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Certain prenatal medications linked to increased risk of autism

A landmark study led by researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and published in Molecular Psychiatry has identified a significant association between prenatal prescription of commonly utilized medications and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.

20 Apr 2026

Newborns carry antibiotic resistance genes within first hours of life

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) – segments of DNA that help bacteria survive the effects of antibiotics – can be present in newborns within the first hours of life, according to research presented at ESCMID Global 2026.

20 Apr 2026

Parents cite screen time and lack of interest as major fitness barriers

Younger children and teens often have built-in opportunities to stay active through gym class, sports and extracurricular activities.

20 Apr 2026

Teen cannabis use linked to slower growth in memory and thinking

Researchers from University of California San Diego have found that teenagers who begin using cannabis show slower gains in thinking and memory skills as they grow. The study, published on April 20, 2026 in Neuropsychopharmacology, analyzed data from more than 11,000 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term study of brain development in U.S. youth.

20 Apr 2026

What still drives childhood vaccine gaps in the United States

A nationwide analysis of provider-verified NIS-Child data from 2010 to 2023 found that US childhood vaccination coverage remained generally high but was consistently shaped by social and structural factors such as maternal education, income, insurance, language, and region. The study also showed that coverage of the combined seven-vaccine series rose over time, yet persistent disparities remained, especially for vaccines such as influenza, hepatitis A, and rotavirus.

19 Apr 2026

Climate change could make humidity-driven heat risks more dangerous, study finds

Researchers analyzing 2.46 million ambulance dispatches across 13 Chinese cities found that humidity can intensify the health risks linked to both hot and cold temperatures, with cold-dry and warm-wet conditions posing the greatest risks. Future climate projections suggest compound temperature-humidity events will become more frequent and increasingly shift health burdens toward heat-related events in China.

19 Apr 2026

Childhood flu infection leaves lasting immune imprint

A study reveals how childhood flu infections impact long-term mortality risk, highlighting implications for vaccination and future outbreak management.

17 Apr 2026

When rice-based formula is the right choice for cow’s milk allergy

This expert-driven framework aids clinicians in selecting hydrolyzed rice formula for infants with cow's milk allergy, enhancing dietary management strategies.

17 Apr 2026

US Medicaid data finds buprenorphine safe for long-term child development

Children born to mothers who used buprenorphine for opioid addiction during pregnancy do not have a greater risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism, compared with children whose mothers took methadone, finds a large US study published by The BMJ today.

17 Apr 2026

Hidden viral reservoirs in tonsils may explain school-year respiratory outbreaks

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil reveals that tissues such as the tonsils and adenoids can serve as hiding places for the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold and is responsible for most respiratory infections worldwide.

17 Apr 2026

Academic stress weakens mental resilience and triggers a reliance on gaming

China's highly competitive education system is known for its strict evaluation, rigorous intensity, and academic pressure. A recent study has highlighted the growing problem of this academic pressure leading to burnout amongst Chinese adolescents, which is pushing them towards online gaming.

17 Apr 2026

Researchers debunk the existence of the childhood "adiposity rebound" phenomenon

In new research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) and published in The Journal of Nutrition, a 42-year old theory as to why children's body mass index (BMI) decreases post-infancy before then rising continuously from age six years –'the adiposity rebound' is refuted using new analyses – rather than decreasing body fat, the real reason is proposed as increasing muscle mass.

17 Apr 2026

Study explains the link between NDMA-contaminated water and childhood cancer

A new study from MIT suggests that a carcinogen that has been found in medications and in drinking water contaminated by chemical plants may have a much more severe impact on children than adults.

17 Apr 2026

Scientists discover a biological "memory" of breastfeeding in child blood samples

Babies who are exclusively breastfed for at least three months carry markers in their blood that differ from babies who are not breastfed.

16 Apr 2026

Sunlight exposure via windows risks infant dehydration and skin damage

Researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València, the Francesc de Borja University Hospital in Gandia and the La Ribera University Hospital, through the Fisabio Foundation, have found that sunlight passing through windows in homes is neither a safe nor a recommended alternative for preventing or treating neonatal jaundice, a condition affecting more than half of all newborns.

16 Apr 2026

New lab-grown organoids accurately mimic pediatric brain tumor biology

Efforts to identify and evaluate next-generation therapeutics for pediatric brain tumors are easily stymied by the quality and availability of laboratory models for research. To address this issue, scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital developed patient-derived tumor organoids and tumor organoid xenografts that accurately reflect the biologic underpinnings of embryonal brain tumors.

16 Apr 2026

BMI increases in early childhood may reflect muscle growth, not fat

A new study published in The Journal of Nutrition, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Nutrition, offers new insights into a decades-old puzzle in childhood obesity. The study found that while body mass index (BMI) starts to rise in early childhood during a stage known as adiposity rebound, when BMI increases after an initial decline, the waist-to-height ratio, a measure that better reflects body fat, continues to drop. This suggests that the BMI increase at this age mainly reflects growth in lean tissues such as muscle and bone, rather than extra body fat.

16 Apr 2026

Higher stress and BMI tied to earlier puberty in girls

New research links stress, BMI, and hormone patterns to pubertal timing, revealing implications for long-term health and early intervention strategies.

16 Apr 2026

Can processed meats fit into a healthy diet?

This perspective-style review argues that processed meats remain valuable sources of high-quality protein, essential amino acids, and bioavailable micronutrients despite concerns about sodium, fat, and chronic disease links. It also contends that much of the evidence tying processed meat to adverse health outcomes is observational and potentially confounded, while emphasizing the role of processing in safety, shelf life, and food security.

15 Apr 2026

Are healthy foods really healthy? Nutrition researchers say context matters

This Clinical Nutrition opinion paper argues that nutrition research should stop asking whether a food is simply “healthy” and instead ask what it is being compared with. Because diets are compositional, the health effects of foods depend on the specific substitution, and the authors argue that causal inference and network meta-analysis can improve how evidence is interpreted.

15 Apr 2026