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Detection of anaemia is crucial for clinical medicine and public health. Current WHO anaemia definitions are based on statistical thresholds (fifth centiles) set more than 50 years ago. We sought to establish evidence for the statistical haemoglobin thresholds for anaemia that can be applied globally and inform WHO and clinical guidelines.

To examine 2 hospital oxygen saturation target policies and clinical outcomes in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis.This multicenter cohort study used data collected from a randomized clinical trial of infants aged 4 weeks to 24 months, hospitalized with bronchiolitis at children’s and community hospitals from 2016 to 2019. We modeled the association between hospital oxygen saturation target policy, either 90% while awake and 88% while asleep (90%/88%) or 90% while awake and asleep (90%/90%), and clinical outcomes.A total of 162 infants were enrolled at 4 hospitals using a 90%/88% oxygen saturation target and 67 infants at 2 hospitals using a 90%/90% target policy. No significant differences between the 90%/88% group and 90%/90% groups were observed for time to discharge (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61–1.14; P = .25), initiation of supplemental oxygen (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.98; 95% CI, 0.47–2.02; P = .95), time to discontinuation of supplemental oxygen (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.44–1.27; P = .28), revisits (aOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.52–3.71; P = .52), and parent days missed from work (aOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 0.90–6.41; P = .08). Three infants in the 90%/88% group and none in the 90%/90% group were transferred to the ICU.Among infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis, clinical outcomes were similar between a hospital oxygen saturation target policy of 90% while awake and 88% while asleep compared with 90% while awake and asleep. These findings may inform the design of future trials of oxygen saturation targets in bronchiolitis hospital care.

ObjectiveTo investigate the regular use of xylitol, compared with sorbitol, to prevent acute otitis media (AOM), upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and dental caries.DesignBlinded randomised controlled trial with a 6-month study period.SettingEnrolment took place at 11 primary care practices in Ontario, Canada.PatientsChildren aged 1–5 years who did not use xylitol or sorbitol at enrolment.InterventionsChildren were randomly assigned to use a placebo syrup with sorbitol or xylitol syrup two times per day for 6 months.Main outcome measuresPrimary outcome was the number of clinician-diagnosed AOM episodes over 6 months. Secondary outcomes were caregiver-reported URTIs and dental caries.ResultsAmong the 250 randomised children, the mean (SD) age was 38±14 months and there were 124 girls (50%). There were three clinician-diagnosed AOM episodes in the 125 placebo group participants and six in the 125 xylitol group participants (OR 2.04; 95% CI 0.43, 12.92; p=0.50). There was no difference in number of caregiver-reported URTI episodes (rate ratio (RR) 0.88; 95% CI 0.70, 1.11) between the placebo (4.2 per participant over 6 months; 95% CI 3.6, 5.0) and xylitol (3.7; 95% CI 3.2, 4.4) groups. Dental caries were reported for four participants in the placebo group and two in the xylitol group (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.04, 3.05; p=0.42). In a post-hoc analysis of URTIs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate among the 59 participants receiving placebo was 2.3 per participant over 6 months (95% CI 1.8, 3.0) and for the 55 receiving xylitol, 1.3 over 6 months (95% CI 0.92, 1.82; RR 0.56; 95% CI 0.36, 0.87). The most common adverse event was diarrhoea (28% with placebo; 34% with xylitol).ConclusionsRegular use of xylitol did not prevent AOM, URTIs or dental caries in a trial with limited statistical power. A post-hoc analysis indicated that URTIs were less common with xylitol exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this finding could be spurious.Trial registration numberNCT03055091.

To determine the measurement properties of the Feeding Adequacy Scale (FAS) in young children hospitalized with bronchiolitis.Multicenter cohort study of infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis at children’s and community hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Caregivers and nurses completed the FAS, a 10-cm visual analog scale anchored by “not feeding at all” (score 0) and “feeding as when healthy” (score 10). The main outcome measures were feasibility, reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the FAS.A total of 228 children were included with an average (SD) age of 6.3 (5.4) months. Completing the FAS was feasible for caregivers and nurses, with no floor or ceiling effects. Test–retest reliability was moderate for caregivers (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] 2,1 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63–0.80) and good for nurses (ICC 2,1 0.75; 95% CI 0.62–0.83). Interrater reliability between 1 caregiver and 1 nurse was moderate (ICC 1,1 0.55; 95% CI 0.45–0.64). For construct validity, the FAS was negatively associated with length of hospital stay and positively associated with both caregiver and nurse readiness for discharge scores (P values <.0001). The FAS demonstrated clinical improvement from the first FAS score at admission to the last FAS score at discharge, with significant differences between scores for both caregivers and nurses (P values for paired t test <.0001).These results provide evidence of the feasibility, reliability, validity, and responsiveness of caregiver-completed and nurse-completed FAS as a measure of feeding adequacy in children hospitalized with bronchiolitis.

