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Autism

Pediatriciansrecommend early screening for all children

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the country's leading pediatricians' group, is recommending that all children be screened for autism twice by age 2. The disorder affects one in 150 children in the United States.

 

According to two reports published in the November 2007 issue of Pediatrics, the AAP recommends that children with suspected autism should begin treatment even before a formal diagnosis is made to lessen the severity of symptoms. They caution, however, that not all children who display a few signs of the disorder (such as babies not smiling at the sound of Mom or Dad's voice by 4 months or not babbling at 9 months) are autistic, and parents shouldn't overreact.

 

The reports also warn parents about special diets and alternative treatments for autism that are endorsed by celebrities, saying there is no proof that these treatments are effective.

  
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Premature birth

Caffeine therapy shows promise in preemies

A report published in the November 8, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that caffeine therapy can reduce the risk of serious disabilities, including cerebral palsy, in premature infants. The recommendation is based on research that followed a group of about 2,000 premature infants from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom who had a condition called apnea of prematurity (their lungs and central nervous system weren't properly developed).

 

The babies in the study were given the equivalent of the caffeine in six cups of coffee per day. Once they reached 2 years of age, 23% fewer babies on caffeine therapy had died or developed a neurodevelopmental disability compared to those babies who didn't receive the therapy. The incidence of cerebral palsy was 42% lower and the risk of cognitive delay was 19% lower in the babies who received caffeine therapy.

 

The researchers believe that a partial benefit of caffeine is that it allows the babies to be taken off mechanical ventilation sooner. More research is needed to find out the source of other beneficial effects.

 

Cancer

A progress report on cancer in the United States

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has released a midpoint assessment on its goal, which began in 1992, to cut cancer incidence in the United States by one-fourth by 2015. They report that overall cancer incidence rates were 8% lower in 2004 than in 1992, and the greatest declines have occurred among men and people age 65 and older.

 

Drops in incidence were seen for cancers of the prostate, lung (in men), colon and rectum, ovary, oral cavity, stomach, and cervix. A marked decline for invasive breast cancer in women that began in 1999 is continuing. Unfortunately, cancer incidence rates have increased for melanoma and cancers of the kidney, liver, thyroid, and esophagus.

 

Even though the figures seem encouraging, the ACS says that the cancer reduction rate over the first half of the challenge period is only about half what's necessary to reach the challenge goal. As a result, the ACS suggests that new understandings of preventable factors and new efforts are needed, particularly in the areas of controlling tobacco use and obesity, to increase their progress.

 

Did you know?

Americans may be over-vaccinated against some diseases. According to a study published in the November 8, 2007, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the duration of protective immunity for many vaccines is greatly underestimated, and many people may be getting unnecessary booster shots even though their immunity levels are adequate. Researchers analyzed 630 blood samples from 45 volunteers to determine each person's level of immunity against measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, mononucleosis, tetanus, and diphtheria over an extended period. They were surprised to find that immunity following vaccination with tetanus and diphtheria was longer-lived than previously thought, and antibody responses following viral infections essentially lasted a lifetime.

 

Further research may lead to readjustment of recommended vaccination schedules, reducing the number of required shots administered each year in the United States.