In neonatal resuscitation: · Laryngeal masks are recommended when endotracheal intubation or positive-pressure ventilation fails. · Laryngeal masks are useful even during chest compressions. · Laryngeal masks aid neonates >34 weeks’ gestation and/or with a birth weight >2 kg. · Main usage barriers include limited experience (81%), preference for endotracheal tubes (57%), and lack of awareness (56%). · Second-generation laryngeal masks have a built-in esophageal drainage tube that prevents regurgitation into the glottis, and an orogastric tube can be inserted within the esophageal drainage tube to protect against gastric inflation. |
· Parents’ occupational hazards, long working hours, and smoking behaviors should be modified adequately to minimize adverse health effects on their children. · As of 2023, several diseases from fetal exposure to occupational hazards can be compensated with Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance in South Korea. · A directed acyclic graph is recommended for medical research to control the effects of parents’ behaviors on children’s health. |
· The infant gut microbiome is highly dynamic and individualized. · Microbes are vertically transmitted from mother to infant during delivery and throughout infancy. · Delivery mode, gestational age, diet, and antibiotic use influence infant microbiome composition and function. · In animal studies, the microbiome played critical roles in the structural and functional development of the infant gastrointestinal and immune systems. · Microbiome-targeted therapies have great potential to reduce infant morbidity and mortality. |
Question: Did coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affect the frequency, seasonal variation, or virus type of benign convulsions with mild gastroenteritis (CwG)? Findings: We compared 41 cases of CwG before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. After March 2020, frequency did not change significantly (18 patients vs. 23 patients), seasonal variation was lost, and number of cases of enteric adenovirus-associated CwG increased (1 cases vs. 7 cases). Meaning: The COVID-19 pandemic affected CwG. |
Question: Does zinc supplementation along with probiotics affect disease severity or clinical outcomes of children with acute diarrhea? Findings: This study indicated that zinc supplementation and probiotics had no effect on clinical improvement or disease severity among pediatric patients with acute diarrhea. Meaning: Children who received probiotics plus zinc recovered faster than those who received probiotics only. |
National regulations, academic guidelines, and clinical trends in food allergen immunotherapies (FA-AIT) differ among countries and have changed rapidly. Current officially approved FA-AIT are oral immunotherapy (OIT) using heated milk/egg in Korea and peanut OIT using standardized products in the United States and Europe. FA-AIT should be administered by specialist physicians with experience administering oral food challenge tests and managing severe allergic reactions inside and outside research settings. |
· Dietary macronutrient modifications affect the body composition of and metabolic markers in children and adolescents. · Hypocaloric diets, regardless of macronutrient composition, are reportedly effective for weight loss in obese children. · Future interventional studies with meta-analyses that include Korean children and adolescents are needed to provide basic information applicable to this population. |
· Pediatric heart failure (PHF) is a clinical syndrome featuring various symptoms (shortness of breath, ankle swelling, fatigue) and signs (pulmonary crackles, peripheral edema). · Congenital heart diseases are the most common underlying etiology of PHF, whereas myocarditis and primary cardio-myopathies are common in children without structural ab-normalities. · PHF pathophysiology is complex and multifactorial and varies by etiology and age. · PHF management includes decongestive therapy, treatment of underlying causes, preventing progression, and managing pulmonary or systemic obstructions. · Drugs should be chosen based on pharmacodynamics, clinical manifestations, hemodynamic state, and renal function. |
· Concrete evidence exists of early parent-infant attachment supported by family-centered care (FCC) in the neonatal intensive care unit. · FCC involves the parents’ presence and participation in the infant’s care and decision-making. · A private and comfortable space should be provided. A single-family room is ideal; however, a quiet space with a recliner can be a good alternative. · Care culture changes and staff training are required. |
Question: Can face masks alter pulmonary pressure in children and adolescents with and without congenital heart disease? Findings: Mask removal during echocardiography (ECHO) reduced pulmonary pressure. Meaning: These findings suggest that face masks should be removed during ECHO in children and adolescents. |
Question: What is the optimal dose of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) for treating necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and is orally administered BM-MSC effective? Findings: High (1×106 cells) or multiple BM-MSC doses showed similar effects as low (1×105 cells) doses of intraperitoneally administered BM-MSCs. Furthermore, orally administered BM-MSCs were as effective as intraperitoneally administered BM-MSCs. Meaning: Orally administered low-dose BM-MSCs are a potential treatment for NEC. |
Newborns born to mothers infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) should be closely monitored for respiratory disorders, such as transient tachypnea of the newborn, regardless of their COVID-19 test results. Further research is required of the development of infants born to mothers with COVID-19. The trends in Korea's birth rate and infant mortality rates have not been significantly affected by COVID-19. |
· Oral immunotherapy should be supervised by pediatricians with experience administering oral food challenge tests and managing allergic reactions. · Food allergen intake is gradually increased and maintained for years. · Patients may experience allergic reactions and psychological problems. · Adjunctive therapies (biologics, antihistamines, and leukotriene receptor antagonists) may improve efficacy and safety. · Contraindications include uncontrolled asthma, malignancy, active autoimmune disorders, and beta-blocker usage. |
