Whether you’re a parent or you are just a fan of children, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest Pediatric News. From new medications and treatment methods to research and developments in rare pediatric diseases, there’s always something to learn. Fortunately, there’s a wide variety of resources out there to help you make sense of what’s going on. Here are a few to get you started.
Autism & Asthma
Asthma and Autism are two of the most common childhood disorders. Both involve a change in the way the immune system functions.
In asthma, the airways swell during an attack, causing difficulty breathing. A rescue inhaler is typically required. The symptoms can be severe enough to require hospitalization. If not controlled, asthma attacks can lead to serious health complications. Symptoms can also affect the child’s ability to sleep and perform daily activities.
There are many tools to diagnose asthma. A nitric oxide test, for example, measures inflammation in the airways. Another tool is the methacholine provocative challenge, which gauges the reactivity of the airways.
COVID-19 immunization required for all jobs at Bronson
A recent news report on the COVID-19 vaccine has caught the attention of Bronson Healthcare staff. The company has announced that all employees will be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine in the near future. They will have to do so by January 15, or else. In a message that was distributed to Bronson employees, CEO Bill Manns says the decision was made by the System Medical Executive Committee and was supported by the rest of the Bronson leadership.
Rare pediatric diseases
The United States has approximately 10 million children suffering from rare pediatric diseases. Many of these diseases are not treatable, resulting in a large unmet need. These conditions can have adverse social and economic effects on the affected children and families. Fortunately, there are programs that can help ensure that these unmet needs are met.
First, there is the Priority Review Voucher (PRV) program. This program is a federal law that provides sponsors with an incentive to expedite the development of drugs to treat patients with rare pediatric diseases.
Dr. Perrin White recognized with the Pediatric Endocrine Society’s 2019 Judson J. Van Wyk Prize
Perrin White is an international authority on disorders of steroid synthesis in the adrenal gland. He is also the director of the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at Children’s Health. In addition to his clinical duties, he is the principal investigator of an NIH-funded multicenter trial of an androgen biosynthesis blocker.
The PES awards a Judson J. Van Wyk Prize, which recognizes an individual for a career achievement in the field of pediatric endocrinology. A recipient of this award is selected annually by a committee. The committee bases its decision on aggregate successes in clinical or basic research.
Synergy Grants program
The Synergy Grants program supports highly collaborative teams of investigators from diverse scientific backgrounds. This innovative funding scheme aims to address some of the most challenging research challenges in the health sciences. A team of two or more Principal Investigators (PIs) may apply.
Applications for the Synergy Grants program are considered based on the strength of a proposed scientific concept and the potential for external funding. Applicants are expected to have a track record of early achievement. They should also demonstrate that their presence in the project will benefit the research.
Bed shortages due to pandemic
As the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Covid coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to take a toll on America’s children, hospital bed shortages are becoming a real problem. Hundreds of children are being treated for respiratory illnesses, straining hospital systems and prompting hospitals to ask patients to seek care outside of their states.
RSV is a respiratory disease that causes the airways to become inflamed, causing pneumonia and other severe ailments. Among other serious effects, the disease weakens the immune system.
Genetic therapy is one of the hottest fields in biomedical research
Gene therapy is a promising approach to the treatment of blood diseases. These therapies utilize a modified virus that delivers a gene to target cells. The gene’s message is rewritten, so it can alleviate the disease. There have been many advances in the field over the past decade. However, some obstacles remain.
First, there is little control over where the gene goes. While researchers may know how to modify a virus to deliver a gene, they still lack the control to monitor the effect of the delivery vehicle on the patient. Secondly, there is a risk of collateral damage.