Development of a hospital-based care coordination program for children with special health care needs.

A hospital-based Continuity of Care program for children with special health care needs is described. A family-centered team approach provides care coordination and a medical home. The program has grown during the past 10 years to include inpatients and outpatients from multiple services and outreach clinics.

Is air-displacement plethysmography a reliable method of detecting ongoing changes in percent body fat within obese children involved in a weight management program?

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity in the US has increased considerably over the last few decades and continues to increase. To monitor the progress of patients enrolled in weight management programs, clinicians need accurate methods of detecting changes in body composition (percent body fat) over time. The gold standard method, hydrodensitometry, has severe limitations for the pediatric population.

Observations in psychotropic medication usage in patients with behavior disorders presenting to a specialty clinic.

In recent decades, national and international surveys have reported increased usage of psychotropic medications in children. A review of the computerized clinic records for 709 children seen in a behavioral specialty clinic from January 2001 to December 2007, inclusive, in a rural US state was completed. The number of children diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorder/behavior management issues increased over the 7-year period, but this was balanced by an increased number of referrals.