American Academy of Pediatrics

One of the hotter topics at the AAP conference this year has been bullying. So when attendees saw that Joseph L. Wright, MD, MPH, FAAP, was giving a presentation on this topic on Sunday afternoon, they flocked to the session.

One of the great things about attending the AAP 2011 conference is the interaction with pediatricians from across the globe to get their insights on new diagnostic guidelines and hot topics in the industry.

Dr. John Kulig commented on news stories about parents who have taken it upon themselves to administer medical marijuana to their children without consulting a physician.

Mark Wolraich, MD, FAAP, lead author, discussed the updated ADHD guidelines which now include information on the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents.

Eric Kossoff, MD, started off the session "First and Second Seizure…Now What Do I Do?" saying how important it is as physicians to calm parents down when their child experiences a seizure.

One of the first sessions on Day 2 in Boston featured Kathryn Ellerbeck, MD, FAAP, and Catherine Smith, PhD talking about the difficulties in diagnosing children with autism.

At the end of this morning's AAP session on autism, attendees were able to ask questions and presenters provided resources to prepare them for diagnostic changes.

Dr. Marion Burton, AAP President, started his address by talking about a YouTube video that had gone viral featuring a little boy who excitedly proclaimed, "I feel happy of myself!" The message of this video was featured throughout Burton's discussion.

Keynote speaker Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who plays Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on the famous children's TV show Sesame Street, spoke this morning about the importance of compassion.

Less than half of pediatric car passengers suffering injuries from motor vehicle crashes were restrained, with the lowest rates among blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans, according to a research abstract presented at AAP 2011.

Stay tuned for live coverage from the conference starting October 15.