Pediatric summer illness

BACKGROUND: Human adenovirus (HAdV) infection can cause a variety of diseases. It is a major pathogen of pediatric acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) and can be life-threatening in younger children. We described the epidemiology and subtypes shifting of HAdV among children with ARI in Guangzhou, China. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 161,079 children diagnosed with acute respiratory illness at the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center between 2010 and 2021...

PURPOSE: Summer camps are a modality that addresses barriers to social interaction. Although there is a growing amount of evidence supporting camps for individuals with chronic illness, there is no known research on camp experiences for those who require ventilatory support. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of attending camp on self-esteem, social functioning, emotional functioning, and physical functioning for individuals who require ventilatory support. METHODS: Eleven participants completed the Pediatric Camp Outcome Measure via an online survey...

INTRODUCTION: Limited data regarding predictors of vitamin D deficiency in US children exist. We aimed to identify predictors of vitamin D insufficiency among children with alopecia areata. METHODS: The medical records of 439 pediatric patients diagnosed with alopecia areata (AA) between January 2015 and December 2017 were reviewed. Those with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and no documented vitamin supplementation, chronic illness, or other autoimmune comorbidities other than AA were included...

COVID-19 public health measures altered respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemiology. We examined age-stratified trends in RSV-related disease in Australian children in 2020 compared with previous years.

INTRODUCTION: Following the opening of lockdown and relaxation of public health restrictions, an unusual surge of respiratory illness occurred during the spring/summer (Q2) 2021 season. We aimed to characterize this surge compared to previous years. METHODS: Children discharged from a single tertiary hospital for respiratory illness or selected noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) between 2015 and 2021 were included, and hospitalization rates were compared. To evaluate whether the current respiratory surge resembles a typical winter, characteristics of the second quarter (Q2, April-June) of 2021 were compared to parallel seasons and to autumn/winter (Q4, October-December) of the previous years...

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in adolescents. Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality between 15 and 19 years. Both AAP and USPSTF recommend routine depression screening of adolescents. Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) are widely used in primary care practice, however, PHQ-2 does not screen for suicidality. School-related factors are known to affect adolescent mental health...

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the impact on emotional, social, physical and educational functioning of a therapeutic recreation camp provided by 'Over The Wall', a UK charity for children and young people with chronic illness or disability. METHOD: Two hundred and sixty four people registered to attend camp were sent the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory version Child Self-Report Scale before camp, immediately after camp, 1 month after camp and 3 months after camp...

INTRODUCTION: Natural disasters are increasingly common and devastating. It is essential to understand children's health needs during disasters as they are a particularly vulnerable population. The objective of this study was to evaluate pediatric disease burden after Hurricane Harvey compared to the preceding month and the same period in the previous year to inform pediatric disaster preparedness. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients seen at pediatric emergency departments (ED) and urgent care centers (UCC) 30 days before (late summer) and after (early fall) the hurricane and from the same time period in 2016...

PURPOSE: Complications from bleeding episodes from hemophilia can interfere with children's lives and lead to negative psychosocial outcomes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether attitude toward illness, hope, perception of illness benefit and/or burden, and/or illness knowledge change for youth with bleeding disorders and their siblings following a five-day education and activity focused summer camp. We hypothesized that youth with bleeding disorders' attitude toward illness, hope, perception of illness benefit, and illness knowledge would improve after camp attendance, and perception of illness burden would decease after camp attendance...

Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) is being used in many pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of children with known or suspected pathophysiological changes to cerebral hemodynamics. Standardized approaches to scanning protocols, interpretation, and documentation of TCD examinations in this setting are lacking. A panel of multidisciplinary clinicians with expertise in the use of TCD in the PICU undertook a three-round modified Delphi process to reach unanimous agreement on 34 statements and then create practice recommendations for TCD use in the PICU...

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess general psychosocial adjustment to diabetes and perceived disease management among patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their parents before and after patients' participation in a diabetes summer camp. Methods: In this follow-up study, 20 children and adolescents with T1D (eight boys; mean age = 11.01 ± 0.94 years; mean diabetes duration = 3.02 ± 2.27) attending a southern Italian diabetic center, along with their parents, were assessed prior to and 3 months after the youths participated in a 1 week camp-based intervention involving didactic and interactive child-centered education and recreational activities...

