Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Shows Algorithm Can Detect Signs Of Autism In Month-Old Babies
USA Today: Autism Signs Detected By Algorithm In Month-Old Infants
Signs of autism can be picked up as early as the first month of life, according to a new study from Duke University that used children's health records to create an algorithm. Infants later diagnosed with autism were much more likely than neurotypical children to have seen an ophthalmologist or neurologist, have stomach or gastrointestinal problems, or to receive physical therapy, said study author Geraldine Dawson, who directs the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development. (Weintraub, 2/8)
In other news about pediatric health —
Minnesota Public Radio: Minnesota Begins Newborn Screenings For A Common Cause Of Birth Defects
Minnesota’s started screening all newborns for congenital cytomegalovirus. Officials say the state is the first in the nation to do so universally. “With early detection through newborn screening, we will be able to provide these babies with the interventions and care they need to improve their future health and well-being,” Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham said during a press conference Wednesday to announce the screenings. (Wiley, 2/8)
NPR: Fabuloso Recall Affects 4.9 Million Bottles
Some Fabuloso cleaning products were recalled Wednesday over a risk of bacteria contamination, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. As of the recall, no incidents or injuries had been reported. The Colgate-Palmolive Company, the manufacturer of the popular brand, recalled about 4.9 million bottles in the U.S. and about 56,000 in Canada. Fabuloso says about 3.9 million of those bottles were never released for sale. (Radde, 2/8)
On maternal health care —
Modern Healthcare: Rural Hospitals Cut Maternity, Oncology Care Due Financial Strain
Community Medical Center had been delivering babies in Falls City, Nebraska, for more than a century until it shut down its obstetrics unit in November 2019. Annual delivery volumes had steadily declined at the critical access hospital, making it hard to attract and retain anesthesiologists, specialized nurses and surgeons, Community Medical Center CEO Ryan Larsen said. That meant administrators had to pay high rates for on-call physicians and practitioners, who were stretched thin. (Kacik, 2/8)
KHN: Community Resurrects Colorado Birth Center Closed By Private Equity Firm
When a private equity firm closed Seasons Midwifery and Birth Center in Thornton, Colorado, in October, the state lost one of its few non-hospital birthing centers and 53 families with pregnancy due dates in November and December were left scrambling to find providers. But then staffers and community advocacy groups stepped in to fill the void for the suburban Denver community and its patients, many of whom rely on Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for people with low incomes. They reorganized Seasons as a nonprofit organization and struck a note of triumph and defiance in announcing its reopening in January as the free-standing Seasons Community Birth Center. Seasons has five deliveries scheduled in February and 30 in March. (Cleveland, 2/9)
Also —
Axios: CDC Data Shows Births Rise Among 35+
Birth rates increased among women ages 25 and up — especially among those in their mid-to-late-30s — during the second year of the pandemic, according to final data released recently by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. (Reed, 2/8)