IMPORTANCE: Controversy exists on the clinical utility of kidney ultrasonography after first febrile urinary tract infection (UTI), and clinical practice guideline recommendations vary. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of urinary tract abnormalities detected on kidney ultrasonography after the first febrile UTI in children. DATA SOURCES: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for articles published from January 1, 2000, to September 20, 2022. STUDY SELECTION: Studies of children with first febrile UTI reporting kidney ultrasonography findings. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts for eligibility. Study characteristics and outcomes were extracted from each article. Data on the prevalence of kidney ultrasonography abnormalities were pooled using a random-effects model. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was prevalence of urinary tract abnormalities and clinically important abnormalities (those that changed clinical management) detected on kidney ultrasonography. Secondary outcomes included the urinary tract abnormalities detected, surgical intervention, health care utilization, and parent-reported outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-nine studies were included, with a total of 9170 children. Of the 27 studies that reported participant sex, the median percentage of males was 60% (range, 11%-80%). The prevalence of abnormalities detected on renal ultrasonography was 22.1% (95% CI, 16.8-27.9; I2 = 98%; 29 studies, all ages) and 21.9% (95% CI, 14.7-30.1; I2 = 98%; 15 studies, age &lt;24 months). The prevalence of clinically important abnormalities was 3.1% (95% CI, 0.3-8.1; I2 = 96%; 8 studies, all ages) and 4.5% (95% CI, 0.5-12.0; I2 = 97%; 5 studies, age &lt;24 months). Study recruitment bias was associated with a higher prevalence of abnormalities. The most common findings detected were hydronephrosis, pelviectasis, and dilated ureter. Urinary tract obstruction was identified in 0.4% (95% CI, 0.1-0.8; I2 = 59%; 12 studies), and surgical intervention occurred in 1.4% (95% CI, 0.5-2.7; I2 = 85%; 13 studies). One study reported health care utilization. No study reported parent-reported outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Results suggest that 1 in 4 to 5 children with first febrile UTI will have a urinary tract abnormality detected on kidney ultrasonography and 1 in 32 will have an abnormality that changes clinical management. Given the considerable study heterogeneity and lack of comprehensive outcome measurement, well-designed prospective longitudinal studies are needed to fully evaluate the clinical utility of kidney ultrasonography after first febrile UTI.

No previous study has examined the management of hospitalized children with orbital cellulitis at both children’s and community hospitals across multiple sites in Canada. We describe variation and trends over time in diagnostic testing and imaging, adjunctive agents, empiric antibiotics, and surgical intervention in children hospitalized with orbital cellulitis.Multicenter cohort study of 1579 children aged 2 months to 18 years with orbital cellulitis infections admitted to 10 hospitals from 2009 to 2018. We assessed hospital-level variation in the use of diagnostic tests, imaging, antibiotics, adjunctive agents, surgical intervention, and clinical outcomes using X2, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The association between clinical management and length of stay was evaluated with median regression analysis with hospital as a fixed effect.There were significant differences between children’s hospitals in usage of C-reactive protein tests (P < .001), computed tomography scans (P = .004), MRI scans (P = .003), intranasal decongestants (P < .001), intranasal corticosteroids (P < .001), intranasal saline spray (P < .001), and systemic corticosteroids (P < .001). Children’s hospital patients had significantly longer length of hospital stay compared with community hospitals (P = .001). After adjustment, diagnostic testing, imaging, and subspecialty consults were associated with longer median length of hospital stay at children’s hospitals. From 2009 to 2018, C-reactive protein test usage increased from 28.8% to 73.5% (P < .001), whereas erythrocyte sedimentation rate decreased from 31.5% to 14.1% (P < .001).There was significant variation in diagnostic test usage and treatments, and increases in test usage and medical intervention rates over time despite minimal changes in surgical interventions and length of stay.

Background: Vitamin D fortification of non-cow's milk beverages is voluntary in North America. The effect of consuming non-cow's milk beverages on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in children is unclear. We studied the association between non-cow's milk consumption and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in healthy preschool-aged children. We also explored whether cow's milk consumption modified this association and analyzed the association between daily non-cow's milk and cow's milk consumption. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited children 1-6 years of age attending routinely scheduled well-child visits. Survey responses, and anthropometric and laboratory measurements were collected. The association between non-cow's milk consumption and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels was tested using multiple linear regression and logistic regression. Cow's milk consumption was explored as an effect modifier using an interaction term. The association between daily intake of non-cow's milk and cow's milk was explored using multiple linear regression. Results: A total of 2831 children were included. The interaction between non-cow's milk and cow's milk consumption was statistically significant (p = 0.03). Drinking non-cow's milk beverages was associated with a 4.2-nmol/L decrease in 25-hydroxyvitamin D level per 250-mL cup consumed among children who also drank cow's milk (p = 0.008). Children who drank only non-cow's milk were at higher risk of having a 25-hydroxyvitamin D level below 50 nmol/L than children who drank only cow's milk (odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.6 to 4.7). Interpretation: Consumption of non-cow's milk beverages was associated with decreased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in early childhood. This association was modified by cow's milk consumption, which suggests a trade-off between consumption of cow's milk fortified with higher levels of vitamin D and non-cow's milk with lower vitamin D content., Goat's milk and plant-based milk alternatives made from soy, rice, almonds, coconut, hemp, flax or oats (herein called 'non-cow's milk') are increasingly available on supermarket shelves. Many consumers may be [...]

