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Eye-gaze technology opens world of communication for Rett Syndrome children

Special eye-gaze technology now being used in the Department of Neurology at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) is revealing the hidden, inner world of children who have Rett Syndrome, a rare and severe autism spectrum disorder that primarily affects little girls. It is a neurological disease in which mobility and autonomic functions are severely impaired, seizures and orthopedic problems are common, and the children lose functional hand use and the ability to speak.

26 Oct 2010

Sleep disorders threaten kids with premature heart disease and stroke

Poor sleep patterns and lack of proper sleep could be threatening thousands of Canadian adolescents with premature heart disease and stroke, warns Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher Dr. Brian McCrindle, a pediatric cardiologist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

26 Oct 2010

AAHP highlights safety of homeopathic children's medicines

The American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (AAHP), representing the major manufacturers and distributors of homeopathic drugs, highlights the safety of homeopathic children's medicines in response to the recall of Hyland's Teething Tablets. The AAHP supports the efforts to protect the safety of children by both the Standard Homeopathic Company and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

26 Oct 2010

To reach MDGs, citizens must demand more from political leaders, former U.N. Secretary-General tells U.N. Foundation board meeting

At a U.N. Foundation board meeting in Ghana to discuss Millennium Development Goal progress, which concluded on Saturday, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan "called on the citizenry to demand the attainment of these set goals from their political leaders," the Accra Mail reports. "It is only through this that we can put pressure on the politician to work towards achieving these goals," he said, according to the newspaper.

26 Oct 2010

In India, major reduction seen in polio since 2009, WHO says on World Polio Day

There has been a significant reduction in the number of polio cases diagnosed in India this year compared with the same time last year, the WHO said on World Polio Day Sunday, IANS/Sify News reports.

26 Oct 2010

Researchers investigate impact of fungal toxin on birth defects

A Creighton University School of Medicine researcher has been awarded a $2.7 million grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate a possible link between the ingestion of tortillas and corn-based food products contaminated with a fungal toxin and increased risk for birth defects.

26 Oct 2010

Fluoride consumption can cause mild enamel fluorosis

Young children who consume substantial amounts of fluoride through infant formula and other beverages mixed with fluoridated water or by swallowing fluoride toothpaste have an increased chance of developing mild enamel fluorosis, according to research published in the October issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association and supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

26 Oct 2010

Junk food taxes not the answer for childhood obesity: Report

A Productivity Commission report, “Childhood Obesity: an Economic Perspective”, released this Monday said that junk food taxes were not a cure for childhood obesity. It read, “Bans or taxes on particular energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, for example, face design difficulties, affect all consumers regardless of their weight status, and in the case of taxes, can have perverse budgetary and health effects particularly for the neediest groups.”

25 Oct 2010

H1N1 linked to increased rate of empyema in children

The H1N1 influenza pandemic has led to a sharp increase in the number of children with a serious "secondary" bacterial infection called empyema in children, suggests a study in the October issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

25 Oct 2010

Safety tips to reduce risk of lead exposure

With more than 2,700 children having elevated blood lead levels in 2009, the Department of Health today reminds parents to test young children for lead exposure, especially during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Oct. 24-30.

25 Oct 2010

Rethink Autism provides free online video to help child with autism for Halloween-related social interactions

How does a family with a child on the autism spectrum participate in Halloween activities. That question is pondered by more families than ever before. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that an average of 1 in 110 children in the United States has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

25 Oct 2010

Brainwave to open twenty first shop at Taunton

On the 29 October 2010, Brainwave will open their twenty first shop at 2 Priorswood Place Taunton, following the success of their existing Taunton store at 106 Roman Road.

25 Oct 2010

Childhood allergies and asthma linked to development in the womb

A child's chances of developing allergies or wheezing is related to how he or she grew at vital stages in the womb, according to scientists from the University of Southampton.

25 Oct 2010

FDA warns about risk of Hyland's Teething Tablets to children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today is warning consumers that Hyland's Teething Tablets may pose a risk to children. The FDA recommends that consumers not use this product and dispose of any in their possession. The manufacturer is issuing a recall of this product.

25 Oct 2010

HRSA supports Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program with $1.6M award

HRSA has awarded $1.6 million to support the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program (SCDTDP). The program is designed to establish practice models for the prevention and treatment of sickle cell disease through the coordinated efforts of providers, key stake holders, affected individuals and their families.

25 Oct 2010

CPSC and child safety organizations release new crib safety video

Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) joined three child safety organizations at NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital to release "Safe Sleep for Babies," a new crib safety video aimed at helping all new parents avoid suffocation, strangulation and entrapment risks in the sleep environment. CPSC also is announcing three new recalls of dangerous drop-side cribs.

25 Oct 2010

Aortic stiffness seen in obese children

The blood vessels of obese children have stiffness normally seen in much older adults with cardiovascular disease, Dr. Kevin Harris today told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010, co-hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The clock is ticking and the shape of the 13 year-old-heart is changing - for the worse.

25 Oct 2010

Childhood cancer survivors at increased risk of gastrointestinal problems

People treated for cancer when they were children have a higher-than-average risk of gastrointestinal problems - some mild, some quite severe - in the years following treatment, according to a study to be presented at the 42nd Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) in Boston on Sunday, Oct. 24.

25 Oct 2010

New multi-centre trial to treat cold and flu in children

Three Canadian research teams are trying to determine if a novel Canadian medicine approved by Health Canada for adults can help parents deal with the hacking coughs and runny noses their children suffer.

22 Oct 2010

Parents more likely to be dissatisfied with informed consent process in children’s clinical trials

Compared with adult cancer patients, parents of children with cancer were more likely to be dissatisfied with the informed consent process for participating in clinical trials, according to a study from Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center. The findings will be presented at the 42nd Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) in Boston on Saturday, Oct. 23.

22 Oct 2010