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Mandated cCMV screening improves early identification of infant hearing loss

A new retrospective cohort study examining the impact of Minnesota's first-in-the-nation mandated universal newborn screening for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) shows that universal screening significantly decreased the age at first audiology visit and increased identification of mild hearing loss in infants.

2 Mar 2026

Poverty linked to early motor delays in babies as young as six months

Poverty can affect babies' motor development as early as six months of age. This is the conclusion of the first Brazilian study to examine the quantity and quality of motor development month by month and its relationship with socioeconomic vulnerability during the first months of life.

2 Mar 2026

Early interventions provide academic benefits for children with developmental delays or disabilities

Children who received Early Intervention (EI) services before age 3 were more likely to meet third-grade academic standards in math and English language arts (ELA), according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the New York City Health Department. The findings are published in JAMA Network Open.

2 Mar 2026

Exploring how best friends and popular peers influence adolescent behavior

As children enter adolescence, peers become a dominant force in their lives. With adult supervision waning, teens look to agemates for guidance on how to act, think and fit in.

2 Mar 2026

Poor oral health in childhood linked to higher incidence of cardiovascular disease in adulthood

A tooth cavity and bleeding gums is a common scenario among Danish children – and one that researchers now connect to health problems long after the last baby tooth has left the mouth.

2 Mar 2026

Living near nuclear power plants is associated with higher cancer mortality, national US study reports

A nationwide ecological study of US counties from 2000 to 2018 found that greater proximity to operational nuclear power plants was associated with higher cancer mortality rates, particularly among adults aged 65–74 years. The analysis used inverse-distance weighting within 200 km and adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and healthcare factors, but did not measure individual radiation exposure.

1 Mar 2026

Toddler thrives after receiving newly FDA-approved cochlear implant system

Six months after becoming the first patient in the United States to receive a newly FDA-approved cochlear implant system, 18-month-old Nene Gudavadze is responding to sound, dancing to music, and saying her first words.

27 Feb 2026

Refugee and immigrant children less likely to use emergency departments for minor illnesses

Refugee and immigrant children are less likely to visit the emergency department (ED) for minor illnesses (e.g., respiratory infections) compared to children born in Ontario, according to a new study from ICES and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

27 Feb 2026

Corneal nerve function declines with age in aniridia patients

Congenital aniridia is a rare disease caused, in most cases, by mutations in the PAX6 gene, which is essential for the development of ocular structures.

27 Feb 2026

Zero-alcohol ads may increase teens’ intent to drink alcohol

Findings indicate zero-alcohol advertising could serve as indirect marketing for alcohol, raising questions about its impact on adolescent drinking behaviors.

27 Feb 2026

Breasts as an active thermoregulatory tool for newborns

Breasts are necessary for breastfeeding, but their size is not decisive in terms of milk production. A large part of the breast consists of adipose tissue, and earlier theories have suggested that they function, for example, as a body fat reserve. Another theory proposes that breasts evolved through sexual selection as a signal of individual fitness, similar to facial symmetry.

26 Feb 2026

Matching academic demands to teen biology

High school students often have trouble getting to bed at a reasonable time, which makes it difficult for them to start school early in the morning. This is because teenagers are biologically wired to fall asleep later than adults, with their biological clock shifting progressively later throughout adolescence. The result is that most teenagers don't get enough sleep on school days, and their sleep deficits increase as the week progresses.

26 Feb 2026

How physical strength and self-belief grow together in teens

Physical fitness and psychological resilience develop side by side during adolescence, a life stage that lays the foundation for adult health. Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, and agility are well-known predictors of cardiometabolic health, while self-efficacy, defined as the belief in one's ability to overcome challenges, shapes motivation, persistence, and coping strategies.

26 Feb 2026

New method clarifies whether NOTCH1 variants cause congenital heart defects

One to two out of every 100 newborn babies are born with a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD), yet the exact cause remains unclear.

26 Feb 2026

Combining stem cell therapy with fetal surgery shows promise for treating myelomeningocele

A phase 1 clinical trial published in The Lancet has shown that combining stem cell therapy with standard fetal surgery before birth is a safe and promising approach to treat myelomeningocele, a severe form of spina bifida.

26 Feb 2026

Rising vitamin K shot refusal increases newborn brain injury risk

Increasing numbers of parents are refusing vitamin K shots for their newborns, putting infants at greater risk of avoidable brain injuries, according to a preliminary systematic review released February 26, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

26 Feb 2026

Decoding the purpose of fetal yawns in the womb

Even in the womb, where all oxygen is provided by the parental placenta, fetuses can-and do-yawn. More yawns during observation were associated with a lower weight at birth-potentially indicating mild fetal stress in the womb, according to a study published February 25, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Damiano Menin, of the Università degli Studi di Ferrara in Italy, and colleagues.

26 Feb 2026

Vitamin B3 shows promise for treating rare genetic disorder

Scientists at Gladstone Institutes have flipped the traditional approach to finding potential treatments for deadly diseases.

25 Feb 2026

RSV and COVID-19 trigger different immune responses in infants

Young infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) often become much sicker compared to those infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

25 Feb 2026

Having “hasslers” in your network linked to faster aging and poorer health

Researchers analyzed a state-representative US sample to examine whether negative social ties, termed “hasslers,” are associated with epigenetic age acceleration and faster biological aging. Each additional hassler was linked to roughly nine months higher biological age and a 1.5% faster pace of aging, with particularly strong associations for mental health outcomes.

25 Feb 2026