Background: Modifiable behaviours during early childhood may provide opportunities to prevent disease processes before adverse outcomes occur. Our objective was to determine whether young children's eating behaviours were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in later life. Methods: In this cross-sectional study involving children aged 3-5 years recruited from 7 primary care practices in Toronto, Ontario, we assessed the relation between eating behaviours as assessed by the NutriSTEP (Nutritional Screening Tool for Every Preschooler) questionnaire (completed by parents) and serum levels of non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, a surrogate marker of cardiovascular risk. We also assessed the relation between dietary intake and serum non-HDL cholesterol, and between eating behaviours and other laboratory indices of cardiovascular risk (low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, HDL cholesterol and apoliprotein A1). Results: A total of 1856 children were recruited from primary care practices in Toronto. Of these children, we included 1076 in our study for whom complete data and blood samples were available for analysis. The eating behaviours subscore of the NutriSTEP tool was significantly associated with serum non-HDL cholesterol (p = 0.03); for each unit increase in the eating behaviours subscore suggesting greater nutritional risk, we saw an increase of 0.02 mmol/L (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.002 to 0.05) in serum non-HDL cholesterol. The eating behaviours subscore was also associated with LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, but not with HDL cholesterol or apolipoprotein A1. The dietary intake subscore was not associated with non-HDL cholesterol. Interpretation: Eating behaviours in preschool-aged children are important potentially modifiable determinants of cardiovascular risk and should be a focus for future studies of screening and behavioural interventions., Modifiable behaviours during early childhood may provide opportunities to prevent later chronic diseases, in addition to the behavioural patterns that contribute to them, before adverse outcomes occur. There is evidence [...]

IMPORTANCE: Over the last 2 decades, bronchiolitis guidelines and improvement efforts focused on supportive care and reducing unnecessary tests, treatments, and hospitalization. There have been limited population-based studies examining hospitalization outcomes over time. OBJECTIVE: To describe rates and trends in bronchiolitis hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) use, mortality, and costs. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study used population-based health administrative data from April 1, 2004, to March 31, 2018, to identify bronchiolitis encounters using hospital discharge diagnosis codes in Ontario, Canada. Children younger than 2 years with and without bronchiolitis hospitalization were included. Data were analyzed from January 2020 to July 2021. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Bronchiolitis hospitalization per 1000 person-years, ICU use per 1000 hospitalizations, mortality per 100 000 person-years, and costs per 1000 person-years adjusted to 2018 Canadian dollars and reported in 2018 US dollars. RESULTS: Among 2 336 446 included children, 1 199 173 (51.3%) were male. During the study period, 43 993 children (1.9%) younger than 2 years had 48 058 bronchiolitis hospitalizations at 141 hospitals. Bronchiolitis accounted for 48 058 of 360 920 all-cause hospitalizations (13.3%) and 215 654 of 2 566 348 all-cause hospital days (8.4%) in children younger than 2 years. Bronchiolitis hospitalization was stable over time, at 14.0 (95% CI, 13.6-14.4) hospitalizations per 1000 person-years in 2004-2005 and 12.7 (95% CI, 12.2-13.1) hospitalizations per 1000 person-years in 2017-2018 (annual percent change [APC], 0%; 95% CI, −1.6 to 1.6; P = .97). ICU admission increased significantly from 38.1 (95% CI, 32.2-44.8) per 1000 hospitalizations in 2004-2005 to 87.8 (95% CI, 78.3-98.0) per 1000 hospitalizations in 2017-2018 (APC, 7.2%; 95% CI, 5.4-8.9; P &lt; .001). Over the study period, bronchiolitis mortality was 2.8 (95% CI, 2.3-3.4) per 100 000 person-years and remained stable (APC, 1.1%; 95% CI, −8.4 to 11.7; P = .85). Hospitalization costs per 1000 person-years increased from $49 640 (95% CI, $49 617-$49 663) in 2004-2005 to $58 632 (95% CI, $58 608-$58 657) in 2017-2018 (APC, 3.0%; 95% CI, 1.3-4.8; P = .002). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: From 2004 to 2018, bronchiolitis hospitalization and mortality rates remained stable; however, ICU use and costs increased substantially. This represents a major increase in high-intensity hospital care and costs for one of the most common and cumulatively expensive conditions in pediatric hospital care.

To examine the association between systemic corticosteroid use and outcomes for children hospitalized with orbital cellulitis at US children’s hospitals.We conducted a multicenter observational study using administrative data from the Pediatric Health Information System database from 2007 to 2019. Children between the ages of 2 months and 18 years with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification or 10th Revision, Clinical Modification discharge diagnostic codes of orbital cellulitis were included. The primary exposure was receipt of systemic corticosteroids on the day of hospital admission. The primary outcome was hospital length of stay, and secondary outcomes included surgical intervention, ICU admissions, revisits, and health care costs. We used generalized logit model with inverse probability weighting logistic regression to adjust for demographic factors and assess for differences in clinical outcomes reported.Of the 5832 patients hospitalized with orbital cellulitis, 330 (5.7%) were in the corticosteroid group and 5502 (94.3%) were in the noncorticosteroid group. Patients in the corticosteroid group were older, had more severe illness, and received broad spectrum antibiotics. In adjusted analyses, corticosteroid exposure was not associated with differences in length of hospital stay, need for surgical intervention, ICU admissions, emergency department revisits, 30-day hospital readmissions, or hospital costs. Restricting the analysis to only those patients who received broad spectrum antibiotics did not change the findings.Early use of systemic corticosteroids in hospitalized children with orbital cellulitis is not associated with improved clinical outcomes. Use of corticosteroids in hospitalized children with orbital cellulitis should be discouraged outside of clinical trials.

