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Two-thirds of child deaths in 2008 due to infectious diseases, report finds

Pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and other infectious diseases accounted for two-thirds of the 8.8 million deaths in 2008 among children under age 5 around the world, according to a Lancet study published on Wednesday, HealthDay News/Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports. The highest numbers of childhood deaths were in Africa (4.2 million) and Southeast Asia (2.39 million), according to the news service (5/11).

13 May 2010

Survey shows alarming increase of peanut allergies in children

Results of a nationwide telephone survey have shown that the rate of peanut allergies in children more than tripled from 1997 to 2008. The data are reported in the May 12 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

13 May 2010

Family medical costs surge to new high

Families' health care costs continued to rise last year, Modern Healthcare reports. "Total healthcare costs for a typical family of four increased $1,303 or 7.8% over the past year, according to the Milliman Medical Index, the highest total dollar increase in the history of the actuarial firm's annual study.

13 May 2010

Microbiologists identify potential target in cattle to prevent E. coli strain

Microbiologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center, working with the Department of Agriculture, have identified a potential target in cattle that could be exploited to help prevent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses caused by a nasty strain of Escherichia coli.

13 May 2010

Small businesses look for wellness grants in health reform law

Provisions in the new health reform law offer aid and cash to small businesses that encourage employees to be fitter and healthier, but the plans aren't without their own controversy, CNN Money reports.

13 May 2010

Art therapy benefits children with persistent asthma: Researchers

In the first randomized trial of art therapy for asthma, National Jewish Health researchers found that children with persistent asthma enjoyed decreased anxiety and increased quality of life after seven weekly art-therapy sessions.

13 May 2010

Scientists discover link between offspring lung function and maternal vitamin A supplementation

Vitamin A is critical to maternal health and child survival, yet in most developing countries Vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of blindness and increased child mortality. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has long been a leader in vitamin A research, and scientists at the School recently discovered a link between offspring lung function and maternal vitamin A supplementation.

13 May 2010

Michelle Obama releases plan to 'reverse childhood obesity'

USA Today: "First lady Michelle Obama unveiled a plan today to 'reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity' and called for help from governments, schools and businesses as well as the families themselves. ... Obama and her aides released a task force report titled Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation. The goal, she said, is to 'ensure that our children can have the healthy lives and the bright futures that they deserve'" (Jackson, 5/11)

13 May 2010

FDA urges doctors to police drug ads

A new Federal Drug Administration program will urge doctors to blow the whistle on misleading drug advertisements.

13 May 2010

NovaBay first-quarter net loss increases to $1.6 million

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class, anti-infective compounds for the treatment and prevention of antibiotic-resistant infections, today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2010.

12 May 2010

First Edition: May 12, 2010

Today's headlines include reports about new congressional budget office projections that increase the 10-year costs of the health overhaul law.

12 May 2010

Mutations in STRAD-alpha gene can cause PMSE syndrome in Amish children: Penn researchers

So often the rare informs the common. Penn researchers investigating a regulatory protein involved in a rare genetic disease have shown that it may be related to epileptic and autistic symptoms in other more common neurological disorders.

12 May 2010

Giardia's surface proteins may work as vaccines to help prevent infections: Research scholar

The intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia changes outfits nearly as often as a fashion model on a Parisian runway. With more than 200 protein coats in its molecular wardrobe, this troublesome creature-the cause of innumerable cases of diarrheal infections each year-can change its appearance from one instant to the next, throwing the body's immune cells off track.

12 May 2010

Preventable infectious diseases cause two-thirds of child deaths: The Lancet

Preventable infectious diseases cause two-thirds of child deaths, according to a new study published today by The Lancet. Experts from the World Health Organization and UNICEF's Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group assessed data from 193 countries to produce estimates by country, region and the world.

12 May 2010

Benefits outweigh risks in myeloablative therapy for children with high-risk neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is among the most common of childhood cancers and fortunately, some children will get better spontaneously. Yet for children with high-risk disease the outlook is poor: more than half will relapse despite chemotherapy.

12 May 2010

Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery safe for treating children with arteriovenous malformations: Study

A new Mayo Clinic study has found that Gamma Knife™ stereotactic radiosurgery is a safe and effective option for selected children with arteriovenous malformations. This study was presented at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting in Philadelphia last week.

12 May 2010

Periodontal disease treatment reduces blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes patients

A study to be published in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library and led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and supported by colleagues at the Peninsula Dental School, the University of Ottawa and UCL Eastman Dental Institute, suggests that the treatment of serious gum (periodontal) disease in diabetics with Type 2 diabetes may lower their blood sugar levels.

12 May 2010

Children who eat lunch as part of NSLP have increased likelihood of becoming overweight: Research

With obesity becoming an epidemic among school-aged children in this country, a Georgia State University professor has found a link between overweight children and federal school nutrition programs.

12 May 2010

Daily dose of iron reduces breath-holding spells in children by 90%: Studies

An estimated one in 20 kids suffer from breath-holding spells, which come when they are upset, in pain or surprised. In some cases, the children twitch and jerk around involuntarily, as if they are having a seizure. Their faces sometimes turn blue or pale and they often faint.

12 May 2010

International Dairy Foods Association issues statement on Childhood Obesity Report

The International Dairy Foods Association issued the following statement by Connie Tipton, president and CEO, regarding today's Report to the President by the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity:

12 May 2010

Children News and Research

Two-thirds of child deaths in 2008 due to infectious diseases, report finds

Survey shows alarming increase of peanut allergies in children

Family medical costs surge to new high

Microbiologists identify potential target in cattle to prevent E. coli strain

Small businesses look for wellness grants in health reform law

Art therapy benefits children with persistent asthma: Researchers

Scientists discover link between offspring lung function and maternal vitamin A supplementation

Michelle Obama releases plan to 'reverse childhood obesity'

FDA urges doctors to police drug ads

NovaBay first-quarter net loss increases to $1.6 million

First Edition: May 12, 2010

Mutations in STRAD-alpha gene can cause PMSE syndrome in Amish children: Penn researchers

Giardia's surface proteins may work as vaccines to help prevent infections: Research scholar

Preventable infectious diseases cause two-thirds of child deaths: The Lancet

Benefits outweigh risks in myeloablative therapy for children with high-risk neuroblastoma

Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery safe for treating children with arteriovenous malformations: Study

Periodontal disease treatment reduces blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes patients

Children who eat lunch as part of NSLP have increased likelihood of becoming overweight: Research

Daily dose of iron reduces breath-holding spells in children by 90%: Studies

International Dairy Foods Association issues statement on Childhood Obesity Report

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