Top Stories

• HPV vaccination doesn't spur sexual activity in young girls
  Data on more than 1,300 preteen girls who received at least one dose of human papillomavirus vaccine showed that getting the vaccine was not linked to a significant increase in pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections or contraceptive counseling. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, was the first to show that vaccination did not alter the sexual behavior of young girls. CNN/The Chart blog (10/15)     

• Getting more sleep improves child behavior, study finds
  Elementary-school children who went to sleep earlier than their routine bedtime were more emotionally stable and alert in class than those who went to bed later, Canadian researchers reported in the journal Pediatrics. They also found that the children who lost about 54 minutes of sleep each night appeared very tired, more impulsive and more irritable compared with their well-rested peers. CNN/The Chart blog (10/15)     

Pediatric Health Care

• CDC: Meningitis case count continues to rise
  CDC officials reported on Sunday the continued rise of fungal meningitis cases linked to contaminated steroid injections, reaching a total of 205 cases across 14 states, including 15 deaths. Tennessee remains the epicenter of the outbreak with 53 cases of illness and six deaths. Reuters (10/14)     

• Children with ADHD find stimulant drugs beneficial
  Many children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder who received stimulant drugs said that their medication helped them control their behavior, according to a study presented at a briefing in London. Ethical concerns that such drugs can "turn children into robots" are largely unfounded, lead researcher Ilina Singh said. Reuters (10/14)     

• Gastrointestinal problems tied to islet autoimmunity in some children
  A higher incidence of gastrointestinal problems was linked to greater likelihood of islet autoimmunity in children introduced to gluten-containing grains early or late in infancy, according to a study in the journal Diabetes Care. Islet autoimmunity risk was not tied to upper respiratory problems, respiratory illnesses or fevers. PhysiciansBriefing.com/HealthDay News (10/12)     

• Anxiety can boost test scores in students with good memory
  U.K. researchers tested the general thinking and math skills of 96 12- to 14-year-olds and found that a little anxiety before an exam led to higher scores among those with good working memory. However, they said that anxiety led to lower test scores in students with poor working memory. The findings appear in the British Journal of Psychology. HealthDay News (10/12)     

Trends & Technology

• Study suggests ways to mesh pediatric palliative, ICU care
  Pediatric and perinatal palliative care can be sensitive to parents' need to be close to their child and must call on the skills of both palliative and intensive care physicians, Florida International University researchers wrote in the journal Nursing Outlook. Pediatric palliative and end-of-life care is underutilized, and increasing the number of clinicians who have expertise in the area would help. The report includes five recommendations for study and practice. MedWire News (U.K.) (10/11)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AAP SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• CDC: Tainted steroid shots could put thousands in danger (The Washington Post)

• Meningitis cases in U.S. reach 91 (Reuters)

• Study: Flu vaccine is safe for children with egg allergies (Reuters)

• Drug shortage linked to more catheter-related infections in children (Reuters)

• More U.S. children with abdominal pain are getting CT scans (Reuters)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Health Policy & Regulations

• Gearing up for Medicare's open-enrollment period
  Open enrollment for Medicare begins today, and beneficiaries will see Advantage plan premiums rise by about 5%, the number of plan choices increase by about 7%, the average basic premiums for drug plans go up by about 33 cents and premiums for seven out of the 10 most popular drug plans rise by double-digit percentages. Consumer advocates said beneficiaries should pay attention to premiums, copays, deductibles, plan formularies and prior approval restrictions when choosing their plans during open enrollment, which ends Dec. 7. The Lansing State Journal (Mich.)/HealthDay News (10/14), The Wall Street Journal (10/13)     

The Last Word - News from the AAP

• It's not too late to attend the biggest event in pediatrics
  View the AAP National Conference & Exhibition program for details. Online conference registration is open until Oct. 16 and onsite registration is available at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, beginning at 6:30 a.m. daily, Oct. 19 to 23.     

• Less than a month to Election Day: Help AAP Get Out the Vote
  In advance of the Nov. 6 elections, help AAP Get Out the Vote by visiting http://aapgotv.org. There, you can order "I care for kids and I vote" bumper stickers, T-shirts and posters for pediatric offices, as well as request pins and stickers for your chapter or institution. You can also download AAP Charlie, the Child Health Advocate, and send pictures of Charlie in action to kids1st@aap.org to add to our photo gallery. Thank you for your help in speaking up for kids at the ballot box.     

SmartQuote

I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." --Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer, philosopher and physicist