Objective: To determine whether the addition of inhaled ipratropium bromide to inhaled albuterol and systemic corticosteroid therapy was more efficacious than inhaled albuterol and systemic corticosteroids alone in the inpatient treatment of acute asthma exacerbations in children. Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Setting: Pediatric inpatient unit of a tertiary urban hospital. Participants: Eighty children (aged 1-18 years) hospitalized because of an acute asthma exacerbation. Intervention: Children were randomized to receive either nebulized ipratropium bromide, 250 [micro] g, or nebulized isotonic sodium chloride solution, 1 mL. All children received albuterol and systemic corticosteroids. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome variable was a validated clinical asthma score, measured at baseline and every 6 hours for 36 hours. Secondary outcome measures included the forced expiratory volume in 1 second, the oxygen saturation, the number of doses of inhaled study drug, the time to an inhaled drug-dosing interval of 4 hours, and the length of the hospital stay. Results: There were no differences between groups on baseline characteristics. The intention-to-treat analysis, using repeated-measures analysis of variance, showed no significant (P = .07) difference between the groups in the clinical asthma score over time. There were also no significant differences between groups on secondary outcomes. Conclusion: The addition of nebulized ipratropium bromide to nebulized [[beta].sub.2]-agonist and corticosteroid therapy in the treatment of children hospitalized because of asthma (following intensive emergency department treatment) confers no extra benefit.

Byline: Serge Gouin, Colin Macarthur, Patricia C Parkin, Suzanne Schuh Abstract: Study objective: To determine the asthma admission rate and the rate of repeat visits to the emergency department for asthma within 72 hours before and after the introduction of an observation unit (OU). When necessary, admission to the ward from the OU is usually made within 12 hours. Methods: We conducted a before-and-after study with retrospective data collection in an urban tertiary care pediatric ED. Our subjects were patients aged 1 to 18 years who presented to the ED with asthma. The pre-OU group comprised patients seen between July 1, 1991, and June 30, 1992, before the opening of the OU. The post-OU group consisted of children seen between July 1, 1993, and June 30, 1994, after the opening of the OU. Results: The pre- and post-OU groups had 1,979 and 2,248 asthma visits, respectively. The admission rate decreased from 31% in the pre-OU group to 24% in the post-OU group (P Article History: Received 1 July 1996; Revised 29 October 1996; Accepted 5 November 1996 Article Note: (footnote) [star] From the Divisions of Emergency Medicine* and General Pediatrics, Pediatric Outcome Research Team Programa , Department of Pediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada., [star][star] Reprint no.47/1/79135 , a Address for reprints: Serge Gouin, MDCM, McGill University, Montreal Children's Hospital, 2300 Tupper Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3H 1P3, 514-934-4400, Fax 514-934-4477

Objectives: To examine exposure to bicycling and its association with severe bicycle injuries in school-age children in a defined population. Design: Random-digit dialing telephone survey and analysis of hospital discharge records. Setting: Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario. Subjects: Sample of parents of children aged 5 to 17 years who owned a bicycle; all children who were admitted to hospitals with bicycle-related injuries from April 1989 to March 1991. Main Outcomes: Median annual bicycling hours and distance by age and sex; age- and sex-specific incidence rates by population at risk, cumulative exposure hours, and riding distances. Results: More than half of the children of all age groups were exposed to bicycling more than 100 hours per year. Boys spent more hours and rode longer distances than girls in every age group. The overall annual injury rates were 8.1 and 3.4 per 10 000 population at risk for boys and girls, respectively. About half of the injuries suffered were head injuries. When rates were estimated on the basis of exposure, boys still experienced a higher injury rate than girls. Boys displayed a slight increase with age in rates per unit of exposure hours. Conversely, age appeared to be negatively associated with overall and head injury rates when exposure was expressed by distance ridden. Conclusions: Boys had a higher injury rate than girls, and bicycle-related injuries are more likely to be associated with exposure time than distance ridden. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995;149:437-441), Time spent on a bicycle seems more closely associated to injury than distance travelled. Researchers randomly conducted telephone interviews about bicycle riding habits of children under 17 years old with 707 households in Toronto, Canada. Boys in all age groups apparently rode longer and farther distances than girls. Also, more boys than girls were hospitalized with injuries across all ages. Further analysis of 321 hospital records of bicycle injuries revealed 146 head injuries, including one death. Boys close to 12 years old had the most overall injuries and head injuries. Girls sustained the highest rate of injury at an age close to 10 years old, while head injuries peaked in 8-year-olds.

