7-year-olds, a direct effect between blood level
and behavior was found, specifically conduct and school problems. The
results of this study suggest that prevention of lead exposure should
continue into late childhood.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
7. HIGH-DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLANS TOO RISKY FOR CHILDREN
With 20 percent of
employers now offering high-deductible insurance plans (HDHP), which are
essentially catastrophic health insurance plans, the American Academy
of Pediatrics (AAP) is concerned about risks these plans place on children.
A new AAP policy statement, “High-Deductible Health Plans and the
New Risks of Consumer-Driven Health Products,” discusses the implications
of HDHPs on families and pediatricians. Of particular concern is that
families with HDHPs are likely to delay or avoid seeking care when they
are faced with paying for care before the deductible is met, which means
these children may not get the preventive care they need for long-term
good health. The financial risks are significant under HDHPs, especially
for low- to moderate-income families and for families whose children have
special health care needs. Among the recommendations, the policy advocates
that coverage be provided for preventive services including well-child
care, immunizations and appropriate screenings. Preventive services should
be covered before the deductible is met.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
8. PREVENTIVE DENTAL
CARE IN THE UNITED STATES
Preventive dental
care is a cornerstone of optimal oral health. Researchers in the study
“Preventive Dental Care for Children in the United States: A National
Perspective,” analyzed data collected from the 2003 - 2004 National
Survey of Children’s Health (102,353 children) and found that 72
percent of U.S. children were reported to have had a preventive dental
care visit in the previous year. Variables that significantly lowered
the likelihood of a preventive dental visit included being under 6 years
old, black or multiracial, lower income, being uninsured for dental coverage
and lacking a personal doctor. Children in states with State Child Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP) dental coverage and broadest income eligibility
had a 24 percent higher likelihood of a preventive dental visit when compared
with children in states with limited or no (SCHIP) coverage for dental
services.
Embargoed until Monday,
March 5 at 12:01 am ET.
9. AAP PARTNERS ON
ADDICTION AND RECOVERY CAMPAIGN
A 90-minute documentary,
"Addiction," will air on HBO on March 15, focusing on drug addiction
recovery and treatment. This program will kick off a campaign to launch
or expand local advocacy activities. For more information, visit the Addiction
Action Web site at http://www.AddictionAction.org
10. STRATEGIC OUTREACH
TO FAMILIES OF ALL RESERVISTS
The American Academy
of Pediatrics recently endorsed the project Strategic Outreach to Families
of All Reservists (SO FAR). This project aims to address the mental health
needs of families of those in the Reserve and National Guard who are engaged
in the war in Iraq. Specifically, SO FAR will provide a flexible and diverse
range of psychological services that fosters stabilization, aid in formulating
prevention plans to avoid crises, and to help families develop and maintain
coping skills during the phases of alert, activation, deployment, and
reunion/reintegration. For more information about this program visit the
Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Institute of New England (PCFINE) Web
site at http://www.pcfine.org
11. NATIONAL POISON
PREVENTION WEEK
Some 30 children die
every year from unintentional poisonings, and approximately 1.2 million
phone calls are placed to poison control centers annually by adults
seeking help for children ages 5 and under. The American Academy of
Pediatrics supports National Poison Prevention Week, March 18-24, to
prevent such tragic events. For more information, visit http://www.poisonprevention.org
Poison prevention and treatment tips from the AAP in both English and
Spanish can be found at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/poisonpreventiontips.htm
12. SPRING BREAK TIPS
It’s almost spring
break, and lots of families will visit sunny climates for some rest and
relaxation. It’s great to get away, but parents also need to protect
their children from the sun’s harmful rays. The American Academy
of Pediatrics has some spring break tips for the whole family. The tips
can be found in both English and Spanish at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/marspringbreaktips.htm
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The FAAP designation
following a pediatrician's name stands for Fellow of the American Academy
of Pediatrics. Pediatricians with a FAAP designation have obtained board
certification in pediatrics and made an ongoing commitment to lifelong
learning and advocacy for children.
MEDIA REQUEST FORM
To request copies
of AAP news releases, digests or briefs, or policy statements and studies
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For more information
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