OBJECTIVE: To describe epidemiology of intussusception post-introduction of the rotavirus vaccine. METHODS: Hospital-based active surveillance system was set up in three tertiary care hospitals in Chandigarh and Haryana, India, to enroll children <2 y of age admitted with intussusception as per Brighton Collaboration Level-I criteria. The clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, seasonal trends, and outcome of the illness episodes were described. RESULTS: A total of 224 cases were reported...

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) remains a major cause of diarrhea in developing and developed countries. Rotavirus (RV) is a leading cause of severe pediatric diarrhea worldwide. Here we report on the prevalence of circulating genotypes in association with demographics and clinical manifestations outcomes in Qatar. A total of 231 RV-positive fecal samples were collected from children suffering from AGE during 3 years study period between June 2016 and June 2019. The age of the subjects ranged between 2 months and 14 years (median of 16 months)...

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection that is prevalent in western United States, Central America, and South America. The infection is acquired by inhalation. It can affect persons of all ages including infants and children. The majority of cases are asymptomatic and the incidence of infection is greater during a dry summer season after heavy rainfall in prior winter. For those with symptoms, they may experience a self-limiting influenza-like illness. However, some may progress toward pneumonia or disseminated diseases involving skeletal system and central nervous system...

CASE: Brian is a 6-year-old boy who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and global developmental delay at age 2. He has no other health conditions of note. Brian lives with his parents and an older brother, who also has ASD, in a rural area 2 hours from the center where he was diagnosed. Brian has a history of intermittent self-injurious behaviors (head-banging, throwing himself onto the floor, etc.) that regularly result in bruising, intense and lengthy tantrums, and aggression toward family and teachers...

Ticks pose a serious threat to individuals of all ages owing to numerous physical illnesses including chills, aches, and a rash. Tick-borne illnesses range from a mild fever that may be treated at home to a severe disease necessitating hospitalization. Children are at an increased risk of tick bites owing to to their exposure to tick-infested areas during the summer. We report 2 cases of boys aged 3 and 8 years who sustained tick bites to the hemiscrotum and penis. Overnight hospitalization and a course of antibiotics were mandatory...

BACKGROUND: The impact of deferring critically ill children in referral hospitals away from their designated pediatric critical care unit (PCCU) on patients and the healthcare system is unknown. We aimed to identify factors associated with deferrals and patient outcomes and to study the impact of a referral policy implemented to balance PCCU bed capacity with regional needs. METHODS: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of admissions to a PCCU following inter-facility transport from 2004 to 2016 in Ontario, Canada...

OBJECTIVES: To determine rates of influenza immunization among children treated in a pediatric emergency department (ED) and to ascertain parent willingness for children to receive influenza vaccine (IV) in the ED. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with parents of children 6 months or older evaluated in the ED for minor illness or injury. Demographic data, IV history, and intent and willingness to receive future IV were recorded during the summer of 2013. Participants were contacted in March 2014 to assess IV status, barriers to obtaining IV, and willingness to obtain IV in the ED...

BACKGROUND Acute flaccid myelitis is an emerging polio-like illness mostly affecting young children, characterized by rapid onset of extremity weakness and paralysis in 1 or more limbs. Certain viruses, including enteroviruses such as EV-68, EV-71, poliovirus, and West Nile virus, can cause this disorder. The largest known outbreak of EVD68 in the United States was in the summer of 2014, causing severe respiratory illness and acute flaccid myelitis, mainly in young children. Furthermore, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted an increase in the number of patients with clinical symptoms of acute flaccid myelitis in 2018, and 134 confirmed cases by December 2018 were reported in the USA...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical presenation of acute disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) in pediatric age group, treatments, and to asses the outcome at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia. METHODS: The medical records of all patients younger than 18 years of age with a diagnosis of ADEM and treated at King Abdulaziz Medical City from January 1996 to Decemeber 2016 were collected. A total of 20 patients were included. RESULTS: Of 20 patients enrolled in our study, 13 (65%) were female...