IMPORTANCE: There is low level of evidence and substantial practice variation regarding the use of intermittent or continuous monitoring in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of intermittent vs continuous pulse oximetry on clinical outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter, pragmatic randomized clinical trial included infants 4 weeks to 24 months of age who were hospitalized with bronchiolitis from November 1, 2016, to May 31, 2019, with or without supplemental oxygen after stabilization at community and children’s hospitals in Ontario, Canada. INTERVENTIONS: Intermittent (every 4 hours, n = 114) or continuous (n = 115) pulse oximetry, using an oxygen saturation target of 90% or higher. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was length of hospital stay from randomization to discharge. Secondary outcomes included length of stay from inpatient unit admission to discharge and outcomes measured from randomization: medical interventions, safety (intensive care unit transfer and revisits), parent anxiety and workdays missed, and nursing satisfaction. RESULTS: Among 229 infants enrolled (median [IQR] age, 4.0 [2.2-8.5] months; 136 [59.4%] male; 101 [44.1%] from community hospital sites), the median length of hospital stay from randomization to discharge was 27.6 hours (interquartile range [IQR], 18.8-49.6 hours) in the intermittent group and 25.4 hours (IQR, 18.3-47.6 hours) in the continuous group (difference of medians, 2.2 hours; 95% CI, −1.9 to 6.3 hours; P = .17). No significant differences were observed between the intermittent and continuous groups in the median length of stay from inpatient unit admission to discharge: 49.1 (IQR, 37.2-87.0) hours vs 46.0 (IQR, 32.5-73.8) hours (P = .13) or in frequencies or durations of hospital interventions, such as oxygen supplementation initiation: 4 of 114 (3.5%) vs. 9 of 115 (7.8%) (P = .16) and median duration of oxygen supplementation: 20.6 (IQR, 7.6-46.1) hours vs. 21.4 (11.6-52.9) hours (P = .66). Similarly, there were no significant differences in frequencies of intensive care unit transfer: 1 of 114 (0.9%) vs 2 of 115 (2.7%) (P = .76); readmission to hospital: 3 of 114 (2.6%) in the intermittent group vs 4 of 115 (3.5%) in the continuous group (P > .99); parent anxiety: mean (SD) parent anxiety score, 2.9 (0.9) in the intermittent group vs 2.8 (0.9) in the continuous group (P = .40); or parent workdays missed: median workdays missed, 1.5 (IQR, 0.5-3.0) vs 1.5 (IQR, 0.5-2.5) (P = .36). Mean (SD) nursing satisfaction with monitoring was significantly greater in the intermittent group: 8.6 (1.7) vs 7.1 (2.8) of 10 workdays; the mean difference was 1.5 (95% CI, 0.9-2.2; P &lt; .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this randomized clinical trial, among infants hospitalized with stabilized bronchiolitis with and without hypoxia and managed using an oxygen saturation target of 90% or higher, clinical outcomes, including length of hospital stay and safety, were similar with intermittent vs continuous pulse oximetry. Nursing satisfaction was greater with intermittent monitoring. Given that other important clinical practice considerations favor less intense monitoring, these findings support the standard use of intermittent pulse oximetry in stable infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02947204

Background:Adolescents with obesity have lower academic performance, but little is known about the association between body weight in early childhood and school readiness. The objective was to examine the association between age- and sex-standardized body mass index (zBMI) and body weight status and school readiness in young children.Methods:A prospective cohort study in Toronto, Canada, was conducted in young children enrolled in TARGet Kids!. Children's weight and height were measured before the start of kindergarten. Children's school readiness was measured by the Early Development Instrument (EDI), a validated teacher-completed instrument that assesses children's skills and behaviors in five developmental domains in kindergarten. Generalized estimating equations, adjusted for relevant confounders, were used in the analysis.Results:The study included 1015 children (1217 observations): 52% were male and mean age at zBMI was 4.2 years [50 months (SD 12.1)] and school readiness was 5.2 years [62.7 months (SD 6.9)]. There was no evidence found that zBMI was associated with school readiness. However, in a post hocanalysis, being classified as overweight or with obesity in kindergarten was associated with twofold higher odds of vulnerability in school readiness and a lower social competence score compared with their normal weight peers.Conclusions:Being classified as overweight or with obesity was associated with poor school readiness in year 2 of kindergarten. Early interventions to promote healthy growth before school entry may help promote development and school readiness in young children. www.clinicaltrials.gov(NCT01869530).

Abstract Objective To study effectiveness of seat belts for protecting school age children in road vehicle crashes. Design Crash examinations by trained investigators. Setting Ten Canadian university based crash investigation [...]

Outdoor free play is important for preschoolers' physical activity, health, and development. Certain temperamental characteristics are associated with obesity, nutrition, and sedentary behaviors in preschoolers, but the relationship between temperament and outdoor play has not been examined. This study examined whether there is an association between temperament and outdoor play in young children.

To determine if there is an association between longer breast-feeding duration and dental caries in healthy urban children.

To prevent iron deficiency, 2014 Canadian recommendations for healthy term infants from 6 to 24 months recommend iron-rich complementary foods such as meat and meat alternatives 2 or more times a day. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the association between meat and meat-alternative consumption and iron status in young children and the association between red meat consumption and iron status among children meeting recommendations.

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IVIG has been the predominant therapy for the initial management of children with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia at our hospital. With current guidelines supporting more conservative management, we undertook a quality improvement initiative to lead practice change. Over a 2-year time period (2013 to 2015), we strove to decrease use of hospital resources (use of IVIG, length of stay) while optimizing family satisfaction. An interdisciplinary working group was struck and a quality improvement bundle was implemented. The bundle comprised a patient information sheet; an evidence-informed, consensus-based protocol; and promotion of shared decision-making via stakeholder engagement and education. Data were collected prospectively; baseline data from a 2007 to 2009 audit were used for comparison. In total, 27 patients were included. Mean initial platelet count was 4×109/L. Bleeding was classified as none or mild in 56% of patients. IVIG use decreased from 88% to 55% of patients, corticosteroid prescription increased from 6% to 15%, and observation increased from 6% to 30% of patients. Hospital length of stay decreased from 47 to 36 hours. Family satisfaction was stable across treatment groups. Through introduction of a quality improvement initiative, we were able to improve family-centered care and decrease use of hospital resources.

An 18-month-old girl is seen by her family physician for her 18-month check-up. Her weight and height are at the 50th percentile. She was breastfed in the first year, introduced [...]

