The Link - July 2025

In early June, after all 17 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) members were replaced with eight new members, several of whom are vaccine skeptics, many medical professionals were left concerned for the future of vaccine policy. Later that month, over 4,000 people logged on to watch the livestream of the June ACIP meeting.

Until recently, ACIP was an independent panel of some of the leading vaccine experts in the United States. These vaccine experts were selected after being fully vetted by the Department of Health and Human Services through a lengthy process. They worked closely with many liaison organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Medical Association to develop immunization recommendations. They convened three times a year to hear Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) scientists, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) experts and vaccine manufacturers present data on clinical trials, disease burden and post-marketing surveillance. Based on the science-based evidence that was presented, ACIP members would vote on who was eligible for a vaccine product and when it should be administered. These decisions would provide guidance to physicians, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, insurance companies and public health agencies.

Respiratory complaints are among the most common acute concerns in general pediatric practice. Cough, in particular, is a frequent symptom causing anxiety among parents. Most cough is secondary to acute respiratory infection and is self-limited. When cough becomes “abnormal” due to increased frequency, severity or duration, referral to pediatric pulmonary medicine may be indicated.

Among children, cough is often classified as acute (three weeks or less), prolonged/protracted (three to four weeks), or chronic (more than four weeks of daily cough). Most children will have eight to 12 acute respiratory tract infections per year with healthy intervals between infections. These children do not typically require evaluation by a pulmonologist. Prolonged postinfectious cough is seen with many respiratory tract infections and does not require referral unless the cough is productive or is associated with systemic signs or symptoms. 

Recreational Screen Time: What’s Healthy and What’s Hype?

Most parents have a love-hate relationship with screens. They provide quick entertainment, educational tools, and a reliable way to keep your child from climbing the furniture during a Zoom meeting. They’re also a major source of stress, guilt and arguments.

When families feel like screens are becoming problematic, pediatricians are often the first line of defense. Most caregivers intuitively know “too much screen time is bad,” but they’re often unclear about how much is too much, what kind of media is appropriate, and how to implement limits without triggering a family mutiny. 

Rashes are a common chief complaint in pediatrics. Although these conditions are frequently benign and self-limiting, some can be evidence of serious infectious, allergic, rheumatologic, or neurocutaneous disorders, or even non-accidental injuries, that require early intervention. In many cases, accurate diagnosis depends heavily on recognizing a rash based on its appearance and the patient’s history.

It is important to understand that rashes can present differently across various skin tones. For example, a rash that appears red on light skin may look purplish or hypopigmented on darker complexions. Despite this, most medical textbooks and online resources predominantly feature images of dermatologic conditions on lighter skin tones.