Waiting lists for children and young people with mental health problems are at an all-time high. Almost the only policies proposed to deal with this situation involve increasing the number of mental health professionals. Little attention is given to dealing with the underlying causative stresses, of which poverty is easily the most pervasive. It is suggested that unless levels of poverty are reduced, the rates of psychiatric disorders will not change. As psychiatrists, we need to become much more active in pressing for action over child poverty.

The development of gender identity in children from around the age of 3 years is described. Wishes for transgender identity are distinguished from gender-atypical behaviour. Reasons for the recent rise in transgender referrals in the early teen years are discussed. The now widely used protocol developed by the Amsterdam group for assessing transgender children and young people and, where appropriate, offering them puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and sex reassignment surgery is described. Evidence for the effectiveness of this approach is considered. The competence of young people to give consent to these procedures is discussed. Finally, proposals are made for topics urgently requiring further research.

Energy deficit is common during prolonged periods of strenuous physical activity and limited sleep, but the extent to which appetite suppression contributes is unclear. The aim of this randomised crossover study was to determine the effects of energy balance on appetite and physiological mediators of appetite during a 72-h period of high physical activity energy expenditure (about 9·6 MJ/d (2300 kcal/d)) and limited sleep designed to simulate military operations (SUSOPS). Ten men consumed an energy-balanced diet while sedentary for 1 d (REST) followed by energy-balanced (BAL) and energy-deficient (DEF) controlled diets during SUSOPS. Appetite ratings, gastric emptying time (GET) and appetite-mediating hormone concentrations were measured. Energy balance was positive during BAL (18 (sd 20) %) and negative during DEF (–43 (sd 9) %). Relative to REST, hunger, desire to eat and prospective consumption ratings were all higher during DEF (26 (sd 40) %, 56 (sd 71) %, 28 (sd 34) %, respectively) and lower during BAL (–55 (sd 25) %, −52 (sd 27) %, −54 (sd 21) %, respectively; P condition < 0·05). Fullness ratings did not differ from REST during DEF, but were 65 (sd 61) % higher during BAL (P condition < 0·05). Regression analyses predicted hunger and prospective consumption would be reduced and fullness increased if energy balance was maintained during SUSOPS, and energy deficits of ≥25 % would be required to elicit increases in appetite. Between-condition differences in GET and appetite-mediating hormones identified slowed gastric emptying, increased anorexigenic hormone concentrations and decreased fasting acylated ghrelin concentrations as potential mechanisms of appetite suppression. Findings suggest that physiological responses that suppress appetite may deter energy balance from being achieved during prolonged periods of strenuous activity and limited sleep.

Background: Measles can cause miscarriages and preterm birth in nonimmune pregnant women. During the 2018–2019 measles outbreak in New York, a woman with measles delivered an extremely low birth weight preterm infant at our Women and Children’s Hospital. We describe our measles preparedness strategies and infection prevention and control (IPC) management relevant to congenital measles. Methods: Because of the measles outbreak, in Q4 2018, IPC verified measles immunity in all obstetric and pediatric staff, per state regulations, and recommended determining the measles immune status of all pregnant women. To prevent measles exposure, visitor restrictions for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were implemented (May 2019); only 3 visitors were permitted for each infant, including parents. All visitors had to provide written documentation of immunity to measles, regardless of epidemiologic risk factors or receive an MMR vaccine prior to visiting. New York state and New York City health departments performed measles diagnostic testing for maternal and infant specimens. Results: Our hospital was informed of the imminent transfer of a woman in preterm labor with suspected measles. To avoid any exposure, the mother was masked in the ambulance bay and taken by commandeered elevator to the obstetrical operating room suite, which was cleared of other patients. She delivered by C-section and was transferred to an airborne infection isolation (AII) room. The 25-week-gestation infant was transported by isolette to the NICU and was placed on AII. Testing confirmed measles in the mother (measles PCR- and IgM-positive) and congenital measles in the infant (Table 1). The mother was allowed to visit the NICU when her respiratory symptoms and rash resolved, as confirmed by her provider, ~10 days after discharge. The infant never developed a rash, pneumonia, or neurologic findings. AII was discontinued on day of life 61 in consultation with the health departments. The infant was discharged at ~36 weeks gestation. No secondary cases of measles occurred among patients, visitors, or staff. Conclusions: We safely cared for an extremely preterm infant with congenital measles. Laboratory testing suggested prolonged presence of measles virus, but it is unknown how long an infant in the NICU should remain on AII. The current Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists case definition for measles requires the presence of rash. This case provides support to revise this case definition if laboratory findings are consistent with congenital measles.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None