Child Health News

RSS

Why do we turn to comfort food? A survey of 1,203 adults offers clues

A cross-sectional study of 1,203 UK adults found that stronger expectations of positive emotions from high-fat, salt and/or sugar foods were weakly associated with poorer diet quality and more frequent comfort eating. Negative emotional expectations about many foods also tracked with comfort eating, but the study did not establish whether eating these foods actually changed mood.

29 Oct 2026

Premature infants show altered cerebellum growth and developmental trajectories

A new study reveals that when a baby is born prematurely, their cerebellum, the part of the brain with a critical role in motor function, language and cognition, grows and develops in a different way than it would if the baby remains in utero full term.

29 Oct 2026

Swimming lessons may boost children's learning and social development

With family budgets stretched ever-tighter, swimming lessons can be one of the first expenses to be cut back – but with research showing swimming helps children not just physically but developmentally, researchers are calling for greater government support.

29 Oct 2026

Ending emergency food benefits linked to higher child maltreatment rates

A new study has found that in US counties that ended COVID-19 pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotments, child maltreatment rates went up.

29 Oct 2026

After-school programs double the activity levels of children

Many children go straight home after school, whilst others stay on at the after-school club, known as SFO. In addition, sports clubs, abbreviated to IFO, have become increasingly common. But how does this affect how much children move?

29 Oct 2026

Study highlights the hidden dangers of permanent daylight saving time

In July 2026, the US House passed legislation to make daylight saving time (DST) permanent. But a new analysis of the consequences of the "Sunshine Protection Act," reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on October 29, finds that this legislation would come with serious safety consequences for millions of schoolchildren across the US who would have to leave for school before sunrise, when fatal crashes with pedestrians are more likely, for much of the school year.

29 Oct 2026

What parents can expect during a stressful NICU stay

Lyndsay Gardner was enjoying a normal, healthy pregnancy until her water broke at 31 weeks. Due around Christmas in 2023, she gave birth to her son just before Halloween instead.

29 Oct 2026

Mosquito bite prevention helps protect children from West Nile virus

In warm climates like Southern California, multiple species of mosquitoes can bite year-round. While telltale red, itchy bumps are the most common side effect of mosquito bites, these pests can also pass diseases, like West Nile virus, on to humans.

28 Oct 2026

Narrow surgical margins may safely remove childhood soft tissue sarcomas

It's a question that surgeons often face: How much surrounding healthy tissue should they take out when removing a patient's cancer to be sure it is fully eliminated? Removing more can sacrifice nearby nerves, blood vessels, tendons and even joints, with lasting effects on quality of life.

28 Oct 2026

Most teens who used AI for mental health support wanted more help

Researchers surveyed 24,132 students in England and found that 2.7% had used general-purpose AI for mental health support during the previous year. Among users who answered the relevant questions, 55.9% rated the support helpful, yet 63.2% wanted additional assistance, with greater unmet needs reported among adolescents experiencing mental health difficulties and social adversity.

28 Oct 2026

UCSF scientists develop smart CAR-T cells to fight childhood brain tumors

Scientists at UC San Francisco have engineered CAR-T cells that stay dormant until they reach the brain, where they switch on and destroy tumor cells.

28 Oct 2026

Rutgers study highlights alarming rise in youth gambling rates

More than half (52.5%) of Americans ages 13 to 27 reported gambling in the past year, including 42.7% of teens ages 13 to 17, according to researchers at the Center for Gambling Studies at the Rutgers School of Social Work.

28 Oct 2026

One in four young Australians experienced physical abuse during childhood

New research shows one in four young people have experienced physical abuse in childhood at the hands of their parents - and most commonly before the age of ten.

27 Oct 2026

Pregnancy night shifts associated with higher risk of developmental abnormalities in children

Working night shifts during pregnancy is linked to a heightened risk of neurodevelopmental abnormalities detected by screening in the child by the age of 4, finds research published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

27 Oct 2026

Lab-on-a-chip technology helps predict childhood leukemia treatment responses

More than 120,000 people in the U.S. are living with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and 6,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Of those, more than 3,500 will be in children.

27 Oct 2026

Curtin study reveals most childhood physical abuse occurs within families

New Curtin University-led research has revealed most childhood physical abuse in Australia occurs within families - and before children turn 10.

27 Oct 2026

Rutgers study links prenatal wildfire smoke exposure to autism risk

A Rutgers-led analysis of health insurance records found that exposure to fine particles from wildfire smoke during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of autism diagnosis in children, with the strongest associations during the second and third trimesters.

27 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

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