AAP PRESS ROOM -MAY 2009 MEDIA MAILING

AAP Department of Communications Contacts: Debbie Linchesky, 847-434-7084, dlinchesky@aap.org or Susan Stevens Martin, 847-434-7131, ssmartin@aap.org

(Please do not reply directly to this email, as you will not receive a response. Contact Debbie or Susan if you have questions about the content of this mailing.

Information in this mailing is embargoed for release: Monday, April 27, at 12:01 a.m. ET, unless otherwise specified. PLEASE RESPECT EMBARGO.

The Table of Contents (TOC) from the May 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:

STUDIES
1. ADHD drugs linked to better grades in elementary school
2. Music industry urged to turn down the volume on MP3 players
3. Older mothers, breech babies linked to autism
4. Written-language disorder is as common as reading disorders
5. Inadequate sleep leads to behavioral problems
6. More screen time and less activity can mean more distress

AAP REPORTS
7. Abusive head trauma: A new name for shaken baby syndrome
8. Accurately diagnosing child abuse
9. Safe traveling with preterm babies

AAP NEWS RELEASES
10. News releases available next week for 2009 Pediatric Academic Societies meeting
11. AAP campaigns in April and May
12. AAP invites children to enter its 2009 art contest

Below are news releases on articles appearing in the May 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.

Note: Please attribute the source as “the journal, Pediatrics,” when covering information from this mailing. Please note this is the May issue of Pediatrics, which is published online April 27.

Approximately 4.4 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 56 percent of those children take medication to treat the disorder. In the study, “Positive Association Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication Use and Academic Achievement During Elementary School,” researchers found children with ADHD who took medication scored higher in math and reading than unmedicated peers with ADHD. The study authors used a nationally representative sample of children who entered kindergarten in 1998 and followed them through fifth grade. Of the 594 children with ADHD, those who took medication scored 2.9 points higher in mathematics and 5.4 points higher in reading than unmedicated peers with ADHD, a difference of 0.19 and 0.29 school years, respectively. The finding is important, researchers said, given the high prevalence of ADHD and its strong association with lower academic achievement. However, these gains were not great enough to eliminate the test-score gap between children with ADHD and those without the disorder. This suggests the need for active parent and teacher involvement plus tutoring.

Prolonged exposure to loud music can induce hearing loss, and adolescents are increasingly exposed to high-volume music due to the popularity of MP3 players. A growing numbers of adolescents and young adults are suffering from hearing loss and symptoms such as tinnitus and distortion. In the study, “Strategies for the Prevention of MP3-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adolescents: Expert Opinions From a Delphi Study,” researchers determined that it can not be expected that adolescents will perform the necessary protective behaviors. Although the direct responsibility to protect today’s youth lies with the adolescents themselves and their parents, the study authors believe that the music industry, MP3 player and earphone manufacturers, and health authorities also need to implement prevention strategies to create a safer listening environment for adolescent MP3 player users.

A complex collection of variables, both genetic and environmental, have been associated with the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In the study, “Prenatal, Perinatal, and Neonatal Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorders,” researchers found maternal age, birth order and breech presentation were associated with diagnosis of ASD among 8-year-old children in Utah. Children with autism were more likely to have mothers older than 35, be the first born, and have breech presentation at birth. As part of the study background, the authors reviewed 17 previous studies of prenatal, perinatal and neonatal risk factors published over the past three decades. Wide variation in the design of these studies helps explain the differing results. In this study, researchers use a broader definition of ASD to include the entire autism spectrum.

Editors’ Note: The May issue of Pediatrics also includes the study, “Clinical Assessment and Management of Toddlers with Suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights From Studies of High-Risk Infants.”

Learning to spell and write sentences, with correct grammar, is a critical skill for academic and work-force success. A large study found Written-Language Disorder (WLD) is at least as frequent as reading disorder. “The Forgotten Learning Disability: Epidemiology of Written-Language Disorder in a Population-Based Birth Cohort (1976-1982) Rochester, MN,” included 5,718 children. In this study, WLD was defined as writing skills that fell significantly below those expected, given the child’s age, measured intelligence, and appropriate instruction in spelling and writing. Boys were far more likely to have WLD problems, about 2 to 3 times more than girls. Very limited research has been done on WLD, compared with the voluminous literature on reading disorders. The authors hope their research will increase the efforts of medical and school professionals to identify and provide timely intervention for students with this “forgotten learning disability.”

