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Scientists discover how brain development programs fuel pediatric tumors

A team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, and collaborating institutions reveals in the journal Nature a novel mechanism that drives the development of pediatric supratentorial ependymoma (EPN), the third most common pediatric brain tumor. The findings suggest potential new approaches to treat these aggressive and chemo-resistant tumors.

26 Mar 2026

Study links androgens to aggressive childhood brain tumor growth

An international team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, McGill University and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has discovered what drives the growth of a lethal pediatric brain tumor called Posterior Fossa Type A (PFA) ependymoma.

25 Mar 2026

Childhood ADHD medication shows protective effect against future psychosis

A major new study, led by scientists at University College Dublin and the University of Edinburgh and funded by the St John of God Research Foundation, has found that commonly prescribed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication in childhood may lower the long‑term risk of developing serious psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia.

25 Mar 2026

Study links social media addiction to worse student mental health and points to family as a key buffer

A study of 627 Saudi university students found that higher social media addiction was associated with more anxiety and depression, while family environment fully mediated those links in the statistical model. The findings suggest that supportive family relationships may help buffer the mental health burden associated with problematic social media use, although the cross-sectional design does not establish causation.

25 Mar 2026

Community music programs boost youth wellbeing and life skills

Improving the wellbeing of young people is an international priority. The World Health Organization has reported that suicide is now the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 29-years-old globally, and is strongly correlated to youth mental illness.

25 Mar 2026

Placental abruption linked to higher heart risk in children

The risk of developing early cardiovascular disease or dying from cardiovascular disease by the age of 28 was about 4.6 times higher among people born to mothers who had a placental abruption during their pregnancy.

25 Mar 2026

Navigating the moral landscape of pediatric AI surgery

Technological innovation has always driven surgical progress, and AI now represents the next transformative wave. Machine learning models are now being developed to predict surgical risks, assist in diagnosing rare congenital disorders, analyze imaging data, and anticipate postoperative complications. Risk prediction tools have already shifted from traditional statistical methods to more complex machine learning approaches, improving their ability to account for nonlinear interactions.

25 Mar 2026

Pediatric mental health triage often inaccurate in emergency departments

In emergency medicine, triage differentiates patients who require immediate attention from those who can safely wait for care. When it comes to children's mental or behavioral health, however, triage scores were found to be inaccurate in two-thirds of the cases when compared to the level of care the child actually received during their emergency visit, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.

24 Mar 2026

Nepal and Afghanistan show how abrupt aid cuts can unravel essential care

Abrupt cuts to external health aid can destabilize multiple essential services simultaneously in fragile, donor-dependent settings, as illustrated by Nepal and Afghanistan. The paper argues that donor withdrawal is not just a resilience test, but also an ethical and governance issue that should be managed through “transition discipline.”

24 Mar 2026

Conflict exposure increases PTSD and suicidality among young people in Ukraine

For more than a decade, Ukrainian children have grown up with war as a constant backdrop. According to researchers, the psychological consequences are now becoming clear.

24 Mar 2026

COVID-19 learning losses could deepen class gaps for years

COVID-19 school closures are projected to reduce educational attainment and weaken intergenerational mobility, with children from less advantaged backgrounds facing the greatest losses. The paper’s simulations suggest that unequal access to continued learning during the pandemic could deepen educational inequality and reverse mobility gains, especially in the absence of remedial recovery measures.

23 Mar 2026

Leaving home may worsen diet quality in young adults, Australian study finds

Australian longitudinal data suggest that leaving the parental home is associated with a small decline in overall diet quality and a short-term rise in discretionary food intake during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The study also found that diet quality tended to worsen most among those moving in with a partner, while the discretionary-food gap narrowed over time.

23 Mar 2026

Mild hypoxia in preterm infants linked to lifelong memory issues

During intensive care after preterm births, babies can experience low oxygen in their tissue and cells-or hypoxia.

23 Mar 2026

Early obesity treatment reduces long-term health risks for all children

Children living with obesity but showing no signs of metabolic complications still have a significantly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and abnormal blood lipid levels later in life.

23 Mar 2026

Lab-grown food pipe offers hope for children with esophageal conditions

Scientists from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and University College London (UCL) have created the first lab‑grown esophagus - the food pipe - shown to safely replace a full section of the organ and restore normal function, including swallowing, in a growing animal without the need for immunosuppression.

23 Mar 2026

How parents shape kids’ fruit and vegetable habits

This study presents a new questionnaire to assess parenting practices influencing children's fruit and vegetable intake, validated across diverse populations.

23 Mar 2026

Emotional support reduces incarceration risk for foster care youth

Youth in foster care often experience family instability, which can disrupt the continuity of their relationships and social connections.

23 Mar 2026

Major UK clinical trial finds surfactant therapy ineffective for severe bronchiolitis

A major UK-led clinical trial has found that a treatment commonly used to help premature babies breathe offers no benefit for infants on life support with severe bronchiolitis - a seasonal viral illness that hospitalizes thousands of babies each year.

23 Mar 2026

Replacing sedentary time improves insulin resistance in adolescents

Adolescents who replaced just half an hour of sedentary behaviors, such as sitting on the couch or spending time at the computer, each day for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or sleep may lower their insulin resistance, a key factor in preventing the development of Type 2 diabetes, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026.

23 Mar 2026