Benefits for foster children with disabilities
The Social Security Administration is conducting a pilot study that will allow foster children living with a disability to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits sooner.
The application window is now 180 days before foster care eligibility ends. The pilot study will help assess whether a longer period reduces the number of individuals who have gaps in income support. For details, visit http://bit.ly/2cX3Q7w.
Call for dermatology abstracts, posters, case presentations
Abstracts are being accepted through Jan. 1 for oral, poster and case presentations at the 13th World Congress of Pediatric Dermatology, July 6-9, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Co-sponsored by the Academy and hosted by the Society for Pediatric Dermatology, the congress will include educational sessions on the latest treatment approaches, protocols and pearls in pediatric dermatology from 35 topic areas. Kicking off the event is a must-see primer “Hot Topics in Pediatric Dermatology for the Primary Pediatric Practitioner,” sponsored by the AAP Section on Dermatology.
Applicants will be notified by March 1 if their abstract has been accepted. A small number of late-breaking or high-impact research studies will be selected for oral presentation. Up to 150 poster presentations also will be selected for oral presentation from among poster submissions focused on research-oriented work or case review. An additional 24 cases will be selected as Cases of the Year for four-minute presentations.
The AAP Section on Dermatology is offering one $1,000 travel award, open to residents or fellows who present cases or posters at the meeting. Preference will be given to abstracts focused on pediatric dermatology education, workforce, medical home and collaborating with pediatrician partners.
Sign up by June 1 for early bird discounts. Discounted registration rates are available for trainees. Visit http://wcpd2017.com for more information.
Learn how to address behavioral health in adolescents
Three training simulations from the Academy teach effective brief intervention techniques for addressing substance use and mental health concerns with adolescents.
The virtual simulations include content on how to conduct motivational interviewing; screen and audit with National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism tools; develop action plans; and refer to treatment and follow-up.
Free access is provided via the AAP Friends of Children Fund. Visit http://kognito.com/aap and create a free account to access the simulations.
Vision screening FAQs
A guide from the Children’s Eye Foundation answers common questions about a joint statement and the AAP policy statement on visual assessment published last January (http://bit.ly/2dOsmbE).
Practical Guide for Primary Care Physicians: Instrument Based Vision Screening in Children answers essential questions about the importance of pediatric vision screening, instrument-based vision screening, covered service information and how to incorporate instrument-based screening in practice. Parent handouts also are included.
Access the guide at www.ChildrensEyeFoundation.org/SEE
Shop AAP
- Visual Diagnosis of Child Abuse, 4th Edition (MA0821; USB flash drive; members: $175), http://bit.ly/2dhOY4O
- Succinct Pediatrics: Evaluation and Management for Infectious Diseases and Dermatologic Disorders (MA0815; members: $71.95), http://bit.ly/2cWU7yg
- Understanding the NICU: What Parents of Preemies and Other Hospitalized Newborns Need to Know (CB0098; members: $13.95), http://bit.ly/2dy1dfb
- Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick Reference Guide, 4th Edition (MA0804; members: $47.95), http://bit.ly/2ckXm4o
- The Picky Eater Project: 6 Weeks to Happier, Healthier Family Mealtimes (CB0096; members: $15.95), http://bit.ly/2cWTHI3
2017 PREP ICU subscriptions available for pre-order
Did you know that young children have highly compliant chest walls and can have significant intrathoracic injury without overlying rib fractures or other significant external injuries? Are you aware that thyroid storm is a medical emergency with high mortality and generally is caused by an infectious trigger with pre-existing hyperthyroidism?
PREP ICU Self-Assessment can help you with these topics and more to achieve the best patient outcomes. The 2017 version is available for pre-order with access in January. Visit http://shop.aap.org/2017-PREP-ICU.
Webinars address performance-enhancing substances, coding issues
- Pediatric Care Online webinar on the AAP clinical report Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances, with Michele LaBotz, M.D., FAAP. Find free-trial subscription information at www.aap.org/pcotrial. Subscribe at http://shop.aap.org/Pediatric_Care_Online. Supported by Mead Johnson.
- Webinars available for a discounted price of $99: Mastering Modifiers; Coding for Pediatric Preventive Services; ICD-10-CM: The Road So Far; and Understanding Evaluation and Management Coding in Pediatrics. Use promo code CODES99. Offer ends Dec. 31. Visit www.aap.org/webinars/coding.
Online learning opportunities address asthma, FASD
- A course on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders brings awareness of clinical features, boosts confidence in diagnosis, teaches management options and informs about referral options and resources available to families. Visit http://bit.ly/FASD-IM.
- Education in Quality Improvement for Pediatric Practice (EQIPP) course on asthma-related practice gaps and reducing asthma exacerbations and related hospitalizations with separate tracks for generalists and hospitalists helps satisfy Maintenance of Certification Part 4 requirements and includes continuing medical education. Free as an AAP member benefit. Visit http://bit.ly/EQIPP-Asthma.
Choosing Wisely: When, how to talk about unnecessary care
Too often, parents expect tests, medication and procedures to be provided even when they are not clinically indicated. The national Choosing Wisely initiative addresses this problem.
As a Choosing Wisely partner, the Academy has updated its pediatric-specific list of Ten Things Physicians and Patients Should Question, http://bit.ly/2d8k69e, to help pediatricians and subspecialists discuss whether certain frequently ordered tests or treatments are needed. Items on the AAP Choosing Wisely list are based on published scientific evidence.
The Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine has created an additional list, http://bit.ly/2e8MNoi. Other AAP sections, councils and committees have been encouraged to develop lists of up to five items focused on their area of expertise.
The program aims to improve the quality of care, reduce waste in health care resources and protect patients from potentially harmful care when the benefits do not outweigh the costs and risks.
Free education modules to equip pediatricians to engage in these conversations with patients can be accessed at http://www.choosingwisely.org/resources/modules/.
Report on maternal immunizations
A new report from the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) reviews the state of maternal immunizations and best practices. Four main focus areas are identified: ethical issues, policy issues, preclinical and clinical research issues, and provider education and support issues.
Overcoming Barriers and Identifying Opportunities for Developing Maternal Immunizations, http://bit.ly/2dOScBv, includes information on the importance of public health strategy and calls for further research to understand immune response during pregnancy. It cites the need to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes of vaccines administered during pregnancy with respect to safety and effectiveness and calls for increased study of the risks and benefits of maternal immunization. The need for stakeholders to work collaboratively on linking maternal and infant electronic health records and safety systems also is identified.
AAP liaison Sharon Humiston, M.D., FAAP, represented the Academy on the NVAC Maternal Immunization Working Group that developed the report.
