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Study maps the evolution of myeloid leukemia in children with Down syndrome

It may be possible to identify which pre-cancerous cells will develop into a rare type of blood cancer, due to new research showing that a single genetic change drives myeloid leukemia in children with Down syndrome.

23 Apr 2026

Exercise may be safer for children with heart conditions

Physical activity in children and teenagers with cardiomyopathy (conditions that affect the heart muscle's structure and function, impairing its ability to pump or fill effectively), as well as children with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may be safer than previous research suggested, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published today in the Association's flagship peer-reviewed journal Circulation.

23 Apr 2026

Long COVID in children doubles risk of poor grades

Findings indicate long-COVID leads to academic and social difficulties in children, highlighting the importance of addressing their unique educational needs.

23 Apr 2026

WHO congratulates The Bahamas for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV

In a landmark achievement for Caribbean public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates The Bahamas for becoming the latest Caribbean nation to be certified as having eliminated the mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

23 Apr 2026

Why social supermarkets are gaining attention in the fight against food insecurity

This scoping review found that social supermarkets can offer a more dignified, choice-based way to access lower-cost food while also helping divert some surplus food from waste. However, the evidence suggests they work best as a complement to existing food support, not as a solution to the underlying causes of food insecurity or overproduction across the food system.

22 Apr 2026

Low-plastic diets cut plastic-linked chemicals in urine within 7 days, study finds

A Nature Medicine study found that healthy Australian adults were widely exposed to plastic-associated chemicals, with processed, packaged, and canned foods emerging as important modifiable contributors to urinary phthalate and bisphenol levels. In a 7-day pilot randomized trial, low-plastic food interventions reduced several urinary plastic-associated chemicals without lowering daily energy intake.

22 Apr 2026

Rural and urban children face distinct mental health challenges

A study in Pediatric Investigation found that rural and urban children and adolescents tend to experience different mental health issues, with those living in the country showing more emotional problems and those in the city demonstrating more behavioral issues.

22 Apr 2026

Prenatal stress may blunt metabolic benefits of exercise for offspring

Physical activity during pregnancy enhances the metabolic health of offspring, but new research in mice indicates that prenatal stress blunts these benefits, at least in male offspring.

22 Apr 2026

Autism risk rises with multiple medications taken during pregnancy

A study links maternal use of cholesterol-inhibiting medications during pregnancy to increased autism risk in children, urging caution in prescribing practices.

22 Apr 2026

Cystic fibrosis therapies significantly reduce the need for pediatric lung transplants

Pediatric lung transplant specialist Christian Benden, MD, described the future for children who need lung transplants: fewer operations overall, but more complex patients and mounting challenges for the teams who care for them. He addressed the 46th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) today in Toronto.

22 Apr 2026

Researchers identify ADHD and social traits in preschoolers with heart defects

Congenital heart disease (CHD) which is a problem with how the heart forms before birth -- occurs in approximately 1 % of newborns.

22 Apr 2026

Bullying and social policies worsen mental health in gender-diverse teens

Gender-diverse adolescents who experience bullying and live in states with persistently unsupportive gender identity laws are significantly more likely to suffer escalating psychological distress compared to their peers, according to new research by UCLA Health.

21 Apr 2026

Teen attitudes toward sun protection impact skin cancer prevention behaviors

A new study funded by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health finds that how high school students perceive the costs of sun protection and the rewards of tanning play a significant role in whether they practice sun-safe behaviors.

21 Apr 2026

Rising rotavirus cases highlight importance of childhood vaccination

With a rising number of rotavirus cases being reported across the country and in New Jersey this spring, experts from Hackensack Meridian Children's Health are urging parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against this common and potentially severe illness.

21 Apr 2026

Supportive relationships in childhood help buffer the long-term health effects of abuse

A consistent, caring adult during childhood can make a profound difference for child survivors of physical or sexual abuse.

21 Apr 2026

New research calls for improved pediatric burn care infrastructure nationwide

The UCI Health Regional Burn Center is one of the only burn centers in Orange County equipped to treat the most complex burn patients 24 hours a day, including children.

21 Apr 2026

Early genomic testing prevents years of inconclusive visits for pediatric patients

For many families, eight years of uncertainty meant repeated specialist visits, inconclusive genetic tests and the growing fear that a clear answer might never come. For nearly half of the children enrolled in the Telethon Undiagnosed Disease Program (TUDP), that wait is now over.

21 Apr 2026

Study reveals rising knife deaths among young teens in England

The average age of a young fatal stab victim is now 14, indicates an analysis of the causes of death among children and teens in England between 2019 and 2024, published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.

20 Apr 2026

WHO-recommended antibiotics ineffective for many neonatal sepsis cases

A major multi-country study has found that WHO-recommended first-line antibiotics for neonatal sepsis are likely to be effective in only one quarter of infections in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

20 Apr 2026

Study links long COVID in kids to worse grades and attention problems

A large NIH-funded RECOVER-Pediatrics study found that children and adolescents meeting the long COVID research threshold were more likely to have caregiver-reported worsening grades, attention difficulties, reduced enjoyment with friends, and greater IEP involvement than peers below the threshold. The findings suggest that pediatric long COVID may affect school and social functioning during key developmental years, although the cross-sectional design does not establish causation.

20 Apr 2026