Neonatal Medicine News

A dietary and lifestyle intervention for pregnant women who were overweight or obese did not alter their children’s growth or adiposity at 18 months, according to a study results published in Pediatrics.

For children with suspected or confirmed exposure to Zika virus in utero, the CDC recommends screening for signs of congenital Zika syndrome and other birth defects by 1 month of age. The agency also recommends evaluating children for microcephaly until age 24 months and older. However, authors of a recent editorial published in Trends in Microbiology are now suggesting that because the effects of Zika virus infection may extend well into childhood, regular screening may be necessary through adolescence.

A 14-year-old female presents to your clinic with a rash for 2 weeks. Initially, the rash began as a single oval scaly patch on the chest that was concerning for ringworm. The patient tried over-the-counter antifungal cream twice daily without improvement. The following week, she developed several more similar looking but smaller lesions on her abdomen and back. The rash is mildly pruritic. Her mother is very concerned it is contagious. On exam, the patient appears well. You see many round and oval pink, peripherally scaling patches and thin plaques on the chest, abdomen, back, inguinal folds and axillae.

A 9-month-old male presented to the ED with a 3-day history of fever up to 104°F, emesis, decreased urine output and a weak cry with fatigue. He was seen by his primary 1 day earlier, and with a normal chest radiograph, he was diagnosed with a viral illness. It is noted that he had a brief hospitalization 2 weeks earlier for bronchiolitis. He seemed to be doing well since discharge until the onset of the current problem.

Immunizing pregnant women with Tdap is not related to an increased risk of later autism spectrum diagnoses in their offspring, according to research published in Pediatrics.

A study published by the New Jersey chapter of the AAP demonstrates that infants born to either U.S.- or foreign-born Asian Indian mothers in New Jersey have low rates of sudden unexpected infant death. Although bedsharing is a prominent practice in this community, researchers observed several sleep and demographic characteristics that may lessen rates of infant mortality.

The number of pregnant women with opioid use disorder at labor and delivery more than quadrupled from 1999 to 2014, according to data recently published in MMWR.

A report issued by the CDC shows that approximately 14% of infants — or one in seven — infected with Zika virus in utero within U.S. territories have one or more health issues at 1 year of age.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in the general population has been reported at 0.76%, but a study published in Pediatrics suggests that 7% of infants born preterm have ASD.

An electronic 48-hour automatic stop for antibiotic orders within the neonatal ICU admission order set decreased antibiotic use in infants, according to research published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.