Allergen immunotherapy and respiratory infections in children: an encouraging experience.

Background: Allergic inflammation may promote respiratory infections (RI). House dust mite (HDM) sensitization is common in childhood. Allergen immunotherapy may cure allergy as it restores a physiological immune and clinical tolerance toward the causal allergen and exerts anti-inflammatory activity.

Peer teaching at recess and improvement of disc-throwing skills by children in kindergarten through grade 3.

This study examined the effect of peer teaching at recess on improving disc-throwing skills for kindergartners to children in Grade 3. 167 boys and girls were instructed in basic disc-throwing skills, backhand and forehand throwing techniques, and peer teaching. The practice group (n = 73) was encouraged to practice with a disc using peer teaching for at least 10 min.

Influenza vaccination coverage among children with high-risk medical conditions.

We evaluated influenza vaccination coverage in children with chronic disease at high risk of influenza complications, and the need for methods to increase parents' and pediatricians' knowledge of influenza and its prevention. The 5286 children aged less than 14 years attending our Emergency Department on Wednesdays and Sundays between 1 January and 30 April 2003 included 274 (5.2%) high-risk patients.

Theoretic coverage of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the prevention of community-acquired pneumonia in children in Italy.

In order to evaluate the theoretic coverage of the heptavalent conjugate vaccine against community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) during the first years of life, the anti-capsular IgG antibodies to the nine more common pneumococcal serotypes (1, 4, 5, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, 23F) were quantitated in 196 affected children aged 2-5 years by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of acute and convalescent serum samples. Acute Streptococcus pneumoniae infection associated with the nine tested serotypes was diagnosed in 57 children (29.1%).