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Oral immunotherapy promising for egg allergies, SLIT for milk allergies

Children with egg allergies who consume increasingly higher doses of egg protein - the very nutrient they react to - appear to gradually overcome their allergies, tolerating eggs better over time and with milder symptoms, according to research conducted at Johns Hopkins Children's Center and elsewhere.

1 Mar 2010

Breastfeeding and better hygiene may protect against peptic ulcer bacterium infection

Young children in developing countries are infected at an early age with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which can cause peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. New findings show that childrens´ immune responses help in fighting the bacteria. In addition, breastfeeding and better hygiene appear to protect against infection. The results provide hope for a vaccine, according to research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

1 Mar 2010

Childhood obesity prevention: Prenatal and infancy period upto age 5 crucial

Efforts to prevent childhood obesity should begin far earlier than currently thought-perhaps even before birth-especially for minority children, according to a new study that tracked 1,826 women from pregnancy through their children's first five years of life.

1 Mar 2010

Obese children as young as 3 years old have elevated levels of C-reactive protein

A study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers found that obese children as young as 3 years old have elevated levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that in adults is considered an early warning sign for possible future heart disease.

1 Mar 2010

Reversing protein deficiency through gene therapy can improve SMA

Reversing a protein deficiency through gene therapy can correct motor function, restore nerve signals and improve survival in mice that serve as a model for the lethal childhood disorder spinal muscular atrophy, new research shows.

1 Mar 2010

Researchers find gene regulator that plays key role in DS-AMKL

Between 5 and 10 percent of babies with Down syndrome develop a transient form of leukemia that usually resolves on its own. However, for reasons that haven't been clear, 20 to 30 percent of these babies progress to a more serious leukemia known as Down syndrome acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (DS-AMKL), which affects the blood progenitor cells that form red blood cells and platelets.

1 Mar 2010

Unexplained, sudden anemia: Brown recluse spider bite

As spring approaches and people return to outdoor activities, caution should be taken in areas of the country that are home to Loxosceles reclusa, also called the brown recluse spider. A new study from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found that when patients present with sudden anemia, but the cause is elusive, the brown recluse spider should be part of the differential diagnosis, at least in parts of the nation where the spider is regularly found.

27 Feb 2010

Bioethics expert: Parents should be allowed to use selective reproduction in choosing future child's gender

A bioethics expert has argued that parents should be allowed to use selective reproduction to choose their future child's gender and to screen out serious disease and disability.

27 Feb 2010

Health Policy Research Roundup: Length of hospital stays, analyses of Obama's reform proposals

Archives Of Internal Medicine: Hospital Cost Of Care, Quality Of Care, And Readmission Rates - This study compares patients treated for pneumonia and congestive heart failure (CHF) and finds that high-cost hospitals don't always deliver better care. The researchers, who based their analysis on the data from 3,146 hospitals in the 2004 to 2006 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR), report that "risk-adjusted costs of care for CHF and pneumonia varied widely between hospitals, although hospital cost-of-care patterns seemed stable over time and correlated across conditions."

27 Feb 2010

Mutations in MeCP2 cause autism spectrum disorder Rett Syndrome

A paper published online today in Molecular Cell proposes that Methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) impacts the entire genome in neurons, rather than acting as a regulator of specific genes. Mutations in MeCP2 cause the autism spectrum disorder Rett Syndrome as well as some cases of neuropsychiatric problems including autism, schizophrenia and learning disabilities.

26 Feb 2010

Creators of Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign toast Let's Move! program

The creators of the popular Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign are toasting the new Let's Move! initiative that was unveiled by First Lady Michelle Obama. Instead of the latest celebrity sporting a white upper lip, the new ad features children – who have the most to gain from the new Let's Move! program, which aims to solve the childhood obesity problem in a generation.

