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Literature Reviews » Pediatric

Propranolol Reduces Size and Blood Vessel Density of Infantile Hemangiomas

Can the effect of propranolol on infantile hemangiomas be quantified? Background: The utilization of propranolol for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas is efficacious and is considered the first-line treatment. Many questions still remain regarding propranolol, including the mechanism of action, the specific clinical effects, the duration of treatment and the reason(s) for treatment failure in […]

Sleep Apnea Associated with Hypertension in Young People

What is the association between sleep apnea and hypertension in younger patients? Background: Younger patients with sleep apnea have a higher cardiovascular mortality rate compared with their normal counterparts. Because treating sleep apnea in hypertensive patients has been proven to reduce blood pressure, young patients with hypertension may be a good target screening population for […]

Cochlear Implants Improve Performance and Net Savings in Infants

Do the costs and benefits of cochlear implantation differ between infants and older children? Background: While many studies show more rapid auditory and cognitive development in early cochlear implantation, other studies report little difference in outcomes in a small sample of children, some implanted before 12 months of age and others implanted later. Additionally, the development […]

The Role of Balloon Catheter Sinuplasty in Pediatric Sinus Disease

What is the role of balloon catheter sinuplasty (BCS) in the surgical management of pediatric sinus disease? Background: Adenoidectomy and functional endoscopic sinus surgery have traditionally comprised the surgical management of chronic recurrent sinusitis (CRS) recalcitrant to medical therapy in the pediatric population. First introduced in 2006, BCS does not involve tissue removal and is, theoretically, […]

The Case for Second Look Procedures

Are there any intraoperative findings that could determine whether a second look procedure should be performed in pediatric cholesteatoma surgery? Background: There is no clear consensus regarding the surgical management of pediatric cholesteatoma. Canal wall up surgery is a popular approach, but the indications and timing of a second look procedure remain vague. Study design: Retrospective chart […]

Acute Mastoiditis Admissions Up, Despite Vaccination

Have the characteristics of acute mastoiditis in children changed in the post-heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) era? Background: With the advent of antibiotics, the incidence of acute mastoiditis, a complication of acute otitis media (AOM), has decreased. In recent years, however, there have been reports of an increase in the frequency of acute mastoiditis, which remains […]

Socioeconomic Disparity Seen in Families of Hearing-Impaired Children

What are the disparities in socioeconomic status and health care utilization in hearing-impaired children? Background: Multiple barriers potentially contribute to health disparities experienced by children with hearing loss. These can include communication barriers, fear, mistrust and frustration with the health care system, medical and non-medical costs and the logistics of care. Although health disparities have been […]

Hearing Conservation Program Helps Elementary School Children

What is the efficacy of a hearing conservation program in changing acoustic risk taking and hearing conservation behaviors in elementary school children? Background: Approximately 30 million North Americans have speech-frequency hearing loss, and its prevalence among young adults is growing. In early years, hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to differentiate between consonant sounds, adversely […]

Babbling Is Necessary for Speech and Language Development

What is the importance of pre-linguistic vocalization? Background: The characterization and significance of pre-linguistic vocalization has long been the subject of research and debate. Pre-linguistic vocalization can generally be classified into non-speech-like vocalizations, including vegetative sounds, and speech-like vocalizations known as protophones. Most protophones begin with vowel-like vocalizations and culminate in well-formed, reduplicated consonant-vowel combinations referred […]