Children’s Doctor News and Updates: Spring 2019
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Children's DoctorCHOP Pediatrics No. 1 for 7th straight year
For the seventh year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as the No. 1 pediatrics department in the United States.
“This sustained record of medical and academic achievement would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our entire team — including faculty, trainees, and staff,” says Joseph St. Geme, MD, Physician-in-Chief and Chairman, Department of Pediatrics. “I would like to extend a sincere congratulations to all those who strive to make our department an extraordinary place to work and learn.”
Obsessive compulsive symptoms in youth may be a red flag for other psychological issues
Engaging in repetitive and ritualistic behaviors is part of typical child development. However, behaviors that develop into obsessive and compulsive symptoms (OCS) may represent a red flag for serious psychiatric conditions. Researchers at the Lifespan Brain Institute of CHOP and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found children and adolescents with OCS who also admitted to having bad thoughts were more likely to also experience serious psychopathology, including depression and suicide ideation. This is the first and largest study examining OCS in more than 7000 participants ages 11 to 21.
The findings were published online in the Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Learn the latest on 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Dozens of CHOP clinicians and researchers, the majority from the 22q and You Center, contributed 19 papers to a recent special issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, Part A, dedicated to the chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2 DS). Topics include a general genetics overview, fetal medicine, cancer predisposition and hematology, cardiology, endocrinology, surgery immunology, neurology, orthopaedics, and otolaryngology. It also addresses associated psychiatric conditions, neurodevelopment and the psychosocial impacts.
The condition is the most common microdeletion syndrome, estimated to occur in about 1 in 2000 to 6000 live births, and in about 1 in 1000 pregnancies. Early diagnosis is critical, as 22q11.2 DS is an important cause of morbidity and mortality across the lifespan. It represents the most common cause of syndromic anomalies of the palate and of schizophrenia, and the second most common cause of congenital heart disease and developmental differences (after Down syndrome).
“Although no government agency has yet added 22q11.2DS to newborn screening,” says 22q and You Center Director Donna M. McDonald-McGinn, MS, LCGC, who was guest editor of the special issue, “we hope this will become a reality soon in an effort to obviate the diagnostic odyssey families often face with this complex condition.”
Acid reflux book for families
CHOP otolaryngologist Karen Zur, MD, is co-author of a new book for families, Acid Reflux in Children: How Healthy Eating Can Fix Your Child’s Asthma, Allergies, Obesity, Nasal Congestion, Cough and Croup. Co-authors Jamie Koufman, MD, Julie Wei, MD, and Zur discuss reflux and its effects on respiratory disease, and educate on dietary modifications and lifestyle changes a family can do to improve outcomes. Filled with helpful information, stories, and recipes, this guide is written for families, but has gems physicians can also use. The book is widely available online.
CHOP to offer first-in-nation mitochondrial disease fellowship
The Mitochondrial Medicine Clinical Center at Children’s Hospital recently announced a new 1-year fellowship program designed to train a person with an MD or MD/PhD about mitochondrial disease. Medical student elective rotations in mitochondrial medicine are also now available.
This mitochondrial disease-focused fellowship is the first of its kind in the country. It’s open to anyone who has completed approximately 2 years of residency in any medical field or specialty and wants to learn more about mitochondrial medicine.
New pathways, new videos from CHOP
CHOP has added 2 new pathways to chop.edu/pathways, raising the total number to more than 125. The latest are: Clinical Pathway for Evaluation/Treatment of Child with a Laceration and Clinical Pathway for Calcium Management for Patient Undergoing Total Thyroidectomy.
Newly released videos for clinicians and/or to share with families include:
Categories: Children's Doctor Spring 2019