Despite worldwide acceptance of acetaminophen (paracetamol) in pediatric medicine, careful examination reveals no valid objections to the conclusion that early exposure to acetaminophen causes neurodevelopmental injury in susceptible babies and children. Nevertheless, debate that early exposure to acetaminophen causes neurodevelopmental injury has centered around the prenatal period, evidence of which is relatively limited compared to that in the postnatal period, which is the time of greatest absolute and relative risk. |
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post transcriptionally, and MiRNA expression levels vary with developmental stages. MiRNAs play an important role in several biological processes in children, including growth, neuro-development, inflammation, and tumor formation. Research on miRNAs may uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying various pediatric diseases, leading to the development of novel biomarkers that aid in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of these diseases. |
Question: What emotions do parents experience when their newborns are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)? Finding: Mothers experienced more anxiety (51%), depression (31%), and stress (41%) symptoms than fathers (26%, 12%, and 22%, respectively). Meaning: Parents often experience anxiety, stress, and depression following NICU admission. Healthcare workers are responsible for providing regular parental counseling. |
· Review of articles that investigated the applications of virtual, augmented, or mixed reality in pediatric clinical settings and in the training of pediatric medical professionals was conducted. · A total of 89 studies were retrieved, with 36 randomized controlled trials. · In most studies, intervention using the novel technology was at least as effective or more effective than the traditional method. · Use of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality has potential in pediatrics. |
· With the increase in childhood obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a concern in recent years. · NAFLD is strongly associated with insulin resistance. · Lifestyle modifications are the mainstay treatment for NAFLD. |
· Most commonly confirmed causes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children are Mycoplasma pneumoniae (8%–40%) and respiratory syncytial virus (15%–20%). · Pyogenic bacteria, most commonly Streptococcus pneumoniae (40%–50%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (10%–25%), are detected in 2%–5% of children hospitalized with CAP. · CAP should be diagnosed conservatively according to clinical and radiological criteria. · The etiology should be identified via appropriate test result interpretation. |
· Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by a strong T helper (Th)2 response, although the extents of Th22, Th17/ interleukin (IL)-23, and Th1 responses vary among disease subtypes. · Children with moderate to severe AD may require early systemic therapy to reduce the systemic inflammation caused by increased Th2 cytokine levels. · Dupilumab, which blocks IL-4/IL-13 receptor, has equivalent efficacy for extrinsic and intrinsic AD and a favorable safety profile in infants and children aged 6 months and older. |
· Anorectal manometry is safe in children. · Defecation Dyssynergia is one of the commonest cause of chronic constipation. · Positive Rectoanal inhibiory reflex rules out Hirschsprung's Disease |
Question: Is helmet therapy effective for positional plagiocephaly? What factors influence helmet therapy efficacy for positional plagiocephaly? Finding: Helmet therapy is effective for infants with moderate to severe positional plagiocephaly, and its effectiveness is influenced by age at treatment initiation, severity of head asymmetry, and daily duration of helmet wear. Meaning: Pediatricians should initiate helmet therapy for positional plagiocephaly sooner, ideally before 9 months of age, to maximize treatment efficacy. |
Question: What is the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) in excess-weight Latin children, and can proinflammatory biomarkers predict it? Finding: IR prevalence was elevated and tumor necrosis factor- α, interleukin-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein- 1, soluble CD40 ligand, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were increased in excess-weight Latin children. However, none predicted IR status. Meaning: These inflammatory biomarkers were unable to predict IR status. Therefore, further investigations are necessary. |
· The proper monitoring for and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced acute kidney injury, which is common in critically ill children, are recommended. · Glomerulopathy associated with COVID-19 or its vaccination has been reported, and the overall clinical course is similar to that of non-COVID-19-associated diseases. · Additional COVID-19 vaccinations are recommended; however, careful and individualized decisions should be made in patients with COVID-19- or vaccination-associated glomerulopathy. |
· Primary pediatricians should play a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). · The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, has lowered the diagnostic threshold for older teens and adults and a comorbid diagnosis with autism is now allowed. · The American Academy of Pediatrics had added recommendation-related comorbid conditions in its guideline and the Society of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics recently developed a complex ADHD guideline. · The European ADHD Guideline Group recently developed a guideline for managing ADHD during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. |
· X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), the most common cause of hypophosphatemic rickets, affects 1/20,000 people. · XLH is caused by a loss-of-function mutation of the PHEX gene. · Its main pathogenesis is elevated fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) level. · Burosumab, an FGF23 inhibitor, was developed in the early 2000s. · Burosumab was approved in Korea in 2020 for XLH patients aged 1+ years with radiographic evidence of bone disease. |