Injecting urgency
Some pediatricians push for kids to be part of COVID vaccine trials
The longer we take to start kids in trials, the longer it will take them to get vaccinated and to break the chains of transmission. If you want kids to go back to school and not have committee’ the risk.dr. teachers union terrified, you have to make sure they aren’t a Yvonne Maldonado Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infectious-disease
IF clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines aren’t expanded soon to include children, it’s unlikely that even kids in their teens will be vaccinated in time for the next school year.
The hurdle is that COVID-19 vaccine makers are only in the early stages of testing their products on children. The Pfizer vaccine authorized for use by the Food and Drug Administration was greenlighted for people ages 16 and older. Moderna just started trials for 12- to 17-yearolds for its vaccine.
It will take months to approve use of the vaccines for middle- and high school-aged kids, and months more to test them in younger children. But some pediatricians say that concerns about the safety of the front-runner vaccines make the wait worthwhile.
Although most pediatricians believe the eventual vaccination of children will be crucial to subduing the COVID-19 virus, they are split on how fast to move toward that, says Dr. James Campbell, professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health. Campbell and colleagues say it’s a matter of urgency to get the vaccines tested in kids, while others want to hold off on those trials until millions of adults have been safely vaccinated.
speaking or mixing up words.
The Alzheimer’s Association lists 10 early signs and symptoms at 10signs.org.
Another good tool to help you evaluate your mom is the Self-administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE test) that was developed at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. This free test helps identify mild cognitive impairment and early dementia and can be taken at home in about 10 to 15 minutes. The SAGE test can be taken online at Braintest.com.
Get help
If you would rather have professional assistance in evaluating your mom, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (see alzfdn.org) is another good resource.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it provides free, confidential virtual memory screenings via video chat in real time. Your mother will need a phone, tablet or computer with a webcam and internet capability to complete the screening.
The screenings are given by health care professionals and take about 10 to 15 minutes. Once the screening is complete, the screener will review the results with her and let her know if she should see a doctor for further evaluation. To set up a memory screening for your mom, call 866232-8484 and make an appointment.
If you find that your mom does need further evaluation, make an appointment with her primary care doctor for a cognitive checkup and medical exam. Depending on what’s found, she may be referred to a geriatrician or neurologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease.
Keep in mind that your mom may not have early stage Alzheimer’s. Many memory problems are brought on by other factors such as stress, depression, thyroid disease, side effects of medications, sleep disorders, vitamin deficiencies and other conditions. And by treating these conditions, she may be able to reduce or eliminate the problem.