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Pediatric heart transplant demand rises amid severe donor shortage

Advances in pediatric heart care are helping more children survive long enough to receive a transplant-but a critical shortage of donor hearts means too many are still dying while they wait, experts warned today at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) 46th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions.

25 Apr 2026

Study finds different types of crystalloid fluids are equally effective for pediatric sepsis

A major study, led by researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Nemours Children's Health, and Children's National Hospital and involving an extensive network of medical centers across the United States and abroad, found that different types of crystalloid fluid resuscitation were equally effective for staving off the most serious adverse kidney events after the treatment of pediatric patients with suspected septic shock.

25 Apr 2026

U.S. child mortality rates remain higher than other high-income nations

At every age, children in the United States die at higher rates than peers in other high-income nations, according to a new study from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

25 Apr 2026

Social media ‘sweet spot’ for Aussie teens

YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat – they’re just a few of the banned social media sites for Australian teenagers under 16.

25 Apr 2026

ASDP responds to NDIS reform direction, calls for functional approach and strong developmental supports

The Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics (ASDP) has responded to the Australian Government’s proposed reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), following the address by Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, at the National Press Club this week.

25 Apr 2026

Baby teeth reveal early metal exposure effects on brain

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report that early-life exposure to common environmental metals may influence brain development and behavioral health more than a decade later.

25 Apr 2026

WHO prequalifies first malaria treatment designed for youngest vulnerable patients

Ahead of World Malaria Day on 25 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a significant step forward in the fight against malaria with the prequalification of the first treatment developed specifically for newborns and young infants weighing between two and five kilograms.

24 Apr 2026

The Big Catch-Up reaches millions of children with life-saving vaccines

The Big Catch-Up (BCU), a historic multi-year, multi-country effort to address vaccination declines driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reached an estimated 18.3 million children aged 1 to 5 across 36 countries with more than 100 million doses of life-saving vaccines, helping to narrow critical immunity gaps, announced Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), WHO, and UNICEF at the start of World Immunization Week.

24 Apr 2026

Type 1 diabetes preserves fitness but alters oxygen use in teens

The study highlights early microvascular impairment in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, emphasizing the importance of monitoring vascular health in this group.

24 Apr 2026

Teens skip sunscreen because they see it as inconvenient

Adolescents' sun safety practices are influenced by social norms and perceived costs, suggesting a need for innovative approaches in skin cancer prevention.

24 Apr 2026

Air quality in infancy may fundamentally shape long-term immune development

Ambient air pollution is associated with respiratory infection burden in the first year of life, according to preliminary findings from the Immune Development in Early Life (IDEaL) Rome Cohort. Findings from the cohort will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2026 Meeting, taking place April 24-27 in Boston.

24 Apr 2026

Early childhood interventions may safeguard brain health after maternal stress

Researchers from the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center and Queens College suggest that building strong adaptive skills in early childhood may serve as a buffer against the detrimental effects of prenatal stress on a child's developing brain.

24 Apr 2026

"Domino" heart valves from diseased organs could save thousands of children

A surgical innovation called partial heart transplantation could transform care for children with severe heart valve disease, allowing for thousands of additional valve transplants each year, according to a presentation delivered today by Joseph Turek, MD, PhD, at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) 46th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions.

24 Apr 2026

Children with multiple chronic conditions show unique antibiotic exposure patterns

A new study from Boston Children's Hospital found that annual prescription rates increased non-linearly as children's underlying level of medical complexity increased. Frequent antibiotic use has associated risks, including increased likelihood of antibiotic-related complications (e.g., C. difficile) as well as the development of antibiotic resistance. Findings from the study will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2026 Meeting, taking place April 24-27 in Boston.

24 Apr 2026

Negative parenting behaviors linked to gaming disorder in children with ADHD

A new Children's Hospital of Philadelphia study examines the relationship between parenting factors and gaming disorder in young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Findings from the study will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2026 Meeting, taking place April 24-27 in Boston.

24 Apr 2026

Study explores early autism detection using wearable movement sensors

UCLA Health researchers are seeking to develop a new wearable technology to catch one of the earliest but often overlooked signs of autism and other developmental conditions in infants.

23 Apr 2026

People who eat together report better wellbeing in global study

A global Scientific Reports study found that people who share more meals with others tend to report better wellbeing, with links to life evaluation and emotional states that are comparable in explanatory power to some major socioeconomic indicators. In US data, dining alone has risen sharply since 2003, and adults who ate all meals alone reported lower life ratings and less favorable daily emotions.

23 Apr 2026

Study maps the evolution of myeloid leukemia in children with Down syndrome

It may be possible to identify which pre-cancerous cells will develop into a rare type of blood cancer, due to new research showing that a single genetic change drives myeloid leukemia in children with Down syndrome.

23 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

Long COVID in children doubles risk of poor grades

Findings indicate long-COVID leads to academic and social difficulties in children, highlighting the importance of addressing their unique educational needs.

23 Apr 2026