Top Stories

Pediatricians play key role in helping adoptive families
Pediatricians should help parents address the challenges of raising an adopted child, according to an AAP report published in the journal Pediatrics. Pediatricians can help adoptive families by assessing pre-adoption medical records as well as modeling postitive adoption language, the group said. DoctorsLounge.com/HealthDay News (9/24)

Review finds insufficient evidence for autism drug use in youths
A systematic review of eight studies on autism medications revealed insufficient evidence to support the use of such treatments in teens and young adults. The findings appear in the journal Pediatrics. PhysiciansBriefing.com/HealthDay News (9/24)

Pediatric Health Care

More than 20% of children's prescriptions go unfilled, study finds
U.S. researchers assessed almost 17,000 children's prescriptions and found that more than 20% of them were not filled. Prescriptions for oral antibiotics were filled at the highest rate, while prescriptions for nutritional supplements and treatments for gastrointestinal conditions were among the least likely to be filled, according to findings reported in the journal Pediatrics. ABC News (9/24)

SAMHSA: Misuse of prescription drugs steady among younger teens
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported a 14% decline in the number of 18- to 26-year-olds who admitted having used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons from 2010 to 2011, but rates for youths aged 12 to 17 as well as adults 26 or older remained unchanged. The agency also reported that underage drinking and smoking continued to drop. WebMD (9/24) USA Today (9/24)

One-third of children are not tested for food allergy
An online survey showed 70% of children with food allergy symptoms received a physician's diagnosis but 32% did not get a screening test, Northwestern University researchers reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Minority and low-income children were more likely to have untreated food allergies, and only 20% of children who had a diagnostic test had an oral food challenge, which is considered the gold standard. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (9/21)

Playing active video games can boost energy expenditure
A small U.K. study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine showed that children ages 11 to 15 who played active video games experienced sizable increases in oxygen uptake and heart rate. The energy expenditure of children who played "Dance Central" and "Kinect Sports: Boxing" rose by 150% and 263%, respectively, researchers said. DoctorsLounge.com/HealthDay News (9/24)

Trends & Technology

IOM recommends measures to prevent health care waste
With unneeded services, fraud and excessive costs accounting for 30% of health care expenses in 2009, the Institute of Medicine has recommended that doctors and other health care providers take part in a learning system that adopts a team-based approach to medical care and utilizes novel clinical support tools and payment models that tie performance to outcomes. The organization also highlighted the importance of technology adoption among health professionals to bolster patient care. American Medical News (free content) (9/24)

AHRQ drafts system for patients to report medical mistakes
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is seeking approval on a prototype questionnaire that would encourage patients to report health care providers' errors and drug-related adverse events. The questionnaires or program information would be available at hospitals, doctors' offices and pharmacies and mailed to patients along with insurers' explanations of benefits. Researchers at the RAND Corp. and ECRI Institute would analyze the reports. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (9/22)

Health Policy & Regulations

States struggle with politics of health insurance exchanges
The Affordable Care Act requires states to set up health insurance exchanges by 2014 or the federal government will set up and run an exchange for them. Some state leaders who oppose the law, including Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, are working quietly on exchange frameworks while others wait for the outcome of November's elections. State legislatures could refuse to approve plans for exchanges, and some legislators have said they would do so. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (9/23)

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The Last Word - News from the AAP

AAP ballot now open - exercise your right to vote!
Now is the time to exercise your membership privilege and help determine the future leadership of the AAP by voting in the 2012 AAP election. Use the link embedded in the e-mail sent on Aug. 31 from the AAP Election Coordinator, or log on to the AAP website and click on the link for the e-ballot; no additional login or passcode information is required. The National AAP Election Center has more information on the candidates for President-Elect and district offices and the bylaws amendments.

Healthy Active Living for Families resources
The Healthy Active Living for Families project incorporates parent feedback and expert recommendations into extensive Web-based resources and interactive widgets for families of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Content is parent-informed, age-appropriate, plain language, strength-based and evidence-informed. A complementary web-based Implementation Guide for pediatricians is designed to enhance obesity prevention anticipatory guidance at the point of care, ensure consistent messaging and promote delivery in a parent-friendly way.

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