May 13 – Penicillin allergy testing to be available soon

For the past few years, there was no way to test for penicillin allergy. The big downside to this was that stronger, broad-spectrum antibiotics would be used unnecessarily instead of amoxicillin in patients who only “thought” they were allergic. This results in more side effects, and higher medical costs. Within a year, there will be a skin test to confirm whether someone is truly allergic. This is great news, since many people are mis-labeled as penicillin (amoxicillin) allergic. Often, a child will be put on amoxicillin to treat a febrile illness. After 2-3 days, the fever is gone, but the child develops a rash. Now the physician is faced with a dilemma: is this child having an allergic reaction or has this illness simply been a case of roseola (a virus that causes high fever for a few days, then a rash as the fever goes away). Often, this child will be labeled as penicillin allergic and will need to use the stronger antibiotics in the future. Soon we will be able to make a little more sense of this situation. This test is expected to be available within a year.

Source: e-pediatricnews.com

May 31 – Atlanta parents can see what kids are eating at school.

Three school districts in the Atlanta area are the first in the country to offer an electronic lunch payment system that allows parents to monitor what their children purchase to eat.

HOW IT WORKS: Students type in an identification number before the cafeteria cashier rings up each day's lunch bill. Parents can check on the purchases using the Internet.

WHY IT'S BEING USED: Health officials hope the system increases parents' involvement in what their kids eat at school. Federal health data shows that up to 30 percent of U.S. children are either overweight or obese.

Dr Sears’ comment: The vast majority of teenagers that I talk to are buying some sort of very unhealthy snack at school. For some kids, a pack of mini-donuts will be the only thing they eat all day. This is not a recipe for school success! Parents need to be involved in helping their kids pack a school lunch, or somehow ensure their kids are buying a healthy lunch at school. This system will help parents stay involved in their children’s nutrition.