Top Stories

• Infants' Tylenol recalled over bottle design problems
  Johnson & Johnson on Friday recalled an estimated 547,000 bottles of infants' Tylenol following complaints from parents about its new bottle cap and dose syringe. The company's McNeil Consumer Healthcare division said that the drug was safe and that there were no reports of adverse effects. The Wall Street Journal (2/17), ABC News/The Associated Press (2/17)     

• Gender nonconformity in children is tied to increased abuse risk
  A Harvard School of Public Health study found that children who did not conform to expected gender roles before age 11 were more at risk of physical, psychological and sexual abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder in early adulthood. The researchers wrote in the journal Pediatrics that 1 in 10 children demonstrated gender nonconformity before age 11. USA TODAY (2/20)

Pediatric Health Care

• Youths with IBD may face problems at school, study shows
  Youths ages 11 to 17 with inflammatory bowel disease performed poorer in school compared with healthy peers, primarily due to increased school absences, according to a study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. Researchers noted that young IBD patients were also more at risk of internalizing problems such as depression, which increased the number of school absences. Nurse.com (2/19), DoctorsLounge.com/HealthDay News (2/17)

• Analysis looks at use of thrombolytic drugs in pediatric stroke
  An analysis of 9,367 pediatric patients with acute ischemic stroke in the Kids' Inpatient Database showed that 4% of those who received thrombolytic drugs had a brain hemorrhage. Only a small number of the total were treated with thrombolytic drugs. "Children are not getting the treatment because the treatment is not recommended for them. The rate of using thrombolysis is also low in adults, about 2%, but this rate in children is even lower," said Dr. Amer Alshekhlee of St. Louis University. Family Practice News (2/17)

• Study links endosulfan pesticide exposure to blood cancer
  A small study published in the journal Indian Pediatrics found increased levels of endosulfan in the bone marrow of pediatric blood cancer patients in areas where the pesticide is used. The results could serve as a basis for bigger studies in the future. The pesticide is banned in 74 countries. The Daily Mail (London) (2/17)     

• Study suggests early intervention may interrupt autism progression
  A study by researchers at the University of North Carolina shows that signs of autism may be detectable in children as young as 6 months old. The findings suggest that it may be possible to interrupt the progression of the disorder through early intervention, the study's lead author said. Disability Scoop (2/17)     

• Tumblekins toys recalled over choking, laceration hazards
  International Playthings voluntary recalled an estimated 31,000 of its Tumblekins toy vehicles and play sets over choking and laceration risks, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Although no injuries have been reported, the agency announced Thursday that there was one complaint of a wooden toy breaking into small pieces. Reuters (2/17)

Trends & Technology

• More hospitals adopted EHRs in 2011, poll finds
  As of last year, 35% of hospitals had adopted electronic health record systems, an increase from only 16% in 2009, according to data from an American Hospital Association survey. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the results Friday in Kansas City, Mo. MedPage Today (free registration) (2/17)     

• Ohio enlists more than 6,000 providers in EHR initiative
  The Ohio Health Information Partnership reported that more than 6,000 primary care providers and 56 hospitals have agreed to use electronic health records in an effort to implement a statewide health information exchange. The organization has also pledged to assist with federal outreach initiatives and help 10,000 doctors comply with meaningful use rules. BeckersHospitalReview.com (2/16)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AAP SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Some baby formulas, cereal bars are found to have high arsenic levels (Reuters)

• Controlling parents more likely to raise delinquent children (The Times of India)

• Study: Children always short of recommended amount of sleep (WebMD)

• Study finds vitamin D not tied to insulin sensitivity in youths (PhysiciansBriefing.com)

• SAMHSA: One in 10 U.S. children live with an alcoholic parent (Reuters)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Health Policy & Regulations

• House, Senate vote to delay Medicare physician fee cuts
  The House and Senate have approved a payroll tax package that includes a measure delaying a 27.4% cut in Medicare reimbursements for physicians, scheduled to take effect March 1, until Dec. 31. The American Medical Association has expressed disappointment with the measure, saying it would have preferred a more permanent solution to the problem. AuntMinnie.com (free registration) (2/17), MedPage Today (free registration) (2/18)     

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The Last Word - News from the AAP

• AAP national committee member vacancies
  Nominations are being solicited to fill 35 member vacancies on 24 AAP national committees for the 2012-2013 term year. Vacancies just added for the Committee on Continuing Medical Education and the Committee on Pediatric Research. Deadline for receipt of all materials is Feb. 27. Detailed information and forms are available through the MyAAP website.     

• Leonard P. Rome CATCH Visiting Professorships
  The 2012 call for proposals is now open. The program provides four accredited pediatric residency programs up to $4,500 each to fund a two- or three-day educational program focusing on the field of community pediatrics. Proposals are due by 2 p.m. CT on March 21.     

SmartQuote

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence." --Robert Frost, American poet