News updates from the Spring 20201 edition of Children's Doctor.

A recent CHOP study found that newly licensed drivers on the autism spectrum have similar—or even lower—per-driver rates of crash involvement than their non-autistic peers.

CHOP researchers have identified BAFF as a key target that may be responsible for treatment failure in about 30% of patients with hemophilia A.

CHOP researchers recommend specific updates to clinical examinations to improve initial concussion diagnosis across multiple settings.

Over the past 50 years, medical and technological advances in pediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery have resulted in a large decline in mortality among children with congenital and acquired heart disease. 

Ethan is 16-year-old male who presents to the Lipid Heart Clinic for further evaluation of his dyslipidemia. Past history reveals an otherwise healthy adolescent who experienced a 50-pound weight gain over the past year without height increase.

Adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) now outnumber children with CHD because of excellent surgical and medical care in childhood. Lifelong cardiology follow-up is recommended for almost all people with congenital heart disease. Interventions done in childhood are typically palliative and not curative.

In late April 2020, there were reports from the United Kingdom of otherwise healthy children presenting with a severe inflammatory disease similar to Kawasaki disease in the setting of COVID-19. There have been several case definitions since then, and in May 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined this condition as the multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which was the diagnosis for our patient.

Families might consider alternative treatments for autism symptom management. What are these options, and are they safe?

This is the latest expansion in the CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care offices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.