Safety/booster seats in pediatric motor vehicle crashes: Public health concern.

Introduction: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines recommend that children ≤12-years-old with height < 145 cm should use safety/booster seats. However, national adherence and clinical outcomes for eligible children involved in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are unknown. We hypothesized that children recommended to use safety/booster seats involved in MVCs have a lower rate of serious injuries if a safety/booster seat is used, compared to children without safety/booster seat.

How do patient-provider relationship continuity, gender, and language affect pediatric HPV vaccine acceptance?

Increasing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake remains a challenge. We compared reasons for HPV vaccine acceptance between two Southern California pediatric clinics serving diverse populations: an academically affiliated resident clinic that offered little continuity of care (53) and a private-practice clinic with well-established physician-patient relationships ( = 200). We found strong doctor recommendation and information dissemination about the importance of HPV vaccination were the most important drivers of acceptance across these distinct settings.

Non-Accidental Trauma Associated with Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Medical Treatment in Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.

Introduction: In highly developed countries, as many as 16 percent of children are physically abused each year. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common injury in non-accidental trauma (NAT) and is responsible for 80 percent of fatal NAT cases, with most deaths occurring in children younger than three years old. Cases of abusers who refuse withdrawal of life-sustaining medical treatment (LSMT) to avoid criminal charges have previously been reported.

Evaluation of Early Versus Late Postdischarge Medication Reconciliation on Readmission Rates and Emergency Department Visits.

Background: The current literature speculates ideal postdischarge follow-up focusing on transitions from hospital to home can range anywhere between 48 hours and 2 weeks. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the optimal timing of follow-up visit to prevent readmissions.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of early (<48 hours) versus late (48 hours-14 days) postdischarge medication reconciliation on readmissions and emergency department (ED) use.