International data suggest the prevalence of severe obesity in young children may be increasing, yet no Canadian data are available. The objectives of this study were to examine definitions of severe obesity and to evaluate associated risk factors among young children in Ontario. A cross-sectional study was conducted in children 17 to 24 months of age using two Ontario data sources: TARGet Kids! (n= 3713) and BORN Ontario (n= 768). Body mass index zscore (zBMI) definitions were adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) (zscore > 3) and the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (> 120% of the 95th percentile) and applied to define severe obesity in young children. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between demographic and pregnancy risk factors and zBMI categories. A total of 1.1% (95% CI, 0.8–1.4) of children met the adapted WHO definition of severe obesity compared to 0.3% (95% CI, 0.2–0.6) using the CDC definition. Median neighbourhood household income (OR = 0.80, 95% CI, 0.69–0.93) and maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (OR = 1.08, 95% CI, 1.01–1.15) were associated with severe obesity in unadjusted analyses. After adjustment for potential confounders, the OR for the association between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and severe obesity was 1.04 (95% CI, 0.94–1.15). More than 1% of Ontario children met the adapted WHO definition of severe obesity in very early childhood. Modifiable risk factors were identified. Future studies are needed to understand the terminology, prevalence, and risk factors for severe obesity in young children across Canada. Selon les données internationales, la prévalence de l’obésité sévère chez les jeunes enfants pourrait être en hausse, mais il n’existe pas de données canadiennes à ce sujet. Nous avons voulu examiner les définitions de l’obésité sévère et évaluer les facteurs de risque associés chez les jeunes enfants en Ontario. Nous avons mené une étude transversale auprès d’enfants de 17 à 24 mois à l’aide de deux sources de données ontariennes : TARGet Kids! (n= 3713) et BORN Ontario (n= 768). Nous avons adapté les définitions du score-z de l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC) de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) (score-z > 3) et des Centers for Disease Control américains (CDC) (>120% du 95ecentile) et nous les avons appliquées pour définir l’obésité sévère chez les jeunes enfants. Par régression logistique multinomiale, nous avons évalué les associations entre les facteurs de risque démographiques et liés à la grossesse et les catégories du score-z de l’IMC. Un total de 1,1% (IC de 95% : 0,8–1,4) des enfants répondaient à la définition de l’obésité sévère adaptée de celle de l’OMS, et 0,3% (IC de 95% : 0,2–0,6) répondaient à la définition adaptée de celle des CDC. Le revenu médian des ménages selon le quartier (rapport de cotes [RC] = 0,80, IC de 95% : 0,69–0,93) et l’IMC maternel avant la grossesse (RC = 1,08, IC de 95% : 1,01–1,15) étaient associés à l’obésité sévère dans nos analyses non ajustées. En tenant compte des facteurs confusionnels possibles, le RC de l’association entre l’IMC maternel avant la grossesse et l’obésité sévère était de 1,04 (IC de 95% : 0,94–1,15). Plus de 1% des enfants ontariens répondent à la définition de l’obésité sévère de l’OMS pour les très jeunes enfants. Nous avons repéré des facteurs de risque modifiables. Il faudrait pousser la recherche pour comprendre la terminologie, la prévalence et les facteurs de risque de l’obésité sévère chez les jeunes enfants à l’échelle du Canada.

AbstractBackground:The prevalence of obesity in children has been shown to be plateauing or decreasing in some countries. However, the burden of severe obesity is often not assessed. Children with severe obesity may be at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The objective is to determine the prevalence of severe obesity in young children and to examine the association with cardiometabolic risk factors.Methods:A longitudinal study was conducted through The Applied Research Group for Kids! (TARGet Kids!), a practice-based research network in Toronto, Canada. Healthy children from birth to 6 years of age were recruited and followed through middle childhood. The main outcomes of the study were as follows: total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). BMI was age and sex standardized based on the WHO growth standards. A BMI z-score >3 was used to define obesity for children <5 years of age, and severe obesity for children ≥5 years of age.Results:Among 5738 children <5 years, 0.8% had a zBMI >3. In 626 children who were 5 and 6 years old, 2.1% had a zBMI >3. In the multivariable analysis adjusted for age, sex, maternal ethnicity, and family history, using repeated measures, children with a zBMI >3 had significantly higher odds of having abnormal SBP [odds ratio (OR) 6.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–27.9; p= 0.01] and DBP (OR, 3.6 95% CI 1.2–10.6; p= 0.02), respectively, as compared with healthy-weight children. Trends demonstrating an association between a zBMI >3 and abnormal lipid levels were also identified.Conclusion:Young children with a zBMI >3 have significantly higher blood pressure measures and trends toward worse lipid profiles than children at lower zBMIs.

Injury is the leading cause of death and a major cause of morbidity among children aged 14 years and less in Canada. In 1997, 1 of every 2 deaths and [...]

AbstractBackground:The aim of this study is to determine if sleep duration in early childhood is associated with cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in later childhood as assessed by a CMR cluster score [sum of age- and sex-standardized z-scores of waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose, and (inverse) high-density lipoprotein (HDL)]. Secondary objectives included examining sleep duration and the individual CMR factors and BMI z-score.Patients and Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted using data from the TARGet Kids!practice-based research network in Toronto, Canada. Children (n= 597) with parent-reported 24-hour sleep duration in early childhood (12–36 months) and a follow-up visit (36–96 months) with all five CMR factors were included in the analysis. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the relationship between early childhood sleep duration and later childhood CMR, adjusting for relevant covariates.Results:Average 24-hour sleep duration in early childhood [mean age: 28.1 (6.6) months] was 11.8 (1.4) hours, with 87% meeting or exceeding total sleep recommendations for their age. Sleep duration in early childhood was not associated with the CMR cluster score in later childhood. Shorter sleep duration was associated with higher HDL concentrations [adjusted β= −0.028 (95% confidence interval: −0.049 to −0.007), p= 0.009].Conclusions:Further research is needed to determine if early childhood sleep duration is associated with HDL in later childhood. Future studies, which investigate sleep quality in addition to sleep duration, may be helpful.

