Child Health News

RSS

New VAAST software tool can identify disease-causing mutations in rare genetic disorders

Harnessing the new generation of rapid, highly accurate gene-sequencing techniques, a research team has identified the disease-causing mutation in a newly characterized rare genetic disease, by analyzing DNA from just a few individuals.

24 Jun 2011

Psychosocial stress may enhance lung-damaging effects of traffic-related pollution in children

Psychosocial stress appears to enhance the lung-damaging effects of traffic-related pollution (TRP) in children, according to new research from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.

24 Jun 2011

Furthering progress on childhood vaccines

In a Huffington Post opinion piece, Gro Brundtland, a member of the U.N. Foundation board of directors, former WHO director general and former prime minister of Norway, discusses global progress on childhood vaccines. Brundtland discusses the upcoming launch of the U.N. Foundation's global vaccines campaign aimed at inspiring Americans "to provide children in the developing world with immunizations against deadly diseases."

24 Jun 2011

Oxytocin hormone holds promise for children with Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder which affects one child in 25,000. Children born with this syndrome have a range of complex neurological and developmental problems which continue into adult life. These can manifest as cognitive and behavioral difficulties, weight gain, problems in controlling their temper and attendant difficulties in socialization.

24 Jun 2011

New report offers policy recommendations to combat early childhood obesity

A new national report offers policy recommendations to curb the high rates of obesity among America's youngest children.

24 Jun 2011

Longer looks: Prenatal care for dads; rise in bipolar diagnosis for children

Perhaps it's because mom has the burgeoning belly, but dads have largely been left out of prenatal care. That could be damaging to the family's health, contends research in a recent issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

24 Jun 2011

ACS designates Stanford as level-2 pediatric trauma center

Stanford's trauma center has been verified as a level-2 pediatric trauma center by the American College of Surgeons.

24 Jun 2011

Surgery for children motivates smoking parents to try to quit

A study published in the July issue of Anesthesiology has found that parents who smoke are more likely to attempt to quit during the time of their child's surgery - but that they are not more likely to succeed. According to the study, these facts suggest that physicians could play an important role in assisting smokers with kicking the habit during this time.

23 Jun 2011

GAD vaccine DIAPREV-IT study in high-risk children continues as planned

Despite the disappointing results in trying to treat children suffering from type 1 diabetes with the GAD vaccine, the treatment has not been written off entirely. DIAPREV-IT, the study in which healthy high-risk children are vaccinated, is continuing as planned, and now with more money behind it. "I am still hopeful that the GAD vaccine will work", says Helena Elding Larsson.

23 Jun 2011

Summer safety tips to keep kids safe

Summer fun is in full swing, which coincides with an increase in bumps, bruises, scrapes and possibly worse. To keep kids safe, prevention and first-aid should be at the forefront of parents' minds this summer according to Dr. Karen Judy, Loyola University Health System pediatric safety expert and professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

23 Jun 2011

Autistic toddlers’ brain research may help early diagnosis: Study

Researchers have noted that the brain activities of toddlers with autism appears to be out of sync at a very early stage -- a finding that sheds light on the biology of the condition and might help in earlier diagnosis. The study was published in the journal Neuron.

23 Jun 2011

Weak neural synchronization could serve as powerful, new biological marker of autism

In a novel imaging study of sleeping toddlers, scientists at the University of California, San Diego Autism Center of Excellence report that a diminished ability of a young brain's hemispheres to "sync" with one another could be a powerful, new biological marker of autism, one that might enable an autism diagnosis at a very young age.

23 Jun 2011

More frequent use of ultrasound recommended in twin pregnancies

Featured in the June edition of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada is a new clinical practice guideline which suggests that carrying twins requires greater monitoring and, therefore, the more frequent use of ultrasound technology to conduct the ongoing assessment of twin pregnancies.

23 Jun 2011

Mothers receiving influenza vaccination during pregnancy also protect infants

Infants born to mothers who received the influenza (flu) vaccine while pregnant are nearly 50 percent less likely to be hospitalized for the flu than infants born to mothers who did not receive the vaccine while pregnant, according to a new collaborative study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and colleagues.

23 Jun 2011

First audio data of naturally occurring spanking of children

In one recording, a mom spanks her 3-year-old 11 times for fighting with his sister. In another, a mom slaps her son for turning the page of a book while she reads to him. In still another, a mom spanks her 5-year-old when he refuses to clean up his room after repeated warnings to do so.

23 Jun 2011

Experts to focus on Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome at New York Academy of Sciences conference

On June 28-30, 2011, the New York Academy of Sciences will bring together scientists and clinicians from a wide range of subspecialties, in addition to patients and caregivers, to discuss the most important recent advances in our understanding of the clinical features, management, and treatment of Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS)-a rare disorder involving multiple organ systems and affecting children and young adults.

23 Jun 2011

Scientists find altering hormone levels change cellular development in brain

In a study that increases the understanding of the link between fetal development and obesity later in life, researchers at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) found altering the levels of two common hormones, insulin and leptin, in utero changes the cellular development in the region of the brain that regulates appetite.

23 Jun 2011

Tips to protect children from falling

Placing a crib, changing table or even a chair next to a window might offer your child a nice view outside or access to fresh air, but be careful - window falls can happen quickly and in some cases, be deadly.

23 Jun 2011

Barrow Neurological Institute announces Phoenix Children’s Hospital as new pediatric affiliate

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and Phoenix Children’s Hospital jointly announced today their pediatric neuroscience programs are combining under the newly formed Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

22 Jun 2011

New home for children's emergency care opens in upper Manhattan

The new Alexandra and Steven Cohen Pediatric Emergency Department at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center opens tomorrow, Thursday, June 23, significantly expanding access to the highest level of emergency pediatric care for families in the region.

22 Jun 2011