Endoscopic approach to eosinophilic esophagitis: American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Consensus Conference.

Endoscopy plays a critical role in caring for and evaluating the patient with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Endoscopy is essential for diagnosis, assessment of response to therapy, treatment of esophageal strictures, and ongoing monitoring of patients in histologic remission. To date, less-invasive testing for identifying or grading EoE severity has not been established, whereas diagnostic endoscopy as integral to both remains the criterion standard. Therapeutic endoscopy in patients with adverse events of EoE may also be required. In particular, dilation may be essential to treat and attenuate progression of the disease in select patients to minimize further fibrosis and stricture formation. Using a modified Delphi consensus process, a group of 20 expert clinicians and investigators in EoE were assembled to provide guidance for the use of endoscopy in EoE. Through an iterative process, the group achieved consensus on 20 statements yielding comprehensive advice on tissue-sampling standards, gross assessment of disease activity, use and performance of endoscopic dilation, and monitoring of disease, despite an absence of high-quality evidence. Key areas of controversy were identified when discussions yielded an inability to reach agreement on the merit of a statement. We expect that with ongoing research, higher-quality evidence will be obtained to enable creation of a guideline for these issues. We further anticipate that forthcoming expert-generated and agreed-on statements will provide valuable practice advice on the role and use of endoscopy in patients with EoE.

The Impact of Visiting Restrictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric Patients.

Visitor restriction policies have been implemented on many hospital units as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. These policies are integral to the strategies that hospitals are using to limit exposure risks during the pandemic. However, visitor restriction policies disproportionally affect hospitalized children. The trauma caused by lack of family at the bedside of adult patients during the Covid-19 pandemic has been studied but there is a lack of primary research on the impact of the Covid-19 visiting policy restrictions on pediatric patients. Long term studies are needed to understand the effect of this separation on children and their caregivers.

Protecting Children from Wildfire Smoke.

The impacts of wildfires on the health of children are becoming a more urgent matter as wildfires become more frequent, intense and affecting, not only forested areas, but also urban locations. It is important that medical professionals be prepared to provide information to patients and families on how to minimize the adverse health effects on children of wildfire smoke and ash from wildfires.

New Guidelines for Children Returning to Sports after Covid-19.

Approximately 45 million children participate in some form of athletics. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of their lives, including sports activities. Families are asking care givers questions about how best to ensure the safety of their children when returning to sports activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued revised guidelines for children returning to athletic activities after COVID-19. These include strengthening the recommendations for cloth mask wearing for all children engaging in vigorous sports and clarifications of cardiac risks to children who have had COVID-19.

Large Genetic Study Uncovers 14 New Genes Responsible for Developmental Disorders in Children.

The exomes of 4293 families with individuals with undiagnosed developmental disorders were sequenced to identify de novo mutations. The researchers identified 14 new genetic disorders.

Distraction of clinicians by smartphones in hospitals: a concept analysis.

AIM: To report an analysis of the concept of distraction of clinicians by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals. BACKGROUND: In the healthcare literature, the concept of distraction of clinicians by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals has no consistent definition. DESIGN: Concept analysis. DATA SOURCES: Journal articles published from 2003-2014. METHODS: Rodgers' Evolutionary Concept Analysis Method was used to analyse the concept of distraction of clinicians by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals. RESULTS: This analysis led to a definition of distraction of clinicians by smartphones as the interruption of a hospital clinician's primary task by the internally or externally initiated use of their smartphone or other mobile device. There are six attributes of distraction by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals. These attributes are: (1) an experience by a clinician; (2) an intrusion into a primary clinical task; (3) discontinuity of the clinical task; (4) externally or internally initiated; (5) situated in a healthcare setting; and (6) mediated by a smartphone or other mobile device. CONCLUSION: Use of the definition and the defining attributes of distraction of clinicians by smartphones will increase the validity and reliability of future studies. It will be extended to form a classification system of distractions within a framework of clinical practice, which will be used to unify and standardize future research studies.