Talking About Childhood Obesity

While discussing obesity with pediatric patients and their families can be difficult, it is an essential step toward appropriate weight management. There is paucity of data regarding language preferences when discussing obesity in this population. In this pilot qualitative study, we interviewed 8 parents of patients diagnosed with obesity to identify language and communication preferences for discussing their child’s weight. Interviews were analyzed for emerging themes. Important trends appeared revealing that parents prefer neutral, medical terms discussed at well-child checks or obesity-specific visits. Providers should frame lifestyle changes as positive for all patients and set achievable goals with the help of visual aids. Our analysis uncovered several important communication strategies that can better equip providers to discuss obesity with their pediatric patients. This research may serve as a foundation for larger studies into the topic.

Impact of Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Infant Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalization

To better understand the impact of prenatal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on infants, this study sought to compare the risk of hospital visits and of postnatal SARS-CoV-2 infection between infants born to mothers with and without prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this retrospective observational cohort study of 6871 mothers and their infants, overall rates of emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions in the first 90 days of life were similar for infants born to mothers with and without prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infants born to negative mothers were more likely than infants of positive mothers to be hospitalized after ED visit (relative risk: 3.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.27-11.13, P = .003). Five infants tested positive; all were born to negative mothers, suggesting that maternal prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection may protect infants from postnatal infection. The lower acuity ED visits for infants born to mothers with prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection may reflect a heightened level of concern among these mothers.

Implementation of the Early-Onset Sepsis Risk Calculator at a Community Level I Nursery

The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to decrease the frequency of laboratory draws and the number of neonates receiving empiric antibiotics who are born to mothers with chorioamnionitis from 100% to 50% 6 months following implementation of the sepsis risk calculator (SRC) at a level 1 community nursery. Data were compared pre- and post-implementation of the SRC using the Fischer’s exact test. The rate of intravenous (IV) antibiotic use decreased from 93% to 7% ( P < .0001). The rate of blood culture collection decreased from 100% to 46% ( P < .0001). With implementation of the SRC, administration of IV antibiotics, laboratory draws, and IV placement significantly decreased without increasing rates of early-onset sepsis in our patient population. Our study demonstrated that the SRC can be effectively and safely implemented at a level 1 community–based newborn nursery, resulting in a decrease in unnecessary medical treatment without negative patient outcomes.

An Investigation of Changing Attitudes and Behaviors and Problematic Internet Use in Children Aged 8 to 17 Years During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose To examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lifestyle, habits, and behavioral differences in children, and their changing internet use habits. Methods The research was planned as a cross-sectional study involving 4892 children aged 8 to 17 years attending schools in the city center of Trabzon, Turkey. Children’s daily living activities, social habits, mood and temperament changes, and internet use were investigated before and during the pandemic. In terms of problematic internet use, internet addiction rates were evaluated using the validated Turkish-language version of the Parent-Child Internet Addiction Scale (PCIAT-20). Results The children’s mean age was 13 ± 2.45 years, and 17.1% (n = 837) exhibited problematic internet use features on the PCIAT-20. Problematic internet use was higher in boys and in children older than 13 years. The presence of COVID-19 infection among members of the household, quarantine measures, attending private schools, the mother’s occupation, the time spent by the mother and father on their mobile phones, and high parental education levels were associated with a high level of internet addiction. Families also described significant changes in their children’s temperament and character compared with the pre-pandemic period. Conclusion The prevalence of problematic internet use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous studies from Turkey. Children were also more introverted, irritable, and pessimistic during the pandemic.