Gastrostomy Tubes: Indications, Types, and Care.

Gastrostomy tube insertion has become a more common practice in pediatric patients. An increasing number of children both in health-care facilities and at home are relying on temporary or long-term enteral feeding. Gastrostomy tube placement can be accomplished by various methods and by a variety of specialists.

Early Child Social-Emotional Problems and Child Obesity: Exploring the Protective Role of a Primary Care-Based General Parenting Intervention.

Objective: To determine whether early social-emotional problems are associated with child feeding practices, maternal-child feeding styles, and child obesity at age 5 years, in the context of a primary care-based brief general parenting intervention led by an integrated behavioral health specialist to offer developmental monitoring, on-site intervention, and/or referrals.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of mothers with 5-year-old children previously screened using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) during the first 3 years of life. ASQ:SE scores were dichotomized "not at risk" versus "at risk.

Utility of the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation as a screening tool for mild traumatic brain injury in a civilian trauma population.

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) constitutes 75% of more than 1.5 million traumatic brain injuries annually. There exists no consensus on point-of-care screening for mTBI.

Impact of newborn follow-up visit timing on subsequent ED visits and hospital readmissions: an instrumental variable analysis.

Objective: To determine whether newborn first outpatient visit (FOV) within 3 days of discharge is associated with reduced rates of emergency department (ED) visits and hospital readmissions.

Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis was performed of all newborns who were born and had outpatient follow-up within a large academic medical center to determine whether they had ED visits or hospital readmission within 2 weeks after hospital discharge. Multivariable regression using an instrumental variable for timing of FOV was conducted to estimate the relationship between FOV within 3 days of discharge and ED visits and hospital readmissions within 2 weeks of discharge, adjusting for potential confounders.

Maternal depressive symptoms and child obesity in low-income urban families.

Objective: To characterize the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and child weight status, obesity-promoting feeding practices, and activity-related behaviors in low-income urban families.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of mothers with 5-year-old children receiving pediatric care at a federally qualified community health center. We used regression analyses to examine the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms (trichotomized: none, mild, moderate to severe) and 1) child weight status; 2) obesity-promoting feeding practices, including mealtime practices and feeding styles; and 3) activity-related behaviors, including sleep time, screen time, and outdoor playtime.

Parental and other factors associated with hydroxyurea use for pediatric sickle cell disease.

Background: Hydroxyurea (HU) is highly effective treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD). While pediatric use of HU is accepted clinical practice, barriers to use may impede its potential benefit.

Procedure: A survey of parents of children ages 5-17 years with SCD was performed across five institutions to assess factors associated with HU use.