Approximately one-half of all children will sustain a fracture before adulthood. Understanding the factors that place a child at increased risk of fracture is necessary to inform effective injury prevention strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between temperament and fracture risk in preschool-aged children.

Despite agreement that preadult onset of depression is associated with greater illness severity, and that children can meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD), few studies have examined the presentation of MDD among young children. This is the first nationwide study of MDD among preadolescent children in Canada.

IMPORTANCE: Reliance on pulse oximetry has been associated with increased hospitalizations, prolonged hospital stay, and escalation of care. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there is a difference in the proportion of unscheduled medical visits within 72 hours of emergency department discharge in infants with bronchiolitis who have oxygen desaturations to lower than 90% for at least 1 minute during home oximetry monitoring vs those without desaturations. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study conducted from February 6, 2008, to April 30, 2013, at a tertiary care pediatric emergency department in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, among 118 otherwise healthy infants aged 6 weeks to 12 months discharged home from the emergency department with a diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was unscheduled medical visits for bronchiolitis, including a visit to any health care professional due to concerns about respiratory symptoms, within 72 hours of discharge in infants with and without desaturations. Secondary outcomes included examination of the severity and duration of the desaturations, delayed hospitalizations within 72 hours of discharge, and the effect of activity on desaturations. RESULTS: A total of 118 infants were included (mean [SD] age, 4.5 [2.1] months; 69 male [58%]). During a mean (SD) monitoring period of 19 hours 57 minutes (10 hours 37 minutes), 75 of 118 infants (64%) had at least 1 desaturation event (median continuous duration, 3 minutes 22 seconds; interquartile range, 1 minute 54 seconds to 8 minutes 50 seconds). Among the 118 infants, 59 (50%) had at least 3 desaturations, 12 (10%) had desaturation for more than 10% of the monitored time, and 51 (43%) had desaturations lasting 3 or more minutes continuously. Of the 75 infants who had desaturations, 59 (79%) had desaturation to 80% or less for at least 1 minute and 29 (39%) had desaturation to 70% or less for at least 1 minute. Of the 75 infants with desaturations, 18 (24%) had an unscheduled visit for bronchiolitis as compared with 11 of the 43 infants without desaturation (26%) (difference, −1.6%; 95% CI, −0.15 to ∞; P = .66). One of the 75 infants with desaturations (1%) and 2 of the 43 infants without desaturations (5%) were hospitalized within 72 hours (difference, −3.3%; 95% CI, −0.04 to 0.10; P = .27). Among the 62 infants with desaturations who had diary information, 48 (77%) experienced them during sleep or while feeding. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The majority of infants with mild bronchiolitis experienced recurrent or sustained desaturations after discharge home. Children with and without desaturations had comparable rates of return for care, with no difference in unscheduled return medical visits and delayed hospitalizations.

To determine the prevalence, risk factors, physician practice patterns and longitudinal hematological outcome of children following screening for non-anemic iron deficiency (NAID).

OBJECTIVES:Due to rare but severe adverse events, Health Canada in October 2009 required manufacturers to relabel over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medication (CCM) to state that the products should not be used in children <6 years of age. The main objective of this study was to determine whether this labeling standard decreased OTC CCM use among young children with a recent cough, cold or flu.

This study aimed to examine the treatment decision-making process for children hospitalized with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Using focus groups, we studied children with ITP, parents of children with ITP, and health care professionals, inquiring about participants’ experience with decision support and decision making in newly diagnosed ITP. Data were examined using thematic analysis. Themes that emerged from children were feelings of “anxiety, fear, and confusion”; the need to “understand information”; and “treatment choice,” the experience of which was age dependent. For parents, “anxiety, fear, and confusion” was a dominant theme; “treatment choice” revealed that participants felt directed toward intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) for initial treatment. For health care professionals, “comfort level” highlighted factors contributing to professionals’ comfort with offering options; “assumptions” were made about parental desire for participation in shared decision making (SDM) and parental acceptance of treatment options; “providing information” was informative regarding modes of facilitating SDM; and “treatment choice” revealed a discrepancy between current practice (directed toward IVIG) and the ideal of SDM. At our center, families of children with newly diagnosed ITP are not experiencing SDM. Our findings support the implementation of SDM to facilitate patient-centered care for the management of pediatric ITP.

