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New promise of a malaria vaccine

New results published today in the New England Journal of Medicine about a large-scale Phase III trial conducted in seven African countries of the malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S deserve a hearty round of applause.

18 Oct 2011

Autism in low birth weight babies five times more common: Study

Roughly 3% of U.S. newborns fall into the low-weight category used by the researchers (2,000 grams or less). Babies of this size are typically born prematurely, though certain pregnancy complications can also cause low birth weight in full-term babies.

18 Oct 2011

First study ever to instrument child football helmets

Virginia Tech released today results from the first study ever to instrument child football helmets. Youth football helmets are currently designed to the same standards as adult helmets, even though little is known about how child football players impact their heads.

18 Oct 2011

Three likely scenarios that precede drowning of young children in an at-home pool

Very young children who live in a home with a swimming pool are at risk of drowning, a leading cause of injury death among toddlers. A study abstract presented Monday, Oct. 17, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston identifies three likely scenarios that precede the drowning of a very young child (ages 1 to 4) in an at-home swimming pool.

18 Oct 2011

One in four kindergarten children have difficulty in distinguishing medicine and candy

More than one in four kindergarten children, and one in five teachers, had difficulty distinguishing between medicine and candy in new research conducted by two, now seventh-grade students, who presented their findings on Monday, Oct. 17, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston.

18 Oct 2011

World recognizes Global Handwashing Day

On Global Handwashing Day, recognized on Saturday, the U.N. "reminded people across the world that simply washing hands with soap and water remains the most cost-effective way to prevent diseases, and urged everyone to motivate others, especially children who are easily infected by disease-carrying germs present in dirty hands, to make it a habit," according to the U.N. News Centre.

18 Oct 2011

Potential new protein target for pulmonary hypertension

A protein critical to development appears to have a grave impact on lungs exposed to smoking and air pollution, researchers report.

18 Oct 2011

New global atlas for malaria elimination

A new global atlas charts prospects for malaria elimination by offering the first full-color, detailed depiction of a disease now declining in many parts of the globe. The "Atlas of Malaria-Eliminating Countries" spotlights countries successfully moving toward eliminating the disease and provides a visual tool to help focus resources where they are needed most.

18 Oct 2011

Research reinforces need for sleeping awareness campaigns to reduce SIDS

New research reinforces the need for continued public education programs that encourage parents to place their infants to sleep in the supine (back) position in a safe crib or bassinet, to prevent an estimated 4,600 annual Sudden Unintended Infant Deaths (SUID), of which 50 percent are classified as Sudden Death Syndrome.

18 Oct 2011

Agencies mark World Food Day, call for increased transparency in commodity markets

At a ceremony marking World Food Day on Monday, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) "called for more transparency on commodity markets to prevent sharp spikes in global food prices and deplored the scale of world hunger," Agence France-Presse reports.

18 Oct 2011

Obese children require much smaller doses of anesthetic propofol

A study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2011 this week found that obese children required much smaller doses of the anesthetic propofol than non-obese children to bring about a safe level of unconsciousness.

18 Oct 2011

Whole genome sequencing study to determine causes of idiopathic human diseases

Scripps Health announced today it has launched an innovative clinical research study that is using whole genome sequencing to help determine the causes of idiopathic human diseases -- those serious, rare and perplexing health conditions that defy a diagnosis or are unresponsive to standard treatments.

18 Oct 2011

NIH awards Einstein College of Medicine $5.7M for children's IDD Research Center

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University $5.7 million to fund the Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC).

18 Oct 2011

Obese asthmatic children more likely to have respiratory complications during or after surgery

A study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2011 found that obese asthmatic children were nearly two times as likely to have at least one respiratory complication during or after surgery compared to their lean peers.

18 Oct 2011

AHRQ: Asthma drug usage among children doubles

The proportion of children who used a prescribed controller drug to treat their asthma doubled from 29 percent in 1997-1998 to 58 percent in 2007-2008, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

18 Oct 2011

Give children a chance to have unstructured play

The temptation to rely on media screens to entertain babies and toddlers is more appealing than ever, with screens surrounding families at home, in the car, and even at the grocery store. And there is no shortage of media products and programming targeted to little ones. But a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says there are better ways to help children learn at this critical age.

18 Oct 2011

VEC and AMA release updated information guide, 'Vaccines and Teens'

This week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Vaccine Education Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC) and the American Medical Association released an updated information guide called Vaccines and Teens for parents and physicians, detailing the most current recommendations and information about critical immunizations for older children.

18 Oct 2011

Non-fatal pediatric firearm injuries 30% higher than previous reports

From 1999 to 2007, there were 185,950 emergency department (ED) visits in the U.S. for firearm injuries in children aged 0 to 19 years. A new abstract presented Monday, Oct. 17, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston, provided an overview of these injuries, including a variety of risk factors including age, race, hospital location, and insurance type.

18 Oct 2011

Nearly 30% of homes with young children have acetaminophen products stored unsafely

Nearly 30 percent of homes with young children have acetaminophen products stored unsafely, and nearly all homes included at least one expired medication, according to a research abstract presented Monday, Oct. 17, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston.

18 Oct 2011

Fathers of low-income children support breastfeeding

Preliminary research suggests that fathers of low-income children support breastfeeding but are unsure how to influence or help their child's mother (their partner) with breastfeeding, according to new research presented Monday, Oct. 17, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Boston.

18 Oct 2011