All articles tagged with #pediatrics
A national Israeli study of nearly 1.2 million infants shows vegan and vegetarian diets support normal growth through age two, with only minor early differences that fade by 24 months when diets are properly planned and access to nutrition counseling is available.
Thousands of pediatricians signed a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urging the immediate release of all children held in ICE detention, arguing overcrowding, poor sanitation, inadequate nutrition, and insufficient sleep threaten child health and that care should follow American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. The letter emphasizes that children have unique needs, calls for transparency, and notes that 3,900 signatories from 49 states were gathered; RAICES reports 300–500 children detained in Texas daily. It also references the case of a two‑month‑old detained infant who developed bronchitis and was deported, underscoring health risks in detention.
Pertussis (whooping cough) is resurging nationwide and in California, with infant cases up by 54% in the first three quarters of 2025. The illness progresses in three phases and can cause severe complications, especially in babies under six months. Vaccination—DTaP in early childhood, TDap boosters for teens and adults, and vaccination during pregnancy—remains the safest, most effective defense and is key to achieving herd immunity. Antibiotics help reduce contagiousness when given early but don’t reliably shorten illness if started late. California’s AB 144 ensures the pediatric vaccine schedule remains in place.
A Washington Post Opinion piece argues that RFK Jr.'s vaccine criticisms are met with a united push from pediatricians and the American Academy of Pediatrics, whose annual, science-based vaccine guidance guides policy and safeguards children's health against misinformation.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), backed by 12 medical groups, released a science-based childhood vaccine schedule that preserves the vaccines previously endorsed by the CDC and maintains a two-dose HPV plan for ages 9–12, contrasting with RFK Jr.’s push to shrink the immunization slate toward a Denmark-like list of about 10 diseases (and with the Trump administration’s past shifts). The CDC has trimmed vaccines from 18 to 11 diseases, removed the COVID vaccine from routine schedules, and some states are resisting these changes, including lawsuits challenging policy shifts. Measles resurgence and questions about polio vaccination loom as the vaccine policy debate continues.
The American Academy of Pediatrics released updated immunization guidance covering 18 diseases, opposing the Trump administration’s slimmed-down 11-shot schedule and signaling a rift between medical groups and federal policy; the plan continues broad vaccination for RSV, hepatitis A/B, rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, measles and pertussis, and notes ongoing measles outbreaks with over 2,200 cases.
Two children from the same household who went to Baptist Health’s main campus ER on Jan. 16 have been confirmed to have measles. They were treated and released; the hospital says the risk of infection from exposure there is very low, and the Department of Health will contact anyone potentially exposed. The CDC notes measles is highly contagious and that vaccination with the MMR vaccine is the best protection: first dose at 12–15 months and a second dose at 4–6 years, with a pre-travel dose for babies 6–11 months traveling internationally followed by two additional doses after their first birthday.
A newly identified flu subtype, subclade K of H3N2, is driving a substantial surge in the 2025–2026 season across the U.S. and Canada, with children disproportionately affected. CDC data show about 15 million illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations, and 7,400 deaths so far; subclade K accounts for roughly 91% of U.S. infections and has produced unusually high fevers and pediatric hospitalizations. While the vaccine isn’t a perfect match for K, vaccination still offers protection and is recommended, especially for high‑risk groups, along with standard precautions and early antiviral treatment when indicated.
A NIH analysis finds newborn vitamin K shot refusals rose from 2.9% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2024, with Long Island doctors reporting several VKDB-related hospitalizations, including at least five cases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital; doctors emphasize the shot is safe and prevents life-threatening bleeding, while distrust and social media misinformation fuel refusals, and New York requires the shot but does not track refusals.
The FDA has asked six influenza vaccine manufacturers to add a label warning about a small increased risk of febrile seizures within the first day after vaccination in children aged 6 months through 4 years, based on two postmarketing studies. Estimated rates are about 21 seizures per million quadrivalent doses and 44 per million for the older trivalent ones. Companies have 30 days to respond or propose changes. The move comes as the CDC has revised childhood flu vaccination recommendations amid broader vaccine-safety scrutiny.
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department confirms two pediatric flu-related deaths this season—one child under 6 and one teen under 18—while urging vaccination and precautions; Ohio has reported three pediatric flu deaths so far, and a walk-in vaccination day is scheduled for Jan. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Six major medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, asked a federal judge to reverse the CDC’s newly revised childhood vaccine schedule and to block ACIP’s planned February meeting, arguing the changes lacked new safety evidence and were driven by a directive from Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy after he replaced the previous advisers. The groups want the schedule restored to the April 2025 plan and to replace Kennedy-appointed ACIP members, as a wider litigation over vaccine guidance unfolds; the CDC maintains the process was lawful and insurers will continue covering vaccines the same as before, with ACIP’s February meeting still on the calendar.
Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. unveiled a new food pyramid prioritizing whole foods, vegetables, and higher protein/healthy fats. Johns Hopkins policy director welcomed the shift away from preservative-heavy messaging but cautioned that the heavier emphasis on meat and dairy could mislead consumers, advising more plant-based and seafood protein options. Baltimore pediatrician Dr. Woods praised dietary variety for families and noted the daily protein target has risen to 1.2–1.6 g/kg, alongside advocating 30–60 minutes of activity most days and involving kids in shopping.
A recent study in Pediatrics found that introducing peanut products to infants can reduce the risk of developing peanut allergies by 43%, based on analysis of medical records of around 120,000 children under 3.,
The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new COVID-19 vaccination guidelines for children, diverging significantly from the CDC's recent advice, recommending vaccines for children aged 6 months to 2 years and emphasizing vaccination for high-risk groups, amidst ongoing debates and changes in federal guidance.