JUNE 2008 MEDIA MAILING

AAP Department of Communications Contacts: Debbie Linchesky, 847-434-7084; Susan Stevens Martin, 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 Susan Stevens Martin at ssmartin@aap.org if you have questions about the contents of this mailing.)

Information in this mailing is embargoed for release:  Monday, June 2, 2008 at 12:01 am ET, unless otherwise specified. 

PLEASE RESPECT THE EMBARGO DATE. 

In this mailing:

The Table of Contents (TOC) from the June 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:

STUDIES

1. High School Baseball Players Should Use Protective Head Gear

Below are news releases and briefs on articles appearing in the June 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.

STUDIES

1. HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PLAYERS SHOULD USE PROTECTIVE HEAD GEAR

With about 500,000 athletes participating each year, high school baseball is an increasingly popular sport. Although baseball is a relatively safe sport, an estimated 131,555 injuries occurred in two recent years, according to the study, “Epidemiological Features of High School Baseball Injuries in the United States, 2005-2007.” Of 100 high schools surveyed, 431 injuries occurred over a total of 341,000 athletic exposures (defined as one athlete engaging in a practice or game), for a rate of 1.26 injuries per 1,000 exposures. The body parts most commonly injured included the shoulder (17.6 percent); the ankle (13.6 percent); and the head or face (12.3 percent). The most common mechanism of injury was contact with playing apparatus (ball, bat or base). The authors concluded that players in all positions were at risk for head/face and dental injuries when hit by a batted ball. Based on  the nature of such injuries and the proportion that require surgery, and knowing the effectiveness of protective equipment, the authors strongly recommended the use of helmets with face shields (or at least mouth guards and eye protection) for pitchers, infielders and batters at the high school level.

2. CHILDREN CONSUME TOO MANY CALORIES FROM SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES AND FRUIT JUICES

As of 2004, children ages 2 to 19 were consuming 10 percent to 15 percent of their total calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 100 percent fruit juices. The study “Increasing Caloric Contribution From Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and 100% Fruit Juices Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 1988-2004,” compared data from two time periods: 1988 to 1994, and 1999 to 2004. In the more recent time period, children ages 6 to 11 consumed approximately 20 percent more calories from these beverages than in the earlier years. From 1999 to 2004, 3 percent fewer children age 2-5 drank milk on a given day, and children in this age group consumed 30 calories more on a daily basis from sweetened beverages and juice.

Most consumption of these beverages across all ages occurred at home, with 7 percent to 15 percent of consumption occurring in schools. Experts recommend no more than 8 to 12 ounces of these beverages per day for children ages 7 to 18, and only 4 to 6 ounces for younger children. During the time period from 1999 to 2004, children’s average consumption was 25 ounces per day. Mounting evidence supports limiting intake of calories from these beverages to promote optimal energy balance. 

3. Bunk bed injuries send thousands to EMERGENCY ROOM

Every year, an average of 35,790 children suffer non-fatal injuries related to bunk beds, according to an examination of 16 years of injury surveillance data. The study, “Bunk Bed-Related Injuries Among Children and Adolescents Treated in Emergency Departments in the United States, 1990-2005,” found a total of 572,580 children and adolescents 21 years and younger were treated in emergency rooms for bunk bed-related injuries. Children younger than 6 suffered the majority of injuries, with significant injury rates also seen among college-aged students. Roughly 60 percent of the injuries occurred in males. Lacerations were the most common type of injury (29.6 percent) followed by contusions and abrasions (24 percent) and fractures (19.9 percent). Roughly 72 percent of the injuries were caused by falls. Over a quarter of the injuries were to the head and neck. In an estimated 2.9 percent of cases, the patient was hospitalized, transferred to another hospital or held for additional observation. The authors suggest increased efforts are needed to prevent bunk-bed injuries among children, adolescents and young adults.

4. Disinfecting classrooms keeps kids in school

Regular disinfection of elementary school classrooms can reduce the number of kids who stay home sick, according to the study, “Reducing Absenteeism From Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Illness in Elementary School Students: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Infection-Control Intervention.” Researchers equipped elementary school teachers in Ohio with disinfecting wipes to clean the students’ desks every day after lunch, and students were instructed to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer several times a day. In these classrooms, 16 percent of students stayed home with a gastrointestinal illness during the study period, compared to 24 percent of students in classrooms who did not receive the extra sanitation. There was no difference between the two groups in absenteeism due to respiratory illness. Researchers also detected less norovirus on computer mice, desks and drinking fountains in the intervention classrooms compared to the control group.

