New MIS-C materials from CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has new materials on multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) that health care professionals can share with parents and caregivers.
MIS-C is a rare, delayed immune response related to COVID-19. Symptoms are likely to appear within six weeks after a SARS-CoV-2 infection and include ongoing fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash, bloodshot eyes and dizziness.
Materials include How to Recognize MIS-C, What Parents Need to Know about MIS-C and What Parents Need to Know After Diagnosis of MIS-C. They are free to download and can be posted in offices or given to families.
Visit https://bit.ly/3AoKNyG.
Communicating about COVID-19 vaccines
A new PediaLink course aims to help pediatricians and nonphysicians share credible information about COVID-19 vaccines with patients and families and respond to misinformation.
Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations includes five modules that address how COVID vaccines were developed; disinformation vs. misinformation; providing accurate, succinct and compelling responses to myths and frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines; and recognizing and addressing cognitive biases about vaccines by using effective strategies to foster behavior change.
The online course is free for AAP members until Dec. 31. Visit https://shop.aap.org/effective-covid-19-vaccine-conversations/.
Developmental surveillance resources
A new AAP resource can help pediatricians when conducting developmental surveillance.
Recent interviews with pediatricians showed they have challenges conducting risk, strength and protective factors assessments, which should occur at every health supervision visit as outlined in the AAP clinical report Promoting Optimal Development: Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders Through Developmental Surveillance and Screening.
Identifying Strengths, Risks, and Protective Factors Resource Guide offers supports and strategies as well as questions pediatric clinicians can ask during health supervision visits. It is available at https://bit.ly/3aDb0ya.
Also available is the Family Friendly Referral Guide to support families and caregivers whose child has a developmental concern. Pediatric practices can customize the guide with local referral resources. The guide also illustrates the importance of following through with developmental referrals. Visit https://bit.ly/3BNmACP.
Vaccine video series
The AAP is launching a video series that will answer common questions parents ask pediatricians about their children’s immunizations.
The series will include more than 30 videos featuring straightforward, friendly advice from practicing pediatricians who talk with parents every day about childhood and adolescent immunizations. Some of the questions they will address are why vaccines are recommended at certain ages, what side effects to anticipate and how to reduce the pain of shots.
The AAP recently conducted research in partnership with the FrameWorks Institute into how to improve public understanding and acceptance of vaccines, and used this research to inform its approach to the video series.
The videos will be part of a library of content for parents on child and adolescent health offered on social media platforms like YouTube, in print publications and on HealthyChildren.org.
Find the videos at https://bit.ly/3pX8Xhj.
CATCH call for proposals
The Community Access To Child Health (CATCH) program is accepting grant proposals from pediatricians and pediatric residents who have innovative ideas to plan or implement initiatives that address critical child health issues in their communities.
Pediatricians and residents in U.S., Puerto Rico and Canadian AAP chapters can apply for grants up to $10,000 and $2,000, respectively.
CATCH resident grant guidelines include targeted funding opportunities on more than 10 topics, including oral health, community pediatrics, environmental health, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, emergency medicine, school health, obesity prevention and child abuse/neglect. Find details at https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/catchresidentcall.pdf.
Find details on CATCH planning and implementation grants for pediatricians at https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/catchplanimpcall.pdf.
The deadline to apply is Jan. 24, 2022. Applicants will receive email notice of funding decisions by April 15, 2022. Grantees start their 12-month projects on June 1, 2022.
For assistance, contact your chapter CATCH facilitator (https://bit.ly/3t896xM), district resident CATCH liaison (https://bit.ly/3jB9YI6) or email [email protected]. For more information on the CATCH program, visit https://www.aap.org/CATCH.
Early career physician leadership projects
Posters presented by 22 graduates of the Young Physicians Leadership Alliance (YPLA) are available for viewing at https://collaborate.aap.org/ECLP/Pages/default.aspx (login required). Topics include family-centered rounds, advocacy, immigrant health, adverse childhood experiences, COVID-19 and more.
YPLA, a two-year training program presented by the AAP Section on Early Career Physicians, aims to develop leadership skills and a network of early career pediatric leaders. YPLA participants complete an independent leadership project that allows them to put their skills into practice. They presented posters on their projects at the 8th annual YPLA poster symposium.
