Children News and Research

RSS

Young mothers see rapid increase in substance-related emergency department visits

Emergency department (ED) visits for use of substances, especially opioids, amphetamines, and cannabis, by mothers with dependent children increased almost 5% a year, in contrast to an increase of almost 2% a year among females without children, according to a large study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.260078.

26 Oct 2026

Understanding the symptoms and treatments of pelvic organ prolapse

The pelvic floor is a layer of muscles and connective tissues that supports the uterus, bladder, urethra, vagina and rectum. The pelvic floor supports the organs in your pelvis from underneath, almost like a hammock.

26 Oct 2026

New poll shows which childhood vaccines US parents trust

While support for childhood vaccines is high, concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety during pregnancy reveal significant public health messaging challenges.

26 Oct 2026

SAFE Structure Designs supports nonprofit providing prosthetic legs to amputees

SAFE Structure Designs, a Las Vegas-based defense engineering and manufacturing company led by President and CEO Johnny Buscema, is supporting 50 Legs as a donor and raising awareness of its work helping children and adults with limb loss access quality prosthetic legs.

24 Oct 2026

PFAS levels in United States drinking water may be underestimated

Common ways of reporting perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-the man-made, so-called forever chemicals that pose environmental and health threats-could underestimate the concentration of PFAS in United States drinking water by as much as half, finds a study publishing October 23 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports Sustainability.

24 Oct 2026

Queensland study reveals shifting Australian attitudes toward smacking children

A study published this month shows many Queenslanders believe parents should not be convicted of assault for doing things such as smacking their children for misbehavior.

24 Oct 2026

New guidance expands reproductive care for people with cystic fibrosis

For much of the history of cystic fibrosis (CF) care, reproductive health was not a major part of the conversation. Fertility challenges were the norm for men and women with this genetic disorder, and many grew up assuming biological parenthood was not possible.

23 Oct 2026

PARP1 remodels nucleosomes to help cells repair damaged DNA

When DNA is damaged, cellular processes respond and repair the DNA. Inhibiting DNA damage repair can be therapeutically beneficial in cancers with genetic vulnerabilities related to DNA damage response.

23 Oct 2026

Children's brain reward responses may explain ultra-processed food-related weight gain

Children who eat more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) show stronger responses in the brain's reward network when viewing images of appetizing foods-and these brain responses are linked to increases in body fat one year later.

23 Oct 2026

Fish consumption may help reduce hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

A new prospective study from Japan explored whether fish consumption before and during pregnancy is linked to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

23 Oct 2026

New playground design aims to protect children from harmful UV rays

A new design methodology for school playgrounds is demonstrating how children can still enjoy their play time whilst being protected from the harmful effects of the sun.

23 Oct 2026

Maternal stress alters placental pathways affecting fetal brain development

About one in five U.S. women experience maternal mental health conditions, and chronic stress during pregnancy can contribute to risk for both maternal and child health challenges.

23 Oct 2026

Babies born small may face lasting differences in school performance

The study highlights that fetal size, not just gestational age, plays a crucial role in long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for term-born children.

23 Oct 2026

Postpartum recovery may influence long-term maternal aging and health

Jesse Poganik, PhD, of the Division of Genetics within the Department of Medicine at Mass General Brigham, is the senior author of a paper published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, "The Postpartum Recovery Window as a Determinant of Maternal Aging." Stephen Albright, formerly of Mass General Brigham, is the lead author.

23 Oct 2026

Study challenges concerns linking ADHD medication to self-harm risk

The risk of self-harm amongst people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highest before people start ADHD medication, rather than after treatment begins, according to new research led by Aston University.

22 Oct 2026

Are heavy school bags really to blame for children's back pain?

A study of 221 schoolchildren in the Czech Republic found no statistically significant association between relative school bag weight and back pain, although nearly half reported experiencing back discomfort in the previous month. Longer carrying duration was weakly associated with perceived heaviness, suggesting that bag weight and carrying time capture different aspects of children's experiences.

22 Oct 2026

A study of 802 teens raises questions about school breakfast and blood sugar

A study of 802 U.S. adolescents found that school breakfast participation at least once weekly was associated with a 30% higher prevalence of prediabetes-range glucose markers, while school lunch participation showed no significant association. Higher intakes of vitamins E and B6 and fruit consumption among adolescents with obesity were associated with lower prediabetes prevalence, but none of the reported associations remained statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons.

22 Oct 2026

Clinical trial establishes effective HIV dosing regimen for full-term newborns

An international study conducted through the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network including researchers at the University of California San Diego helped inform the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recent approval of dolutegravir, a second-generation integrase inhibitor, for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in newborns from birth.

22 Oct 2026

Gut bacteria use food signals to manage body's biological clock

Biological clocks are often associated with light. Historically, most people start their days when the sun is up, and end their days when the sun sets.

22 Oct 2026

Emotion management helps teens maintain weight loss after treatment

Researchers from University of California San Diego have found that adding emotion management skills to family-based behavioral weight management may help adolescents maintain weight loss after treatment ends.

22 Oct 2026