Children's Health News and Research

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Measles outbreak sends vaccine demand soaring, even among the hesitant

Demand for measles vaccine has surged in the Washington county where the highly contagious virus is linked to more than 50 confirmed illnesses this year — including among people who had previously shunned the shots.

6 Feb 2019

Trump highlights health agenda with vow to lower ‘unfair’ drug prices

It was not the centerpiece, but health was a persistent theme in President Donald Trump's State of the Union address at the Capitol on Tuesday night.

6 Feb 2019

With mom’s green card on the line, family forgoes autism services for citizen child

As U.S. immigration enforcement becomes stricter under the Trump administration, more immigrant families are cutting ties with health care services and other critical government programs, according to child advocates who work with such families.

1 Feb 2019

Drought in rural Lesotho increases HIV risk among adolescent girls

Adolescent girls exposed to severe drought conditions in rural Lesotho had higher rates of HIV, according to a new study led by researchers at ICAP at Columbia University, a global health organization based at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, and from the Lesotho Ministry of Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

25 Jan 2019

Many parents still try non-evidence-based cold prevention methods for children

Vitamin C to keep the germs away. Never go outside with wet hair. Stay inside. Despite little or no evidence suggesting these types of methods actually help people avoid catching or preventing a cold, more than half of parents have tried them with their kids, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan.

21 Jan 2019

Educational videos in clinical settings increase HPV vaccination rates among adolescents

A study examining the effect of a video educational intervention aimed at increasing HPV vaccinations among adolescents could help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meet its goal of getting more eligible adolescents vaccinated against certain cancers and diseases caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).

16 Jan 2019

To get mental health help for a child, desperate parents relinquish custody

When Toni and Jim Hoy adopted their son Daniel through the foster care system, he was an affectionate toddler. They did not plan to give him back to the state of Illinois, ever.

9 Jan 2019

Parents’ work-family conflicts affect children’s health

Researchers have long known that sick children can affect a company's bottom line, as employees are distracted or have to take time off to care for their children. Far less is known about the impact a parent's work life has on their children's health.

3 Jan 2019

Insured but still in debt: 5 jobs pulling in $100k a year no match for medical bills

Robert and Tiffany Cano of San Tan Valley, Ariz., have a new marriage, a new house and a 10-month-old son, Brody, who is delighted by his ability to blow raspberries.

28 Dec 2018

Extensive scientific evidence available on air pollution's harms to children

A new study led by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health organizes the available scientific evidence on the effects of air pollution on children's health.

20 Dec 2018

Quarter of parents remain unprepared for ‘parenting hangover’, reports study

Parents may plan for transportation and childcare ahead of holiday gatherings but are they prepared for a potential, day-after "parenting hangover?"

17 Dec 2018

In-school nutrition programs among students limit increases in BMI, finds study

In-school nutrition policies and programs that promote healthier eating habits among middle school students limit increases in body mass index, a new study led by the Yale School of Public Health finds.

17 Dec 2018

Early physical therapy associated with reduction in opioid use

Patients who underwent physical therapy soon after being diagnosed with pain in the shoulder, neck, low back or knee were approximately 7 to 16 percent less likely to use opioids in the subsequent months, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Duke University School of Medicine.

14 Dec 2018

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What the Health?’ Insurance enrollment is lagging — and there are lots of reasons why

With less than a week to go before the deadline in most states, enrollment in health insurance for 2019 under the Affordable Care Act is lagging compared with the pace of previous years. That was expected, given last year's tax law eliminated the tax penalty for not having coverage starting Jan. 1. But analysts say there are other reasons for the downturn as well.

14 Dec 2018

Innovative care model for children with ASD reduces use of behavioral drugs in ED

An innovative care model developed by Nemours Children's Hospital for children with autism spectrum disorders in the emergency department reduces the use of medication administered to kids who are prone to stress and sensory overload in this care setting.

11 Dec 2018

HPV type 16 or 18 associated with cervical cancer risk in young women

The human papilloma virus can cause cervical cancer. According to new guidelines in Sweden, women over thirty therefore undergo initial screening for the virus rather than a smear test.

10 Dec 2018

Regular bedtime, sufficient sleep in childhood may be important for healthy body weight in adolescence

Having a regular, age-appropriate bedtime and getting sufficient sleep from early childhood may be important for healthy body weight in adolescence, according to researchers at Penn State.

6 Dec 2018

IU scientists find toxic flame retardants in children's car seats

In a new study, Indiana University scientists found toxic flame retardants in newly manufactured children's car seats, sparking concerns about children's health. Of the 18 children's car seats tested, 15 contained new or traditional hazardous flame retardant chemicals.

3 Dec 2018

Under Trump, number of uninsured kids rose for first time this decade

After years of steady decline, the number of U.S. children without health insurance rose by 276,000 in 2017, according to a Georgetown University report released Thursday.

29 Nov 2018

Report recommends creation of health monitoring, research program on Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans

To help determine if the descendants of Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans are at risk for health effects resulting from the service members' exposure to toxicants during deployment, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends the creation of a health monitoring and research program.