Children with moderate to severe pharyngitis had earlier onset of pain relief and shorter duration of sore throat when given oral dexamethasone.

Clarifying common misconceptions associated with energy drink consumption, especially in high-risk adolescents and frequent energy drink consumers, may decrease the frequency of symptoms experienced by adolescents, such as headache and difficulty breathing, requiring medical evaluation.

The objective of this study was to describe and quantify acts of violence depicted in a select number of superhero-based films, further stratified by protagonist/antagonist characters and gender. A total of 10 superhero-based films released in 2015-2016 were analyzed by five independent reviewers. The average number of acts of violence associated with protagonist and antagonist characters for all included films was 22.7 and 17.5 mean events per hour, respectively (p=0.019). The average number of acts of violence associated with male and female characters for all included films was 33.4 and 6.5 mean events per hour, respectively (p<0.001). The most common acts of violence for all major characters were "fighting", "use of a lethal weapon", "bullying/intimidation/torture", "destruction of property", and "murder" (14.9, 11.4, 3.5, 3.4, and 2.4 mean events per hour, respectively). Based on our sample of superhero-based films, acts of violence were associated more with protagonist characters and male characters.

Superhero films have become incredibly popular. The objective of this study was to determine the positive and negative themes found in a select number of superhero films. A total of 30 superhero films were analyzed. The average numbers of positive and negative themes were 19.4 and 29.5 mean events per hour for all included films, respectively. The most common positive themes were "assisting others/protecting the public," "positive relationships with family/friends," and "teamwork/collaboration." The most common negative themes were "acts of violence/fighting," "use of guns/knives/lethal weapons," and "bullying/intimidation/torture." Based on the superhero films included in our study, the number of negative themes, especially acts of violence, outweighs positive themes. Although an exposure to positive themes found in superhero films may be beneficial to the development of children, pediatric health care providers should counsel children and their families in an attempt to limit their exposure to violence.

Our study identifies that a third of unnecessary pediatric visits to the ED occurred as a result of the nurse triage telephone system in question. We recommend review of the algorithms stated to reduce strain on local ED resources.

Films continue to be a popular form of entertainment among children. The objective of this study was to determine the most common themes found in the top-grossing films released from 2005 to 2015. Forty-five films were independently viewed and analyzed by 5 reviewers. The most common positive themes were "importance of helping others," "working as a team," and "standing up for what you believe in" (5.71, 4.08, and 3.78 mean events per hour, respectively). The most common negative themes were "use of guns/knives/lethal weapons," "acts of violence/fighting," and "demonstrating excessive anger" (5.78, 5.64, and 3.09 mean events per hour, respectively). In conclusion, the most common positive themes in our sample were associated with service, collaboration, and courage, and the most common negative themes were associated with violence. We encourage co-viewing and active mediation, focusing on the positive and negative themes found in film, as a method to guide children through their development process.

Objective To identify publishing trends within the field of Pediatric Emergency Medicine between 2004 and 2013. Methods We conducted a MEDLINE search of Pediatric Emergency Medicine articles, filtered by clinical trial, published between 2004 and 2013 in ten journals from the fields of Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, General Medicine, and Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Each article was classified by journal type, study design, results (positive or negative/equivocal), age/type of subjects, and major topic (based on the objective of the study). Articles were stratified by publication time period (2004–2008 or 2009–2013) to analyze trends. Results A total of 464 articles were analyzed. The majority of articles were described as randomized controlled trials (47%) with negative/equivocal findings (70%). The most common major topics were pain management, asthma, sedation, bronchiolitis, resuscitation, simulation, and ultrasound. Over time, the percentage of articles published in Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine journals increased (p=0.0499) and the percentage for all study designs increased except for randomized controlled trials (p=0.0089). There were no differences between the two publication time periods when stratified by results, age/type of subjects, and major topic. Conclusions By identifying these trends, we hope to encourage researchers to perform studies in the field of Pediatric Emergency Medicine where deficiencies lie and to guide pediatric health care professionals to where published, evidence-based studies can be found in the medical literature.

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