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Researchers uncover new connection between brain regions involved in early stages of motor control

A newborn's brain is abuzz with activity. Day and night, it's processing signals from all over the body, from recognizing the wriggles of the child's own fingers and toes to the sound of mommy's or daddy's voice.

5 May 2017

Pediatric cardiology expert advises pregnant women to ask three questions about fetal ultrasounds

For pregnant women, it is standard practice to get a general fetal ultrasound between 18 to 22 weeks of pregnancy. Ultrasound scans, which use high-frequency sound waves to show images of the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid, help the doctor see how the baby is developing and detect possible birth defects.

5 May 2017

Baby rice food products contain illegal levels of inorganic arsenic, research finds

In January 2016, the EU imposed a maximum limit of inorganic arsenic on manufacturers in a bid to mitigate associated health risks. Researchers at the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's have found that little has changed since this law was passed and that 50 percent of baby rice food products still contain an illegal level of inorganic arsenic.

4 May 2017

Breast-feeding may aid development of white matter structures in the brains of premature babies

To the growing list of reasons why mothers should consider breast-feeding infants, add another: Critical white matter structures in the brains of babies who are born so prematurely that they weigh less than 1,500 grams develop more robustly when their mothers breast-feed them, compared with preemie peers who are fed formula.

4 May 2017

Children with single-ventricle disease have higher rates of brain abnormalities at each stage of surgery

As children with single-ventricle disease, a complex and severe heart defect, undergo a series of three reconstructive surgeries, pediatric researchers have detected higher rates of brain abnormalities at each stage.

4 May 2017

Pollen exposure can have negative effect on exam results of pupils with hay fever

Spring is exam time - and pollen season. It's also a bad combination for pupils suffering from pollen allergies, or hay fever.

4 May 2017

Outdated health myths practiced by grand parents could pose serious risks to young children

Many grandparents raising their grandchildren practice outdated health and parenting myths that could potentially pose serious risks to young children, according to illuminating new research by a Northwell Health pediatrician.

4 May 2017

New study shows low-cost gaming strategy can make school children eat more vegetables

A new study shows that the successful strategy to get elementary school children to eat more vegetables based on use of the FIT Game, can be just as effective and less costly to implement when teachers no longer administer the game.

3 May 2017

Speech or language impairments may not be linked to tantrums in children with autism

Speech or language impairments may not be the cause of more frequent tantrums in children with autism, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The findings could help parents of children with autism seek out the best treatment for behavior problems.

3 May 2017

Lost function of genes impairs development of motor skills in maturing mice

Scientists report in Neuron the lost function of two genes prevents infant laboratory mice from developing motor skills as they mature into adults. Researchers also suggest in their study that people with certain motor development disabilities be tested to see if they have mutant forms of the same genes.

3 May 2017

Study reveals safety data for using antimalarials during first trimester of pregnancy

Malaria is more common and severe in pregnant women, increasing their risk of miscarriage and other adverse outcomes. The adverse consequences of malaria in pregnancy require prompt, safe, and effective treatment.

3 May 2017

Exposure to cardiovascular risk factors in childhood linked to poorer learning, memory in midlife

A Finnish study coordinated by the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Turku shows that exposure to cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, elevated serum LDL-cholesterol and smoking in childhood and adolescence, is associated with poorer learning ability and memory in middle age.

3 May 2017

Phthalate exposure linked to increased risk of allergies among children

Phthalates, which are used as plasticizers in plastics, can considerably increase the risk of allergies among children.

3 May 2017

Specific genetic changes in the placenta of women may serve as biomarker to predict newborn health

UCLA scientists have discovered specific genetic changes in the placentas of women who gave birth to growth-restricted infants. These changes appear to sabotage the ability of the placenta to grow blood vessels and adequately nourish the fetus, interfering with the infant's growth in the womb.

3 May 2017

Prenatal cocaine exposure linked to increased risk of drug use among teens

While the crack cocaine epidemic peaked in the late 1980's, its effects are still causing harm to an estimated 3 million teenagers and young adults exposed to the stimulant in the womb.

3 May 2017

Molecular drug imaging likely to benefit children with brain tumors

Brain cancers are difficult to treat, and it can be hard to predict whether a therapy will be effective. When the patient is a child, it's even more important to predict the potential effectiveness of a drug before beginning treatment.

3 May 2017

NIH funds new project to test effectiveness of mobile phone app to decrease maternal depression

Georgia State University has received a $3.1 million grant to test the effectiveness of combining two programs in a mobile phone application to decrease maternal depression and build parenting skills that promote infant social communication and emotional competencies.

3 May 2017

EPFL researchers discover protein that kick-starts gene expression in nascent embryos

The formation of a human embryo starts with the fertilization of the oocyte by the sperm cell. This yields the zygote, the primordial cell that carries one copy each of the maternal and paternal genomes.

2 May 2017

Researchers uncover new potential target for treating spinal muscular atrophy

Though spinal muscular atrophy in its most severe form remains incurable and fatal in early childhood, researchers are sustaining a multipronged counterattack for patients and their families. The first treatment for the disease gained U.S. market approval in December.

2 May 2017

Parent-involved therapies found to be effective in treating children with disruptive behavior disorders

Therapy that involves the parents in the treatment of children with disruptive behavior disorders shows the best results compared to more than 20 other therapeutic approaches, according to a new study published today in the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, a journal of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

2 May 2017

Child Health News

Researchers uncover new connection between brain regions involved in early stages of motor control

Pediatric cardiology expert advises pregnant women to ask three questions about fetal ultrasounds

Baby rice food products contain illegal levels of inorganic arsenic, research finds

Breast-feeding may aid development of white matter structures in the brains of premature babies

Children with single-ventricle disease have higher rates of brain abnormalities at each stage of surgery

Pollen exposure can have negative effect on exam results of pupils with hay fever

Outdated health myths practiced by grand parents could pose serious risks to young children

New study shows low-cost gaming strategy can make school children eat more vegetables

Speech or language impairments may not be linked to tantrums in children with autism

Lost function of genes impairs development of motor skills in maturing mice

Study reveals safety data for using antimalarials during first trimester of pregnancy

Exposure to cardiovascular risk factors in childhood linked to poorer learning, memory in midlife

Phthalate exposure linked to increased risk of allergies among children

Specific genetic changes in the placenta of women may serve as biomarker to predict newborn health

Prenatal cocaine exposure linked to increased risk of drug use among teens

Molecular drug imaging likely to benefit children with brain tumors

NIH funds new project to test effectiveness of mobile phone app to decrease maternal depression

EPFL researchers discover protein that kick-starts gene expression in nascent embryos

Researchers uncover new potential target for treating spinal muscular atrophy

Parent-involved therapies found to be effective in treating children with disruptive behavior disorders

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

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