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CommunityRx program reduces ER visits for food insecure children

In a new clinical study published in JAMA Pediatrics, researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine found that a low-intensity program that "prescribes" community resources to every parent or other primary caregiver of a hospitalized child reduced the use of acute care for children of food-insecure families in the following year, saving potentially thousands of dollars in healthcare expenditures while demanding little more than minutes of staff time per family.

28 Apr 2025

MASLD in children linked to increased mortality and chronic complications

Researchers from University of California San Diego have found that children diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are at significantly increased risk of premature death and serious long-term health complications.

28 Apr 2025

Ultra-processed foods make up nearly half of US grocery purchases, raising public health concerns

A 2025 study of nearly 60,000 US households found that almost half of grocery purchases were ultra-processed foods (UPFs), with major disparities based on income, education, and race. Non-Hispanic white households led in UPF purchases, especially in beverages, reversing earlier trends.

28 Apr 2025

Measles could return to endemic status if US vaccination rates fall further

Declining childhood vaccination rates in the United States could lead to a resurgence of measles and other previously eliminated infectious diseases. Simulation models predict that even current vaccination rates may be insufficient to prevent measles from becoming endemic within 20–25 years.

27 Apr 2025

Perspective shows Brexit exposed vulnerabilities in the UK’s food system

A new perspective article in Foods analyzes how Brexit disrupted the UK's food standards, security, and agricultural policy. The authors argue that emerging neoliberal frameworks like neo-developmentalism and eco-extractivism are reshaping the UK’s food system and national resilience.

27 Apr 2025

Exploring ondansetron as potential therapy for opioid-exposed infants

As the opioid crisis continues, the number of babies born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) – a condition that affects infants whose mothers used opioids during pregnancy – has risen 5-fold over the past 20 years.

25 Apr 2025

Erythropoietin fails to improve outcomes for newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Erythropoietin, a treatment for newborns with critically low levels of oxygen or blood supply to the brain at birth, does not prevent death or disability, according to a new multinational study.

25 Apr 2025

Gene therapy offers hope for children born with metachromatic leukodystrophy

If administered early, gene therapy has the potential to change the medical history of children born with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare and lethal neurodegenerative disease of genetic origin which leads to the progressive loss of the ability to walk, talk and interact.

25 Apr 2025

Rethinking inclusive education for children with severe illnesses

The aim of inclusive education is to ensure that students with special needs participate equally in societal life and learning.

25 Apr 2025

Eye contact may not be a definitive marker of autism, study shows

Children with autism are believed to face difficulties in social interactions, besides also lacking the ability to be attentive while interacting with others. In fact, eye contact avoidance is a key behavioral marker in the clinical diagnosis of autism.

25 Apr 2025

Malaria infection linked to childhood cancer risk

New data published in The Journal of Immunology uncovered the role of Plasmodium falciparum infection (malaria) in the development of Burkitt lymphoma (BL), the most common childhood cancer in equatorial Africa and New Guinea.

25 Apr 2025

Telehealth in pediatric primary care linked to responsible antibiotic use

Children treated with primary care telehealth visits were less likely to receive antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections than those examined in person, according to a new study.

25 Apr 2025

Early antibiotic use linked to higher childhood BMI

Taking antibiotics within the first two years of life is linked to a higher body mass index (BMI) in childhood, according to a new study. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2025 Meeting, held April 24-28 in Honolulu.

25 Apr 2025

Children with chronic conditions face higher RSV hospitalization risk

Young children with chronic conditions are more likely to be hospitalized for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) than healthy children, according to a new study.

25 Apr 2025

Babies in crisis settings show remarkable social abilities

Babies living as refugees have some of the same social skills as children with more secure home conditions.

24 Apr 2025

Urgent action needed to protect children from extreme heat in schools and child care settings

As Canadians face increasingly intense and frequent heat waves, health, education and legal experts are sounding the alarm on a growing crisis: extreme heat in schools and child care settings due to the escalating effects of climate change.

24 Apr 2025

What’s behind Gen Z’s skepticism about Ozempic and Wegovy

A U.S. study of over 500 youth aged 14–24 found high awareness but widespread hesitation about using semaglutide for weight loss. Concerns focused on safety, social stigma, and a preference for lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.

24 Apr 2025

AI predicts pediatric glioma recurrence using multiple brain scans

Artificial intelligence (AI) shows tremendous promise for analyzing vast medical imaging datasets and identifying patterns that may be missed by human observers.

24 Apr 2025

Global immunization progress threatened by misinformation and funding cuts

Immunization efforts are under growing threat as misinformation, population growth, humanitarian crises and funding cuts jeopardize progress and leave millions of children, adolescents and adults at risk, warn WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi during World Immunization Week, 24–30 April.

24 Apr 2025

Maternal childhood trauma linked to rapid weight gain in baby boys

Adverse situations experienced by the mother during childhood – such as neglect or physical, psychological or sexual violence – can trigger excessive weight gain in male children as early as the first two months of life.

23 Apr 2025