Using Simulation in Training Pediatric Residents on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Scoring: An Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is characterized by significant physiological and behavioral signs involving multiple-organ systems in neonates following a prenatal exposure to opioids and other nonopioid drugs. Neonatal abstinence syndrome can result in serious morbidity, and even death, if unrecognized and untreated. The purpose of this study was to develop a simulation model of a standard video training of the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System (FNAS) and investigate the perceptions of comfort and competency of pediatric residents undergoing video or simulation training. METHODS: Thirty-one pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents participated in this single-blinded randomized intervention study. The experimental group completed demonstrated simulation while the control group received the traditional video instruction. Both groups completed FNAS scoring on a case of a neonate with NAS. The FNAS scores of residents were compared with the scores of 2 expert raters. Pre- and posttraining and preference surveys were obtained from all participants. RESULTS: Both experimental and control groups scored the FNAS scenario similarly and were also similar to the expert raters. Both groups also reported comparable levels of comfort and competency after the training, though first-year residents reported greater improvement than upper-level residents. The FNAS scores from expert raters were identical for the simulation and video scenarios. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Although this study showed that a simulation training module can be used as a standardized teaching method to administer the FNAS, it can be cost-prohibitive and daunting to produce. Nursing professionals need to be aware of medical education training around FNAS due to the interdisciplinary nature of care for neonates with NAS. Institutions should consider implementing a diversity of practices and models with an interdisciplinary approach to training assessment of the neonate with NAS. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: A more hands-on, less cost-prohibitive simulation training needs to be developed to teach FNAS administration with a broader range of professionals including interdisciplinary teams of nursing and medical professionals.

Update in Pediatric Asthma: Selected Issues.

Asthma is a complex condition that affects 14% of the world's children and the approach to management includes both pharmacologic as well as non-pharmacologic strategies including attention to complex socioeconomic status phenomena. After an historical consideration of asthma, allergic and immunologic aspects of asthma in children and adolescents are presented. Concepts of socioeconomic aspects of asthma are considered along with environmental features and complications of asthma disparities. Also reviewed are links of asthma with mental health disorders, sleep disturbances and other comorbidities. A stepwise approach to asthma management is discussed that includes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies in the pediatric population. The role of immunotherapy and use of various immunomodulators are considered as well.

Caring for the transgender adolescent and young adult: Current concepts of an evolving process in the 21st century.

The term transgender youth commonly refers to those whose gender identity, or personal core sense of self as a particular gender, differs from their assigned sex at birth; this is often designated by what external genitalia are present. These youths are presenting to multidisciplinary clinics worldwide at exponentially higher rates than in decades past, and clinics themselves have grown in number to meet the specialized demands of these youth. Additionally, the scientific and medical community has moved towards understanding the construct of gender dimensionally (i.e., across a spectrum from male to female) as opposed to dichotomous or binary "male or female" categories. This is reflected in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM 5); in this publication, the diagnostic classification of gender dysphoria, GD, (which has two subtypes: childhood and adolescence/adulthood) provides a set of criteria that many transgender people meet. GD describes the affective distress that arises as a result of the incongruence between gender identity and sex anatomy. The DSM uses language to indicate that a person may identify as another gender instead of the other gender, which further captures the complexity of the human experience of gender. Also, research regarding how current adolescents are describing their identity development and experience along this spectrum within today's society is only now being addressed in the literature. Therefore, the clinical needs of the transgender population have outpaced medical training and scientific advancement, which has opened up gaps on how to define best practices. This article provides current concepts of evaluation and management for transgender persons with emphasis on hormonal therapy (i.e., puberty blockers and gender affirming hormone therapy). Other management issues are briefly considered including gender confirming surgery and changes in the face as well as voice.

Caring for the Transgender Adolescent: It Takes a Village.

CASE: Christa is a 15-year-old male-to-female (MTF) transgender patient who comes to your Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics office for consultation on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) management and concerns about worsening anxiety. Review of medical history included mild persistent asthma managed with steroid inhaler and leukotriene antagonist. She was diagnosed with ADHD at 12 years and has been placed on methylphenidate and clonidine over the years with little improvement. She struggles in school, with barely passing grades, and feels that she cannot focus on her assignments.She was diagnosed with MTF transition gender dysphoria, social anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder at 13 years by a psychiatrist and was treated with sertraline with some mood improvement. More recently, she reports having thoughts of wanting to hurt people and "wanting to watch them wither away." She expressed being terrified by these thoughts, which lasted for a couple of days but have since resolved. She denied any suicidal thoughts recently and gives credit to her "best girlfriend" for her overall improved mood, improved sleep pattern, and increased energy level. She expressed having deepening feelings for this girlfriend but admitted to not having acted on these feelings as she is afraid of the consequences. She currently uses the pronouns she/her/hers.Family history is pertinent for paternal bipolar disorder. There is considerable psychosocial stress as Christa is estranged from her father, who is not supportive of her transition, although mother is. Unfortunately, she is dependent on her father for medical insurance coverage, and he is refusing to give authorization to proceed with the evaluations and diagnostic workup for the transformation. Christa has been repeatedly encouraged to seek counseling but has declined because of previous poor experiences with counselors. Her primary care clinician in Family Medicine has been administering hormonal replacement therapy because she cannot access the regional center of excellence because of above-mentioned insurance issues. She presents to you now with her mother for management suggestions and diagnostic clarification. What is your next step?

Pediatric obesity: Current concepts.

This discussion reflects on concepts of obesity in children and adolescents in the early 21st century. It includes reflections on its history, definition, epidemiology, diagnostic perspectives, psychosocial considerations, musculoskeletal complications, endocrine complications and principles of management. In addition to emphasis on diet and exercise, research and clinical applications in the second decade of the 21st century emphasize the increasing use of pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery for adolescent and adult populations with critical problems of overweight and obesity. We conclude with a discussion of future directions in pediatric obesity management.

Common metabolic disorder (inborn errors of metabolism) concerns in primary care practice.

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are rare genetic or inherited disorders resulting from an enzyme defect in biochemical and metabolic pathways affecting proteins, fats, carbohydrates metabolism or impaired organelle function presenting as complicated medical conditions involving several human organ systems. They involve great complexity of the underlying pathophysiology, biochemical workup, and molecular analysis, and have complicated therapeutic options for management. Age of presentation can vary from infancy to adolescence with the more severe forms appearing in early childhood accompanied by significant morbidity and mortality. The understanding of these complex disorders requires special in-depth training, American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) certification and experience. Most primary care physicians (PCPs) are reluctant to deal with IEM due to unfamiliarity and rarity of such conditions compounded by prompt progression to crisis situations along with paucity of time involved in dealing with such complex disorders. While there are biochemical geneticists aka metabolic specialists' expertise available, mostly in larger academic medical centers, with expertise to deal with these rare complex issues, their initial clinical presentation in most newborns, children, adolescents or adults including asymptomatic positive newborn screen (NBS), occur in the out-patient PCP settings. Therefore, it is important that PCPs' comfort to recognize early signs and symptoms is important to initiate appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and be able to make appropriate referrals. The following article reviews common IEM clinical presentations for a robust diagnostic differential and discuss evaluation and management approaches of patients with known or suspected IEM.