26 Feb 2010

Baby Angels Foundation established to support bereaved parents in Minnesota and western Wisconsin

The death of a child is one of the most painful losses a family can experience, and when it happens unexpectedly it can leave them feeling confused and helpless. To help families cope immediately and long after this tragic event, Becca Peden and Serena Gragert have established the Baby Angels Foundation, a nonprofit organization aimed at raising awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and funding much-needed resources for bereaved parents in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

26 Feb 2010

Over 16% of pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes

Two to three times more pregnant women may soon be diagnosed and treated for gestational diabetes, based on new measurements for determining risky blood sugar levels for the mother and her unborn baby, according to a study that was coordinated by investigators at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

26 Feb 2010

Possible damage to children caused by compulsory vaccines: CVS calls for investigation of federal agencies

In a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of House and Senate Committees charged with oversight of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Coalition for Vaccine Safety (CVS) is calling for hearings to investigate HHS, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other government agencies for failure to fully address issues of vaccine safety as intended by the Mandate for Safer Vaccines in the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act.

26 Feb 2010

AST now offers programs and services to treat children with developmental disorders

Autism Spectrum Therapies, an agency providing comprehensive autism services throughout Southern California, is expanding its services to include speech and language programs and occupational therapy, in addition to behavior therapy. The focus of the new services will be early intervention for children from infancy to age three and developmental catch-up for young children who have fallen behind in any developmental area.

26 Feb 2010

Fetuses exposed to high levels of stress hormone may have solving problems later on: Study

A mother's nurture may provide powerful protection against risks her baby faces in the womb, according to a new article published online today in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The research shows that fetuses exposed to high levels of stress hormone - shown to be a harbinger for babies' poor cognitive development - can escape this fate if their mothers provide them sensitive care during infancy and toddler-hood.

26 Feb 2010

Maternal sensitivity may influence language development among children in early stages of autism

A new study by researchers from the University of Miami shows that maternal sensitivity may influence language development among children who go on to develop autism. Although parenting styles are not considered as a cause for autism, this report examines how early parenting can promote resiliency in this population.

26 Feb 2010

BPA exposure during pregnancy may cause permanent reproduction problems for female offspring

Here's more evidence that "safe" plastics are not as safe as once presumed: New research published online in The FASEB Journal suggests that exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy leads to epigenetic changes that may cause permanent reproduction problems for female offspring. BPA, a common component of plastics used to contain food, is a type of estrogen that is ubiquitous in the environment.

26 Feb 2010

New research using MRI shows that childhood stress can lead to structural brain changes

New research using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows that childhood stress such as abuse or emotional neglect, in particular when combined with genetic factors, can result in structural brain changes, rendering these people more vulnerable to developing depression. The study led by scientists at Trinity College Dublin has just been published in the international scientific journal, Neuropsychopharmacology.

25 Feb 2010

CHOP and AIAM collaborate to develop more accurate child crash test dummies

A research report released today by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Inc. (AIAM) details CHOP's cutting-edge work with academic and industry collaborators to develop more accurate child crash test dummies, called child anthropometric test devices (ATD's).

25 Feb 2010

Child Health News

Oral immunotherapy promising for egg allergies, SLIT for milk allergies

Breastfeeding and better hygiene may protect against peptic ulcer bacterium infection

Childhood obesity prevention: Prenatal and infancy period upto age 5 crucial

Obese children as young as 3 years old have elevated levels of C-reactive protein

Reversing protein deficiency through gene therapy can improve SMA

Researchers find gene regulator that plays key role in DS-AMKL

Unexplained, sudden anemia: Brown recluse spider bite

Bioethics expert: Parents should be allowed to use selective reproduction in choosing future child's gender

Health Policy Research Roundup: Length of hospital stays, analyses of Obama's reform proposals

Mutations in MeCP2 cause autism spectrum disorder Rett Syndrome

Creators of Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign toast Let's Move! program

Baby Angels Foundation established to support bereaved parents in Minnesota and western Wisconsin

Over 16% of pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes

Possible damage to children caused by compulsory vaccines: CVS calls for investigation of federal agencies

AST now offers programs and services to treat children with developmental disorders

Fetuses exposed to high levels of stress hormone may have solving problems later on: Study

Maternal sensitivity may influence language development among children in early stages of autism

BPA exposure during pregnancy may cause permanent reproduction problems for female offspring

New research using MRI shows that childhood stress can lead to structural brain changes

CHOP and AIAM collaborate to develop more accurate child crash test dummies

From street to lab: Advancing controlled substance testing with handheld Raman and FTIR

Reimagining light scattering for biotherapeutics

Empowering genomics research with cloud-based innovation

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