5. Low birth weight associated with autism, especially in girls

Low birth weight was associated with a 2.3-fold increased risk for autism, with the strongest association seen among low birth weight girls. In the study, “Birth Weight and Gestational Age Characteristics of Children With Autism, Including a Comparison With Other Developmental Disabilities,” researchers examined the records of 565 children with autism born in Atlanta, Ga., from 1986 to 1993, and matched them to a control group. They found the risk for autism was consistently higher for low birth weight girls than for low birth weight boys. For all low birth weight children, the risk of cerebral palsy, mental retardation, hearing loss or vision impairment was higher than the risk of autism. Researchers hypothesize that some girls are more likely than boys to require a prenatal insult, such as reduced growth or preterm birth, in the causal pathway leading to autism. 

Editor’s note: The special article, “Autism and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research” also appears in this issue of Pediatrics.

6. TRACKING CHILDHOOD CANCER IN THE UNITED STATES

Cancer is the No. 1 disease-related cause of death among children (ages 1-19) in the U.S. However, the incidence of childhood cancer in the U.S. has not been well-defined, especially in its geographic variation. In the study, “Cancer Incidence Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2001-2003,” nearly 36,500 cases of childhood cancer were identified and studied. Analyses were stratified according to age, gender, race, ethnicity and geography. Consistent with previous research, leukemia was the most common childhood cancer. For all cancers combined, boys were more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than girls; adolescents (ages 15-19) were diagnosed more frequently than children (ages 0-14); and white children had the highest incidence of any race. Boys were most often diagnosed with lymphoid leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; cancers occurring most frequently in girls were kidney cancers. In addition, children living in the northeast had the highest incidence rate for lymphomas of all census regions. The findings from this study may be used to better understand and track childhood cancers.

7. DO PARENTS HELP OR HURT THEIR OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN?

Obesity among children is a growing public health concern, given the physical and psychological consequences associated with excess body weight. The study, “Accurate Parental Classification of Overweight Adolescents’ Weight Status: Does It Matter?” determined that parents need to talk less and do more when it comes to weight-related matters. Parents who recognized that their teenage children were overweight did not do “healthy things” at home to help their children with healthy weight management such as having more fruits and vegetables available. Rather, the only behavior that they did more frequently was to encourage their children to diet, which was not helpful to weight management over a five-year period, in fact it predicted poorer weight outcomes (i.e., increased weight gain), particularly in girls. The study authors suggest placing less emphasis on getting parents of overweight children to correctly classify their children as overweight and more emphasis on helping all parents provide a healthy home environment, which is supportive of healthy eating and physical activity, for their children.

8. COMPUTERIZED SCREENING FOR BEHAVORIAL CONCERNS

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommends routine health screening for three main behavioral concerns because of their high prevalence among teens: injury risk, depressive symptoms and substance use. In the study, “Trial of Computerized Screening for Adolescent Behavioral Concerns,” 878 adolescents used touch screen computers for behavioral screening in the waiting rooms of nine urban primary care clinics. Fifty-nine percent of the adolescents had positive screening results for one or more of the three behavioral concerns. Sixty-eight percent of the youths who screened positive were recognized as having a problem by their pediatrician when the pediatrician had immediate access to the screening results. In contrast, only 52 percent of the youths with behavioral concerns were recognized as having a problem by their pediatrician when the pediatrician was mailed the results 2-3 days later. The results indicate that computerized screening with real-time results to pediatricians can increase the identification of some common adolescent behavioral concerns.

9. MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD SAFETY

Accidental injury is the leading cause of death among children in the United States, accounting for 43.3 percent of all fatalities. In addition, over 20 million children sustain non-fatal injuries requiring medical attention. In the study, “Maternal Psychological Adjustment and Knowledge of Infant Development as Predictors of Home Safety Practices in Rural Low-Income Communities,” analyses indicate that use of home safety products and practices are increased when mothers have better mental health and are more knowledgeable about their child’s development, however, maternal mental health is a more important predictor of the use of all home safety measures. Poor or minority children are at a higher risk for nearly all types of injuries, and low-income families have more child safety hazards in the home. Injury-prevention efforts may best be targeted to mothers with high depressive or psychological symptoms and low levels of knowledge of child development.

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AAP PARENTING TIPS

12. Summer Safety Tips Part 2

Summer is a fun time for kids and families – make sure yours stay safe as well. The AAP offers tips to stay safe around fireworks, while boating and swimming, and when riding all-terrain vehicles. Tips are available in English and Spanish. Visit http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/summertips-p2.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.