News | Page 7 | Pediatrics

Vaccine Shows Promise Against CMV, a Virus that Causes Birth Defects

February 7, 2024

A new mRNA vaccine in phase 3 clinical trials is better at triggering the immune system to fight cytomegalovirus infection.

An experimental mRNA vaccine against human cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus that can infect babies during pregnancy, elicited some of the most promising immune responses to date of any CMV vaccine candidate, according to a study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

Expansion of Pediatric Psychology to WCM Pediatric Surgical Service

February 6, 2024

Drs. Corinne Catarozoli, Cori Green, and Stephen Oh receive $100k gift from the Chaus family to support the expansion of Pediatrics Psychology to WCM Pediatric Surgical Service. The expansion would allow patients undergoing surgery access to mental health care concurrently with their medical treatment. Families will be able to meet with a psychologist pre-operatively for support with preparing their child for surgery, managing anticipatory anxiety, addressing potential behavioral concerns, and screen for any psychosocial concerns. Parents experience significant stress and worry in advance of their child’s surgery, both about the procedure itself as well as their child’s future with a medical diagnosis. Parent guidance on how to speak to their child about the procedure, age-appropriate language to use, and tailoring discussions to specific medical conditions will be offered. Children and adolescents will pre-emptively learn coping techniques to use to support coping with the stress of surgery. During the surgical admission, a psychologist will also meet with the family to support concerns that arise at the time of the inpatient stay (i.e., adjusting to the hospital, coping with pain, sleep difficulties). Bedside psychology visits on the unit to both children and parents is an integral part of this service to provide direct and timely mental health care.

Dr. Bernhard Kühn Named Chief of the Division of Cardiology in Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital

January 31, 2024

NEW YORK (Jan. 31, 2024)—Dr. Bernhard Kühn, a leading physician-scientist who specializes in heart regeneration, has been named chief of the Division of Cardiology in the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital, effective Feb. 1.

In his role as chief, Dr. Kühn will lead a skilled team of physicians and scientists committed to enhancing the division’s clinical care, education, and research programs that aim to improve cardiac health in children. He will also lead the new Pediatric Institute for Heart Regeneration and Therapeutics (I-HRT) which will focus on pediatric myocardial growth and regeneration and the goal of turning research findings into new therapies for cardiac patients.

Understanding Iron Deficiency with Dr. Jane Chang

January 23, 2024

Iron deficiency is a common condition — in the U.S., an estimated 10 million people lack this essential mineral, and two recent studies found that the condition affects more than a third of young women and women of reproductive age.

Protecting Children from RSV: Dr. Sean Cullen Shares a Moving Personal Story

January 23, 2024

With a surge in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases expected again this winter, Dr. Sean Cullen, a neonatologist and pediatrician at NewYork-Presbyterian Alexandra Cohen Hospital for Women and Newborns, is encouraging everyone to take advantage of new tools that will help reduce the risk of a disease that results in nearly 80,000 hospitalizations of children each year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending an antibody shot for infants younger than 8 months, who either were born during or are entering their first RSV season. A second option is for pregnant individuals in their third trimester, who can receive a maternal vaccine to protect newborns.

December Fellow Spotlight -- Kelly Nicole M.D.

November 16, 2023

Name: Dr. Kelly Nicole

Fellowship program: Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Education: Graduated from medical school at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed pediatric residency at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Dr. Cori Green Awarded Youth Cope Grant to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis

November 14, 2023

The Department is pleased to announce that Dr. Cori Green, Vice Chair of Behavioral Health in Pediatrics has been awarded the Department of Pediatrics Youth Cope Grant. This grant will support Dr. Green's project, "Re-Launching Youth Cope: Improving Access and Expanding the Workforce to Address the Mental Health Crisis."

Dr. Green's project is a response to the critical issue of youth mental health, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, many behavioral health problems affecting children and adolescents often went undetected. Even when recognized, families faced significant challenges in accessing appropriate care. During the pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression in youth doubled, emergency room visits for suicidality increased, and pediatricians were inundated with distressed patients.

FAQ: Smoking, Vaping, and Asthma in Children and Adolescents

November 8, 2023

The Great American Smokeout is Thursday, November 16th. This annual event encourages individuals across the United States to quit smoking and start a healthier, smoke-free life. In recognition of this day, the Pediatric Asthma Program and Adolescent Medicine have teamed up to share tips on how to keep children and teens with asthma protected from smoke exposure and highlight the importance of smoking cessation.

What effect does smoking/vaping have on children and adolescents with asthma?

Smoking/Vaping is a known trigger for asthma, and it can make the condition worse. The smoke irritates the airways and causes inflammation, leading to symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.

Increases in Pediatric Mental Health Emergency Visits Persist Throughout Pandemic

October 20, 2023

This article was originally posted in the WCM newsroom.

Mental health crises among children and adolescents requiring emergency department care skyrocketed during the pandemic and have stayed elevated despite a return to normalcy, according to a study by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics on Oct. 20, compared rates of pediatric mental health visits in the emergency departments of five New York City medical centers from a pre-pandemic period through five pandemic waves. Each wave saw elevated rates of youth mental health-related visits compared to before the pandemic. They found, however, no relationship between pediatric mental health visits and COVID-19 prevalence or how strict mitigation measures were.

Dr. Stefan Worgall Awarded R01 to Investigate Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Pediatric Asthma

October 2, 2023

Dr. Stefan Worgall, Chief of Pediatrics Pulmonology and Professor of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine has been awarded an R01 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for his study entitled, "Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Respiratory Viral Immune Responses in Children with and without Asthma.” For this study, Dr. Worgall and his multidisciplinary team of experts will investigate how SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses affect children of different ages and health conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled patterns concerning the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on children, particularly those with asthma. While children generally experience milder SARS-CoV-2 infections than adults, an unexpected observation has emerged—children with asthma seem to exhibit a lower incidence of severe SARS-CoV-2-related illness. This phenomenon may be linked to reduced viral-triggered asthma due to pandemic-related measures like social distancing and mask usage.