Growth attenuation: a diminutive solution to a daunting problem.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jeffrey P Brosco.
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OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of medical interventions on reducing the prevalence of mental retardation (MR) in the United States over the last 50 years. DESIGN: We reviewed the medical literature and other data from 1950 to 2000 to construct estimates of the general and condition-specific prevalence of MR in the United States over time. We further explored the existing literature to document historically important influences on condition-specific prevalence, including the year that an effective intervention was introduced, the likelihood of success of the intervention, and the availability of such interventions nationwide. Specific conditions included congenital syphilis, Rh hemolytic disease of the newborn, measles, Haemophilus influenzae type B meningitis, congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria, and congenital rubella syndrome. SETTING: Twentieth-century North America. PARTICIPANTS: Children with MR or 1 of the 7 specific conditions listed earlier. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Case-specific and general prevalence of MR from 1950 to 2000. RESULTS: The prevalence of MR caused by a number of specific medical conditions has decreased sharply over the last 50 years. However, the incidence of each of these conditions is relatively low, and cases of MR due to these conditions represent, at most, 16.5% of the total number of cases of MR in 1950. CONCLUSION: Although specific medical interventions have prevented thousands of cases of MR, their contribution to the overall prevalence of MR is relatively small.
Universal newborn screening programs for metabolic disorders are typically described as a triumph of medicine and public policy in the US over the last 50 years. Advances in science and technology, including the Human Genome Project, offer the opportunity to expand universal newborn screening programs to include many additional metabolic and genetic conditions. Although the benefits of such screening programs appear to outweigh their costs, some critics have claimed that historical examples of inadvertent harm ensuing from false-positive screening results and subsequent inappropriate medical treatment should make us wary of expanding universal newborn screening. In this essay, we report the results of a review of the published literature to assess whether the extension of screening from at risk populations to all newborns led to substantial morbidity and mortality from misguided medical treatment. We provide a historical overview of universal newborn screening programs in the United States, and then focus on six early NBS programs: congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, galactosemia, sickle cell disease, and maple syrup urine disease. Our comprehensive search of published sources did not reveal a widespread problem of harm ensuing from medical treatment of children with false positive screening test results.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement "The Pediatrician's Role in Community Pediatrics" encourages all pediatricians to partner with their communities to create and disseminate innovative programs that improve child health. This article describes 4 pillars of a bridge to evidence-based community pediatrics for pediatricians interested in pursuing effective community action: (1) collaborate with the community to establish a specific, short-term, health-related goal; (2) identify evidence-based best practice(s) for achieving the shared goal; (3) collaborate with the community to adapt this best practice to the community's unique assets and constraints; and (4) evaluate the project by using appropriate expertise. Practical elements of each pillar are described and illustrated by specific examples from community-based efforts of pediatricians and are accompanied by specific resources to aid pediatricians in their future community health work.
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PURPOSE: Attitudes of medical providers towards persons with disabilities can affect the quality of care their patients receive. The authors evaluated an experiential learning module to investigate what Paediatric and Medicine/Paediatric residents at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital learn from visiting the homes of families with children who have disabilities. METHODS: Families were recruited through a community-based parent organization. The families were instructed to discuss what it is like to have a child with a disability and to think about a primary message to give to residents during a 1-2 hour home visit. Since 1998, residents participated as part of the required Developmental Paediatrics rotation. They were instructed to write a one-page narrative description of their visit. The authors utilized the grounded theory of qualitative research and content analysis to count the key themes identified in the residents' descriptions. RESULTS: Twenty-four families and 63 residents participated in the learning module. The resident observations yielded four major themes. Twenty-four per cent stated families needed more information; 79% noted that families face various obstacles, including financial (33%), medical providers' pessimism (29%), inter-personal family conflicts (27%) and medical system problems (22%); 49% of residents commented that families adjust and cope with their child's disability; and 27% of residents stated that the experience changed their insight about children with disabilities. CONCLUSION: The authors' study suggests that a single home visit with the family of a child with a disability provides paediatrics and medicine/paediatrics residents with insights into the family's perspective on disability otherwise unattainable in a hospital-based training programme.