Childhood Development News and Research

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Phenolic compounds linked to precocious puberty or early breast development in girls

Research from the University of Granada, recently published in the European Journal of Pediatrics, has revealed that girls with higher levels of bisphenol A (a component of plastics and epoxy-phenolic resins) and benzophenones (ultraviolet filters) in their urine are more likely to experience precocious puberty or early breast development.

7 Jul 2026

Temple Health receives grant to launch family thriving program

Temple Health has been awarded a $700,000 three‑year grant from the William Penn Foundation to develop the Temple Family Thriving Program, a trauma‑informed initiative that integrates caregiver and early childhood support directly into prenatal and postpartum care.

11 Jun 2026

Maternal weight before pregnancy may shape toddlers’ development

A nationwide Korean cohort study of 258,367 mother-child pairs found that maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with developmental delay risk in children aged 18 to 36 months. Children of underweight mothers showed modest early risks that later attenuated, while obesity-related risks persisted across developmental domains.

29 Apr 2026

Exercise may be safer for children with heart conditions

Physical activity in children and teenagers with cardiomyopathy (conditions that affect the heart muscle's structure and function, impairing its ability to pump or fill effectively), as well as children with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may be safer than previous research suggested, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published today in the Association's flagship peer-reviewed journal Circulation.

23 Apr 2026

Cambridge study calls for tighter regulation of talking AI toys for children

AI-powered toys that "talk" with young children should be more tightly regulated and carry new safety kitemarks, according to a report that warns they are not always developed with children's psychological safety in mind.

13 Mar 2026

Air pollution may be lowering global IQ and widening inequality, researchers warn

Researchers argue that exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) may affect cognitive function and intelligence, potentially causing large population-level losses in global IQ. Using modelling based on published exposure–response data, the authors estimate that pollution could be associated with tens of billions of IQ points lost worldwide, with the largest impacts in lower-income regions.

10 Mar 2026

COVID-19 lockdown timing tied to changes in executive function

The COVID-19 pandemic affected executive function in young children, with preschoolers showing different cognitive growth patterns linked to maternal education.

6 Mar 2026

Study finds toddlers who eat more ultra-processed foods show slightly higher behavioral symptoms

A prospective analysis of 2,077 children in the Canadian CHILD Cohort Study found that higher intake of ultra-processed foods at age three was associated with slightly higher behavioral and emotional symptom scores by age five. Modeling showed that replacing 10% of calories from ultra-processed foods with minimally processed foods was associated with modestly lower symptom scores.

5 Mar 2026

Brain's remarkable adaptation to upper limb difference aids children's daily lives

A unique study imaging brain activity in children born with upper limb difference – for example, one hand – has shown the amazing ability of the brain to adapt to compensate and support their daily lives.

24 Feb 2026

IV iron dextran more cost-effective than oral iron for women with heavy menstrual bleeding and IDA

A single dose of intravenous (IV) iron dextran is the cost-effective treatment for women with heavy menstrual bleeding and iron deficiency anemia (IDA), according to new research published in Blood Advances.

8 Jan 2026

High temperatures and heat waves may lead to delays in early childhood development

Climate change-including high temperatures and heat waves-has been shown to pose serious risks to the environment, food systems, and human health, but new research finds that it may also lead to delays in early childhood development.

8 Dec 2025

Pandemic lockdown measures linked to increased developmental concerns in young children

Lockdown and social distancing measures during the Covid-19 pandemic were associated with increased developmental concerns about young children in Scotland, research suggests.

26 Nov 2025

Prenatal stress hormones may shape when a baby’s teeth erupt

A study links maternal stress hormones in late pregnancy to the timing of baby teeth eruption, highlighting prenatal factors in early childhood development.

20 Nov 2025

Gut bacteria in toddlers may influence anxiety and depression years later

This study links childhood gut microbiome to brain connectivity, highlighting its role in internalizing symptoms like anxiety and depression later in life.

4 Nov 2025

New genomic method enables multiple people with rare conditions to receive diagnoses

A new genomic method has enabled multiple people with rare conditions to receive diagnoses that were previously unattainable by identifying complex structural genetic changes that are often missed by standard tests.

3 Nov 2025

Global mental health crisis demands urgent investment and action

More than 1 billion people are living with mental health disorders, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), with conditions such as anxiety and depression inflicting immense human and economic tolls.

2 Sep 2025

New NIH Baby Toolbox offers breakthrough in early childhood development screening

Developmental scientists and medical social science experts at Northwestern University have spearheaded the creation of the most recent NIH Toolbox, providing the newest nationally standardized assessment of cognitive, language, motor and social-emotional skill development in infants aged 16 days to 42 months.

26 Aug 2025

Children in green neighborhoods show better neurodevelopmental outcomes

Living near green spaces before and during pregnancy as well as in early childhood is associated with a reduced risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

22 Jul 2025

Early brain wiring holds clues to infant emotional development

In a comprehensive Genomic Press research article, scientists have uncovered remarkable insights into how the earliest brain connections shape infant emotional development, potentially offering new ways to identify children at risk for future behavioral and emotional challenges.

3 Jun 2025

Genetic factors influence obesity risk in children exposed to gestational diabetes

Children exposed to gestational diabetes in utero with a specific variation of a common gene are at a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese during childhood, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

30 May 2025