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School leavers at risk for obesity: Study

In a large scale national study it has been found that the period of leaving school is a high risk one for obesity and weight gain. The study authors say that obesity rates double in the short transition from adolescence to adulthood in over 1,500 young people included in the study.

15 Sep 2010

Parents struggle to balance emotional, rational aspects of immunization: Poll

Back-to-school is in full swing and parents are breathing a collective sigh of relief now that their kids are back in the classroom. But with the back-to-school rush comes the reminder that immunizations must be updated - and that thought has parents filled with anything but relief. In fact, according to a new poll of Ontarians, parents struggle emotionally with immunizing their children - and themselves - before making the decision to do so.

14 Sep 2010

Target shoppers can help St. Jude's in fight against cancer, catastrophic diseases

Many of the public's favorite household brands have joined forces to support the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, one of the world's premier pediatric cancer research centers. From September 19 - 25, Target guests can help St. Jude in its fight to find cures and save children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases by purchasing participating Procter & Gamble (P&G) brands including Tide, Charmin, Bounty and Pampers as well as other manufacturers' brands at Target stores nationwide.

14 Sep 2010

Guidance allowing children with life-limiting illness to receive both hospice care and curative treatments praised

The families of dying children who are covered under Medicaid or the Medicaid expansion Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will no longer face the choice of stopping curative treatments in order for their terminally ill child to receive quality end-of-life care from hospice.

14 Sep 2010

NICE clinical guideline for bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia in children

Every parent knows the story and every parent dreads it. You take a feverish child to the doctors, you know something isn't right; but you are just sent back home with advice about paracetamol. Hours later the child is admitted to hospital with meningitis.

14 Sep 2010

Differences between sexes affected by environment during first six months of life

It seems the old nature versus nurture debate can't be won. But a new Northwestern University study of men in the Philippines makes a strong case for nurture's role in male to female differences -- suggesting that rapid weight gain in the first six months of life predicts earlier puberty for boys.

14 Sep 2010

New insight into most common form of congenital heart disease

Repairing small, seemingly benign holes in a child's heart may be more clinically important than previously thought, as dysfunction could be lurking out of sight. These are the findings from a study conducted by doctors and researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University Medical Center examining a subset of the most common form of congenital heart disease, ventricular septal defect.

14 Sep 2010

Depression in children and teens need to be treated early

Depression in children and teenagers can be very debilitating and can have a lifelong impact. Parents who suspect their child, even their youngster, might be depressed should seek help right away rather than simply hope their child will eventually "grow out of it."

14 Sep 2010

ADHD medication improves childhood cancer survivors: Research

A medicine widely used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also provides long-term relief from the attention and behavior changes that affect many childhood cancer survivors, according to a multicenter trial led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators.

14 Sep 2010

New book relates mercury in vaccines to autism

The U.S. government revealed last week that they will compensate a family millions of dollars for their daughter's injury related to her infant vaccines that contained mercury and the subsequent development of autism. Yet, the CDC continues to tell the public that there is no connection between vaccines and autism and that the mercury has been removed, although the flu shot recommended for all pregnant women, infants, and children continues to be preserved with mercury.

13 Sep 2010

IRIN reports on efforts to better address moderate acute malnutrition

Aid groups in West Africa are trying out new strategies and products for treating moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) as part of a U.N.-led effort to change 30 year old policies, IRIN reports.

13 Sep 2010

C-section rates on the rise

According to a California Watch analysis, profit making hospitals across the state are performing Cesarean sections at higher rates than non-profit hospitals. The analysis compiled a database of state birthing records and showed that women were at least 17 percent more likely to have a Cesarean section at a for-profit hospital than at a non-profit or public hospital from 2005 to 2007.

12 Sep 2010

Sun tanning still in demand for Victorian teenagers: Survey

According to the latest survey Victorian teenagers, despite skin cancer warnings, are still keen on getting a sun tan. The online survey by SunSmart showed that young Victorians are significantly more sun-safe than they were when the Slip! Slop! Slap! campaign first started 30 years ago.

12 Sep 2010

CMS issues hospice benefit guidance for terminally sick kids

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a guidance Thursday regarding a health overhaul mandate that state Medicaid programs allow terminally ill kids to get curative treatment even if they take hospice benefits, The Hill's Healthwatch Blog reports.

10 Sep 2010

BPA detectable in saliva of children for up to three hours after completion of dental work

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that bisphenol A (BPA) released from some plastic resins used in pediatric dentistry is detectable in the saliva after placement in children's mouths. BPA is a widely used synthetic chemical that has been associated with changes in behavior, prostate and urinary tract development, and early onset of puberty. The findings are published in the current issue of Pediatrics.

10 Sep 2010

Illinois researcher urges CDC to revisit pediatric vaccine stockpile policies

Vaccine manufacturers and public health decision-makers need to collaborate in a more efficient and effective manner not only to reduce the likelihood of supply shortages for pediatric vaccines but also to maximize community immunity by using vaccine doses to increase coverage, according to research published by a University of Illinois researcher who specializes in statistics and data analysis.

10 Sep 2010

PediaWorks, Medikit form PediaCath to develop pediatric catheters

PediaWorks and Medikit Co., Ltd. announced the formation of PediaCath, Inc., a joint venture to help alleviate the severe shortage of medical devices for use in pediatric patients.

10 Sep 2010

Study proves brain imaging data can track aberrant brain development

Five minutes in a scanner can reveal how far a child's brain has come along the path from childhood to maturity and potentially shed light on a range of psychological and developmental disorders, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown.Researchers assert this week in Science that their study proves brain imaging data can offer more extensive help in tracking aberrant brain development.

10 Sep 2010

Gates Foundation 2009 annual report released

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Tuesday released its 2009 annual report (.pdf) highlighting some of the foundation's work over the last year, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports (Holtzman, 9/7).

10 Sep 2010

Children with severe, therapy-resistant asthma more likely to have poorer lung function: SARP

A subset of children with asthma suffers from severe, treatment-resistant disease associated with more illness and greater allergic hypersensitivity, according to the results of the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute's Severe Asthma Research Program, presented in a recently published article in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc..

10 Sep 2010