August 24, 2007 (Insidermedicine)

From Vancouver - An unfortunate incident which resulted in the death of an 11-month old boy is drawing attention to a decade old recall of the Century Fold-N-Go Playard playpen. The recall was issued after it was noted that the playpen could collapse around toddlers. In the recent incident, the playpen collapsed in a v-shaped pattern around the boy- leading to airway obstruction.

From Maryland - the FDA has approved the first treatment for schizophrenia in kids. The agency approved Risperdal for the treatment of schizophrenia in adolescents 13 to 17 and for bipolar disorder in children as young as 10.

From Chicago - A survey of over 3,000 adults over the age of 57 years, challenges some stereotypes that may be held about the eldery and sex. The survey showed that sexual activity falls little as we age; over half of those over 75 years remained sexually active. Elderly patients should feel comfortable discussing sexual issues with their healthcare providers.

And finally from Uganda - while some cultures believe that bats bring good luck, scientists are concerned that they may be implicated in a lethal outbreak. A Ugandan miner who died from hemorrhagic fever has tested positive for Marburg virus- a close relative of the Ebola virus. Many bats in the mine have also tested positive for the virus- raising the possibility of the bat being a host for the virus.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Petra Joller.