2022 editors’ picks: Important news in pediatrics

2022 was an important year in pediatrics — gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children, and findings suggest that kids are missing out on routine immunizations, setting the stage for outbreaks of preventable illnesses.

Healio editors compiled a list of some of the most important developments from the past year.

Uvalde doctor encourages pediatricians to ‘be the front line’ in protecting children

Roy Guerrero, MD, FAAP, the sole pediatrician in the 15,000-person town of Uvalde, Texas told hundreds gathered at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition about his experiences on his community’s darkest day, when he lost five of his patients in a tragic school shooting. Read more.

Malaria vaccine continues to show promise

Researchers reported more promising data on a malaria vaccine that previously demonstrated high efficacy among children aged 5 to 17 months in a study published last year. Philip J. Rosenthal, MD, an expert at the University of California, San Francisco who was uninvolved in the study, weighed in on the findings. Read more.

Zika exposure in womb may impact development into preschool age, study finds

Children who were exposed to Zika virus in utero may demonstrate developmental differences into preschool age, even if they did not have congenital Zika syndrome, according to a study published in Pediatric Research. Karin Nielsen, MD, MPH, of Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, gave us her perspective. Read more.

Record 40 million children missed measles vaccine dose last year, CDC and WHO say

Almost 40 million children missed their first or second dose of measles vaccine in 2021 — a new record — as measles vaccine coverage reached its lowest level since 2008, according to a report in MMWR. Read more.

Abbott restarts production of infant formulas at Michigan plant

Following a months-long shutdown of plants that led to a nationwide formula shortage, Abbott Nutrition restarted production using corrective actions recommended by the FDA. Read more.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in autism caregivers decreased over time

In a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, J. Kiely Law, MD, MPH, director of research operations at the Simons Foundation, said people with autism are at an increased risk for hospitalization from COVID-19, and autism caregivers are historically more likely to be vaccine hesitant. Read more.

VIDEO: Regulate guns like motor vehicles, AAP says

With gun violence now the leading cause of death for children and young adults in the United States, the AAP called for legislation that would regulate firearms on the level of motor vehicles. Lois K. Lee, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACEP, spoke with Healio regarding guidance and recommendations for keeping firearms in the home. Read more.

Study links proximity to fracking sites with adverse birth outcomes

Women who lived within 10 km of an oil or gas well that was hydraulically fractured during 1 year preconception or during pregnancy were at higher risk for adverse birth outcomes, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Read more.