US Births Crashed 8% In The Ninth Month After Lockdown
The overall yearly decline in birth rate was down 4% over 2019's figure -- the biggest drop since 1973. Meanwhile, worries about asthma and prenatal exposure to ultra-fine particles, and a call for all kids to get heart health screening are also in the news.
Bloomberg:
Nine Months After Lockdowns, U.S. Births Plummeted By 8%
Nine months after the declaration of a national emergency due to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. births fell by 8% in a month. The December drop marked an acceleration in declines in the second part of the year. For the full year, the number of babies born in the country fell 4% to about 3.6 million, the largest decline since 1973, according to a Wednesday report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Tanzi, 6/23)
In other pediatric news —
Stat:
Study: Prenatal Exposure To Ultra-Fine Particles Raises A Child's Asthma Risk
When Rosalind Wright started analyzing data on prenatal exposure to air pollution in mothers and children in Boston, she had a notion that ultra-fine particles could be even more harmful than the slightly larger particles she’d studied before. “If the effect is strong enough, we’ll find it,” Wright, a pulmonary physician and professor of pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, remembered thinking. (Sohn, 6/23)
Fox News:
Screen All Kids For Heart Problems, Pediatricians Say
All children, regardless of their athletic status, should be screened for risk of cardiac arrest, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a policy statement Monday. The group included four questions to incorporate into the screenings, including two pertaining to family history of heart issues. "The unexpected death of a seemingly healthy child is a tragedy not only for the family but for the family community as well," the AAP said in a statement regarding the policy, which will be published in the July issue of Pediatrics. "Multiple studies have looked at sudden deaths in young people either as a whole or by individual disease processes. However, most of these studies are published in cardiology journals. The goal of the AAP-PACES policy is to present expanded information to pediatricians and other primary care providers." (Hein, 6/22)
ABC News and Good Morning America:
Male Doula Aims To Be An Advocate For Women During Childbirth
One California resident wants to make childbirth a safer process for moms while bringing men into the fold as well. Dustin Young, 37, from Carson, California, became a certified doula in 2020. His experience helping his youngest sister, Alexis Pitts, with her pregnancy led him to pursue the job, which involves providing support to moms during and after pregnancy. (Azari, 6/22)
CNN:
When And How To Talk About Puberty With Kids
When my oldest child turned 11, I figured it was time to talk birds and bees and bodily changes, and purchased a couple of books that friends had recommended. When I tried to read the books with her, or get her to read them herself, or otherwise talk about puberty, she either covered her ears or tossed the books across the room -- or walked out of it. Oops. Many of us have tried broaching the subject -- or subjects -- of puberty with our tweens, only to discover that they're already too uncomfortable to engage. (Davis, 6/22)
In news about children's mental health —
Miami Herald:
Mental Health Crisis Hits South Florida Children’s Hospitals
During a typical year, the pediatric emergency room staff at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood would be preparing for a summer lull. But like last year, this one hasn’t been typical. Amid a surge in behavioral health issues that has overwhelmed children’s hospitals across the country, South Florida has been no exception. Dr. David Rube, the medical director of child and adolescent psychology at Joe DiMaggio, told the Miami Herald that kids and young adults in the emergency department are more frequently complaining of mental health issues like depression, anxiety and suicidal ideations when showing up for other medical conditions. They’re also more commonly presenting with conditions that are psychosomatic. (Conarck, 6/23)
WBUR:
Wait Lists For Children's Mental Health Services Ballooned During COVID
Early last year, as the coronavirus threat spread, a 9-year-old named Miles turned into a raging boy his parents did not recognize. The family pediatrician referred Miles to a therapist. His mom, Emily Johnson, says her son needed help right away, but the earliest appointment was one to two months away. Three weeks after seeing the pediatrician, Miles was in a hospital emergency room. It would be the first of six trips to an ER over the next four months. (Bebinger, 6/22)