Sleep duration has decreased and a third of children in the United States are estimated to suffer from inadequate sleep. The study, “Short Sleep and Behavioral Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Healthy 7- to 8-Year-Old Children,” examined whether decreased sleep leads to behavioral problems similar to those exhibited by children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Decreased sleep was defined as less than 7.7 hours per night. The authors studied 280 children born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1998. They tracked the children’s sleep using parental reporting as well as actigraphs, or devices worn on the wrist to monitor sleep. They found that reduced sleep increases behavioral problems and that maintaining an adequate sleep schedule is likely to be important in preventing behavioral symptoms.

Health risk behaviors have increasingly been linked to psychological distress in children and adolescents. As part of the 2003 Scottish Health Survey of nearly 1,500 children aged 4 to 12 years and their parents, researchers from the University College London looked at the association between television/screen entertainment viewing time, physical activity levels and psychological distress. Higher amounts of TV/screen time were associated with lower physical activity rates. Both higher screen time and lower physical activity rates were linked with higher odds of psychological distress, including emotional symptoms, conduct problems and peer relationship problems. The authors concluded that public health policy should focus on reducing sedentary time and maintaining sufficient physical activity levels in younger children.

Shaken baby syndrome is a term often used by doctors and the public to describe abusive head trauma inflicted on infants and young children. While shaking an infant can cause neurologic injury, blunt impact or a combination of shaking and blunt impact can also cause injury. In recognition of the need for broad medical terminology that includes all mechanisms of injury, the new AAP policy statement, “Abusive Head Trauma In Infants and Children,” recommends pediatricians embrace the term “abusive head trauma” to describe an inflicted injury to the head and its contents. Pediatricians should learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of abusive head trauma, including those caused by both shaking and blunt impact, and consult with pediatric subspecialists when necessary.

In suspected child abuse and neglect cases, diagnostic imaging can provide documentation of inflicted injuries and evidence in child protection proceedings. “Diagnostic Imaging of Child Abuse,” is a revised policy statement from the AAP that can assist pediatricians when assessing an infant or young child with evidence of physical injury. Only specialists with training and experience in Pediatric Radiology should supervise and interpret imaging studies in cases of suspected child abuse. When viewed in conjunction with clinical and laboratory studies, imaging findings may form the basis of the diagnosis in abused children. When using diagnostic imaging, clinicians should work closely with experienced radiologists to ensure that suspected child abuse is accurately identified and investigated.

Proper selection and use of car seats or car beds are important in ensuring that preterm or low birth weight infants are transported safely. The new AAP clinical report, “Safe Transportation of Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants at Hospital Discharge,” provides important and safe transportation guidelines for pediatricians and caregivers counseling parents with preterm babies. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, correctly used car safety seats are 71 percent effective in preventing fatalities to infants in a passenger car crash. It is suggested that preterm and low birth weight infants at risk for adverse cardiorespiratory events or episodes of apnea should have a period of observation by trained hospital staff of 90 to 120 minutes in a car safety seat before hospital discharge. Parents should be advised that car safety seats should be used only for travel, and a rear-facing car safety seat in the back seat is the safest place for all children.

10. NEWS RELEASES AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK FOR 2009 PEDIATRIC ACADEMIC SOCIETIES MEETING IN BALTIMORE

News releases for abstracts to be presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) May 2 to 5 will be available online the week of April 27. Reporters can access them by going to http://www.pas-meeting.org. PAS will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Top international research and new advancements in pediatrics will be the focus of more than 3,000 presentations to nearly 6,500 leaders in pediatric science, advocacy and patient care from around the world. The conference is co-sponsored by the institutional members of the PAS: the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Several pediatric specialty organizations will also be holding their annual meetings during the conference. For more information, go to http://www.pas-meeting.org .

AAP-supported public awareness campaigns offer timely news pegs in April and May. To find a pediatrician with expertise on one or more of the following topics, please contact AAP Communications.

“Protecting children from tobacco smoke” is the theme of the American Academy of Pediatrics 2009 art contest for children. Children in grades 3 to 12 are invited to submit original pieces of art for a chance to win cash prizes and a trip to the 2009 AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2009. First-place winners will receive a $500 prize, with $500 for the child’s school, and a trip to Washington, DC, for the child and his or her guardian. The second-place winners will receive $250, with $250 for the child’s school. Winners will have their artwork featured on AAP’s Web site and in other promotional materials. Entries should be mailed to American Academy of Pediatrics, Art Contest, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. All entries must be postmarked by Friday, July 31, 2009. Entry form, rules and guidelines are available at http://www.aap.org/artcontest/

Keep your family safe this summer while you enjoy the outdoors. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers tips on sun exposure, heat stress, swimming, bugs, playground dangers, bicycling, skateboards and scooters, and lawn mower safety. Tips are available in English and Spanish at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips.cfm
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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.