Child Health News

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Research Roundup: Soda taxes, health reform timeline, children's health disparities, best hospital practices

Health Affairs: Soda Taxes, Soft Drink Consumption, And Children's Body Mass Index - "Using data on state sales taxes for soda and individual-level data on children," the authors report existing taxes on soda fail to "substantially affect overall levels of soda consumption or obesity rates." However, the authors also found "statistically significant and substantively larger effects of differential soda sales taxes among children who are heavier, have lower family income, are African American, or watch a great deal of TV.

3 Apr 2010

Nationwide Children's Hospital unveils new combined operative and diagnostic MRI suite

As technology continues to change and grow, Nationwide Children's Hospital is keeping pace by unveiling a new combined operative and diagnostic MRI suite. Unlike a fixed MRI system, this structure offers the versatility of moving between three different rooms, ultimately utilizing the machine for two needs - intraoperative MRI diagnostics and non-operative diagnostic imaging.

3 Apr 2010

Harnessing body's own natural killer cells to battle cancer in children

Work underway at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital seeks to harnesses the body's own immune cells known as natural killer, or NK, cells to help children battle cancer. NK cells are the immune system's warriors. The cells circulate widely in the body, armed with proteins, called enzymes, capable of delivering a deadly one-two punch to viruses and cancer cells.

3 Apr 2010

American Pain Society bestows "Clinical Center of Excellence" on Children's Hospital Boston's Pain Treatment Service

Children's Hospital Boston's Pain Treatment Service has been named a "Clinical Center of Excellence" by the American Pain Society, an honor that is bestowed upon five pain centers each year. This is the first year Children's has entered into the nomination process.

3 Apr 2010

Dorel Juvenile Group to donate $200,000 to Make-A-Wish Foundation

Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc., a division of Dorel Industries and the nation's largest juvenile products manufacturer, today announced its commitment to donate $200,000 in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

3 Apr 2010

QCC survey finds substantial declines in Georgia’s child care centers

A new survey from Quality Care for Children shows that the number of child care centers in Georgia declined sharply in 2009 with a net loss of approximately 600 centers while the number of nationally accredited centers dropped roughly 27 percent, from 304 in 2008 to 221 in 2009.

3 Apr 2010

Easter Seals Bay Area urges people to support families living with autism

Ever feel compelled to help a cause you believe in, but just don't know how? By working with Easter Seals Bay Area (bayarea.easterseals.com), you can join the fight for families with autism so they can get the care, guidance and support they need, and help children with autism have the bright future that every child deserves.

2 Apr 2010

Larger taxes on soft drinks may help reduce consumption among children

Small sales taxes on soft drinks in the range currently in force in some states are insufficient to reduce consumption of soda or curb obesity among children, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

2 Apr 2010

Parent-run movement intensifies efforts to make publicly funded autism therapy more accessible

Hundreds of parents whose children with autism have been abandoned by the Ontario government announced today at Queen's Park that they are intensifying their efforts to make autism therapy more accessible by training in civil disobedience, peaceful protest and other more assertive forms of advocacy.

2 Apr 2010

Laughter is the best medicine for ill kids: say Clown Doctors

Jean-Paul Bell aka "Dr B Loony" has given child patients across Australia a reason to smile and laugh this National Smile Day. He believes, "When you're in pain and suffering ... it's not like the last thing you want to do is have a laugh…You'll grab a laugh instantly just to escape where you're at - humour has that effect where it gives you a brief out-of-body experience."

2 Apr 2010

Gene linked to kidney cancer in children discovered

Cancer Research UK-funded scientists have identified two genes linked to Wilms' tumour - a type of childhood kidney cancer - according to research published in Clinical Cancer Research.

2 Apr 2010

Liver function tests misinterpreted in majority of children's hospitals

New research led by physician-scientists at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine shows that the test most commonly used to screen pediatric patients for chronic liver disease is often incorrectly interpreted in many children's hospitals throughout the United States.

2 Apr 2010

Mislabeled high fire risk kids nightwear recalled by Big W

Big W stores in Australia have apologized after selling inflammable children’s night wear labeled as “low fire danger”. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) deputy chair Peter Kell said in a statement, "The ACCC enforces a mandatory standard for the labelling of children's nightwear,” "It is designed to reduce the risk of burns injuries to children by providing specific information on the fire hazard," he said. "There is considerable research which shows that clear labelling helps minimise the risk of these injuries, which is why the ACCC regularly monitors compliance."

1 Apr 2010

Newsweek examines challenges associated wtih U.S. food aid program

Newsweek examines how the U.S. farm bill influences food aid by tracking the efforts of U.S. entrepreneur Navyn Salem as she worked to launch a nonprofit capable of providing ready-to-use therapeutic (RUTF) food aid known as Plumpy'nut - "a squeezable package of fortified peanut-butter-based paste … used to feed severely malnourished children and pregnant or lactating women" - to NGOs that contract with USAID.

1 Apr 2010

Meditation to replace traumatic court visits for abuse kids

The Australian Government is discussing the introduction of meditation as a means to reduce psychological trauma to children who are abused or have to sit through court sessions. The trauma that a child at risk of abuse or other legal conflicts undergoes has been long debated and often accepted as a bitter truth.

1 Apr 2010

Breastfeeding benefits expanded to cover mothers: Risk of diabetes reduced

Research has found a new benefit that mothers can obtain by breast feeding – decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. Benefits of breastfeeding for the baby have been cited for a long time now. In spite of this knowledge according to The Australian Breastfeeding Association there is a definite gap in awareness regarding health benefits that this simple yet effective practice can offer.

1 Apr 2010

Insurers comply with new coverage rules for sick children

Early Tuesday, insurers agreed to new rules for covering sick children, including a ban that will take effect in September on "pre-existing condition exclusions" for children younger than 19.

1 Apr 2010

Funds raised at CASMA's spring conference to benefit The Montréal Children's Hospital

Mondial Assistance and the Computerized Airline Sales and Marketing Association announced today that a fundraiser held during a reception at CASMA's spring conference in Montréal raised enough money to purchase a saturation/end tidal carbon dioxide monitor for the Department of Anesthesia at The Montréal Children's Hospital.

31 Mar 2010

Nation's emergency physicians warn parents about dangers of prescription drug abuse

The nation's emergency physicians are issuing a strong warning to parents about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, which are now the second most abused drugs, after marijuana. Nearly three-quarters of a million people (741,425) needed emergency care in 2006 because of prescription drug abuse.

31 Mar 2010

PhRMA report: 234 medicines in development for special health care needs of children

America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are developing 234 medicines for the special health care needs of children, according to a new report released today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

31 Mar 2010