IAN Registers Nearly 24,000
The Kennedy Krieger Institute has announced that its Interactive Autism Network (IAN), the first U.S. autism registry, has registered nearly 24,000 individuals in its first year and is helping to facilitate approximately 75 research projects across the United States. As part of that total, 299 sets of twins have enrolled in the IAN research protocol, providing the largest collection of twins in published autism research. Twin studies provide an opportunity for researchers to investigate both genetic and environmental factors in autism, but studies historically have found it difficult to recruit twin sets, the institute said. Initial data from the registry indicated that living in a more rural state may delay the diagnosis of autism and limit access to private schools. In addition, another analysis of initial registry data showed that families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are using a number of autism interventions, ranging from therapy to medication to diet. The average number of simultaneous treatments was five, although half of those with an ASD receive four or fewer.
CMS Softens SCHIP Policy
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will make it a little easier for states to expand coverage under the State Children's Health Insurance Program. States had expressed concern that they would not be able to achieve the required coverage for 95% of children in families with incomes at or below 200% of the poverty level before expanding SCHIP to children in families with incomes above 250% of the poverty level. In a letter to state health officials, CMS told states that they now may use “a variety of approaches,” including state surveys, to prove they have reached the 95% threshold set by CMS for using federal money to expand SCHIP to families making more money. The agency also told state officials that children already enrolled in SCHIP, children in families with incomes at or below 250% of the poverty level, children whose enrollment costs are paid exclusively with state dollars, and unborn children are not subject to the threshold limits.
Few Meet Activity Guidelines
Children who do not meet American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for activity and screen time were much more likely to be overweight than children complying with both AAP recommendations, a study in The Journal of Pediatrics showed. The AAP recommends that boys take at least 13,000 steps a day, girls at least 11,000 steps a day, and all children limit their total screen time to 2 hours a day. Researchers from Iowa State University and the National Institute on Media and the Family studied 709 children aged 7–12 years. The children were asked to wear pedometers and track their screen time. Almost 20% of the children were overweight and fewer than half met both AAP recommendations. Those children who did not meet both recommendations were three to four times more likely to be overweight than children who complied with both recommendations.
Poorer Children in ED More
Lower-income children made almost twice as many visits to hospital emergency departments as higher-income children in 2005, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. AHRQ's analysis found that the rate of emergency department visits by children from low-income communities, where the average household income was under $37,000, was 414 visits for every 1,000 children. For children living in a household where the average income was more than $61,000, the rate was 223 visits for every 1,000 children. AHRQ also found that in 96% of all visits, children were treated—for problems such as respiratory conditions, superficial injuries, middle-ear infections, open wounds, and muscle sprains and strains—and released. The top reasons to admit children from the ED included pneumonia, asthma, acute bronchitis, appendicitis, dehydration, depression, and epileptic convulsions.
Nearly One-Third on Drugs
Thirty percent of children under age 19 years were taking a prescription medication to treat at least one chronic health condition in 2007, according to Medco Health Solutions. Prescriptions for children most often involved asthma or allergy drugs, followed by drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The number of girls taking ADHD medications rose 72% from 2001 to 2007. The pharmacy benefit management company analyzed a representative sample of 2.5 million people from its database. Overall, it determined that 51% of insured Americans—both children and adults—were taking at least one prescription medication in 2007. “These data do paint a pretty unhealthy picture of America,” said Medco chief medical officer Robert Epstein, in a statement. “But there is a silver lining; they do show that people are receiving treatment which can prevent more serious health problems down the road.”