IMPORTANCE Alopecia areata is an idiopathic cause of hair loss with limited therapeutic repertoire. OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of a high- vs low-potency topical corticosteroid in pediatric patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This single-center, randomized, blind, 2-arm, parallel-group, superiority trial was carried out over a 24-week period at a tertiary referral academic dermatology clinic at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Forty-two children attending the outpatients clinic, 2 to 16 years of age with alopecia areata affecting at least 10% of scalp surface area, were eligible; 1 declined to participate. There were no withdrawals from the study. INTERVENTIONS FOR CLINICAL TRIALS Patients were randomly assigned to receive clobetasol propionate, 0.05% cream, or hydrocortisone, 1%, cream. Patients applied a thin layer of the assigned cream twice daily to the areas of hair loss for 2 cycles of 6 weeks on, 6 weeks off, for a total of 24 weeks. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was the change in scalp surface area with hair loss over 24 weeks following enrollment. RESULTS All participants were assessed at 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks (except 1 participant who missed the 6-week visit). After adjusting for baseline hair loss, the clobetasol group had a statistically significant (P &lt; .001) greater decrease in the surface area with hair loss, compared with the hydrocortisone group at all time points except at 6 weeks. One patient with extensive alopecia areata experienced skin atrophy that resolved spontaneously in 6 weeks. There was no difference observed in the number of patients with abnormal urinary cortisol at the beginning and the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Topical clobetasol propionate, 0.05%, cream is efficacious and safe as a first-line agent for limited patchy childhood alopecia areata. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01453686.

OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of modifiable dietary intake variables (current vitamin D supplementation and daily cow's milk intake) on 25-hydroxyvitamin D level in early childhood and to evaluate the relationship between these modifiable dietary factors and other largely nonmodifiable determinants of vitamin D status including skin pigmentation and season. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Primary care pediatric and family medicine practices participating in the TARGet Kids! practice-based research network in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS From December 2008 to June 2011, healthy children 1 to 5 years of age were recruited during a routine physician's visit. INTERVENTIONS Survey, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory data were collected. A multivariable linear regression model was developed to examine the independent effects of vitamin D supplementation and daily volume of cow's milk on 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES 25-Hydroxyvitamin D level. RESULTS Blood was obtained in 1898 children. Two modifiable dietary intake variables, vitamin D supplementation and cow's milk, increased 25-hydroxyvitamin D level by 3.4 ng/mL (95% CI, 2-4 ng/mL) and 1.6 ng/mL per 250-mL cup per day (95% CI, 1-2 ng/mL), respectively. Two nonmodifiable variables reflecting cutaneous vitamin D synthesis (skin pigmentation and season) were also strongly associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D status but accounted for a much smaller proportion of the explained variation in 25-hydroxyvitamin D level. The effect of vitamin D supplementation and milk intake on 25-hydroxyvitamin D level appeared similar regardless of skin pigmentation or season. CONCLUSION Two modifiable dietary intake variables (vitamin D supplementation and cow's milk intake) are the most important determinants of 25-hydroxyvitamin D status in early childhood.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether children treated in emergency departments (EDs) with evidence-based standardized protocols (EBSPs) containing evidence-based content and format had lower risk of hospital admission or ED return visit and greater follow-up than children treated in EDs with no standardized protocols in Ontario, Canada. DESIGN Retrospective population-based cohort study of children with asthma. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate risk of outcomes. SETTING All EDs in Ontario (N = 146) treating childhood asthma from April 2006 to March 2009. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-one thousand one hundred thirty-eight children (aged 2 to 17 years) with asthma. MAIN EXPOSURE Type of standardized protocol (EBSPs, other standardized protocols, or none). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Hospital admission, high-acuity 7-day return visit to the ED, and 7-day outpatient follow-up visit. RESULTS The final cohort made 46 510 ED visits in 146 EDs. From the index ED visit, 4211 (9.1%) were admitted to the hospital. Of those discharged, 1778 (4.2%) and 7350 (17.4%) had ED return visits and outpatient follow-up visits, respectively. The EBSPs were not associated with hospitalizations, return visits, or follow-up (adjusted odds ratio, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.91-1.49]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.86-1.41]; and adjusted odds ratio, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.87-1.35], respectively). CONCLUSIONS The EBSPs were not associated with improvements in rates of hospital admissions, return visits to the ED, or follow-up. Our findings suggest the need to address gaps linking improved processes of asthma care with outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of interventions focused on reducing screen time. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, ERIC, and CINAHL through April 21, 2011. STUDY SELECTION Included studies were randomized controlled trials of children aged 18 years or younger with interventions that focused on reducing screen time. INTERVENTION Efforts to reduce screen time. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was body mass index (BMI); the secondary outcome was screen time (hours per week). RESULTS A total of 1120 citations were screened, and 13 studies were included in the systematic review. Study samples ranged in age (3.9-11.7 years) and size (21-1295 participants). Interventions ranged in length (1-24 months) and recruitment location (5 in schools, 2 in medical clinics, 1 in a community center, and 5 from the community). For the primary outcome, the meta-analysis included 6 studies, and the difference in mean change in BMI in the intervention group compared with the control group was −0.10 (95% confidence interval [CI], −0.28 to 0.09) (P = .32). The secondary outcome included 9 studies, and the difference in mean change from baseline in the intervention group compared with the control group was −0.90 h/wk (95% CI, −3.47 to 1.66 h/wk) (P = .49). A subgroup analysis of preschool children showed a difference in mean change in screen time of −3.72 h/wk (95% CI, −7.23 to −0.20 h/wk) (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS Our systematic review and meta-analysis did not demonstrate evidence of effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing screen time in children for reducing BMI and screen time. However, interventions in the preschool age group hold promise.

To determine the prevalence of low vitamin D concentrations in a cohort of healthy two-year-old children living in a large Canadian city, and to explore whether body mass index (BMI) and cow's milk intake are associated with low vitamin D concentrations.