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Taliban alleged to have stopped annual polio vaccination program in rural Afghanistan

"The Taliban have halted an annual polio vaccination campaign in a remote part of Afghanistan, according to a senior official, raising concerns that opposition to the critical immunization drive could be spilling across from insurgent groups in neighboring Pakistan," the Guardian reports.

14 Mar 2013

UNICEF report warns Syrian conflict creating 'lost generation' of children

"The escalating Syrian conflict risks creating a 'lost generation' of millions of children suffering physical and psychological consequences of the war, UNICEF warned in a report [.pdf] released Tuesday," the Los Angeles Times reports.

14 Mar 2013

GAVI, Islamic Development Bank partner to accelerate introduction of vaccines in member countries

The GAVI Alliance and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) "entered into a partnership Monday (March 11), with the goal to vaccinate at least 400 million children by 2020 in the bank's member countries," Devex reports, noting, "The alliance said it would need an estimated $7 billion to reach its target under the partnership" (3/12).

14 Mar 2013

Research finding aids efforts toward cytomegalovirus vaccine

A virus most people probably have never heard of, but that the majority of us carry, is the No. 1 infectious cause of congenital birth defects in the U.S. today. Because of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during in utero development, 1 in 750 children are born with or develop permanent disabilities such as hearing loss or brain damage.

14 Mar 2013

Research reveals new approaches for protecting children from pesticide exposure

New research on household pesticide contamination emphasizes the need for less reliance on pesticides and more emphasis on neatness, blocking cracks where insects can enter and other so-called "integrated pest management" measures, scientists have concluded.

14 Mar 2013

Parents most interested in growth and development of their children, says pediatrician

We know how Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary's garden grows, but what about our kids? From marks on a wall to spending what seems like a fortune on clothes, parents are often fascinated by the growth of their children.

14 Mar 2013

Study: Dietary deficiency of mineral selenium likely to be endemic among Malawi population

Enriching crops by adding a naturally-occurring soil mineral to fertilisers could potentially help to reduce disease and premature death in the African country of Malawi, researchers have said.

14 Mar 2013

State roundup: Conn. bill would require kids behavioral health assessments

A selection of health policy stories from New York, Connecticut, Oregon, Idaho, Georgia, Texas and California.

14 Mar 2013

Duration and exclusivity of infant breastfeeding does not prevent overweight or obesity: Study

In research that included nearly 14,000 healthy infants in Belarus, an intervention that succeeded in improving the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding during infancy did not result in a lower risk of overweight or obesity among the children at age 11.5 years, according to a study appearing in the March 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Mar 2013

MGH investigators identify new disease that causes widespread chronic pain in children

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have described what may be a newly identified disease that appears to explain some cases of widespread chronic pain and other symptoms in children and young adults.

13 Mar 2013

Studies show prenatal nutrition may affect gene function in children's health

Pioneering studies by U. S. Department of Agriculture-funded research molecular geneticist Robert A. Waterland are helping explain how the foods that soon-to-be-moms eat in the days and weeks around the time of conception-or what's known as periconceptional nutrition-may affect the way genes function in her children, and her children's health.

13 Mar 2013

Study presents new method of measuring avoidance behavior in young children

Children who avoid situations they find scary are likely to have anxiety a Mayo Clinic study of more than 800 children ages 7 to 18 found. The study published this month in Behavior Therapy presents a new method of measuring avoidance behavior in young children.

13 Mar 2013

Non-invasive prenatal genetic screening: an interview with Dr. Charles Strom, Senior Medical Director, Quest Diagnostics

A new category of non-invasive genetic screening tests is gaining a great deal of interest in the medical field – including from Quest Diagnostics -- for its potential to help screen women during pregnancy for genetic abnormalities known as trisomies, the most common of which is Down syndrome.

From Quest Diagnostics 13 Mar 2013

Infants choose alliances by nine months, shows study

Babies have a dark side under their cute exteriors, according to University of British Columbia-led study that finds infants as young as nine months embrace those who pick on individuals who are different from them.

13 Mar 2013

Japan provides $2.6M to UNICEF to aid Pakistan's polio eradication program

"The Government of Japan has extended a grant of 226 million Japanese Yen (approximately US$2.62 million) to Pakistan through UNICEF for supporting the polio eradication program in Pakistan," Agence France-Presse/Dawn.com reports.

13 Mar 2013

Researchers discover new type of eye cancer that affects young babies

A team of Canadian and international cancer researchers led by Dr. Brenda Gallie at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, has discovered a new type of retinoblastoma, a rapidly developing eye cancer that affects very young babies- a finding that can immediately change clinical practice and optimize care for these children.

13 Mar 2013

Suicidal tendencies higher among autistic children, say Penn State researchers

Children with an autism spectrum disorder may be at greater risk for contemplating suicide or attempting suicide than children without autism, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

13 Mar 2013

Arkansas' abortion ban energizes backers of fetal heartbeat laws

That state's adoption of the nation's strictest abortion ban -- after 12 weeks of pregnancy, when a fetal heartbeat is usually found -- is spurring advocates to push similar legislation in Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, North Dakota and Wyoming. Legal scholars say such laws have little chance of withstanding federal court scrutiny.

13 Mar 2013

State roundup: Sequestration's impacts include less grant dollars

Sequestration spares Medicaid and almost all of Medicare, but automatic cuts to other federal health-care programs will make it more difficult for low-income Americans to get maternal and infant care, vaccinate their children, and receive treatment for mental illness.

12 Mar 2013

DeStress for Success Program effective in reducing depressive symptoms among adolescents

Families with a child completing elementary school this year are now preparing their registration for high school, a transition that is often stressful for children. A new program has demonstrated that it is possible to significantly reduce stress in some of these children thanks to a new educational tool designed under the leadership of Sonia Lupien, Director of the Centre for Studies on Human Stress (CSHS) and professor at the University of Montreal.

12 Mar 2013

Child Health News

Taliban alleged to have stopped annual polio vaccination program in rural Afghanistan

UNICEF report warns Syrian conflict creating 'lost generation' of children

GAVI, Islamic Development Bank partner to accelerate introduction of vaccines in member countries

Research finding aids efforts toward cytomegalovirus vaccine

Research reveals new approaches for protecting children from pesticide exposure

Parents most interested in growth and development of their children, says pediatrician

Study: Dietary deficiency of mineral selenium likely to be endemic among Malawi population

State roundup: Conn. bill would require kids behavioral health assessments

Duration and exclusivity of infant breastfeeding does not prevent overweight or obesity: Study

MGH investigators identify new disease that causes widespread chronic pain in children

Studies show prenatal nutrition may affect gene function in children's health

Study presents new method of measuring avoidance behavior in young children

Non-invasive prenatal genetic screening: an interview with Dr. Charles Strom, Senior Medical Director, Quest Diagnostics

Infants choose alliances by nine months, shows study

Japan provides $2.6M to UNICEF to aid Pakistan's polio eradication program

Researchers discover new type of eye cancer that affects young babies

Suicidal tendencies higher among autistic children, say Penn State researchers

Arkansas' abortion ban energizes backers of fetal heartbeat laws

State roundup: Sequestration's impacts include less grant dollars

DeStress for Success Program effective in reducing depressive symptoms among adolescents

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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