Peanut allergy in children: relationships to health-related quality of life, anxiety, and parental stress

Peanut allergy prevalence appears to be increasing in the pediatric population and pediatricians need to be aware how it may affect children's psychological functioning. This study examined relationships between health-related quality of life, child anxiety, and parental stress in children with peanut allergy. A total of 51 families completed questionnaires regarding child anxiety, parenting stress, and quality of life. Child anxiety and parenting stress were found to significantly predict parent proxy report of their child's health-related quality of life. Child anxiety, parenting stress, length of diagnosis, and experiencing an epinephrine shot predicted self-report of health-related quality of life. Although many children with peanut allergy function well, a certain subset of children and families appear to experience high levels of parenting stress and high levels of child anxiety that can affect health-related quality of life and these children may require referrals for mental health treatment.     

The consequences of parental smoking in children: pediatricians must act]

Prenatal and childhood passive tobacco smoke exposure resulting from parental smoking may have severe side effects, such as low birth weight, prematurity, sudden infant death syndrome, upper and lower respiratory tract infections and asthma. By giving information to parents, and particularly by emphasizing the dangers of passive smoke exposure for their children, pediatricians have a critical role to play in their prevention. This may also be helpful for adolescents who are starting to smoke actively by trying to understand the needs that they express by this behavior, and encouraging them to go to a stop smoking counseling center.     

Measuring health-related quality of life in adolescence

Until now, adolescents' health‐related quality of life (HRQL) has primarily been examined together with children or adults. Specific aspects of adolescents' HRQL have often been neglected. However, this period in life has its own specific characteristics that must be considered in order to understand more about adolescents' HRQL. This review addresses the following issues: Which domains of HRQL are particularly important to adolescents? How are these important features of adolescent functioning related to overall HRQL? Conclusion: When examining adolescents' HRQL it is essential to acknowledge the specific aspects of adolescents' HRQL, rather than regard these individuals as either children or adults and to cover important topics that are especially salient during this period in life, such as: physical maturation and body image; peer relationships; intimacy and sexuality; and autonomy.     

An examination of the unintended consequences of the rule-out sepsis evaluation: a parental perspective

In order to document unintended consequences of the "rule-out" sepsis (ROS) evaluation, a survey of parents of infants who had undergone such an evaluation at Primary Children's Medical Center in 1997 was conducted. Sixty parents were interviewed. Parental perceptions of the sepsis evaluation and its impact on their families were recorded. Specific data evaluated included parental anxiety, impact on breastfeeding, perceived complications, financial stress, and parental preferences. The majority of parents found the ROS evaluation very stressful. Parental perception of illness increased significantly after being told the infant would require an ROS evaluation, with nearly 30% of parents, after speaking with a physician, believing their infant might die. Breastfeeding problems were reported by 36% of the mothers. Iatrogenic complications were reported by 33%. Although all infants were covered by some form of insurance, 43% of parents reported financial stress. Forty-two percent of parents would have preferred to be treated at home and all parents would prefer an evaluation that could be accomplished in 24 hours. We conclude that unintended consequences of the ROS evaluation included excessive parental anxiety, cessation of breastfeeding, iatrogenic complications, and financial stress. Suggestions to decrease these adverse consequences are given.     

癫癎儿童健康相关生活质量研究

为探讨癫痫儿童的健康相关生活质量（HRQOL）及其影响因素，采用澳大利亚癫痫儿童生活质量父母问卷（QOLCE）对101例癫痫儿童进行生活质量的评估，以探讨影响因素并与正常儿童进行比较。结果表明，癫痫儿童的生活质量明显低于正常儿童，年龄、起病年龄、发作频率、发作类型、病程，抗癫痫药物及智力等均影响患儿的生活质量。提示对癫痫儿童应采取综合治疗措施，重视患儿的心理健康，才能提高其生活质量。     

Methodological considerations in the assessment of health-related quality of life in children

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) can be described as the psychological and social aspects of a patient's health, and as the patient's view of his or her condition and its treatment. Doctors, parents and children have different views of a child's HRQL. This is not because one has the right perception and the others are wrong, but because they see different aspects of the child's HRQL. Only the children themselves can provide a subjective perception of their HRQL. The practical and conceptual considerations required when assessing children's HRQL are discussed.     

Methodological considerations in the assessment of health-related quality of life in children

Erling A. Methodological considerations in the assessment of health-related quality of life in children. Acta Pædiatr 1999; Suppl 428: 106–7. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5326
Health-related quality of life (HRQL) can be described as the psychological and social aspects of a patient's health, and as the patient's view of his or her condition and its treatment. Doctors, parents and children have different views of a child's HRQL. This is not because one has the right perception and the others are wrong, but because they see different aspects of the child's HRQL. Only the children themselves can provide a subjective perception of their HRQL. The practical and conceptual considerations required when assessing children's HRQL are discussed. □ Children, health-related quality of life     

Diagnostic Errors in Primary Care Pediatrics: Project RedDE

Objective

Diagnostic errors (DEs), which encompass failures of accuracy, timeliness, or patient communication, cause appreciable morbidity but are understudied in pediatrics. Pediatricians have expressed interest in reducing high-frequency/subacute DEs, but their epidemiology remains unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of two high-frequency/subacute DEs and one missed opportunity for diagnosis (MOD) in primary care pediatrics.