If you are traveling in the next several months, an excellent website for travel information is http://kidstraveldoc.com/
News you can use from the Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.cpsc.gov/
If you have information about a hazard, you can report this to a new website at the CPSC
SaferProducts.gov
ASPIRATION HAZARD FROM TESSALON PERLES COUGH MEDS
Several youngsters have aspirated the tiny ovules of Tessalon with deaths related to them. Check this link:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm236928.htm
HAZARDS OF DROP DOWN CRIBS
The FDA has recently issued a ban on drop down cribs due to the hazard of entrapment. Check this link:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i1Bq3GNyMhvmSI13R3RdOMLVI69g?docId=67d2a431c1ed4e0cbea0f60c2b3febfe
NEWS ABOUT CONCUSSIONS
The American Academy of Neurology (AAN)—an association of more than 22,500 neurologists and neuroscience professionals dedicated to providing the best possible care for patients with neurological disorders—is an advocate for policy measures that promote high quality, safe care of individuals participating in contact sports. Concussion is a common consequence of trauma to the head in contact sports, estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to occur three million times in the United States each year. Among people aged 15 to 24 years, sports are now second only to motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of traumatic brain injury. While the majority of concussions are self-limited injuries, catastrophic results can occur and the long-term effects of multiple concussions are unknown. Members of the AAN specialize in treating disorders of the brain and nervous system, and some members have particular interest and experience caring for athletes and are best qualified to develop and disseminate guidelines for managing athletes with sports-related concussion. Based on the clinical experience of these experts, the AAN supports the implementation of policy that supports the following:
1. An athlete who has suffered a concussion should be removed from participation until he or she is evaluated by physicians trained in the evaluation and management of sports concussions.
2. No athlete should be allowed to participate in sports if he or she is still experiencing symptoms from a concussion.
3. Following a concussion, a neurologist or physician with proper training should be consulted prior to clearing the athlete for return to participation.
4. A certified athletic trainer should be present at all sporting events, including practices, where athletes are at risk for concussion.
5. Education efforts should be maximized to improve the understanding of concussion by all athletes, parents, and coaches.
Position Statement History Approved by the AAN Sports Neurology Section, Practice Committee, and Board of Directors October 2010 (AAN Policy 2010-36).
Hazards of Sliding with Your Child
Christy Swiney, a mother of one of our patients, sent this link to us after her son experienced a fractured tibia going down the slide with her. It warns against adults sliding with a child due to the risk of fracture. Here are the links and thanks to Christy for a great heads up for the rest of us.
Forty Over the Counter Liquid Medications Recalled
McNeil Consumer Healthcare has recalled more than 40 over-the-counter liquid medications for infants and children as a precautionary measure because the products "may not meet required quality standards," the FDA announced on Friday.
The voluntary recall includes some Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl products being sold in the U.S. and 11 other countries. (For the complete list of affected lots, see the linked manufacturer's news release.) According to McNeil and the FDA, some of the affected medications may contain tiny particles, more active ingredient than specified, or inactive ingredients that don't meet manufacturer testing requirements.
There have been no adverse reactions reported thus far.
FDA's MedWatch safety alert (Free)
Manufacturer's news release (Free)
Manufacturer's recall information website (Free)
1.2 Million Infant High Chairs Recalled Over Potential Tipping Hazard
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling all 1.2 million of Graco's Harmony high chairs because screws holding the front legs of the high chair can loosen and fall out and/or the plastic bracket on the rear legs can crack causing the high chair to become unstable and tip over unexpectedly. This poses a fall hazard to children.
Parents should take extra care when using sling carriers for infants younger than 4 months of age, according to a warning issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The group is investigating 14 infant deaths associated with the slings over the past 20 years.
The CPSC says the slings pose a suffocation hazard to young infants who cannot yet control their head and neck movements, especially those who are frail or have breathing problems.
If parents choose to use a carrier sling, they should make sure their child's face is visible at all times, according to the CPSC. The group's press release includes diagrams showing the right and wrong ways to use the slings.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10165.html
The American Heart Association Proposes Cardiac Testing Before Prescribing Stimulants to Children with ADHD. It is "reasonable" to undertake cardiac testing when considering stimulant drug therapy for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. The statement, published online in Circulation, cites concerns that stimulants (e.g. Ritalin, Adderall) may increase the risk for adverse events, including sudden cardiac death, in children with congenital heart disease. Accordingly, the AHA recommends that clinicians do the following before starting treatment:
* obtain a complete patient and family history, with careful attention to conditions such as cardiomyopathy and Marfan's syndrome;
* perform a physical exam to check for cardiovascular abnormalities including heart murmurs and hypertension;
* consider ordering an ECG
* arrange a consultation with a pediatric cardiologist if abnormalities are discovered during the above steps. The AHA concludes that:
* all children prescribed stimulants should be routinely monitored for cardiac symptoms;
* stimulants remain a reasonable option for children with stable heart disease, or those currently under a pediatric cardiologist's care;
* for children already on stimulants, physicians may want to take a complete history, review the physical exam, and order an ECG.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently suggested caution on implementation of EKG's for everyone taking stimulant medication. Targeting the high risk groups for selective EKG's based on a risk in family history or findings on physical exam should trigger further evaluation.