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Premature newborn boys have poorer prognosis compared to newborn girls, says study

Among premature births - children born before the 37th week of pregnancy - newborn boys have a poorer prognosis than newborn girls. In her dissertation at Lund University in Sweden, the physician Emma Elsmén Steen has explored why male gender constitutes a risk factor for greater morbidity in these infants.

14 Dec 2009

Breast Cancer Fund: It's time for the FDA to issue immediate ban on BPA in hard plastic food containers

It's been almost two weeks since the Food and Drug Administration missed its deadline to announce the results of a new safety assessment of the toxic plastics chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, and each day more newborn babies and pregnant women are left unprotected from this hormone-disrupting compound linked to breast cancer and birth defects.

14 Dec 2009

Scientists evaluate current research on soy infant formula

Members of the media are invited to attend a press availability period at noon on Friday, December 18, 2009 that will follow a scientific meeting evaluating the safety of soy infant formula. An independent panel of 14 scientists will evaluate the most current research on soy infant formula to determine whether exposure to soy infant formula is a risk to human development.

14 Dec 2009

Physician's counsel can make a difference in reducing sudden death syndrome

The advice of a pediatrician to place infants on their backs to sleep appears to be the single most important motivator in getting parents to follow these recommendations and a key reason that the rate of sudden death syndrome (SIDS) has plummeted since the "Back to Sleep" campaign was launched in 1994, says a UT Southwestern researcher.

14 Dec 2009

Advice of pediatrician key motivator in baby's sleep position

13 Dec 2009

Pfizer's Prevenar 13 granted European marketing authorization

The European Commission has granted Pfizer Inc. a European marketing authorization for its pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, Prevenar 13 (Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine [13-valent, adsorbed]). Prevenar 13 is indicated for active immunization for the prevention of invasive disease, pneumonia, and acute otitis media caused by 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes in infants and children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age. Invasive pneumococcal disease includes sepsis, meningitis, bacteremia, bacteremic pneumonia, and empyema.

11 Dec 2009

NAA protests against abusive restraint and seclusion in schools

Today the National Autism Association announced its support of H.R. 4247, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act, introduced Wednesday by Congressman George Miller (D-CA) and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). The federal bill is a much-anticipated solution to the issues of unregulated restraint and seclusion in schools.

11 Dec 2009

Nutritionists offer tips for families to make and keep healthier New Year's resolutions

What's the most important New Year's resolution for parents this year? Keeping their kids healthy! With increased attention to juvenile obesity and related health problems, finding ways to improve lifestyle behaviors is emerging as a top priority for many parents nationwide.

11 Dec 2009

Store brand infant formulas nutritionally equivalent to name-brand products

On October 1, changes were made to the federal WIC program that provides nutritional support to low-income women, infants and children. The goal of the new food package is to encourage breastfeeding because mother's milk is best for babies. Mothers who breastfeed will no longer receive any infant formula under the new program. Mothers who choose to formula feed may receive up to 26% fewer infant formula vouchers than were afforded in previous years.

11 Dec 2009

UnitedHealth Group invests $5.4M in The Help Group’s tax-exempt revenue bonds

The Help Group received $5,395,000 in capital that will support development of its newest campus serving Los Angeles-area children, adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders.

10 Dec 2009

Promising trial on immunotherapy for preventing childhood cancer recurrence

CHILDREN in the UK with a high risk form of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma are set to benefit from a new international clinical trial - funded by Cancer Research UK - which uses immunotherapy to help prevent the disease from coming back.

10 Dec 2009

German researchers study target-oriented methods for children with brain tumor

Brain tumors are the primary cause of cancer mortality in children. Even if a cure is possible, young patients often suffer tremendously from the stressful treatment which can be harmful to the developing brain.

10 Dec 2009

Behavioral intervention can improve cognitive performance in children

Carnegie Mellon University scientists Timothy Keller and Marcel Just have uncovered the first evidence that intensive instruction to improve reading skills in young children causes the brain to physically rewire itself, creating new white matter that improves communication within the brain.

10 Dec 2009

Knowledge gaps exist among physicians in diagnosis and management of food allergy

With an estimated four to six percent of children in the U.S. suffering from food allergies, a new study shows that pediatricians and family physicians aren't always confident they have the ability to diagnose or treat food allergies.

10 Dec 2009

Franklin County Commissioners provide $7 million to prevent premature births

Saving the lives of children is the goal of a $7 million announcement today by Franklin County Commissioners Paula Brooks, Marilyn Brown and John O'Grady.

10 Dec 2009

Children exposed to tobacco smoke prenatally develop behavioral problems, shows study

The scientists observed that the impact of tobacco smoke was especially detrimental during gestation. The results of the study have been published in the current online issue of the renowned journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

10 Dec 2009

General Mills reduces sugar and increases key nutrients in children's ready-to-eat cereals

General Mills announced today a public commitment to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children to single-digit grams of sugar per serving. The initiative is in place and progress has been made, the company said, “with further reductions to continue until single-digit levels are reached on all cereals advertised to children.”

9 Dec 2009

INOVEM’s Inclusionware aids NWL PCTs in the ‘Get Better’ project

INOVEM, a British developer of collaborative and consultation technology, empowered the North West London Primary Care Trusts (NWL PCTs) to work together and engage with local communities more meaningfully in support of the ‘Get Better’ project.

9 Dec 2009

Report highlights the state of oral health for children and adults in the United States

Oral disease, primarily dental caries, is the most common pediatric disease and can lead to physical and psychological disabilities as well as significant morbidity in adulthood.

9 Dec 2009

Statewide blood screening program identifies infants with T-cell lymphopenia

The testing of DNA from a statewide blood screening program for newborns in Wisconsin was able to identify infants with T-cell lymphopenia, a blood disorder that affects the child's immune system, a disease in which early identification is important, according to a study in the December 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Dec 2009