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Young children more likely to be diagnosed and treated for ADHD

The youngest children in the classroom are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - and prescribed medication - than their peers in the same grade, according to a study just published in CMAJ.

6 Mar 2012

Persistent postconcussion symptoms more likely in children with TBIs

Children with mild traumatic brain injuries appear more likely to have persistent postconcussion symptoms, including cognitive complaints such as inattention and forgetfulness, which can affect quality of life, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

6 Mar 2012

Dysfunctional family environment increases genetic risk for drug abuse

The risk of abusing drugs is greater - even for adopted children - if the family environment in which they are raised is dysfunctional, according to a new study conducted by a collaborative team from Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden.

6 Mar 2012

Butler Hospital expands Outpatient Psychiatric Consultation Program

In a move that highlights collaboration across a health care system, three Care New England hospitals recently came together to pilot a service that is now being expanded to fill a need for mental health services in the entire region. After successfully piloting the concept at Women & Infants and Kent hospitals, Butler Hospital is expanding its Outpatient Psychiatric Consultation Program to all referring physicians in the area who may have a patient needing a consult.

6 Mar 2012

ADHD medication use more prevalent among school-age children

A new study from the Universit- de Montr-al shows an increase in prevalence of Canadian children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in the use of medications associated with ADHD in school-age children.

6 Mar 2012

Snoring toddlers may develop behavioural problems later: Study

A new study shows that babies and toddlers who snore, gasp for breath, or breathe with their mouth open while sleeping may be at a greater risk of behavioural problems all the way through second grade.

5 Mar 2012

$Vitamin D in pre-teen girls protects from stress fractures and bone injuries: Study$

Vitamin D in pre-teen girls protects from stress fractures and bone injuries: Study

A new study shows that girls and young women who got lots of vitamin D through their diet and supplements were half as likely to suffer a stress fracture as those who didn't.

5 Mar 2012

Antidepressants in pregnancy: weighing benefits and risks

There has been a debate on the use of antidepressant medication in pregnant women. Depression during pregnancy is, of course, difficult for the woman. In addition, depression that continues in the postpartum period may interfere with caretaking and bonding with the newborn.

5 Mar 2012

Asthma first aid charts launched

The National Asthma Council Australia has updated its popular First Aid for Asthma chart and launched a new paediatric Kids’ First Aid for Asthma chart, with advice reflecting the latest evidence and medications.

5 Mar 2012

Innovative telemedicine program connects neonatal specialists to treat tiniest, difficult cases

An innovative telemedicine program connecting neonatal specialists from UC San Diego Medical Center and Tri-City Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) will allow experts to collaborate, diagnose and treat some of San Diego County's tiniest, most difficult cases.

5 Mar 2012

IRIN examines pilot project to increase ORS coverage for treatment of child diarrhea

IRIN examines ColaLife -- a pilot project set to start in Zambia in September 2012 that will ship single-dose anti-diarrhea kits (ADKs) in crates of Coca-Cola bottles in an effort to increase the coverage of oral rehydration salts (ORS) for the treatment of diarrhea in children in the developing world.

5 Mar 2012

Young children with SDB more likely to develop neurobehavioral problems

A study of more than 11,000 children followed for over six years has found that young children with sleep-disordered breathing are prone to developing behavioral difficulties such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness, as well as emotional symptoms and difficulty with peer relationships, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

5 Mar 2012

Home-food intake may reduce risk of obesity in children

University of Granada researchers have confirmed that there is a significant direct relationship between the nutritional status of children and the person who prepares their meal. The study revealed that the children who have lunch at home with their mother present a better nutritional status and are at a lower risk of suffering obesity than children whose meal is prepared by a person other than their mother.

4 Mar 2012

Premature by 2 to 3 weeks may raise risk for health issues: Study

Premature babies have always thought to be at risk of health issues but till now the health prospects of babies born two to three weeks premature were considered similar to those who were born at full-term.

4 Mar 2012

IPS examines gender discrimination, disparity in child mortality in India

Inter Press Service examines gender discrimination and mortality in India, writing, "Global infant and child mortality rates have been on the decline in recent years, with a large portion of the world seeing young girls experiencing higher rates of survival than young boys; but India remains the exception to this positive trend."

3 Mar 2012

Obstetricians heavily influenced by family preferences during periviable counseling

When making decisions and counseling about risk and management options for deliveries between 22 and 26 weeks (periviable deliveries), obstetricians are heavily influenced by family preferences, particularly by the impression that parents consistently prefer to have everything possible done to prolong a pregnancy or "save the baby" through interventions such as cesarean section.

3 Mar 2012

Consensus across studies promises to enhance NIH-supported asthma clinical research

A consortium of federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations has published a report proposing a set of common measures and data-collection methods for use in asthma clinical research.

3 Mar 2012

New outcome measures may reduce disparities in children with asthma

Newly proposed asthma outcome measures will help standardize and improve results from the hundreds of millions of dollars the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends annually to study asthma, according to the Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. (MCAN), the nation's only organization focused solely on childhood asthma.

3 Mar 2012

New pharma code expands guidelines for interactions with health care providers

A new practice code for pharmaceutical companies now covers all interactions with health care professionals and bans them from giving payments to doctors to attend conferences.

3 Mar 2012

VOA examines constitutional debate in Nigeria over government's right to require polio vaccination

"A constitutional debate is under way in Nigeria over whether the government can prosecute parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated against polio, or if it has the power to force parents to have their children vaccinated against any communicable disease," VOA News reports.

3 Mar 2012