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Prenatal BPA exposure tied to autism risk in boys

Study reveals that prenatal exposure to BPA disrupts aromatase activity in male brains, potentially leading to autism-like symptoms. Treatment with 10-HDA shows promise in reversing these effects.

11 Aug 2024

Inflammation during pregnancy impacts child neurodevelopment

When a person experiences an injury or infection, the body's immune system responds with inflammation to start the healing process. However, inflammation can occur in much less helpful circumstances – for example, when a person experiences psychological stress or consistently eats a poor diet high in sugars, fats, and processed foods.

9 Aug 2024

Autism and ADHD linked to neighborhood conditions

Autistic youth who were born in underserved neighborhoods are more likely to have greater attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms than those born in communities with more resources. This is one finding of a new study led by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute.

9 Aug 2024

How can scientists better understand, promote, and support childhood curiosity?

Researchers review over 170 studies on childhood curiosity, highlighting its role in learning and development while calling for more inclusive research and precise definitions to better understand and promote this vital trait.

8 Aug 2024

Cross-reactive T cells link SARS-CoV-2 to autoimmune triggers in MIS-C

Research identifies cross-reactive T cells targeting both SARS-CoV-2 and human SNX8 protein, providing insights into the autoimmune mechanisms driving MIS-C in children.

8 Aug 2024

School reopenings during COVID-19 linked to spike in youth mental health emergencies, study finds

Study found that school reopenings after COVID-19 closures in Italy led to a significant rise in youth psychiatric emergencies, particularly among females, highlighting the mental health impact of returning to academic and social pressures.

8 Aug 2024

Prenatal famine exposure tied to higher risk of Type 2 diabetes

Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine used the setting of the man-made Ukrainian Holodomor famine of 1932-1933 to examine the relation between prenatal famine and adult Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

8 Aug 2024

Many children with recurrent wheezing have "silent" lung infections, research reveals

Nearly a quarter of children with recurrent wheezing have "silent" lung infections that would be better treated with antiviral medications than commonly prescribed steroids that can carry lifelong side effects, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reveals.

8 Aug 2024

Innovative program promotes positive adolescent romantic relationships and use of effective contraceptives

Romantic relationships play an important part in adolescent development. Most young people have had at least one romantic relationship by middle adolescence (ages 14 to17).

8 Aug 2024

Alcohol use disorders in parents linked to accelerated aging in children

Researchers at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have discovered that parents who struggle with alcohol use disorders can pass along symptoms of early aging to their children, affecting them well into adulthood.

8 Aug 2024

Saliva test outperforms blood test in indicating the severity of recurrent respiratory infections in children

A saliva test can more accurately indicate the severity of recurrent respiratory infections in children than the standard blood test.

8 Aug 2024

Increased skin-to-skin time linked to better neurodevelopment

Skin-to-skin cuddling with a parent has lasting cognitive benefits for premature babies, according to a new Stanford Medicine study. Preemies who received more skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care, while hospitalized as newborns were less likely to be developmentally delayed at 1 year of age, the study found.

8 Aug 2024

Alarming rise in sugary drink consumption among youth

A new global analysis of the dietary habits of children and adolescents from 185 countries revealed that youth, on average, consumed nearly 23% more sugar-sweetened beverages in 2018 compared to 1990. Overall, intakes were similar in boys and girls, but higher in teens, urban residents, and children of parents with lower levels of education. Researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University published the findings on August 7th, 2024 in The BMJ.

7 Aug 2024

Investigational drug shows promise in treating rare blood disease in fetuses

Data from a new investigational drug that could alter the standard treatment for a rare blood disease suggests it has the potential to delay or prevent anemia and the need for intrauterine blood transfusions in babies who are at high risk for the condition, known as Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN).

7 Aug 2024

SARS-CoV-2 protein linked to onset of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a link between a SARS-CoV-2 protein and the onset of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

7 Aug 2024

Higher BPA levels in pregnant mothers linked to autism in sons

Florey researchers have found evidence of higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers who gave birth to sons with autism.

7 Aug 2024

Research reveals autoimmune mechanism behind multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

Study reveals a mechanism behind multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

7 Aug 2024

Novel blood test could predict chronic lung disease in preterm babies within hours of birth

A blood test can help predict which preterm babies will go onto develop chronic lung disease, allowing for earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatments, according to a new study.

7 Aug 2024

Social media bans could deny teenagers mental health help

Social media's effects on the mental health of young people are not well understood. That hasn't stopped Congress, state legislatures, and the U.S. surgeon general from moving ahead with age bans and warning labels for YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

7 Aug 2024

The evolving nature of infant-caregiver communication

Compared to other mammals, human children are dependent on their caregivers for a remarkably long time. Throughout the ages, they have developed "psychological tactics" to endear themselves to adults and thus enhance their chances of survival. This prolonged dependency is believed to have driven the evolution of complex signaling mechanisms to help infants attract and maintain adult attention.

7 Aug 2024