Free Pediatrics CME

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious pathogen belonging to the Pneumoviridae family that circulates seasonally with other respiratory viruses. The majority of the population is exposed to RSV, but children under the age of two years and older adults are at the greatest risk of significant morbidity and mortality. RSV infections are responsible for approximately 60-80% of pediatric bronchiolitis and 40% of pediatric pneumonia cases and are a major cause of global hospitalization and mortality. Almost 70% of children are exposed to RSV during their first year of life, and 90% are exposed within their first two years, resulting in an estimated 427,000 emergency department visits and 1.6 million pediatrician visits annually.

Target Audience:
HCPs including: Obstetricians, pediatricians, and family medicine physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists specializing in pediatrics; and any other HCPs involved or interested in the management of RSV in infants and high-risk children.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

The term human papillomavirus encompasses a family of DNA viruses that are sexually transmittable and may cause either benign or malignant lesions. They are the leading cause of cervical cancer (CC), with approximately 90% of CC cases attributable to HPV, as well as a major contributor to anogenital and head and neck cancers, although many patients infected with HPV will never develop any related symptoms or disease. The prevalence of HPV in the U.S. is 42.5 million people, and direct medical costs attributed to it are $775 million. HPV 16 accounts for a majority or plurality of HPV-related cancers of both genital tract and head and neck.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends HPV vaccination beginning as early as age nine for both sexes, with the schedule and number of doses dependent on age of first dose.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: Primary care physicians and pediatricians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in the aforementioned areas of specialty; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients who would benefit from HPV vaccination.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an ultra-rare genetic connective tissue disorder characterized by dysregulated chondrogenesis, with heterotopic ossification (HO) being the most typical feature. The global prevalence of FOP is estimated at 1.43 per million individuals, with a U.S. prevalence of 0.88 per million. FOP develops due to a mutation in the ACVR1 gene encoding the active receptor-like kinase (ALK2), with unique presenting symptoms including great toe malformations and the development of swelling in several areas of the body within the first decade of life.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: pediatricians, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, endocrinologists, and medical geneticists; nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists who practice in orthopedics, orthopedic surgery, and rheumatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with FOP.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) occurs in an estimated five to seven percent of term births and up to 90% of preterm births. The risk for neonatal RDS decreases with increasing gestational age,  such that at a gestational age of 37 weeks, the risk has fallen to just three times that of a full-term infant. In addition to premature birth, risk factors for neonatal RDS include maternal gestational diabetes, male sex, multiparity, abnormal fetoplacental circulation, fetal distress, Cesarean delivery, and low birth weight. The ability for the clinician to recognize neonatal RDS is a documented practice gap, and failure to do so is associated with mortality and complications that may include respiratory failure in the short-term and chronic lung disease in the long-term.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: neonatologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who practice in neonatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with neonatal RDS.  

In this online, self-learning activity:

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) occurs in an estimated five to seven percent of term births and up to 90% of preterm births. The risk for neonatal RDS decreases with increasing gestational age,  such that at a gestational age of 37 weeks, the risk has fallen to just three times that of a full-term infant. In addition to premature birth, risk factors for neonatal RDS include maternal gestational diabetes, male sex, multiparity, abnormal fetoplacental circulation, fetal distress, Cesarean delivery, and low birth weight. The ability for the clinician to recognize neonatal RDS is a documented practice gap, and failure to do so is associated with mortality and complications that may include respiratory failure in the short-term and chronic lung disease in the long-term.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: neonatologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who practice in neonatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with neonatal RDS.  

In this online, self-learning activity:

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is an inflammatory kidney disease with IgA deposition in the glomerular mesangium. IgAN is the most prevalent primary chronic glomerular disease worldwide. Globally, IgAN has an estimated incidence of 25 cases per one million people annually. It is more common in children and young adults than in the elderly. Among patients of all ages, the average annual prevalence of IgAN in the United States is 329 per 1 million. The epidemiology and gender distribution of IgAN vary by country and region. In North America and Europe, the prevalence is higher in men.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: nephrologists, internists, and pediatricians; physician associates, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in those areas of specialty; and those who otherwise care for or clinically encounter patients with IgAN.

In this online, self-learning activity:

Alpha-mannosidosis (AM) is a rare recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by immune deficiency, facial and skeletal abnormalities, hearing impairment, and intellectual disability. It is caused by mutations in the MAN2B1 gene, leading to deficiency in alpha-mannosidase, a lysosomal enzyme involved in the oligosaccharide degradation pathway. While the exact prevalence of AM in the US is unknown, it has an estimated incidence of 1 in 500,000 live births worldwide. Laboratory indicators of AM often appear shortly after birth, followed by progression of clinical manifestations. While symptoms of AM vary considerably in individual presentations, three clinical subtypes have been identified (mild, moderate, and severe) and are used to guide disease prognosis and management. The current diagnostic algorithm for AM focuses on measuring alpha-mannosidase activity in leukocytes using colorimetry or fluorimetry. An alpha-mannosidase activity level of under 5% suggests AM, and a diagnosis is then confirmed with genetic sequencing.