Pediatrics

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The age limit of such patients ranges from birth to 18. In countries where the age of majority is 18, this age limit may be from birth to age 17 (such as in Canada). A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician.

What is Pediatrics?

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine dealing with the health and medical care of infants, children, and adolescents from birth up to the age of 18. The word “paediatrics” means “healer of children”; they are derived from two Greek words: (pais = child) and (iatros = doctor or healer). Paediatrics is a relatively new medical specialty, developing only in the mid-19th century. Abraham Jacobi (1830–1919) is known as the father of paediatrics.

Effects of Passive Smoking on Children's Health

Pediatrics Training

How Fast Food Affects Children's Health

Importance of Sensory Stimulation for Babies

Supporting Children with Mental Health Disorders

Infections in Childhood

Pediatric Skin Conditions

Mental Health Disorders and Children

A Brief History of Pediatrics

Child and Adolescent Sports Injuries

Subspecialties of Pediatrics

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Pediatrician: Role, Education, Training, Subspecialties

Latest Pediatrics News and Research

Dangerous water bead ingestions increase among young children

A new study reveals that ingestions of water beads by young children have surged in recent years. Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center analyzed calls to U.S. poison centers and found an alarming 6,532% increase in the rate of reported water bead ingestions among children younger than 6 years from 2019 to 2023, followed by a 24% decrease from 2023 to 2024.

30 Apr 2026

Phone-based education significantly improves inhaler technique for COPD patients

Guiding people on how to correctly use inhaled medications via a phone-based program can help improve technique, according to a new study in the March 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal.

29 Apr 2026

Radiomics model enhances height prediction in girls after menarche

Menarche marks a major turning point in female development and usually signals that only limited height gain remains.

28 Apr 2026

Study finds season of entry impacts childhood obesity outcomes

Childhood obesity remains a major health challenge, and effective interventions often depend on more than nutritional advice or exercise plans alone.

28 Apr 2026

Study finds no causal link between antibiotics and celiac disease risk

The risk of celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction driven by gluten, is not a reason to avoid antibiotic treatment.

28 Apr 2026

Modeling the synergy of maternal screening and newborn HBV vaccination

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection acquired at birth or during early infancy can lead to lifelong health complications, including chronic liver disease. Despite longstanding recommendations for prenatal screening, an estimated 12% to 16% of pregnant individuals in the US are not screened for hepatitis B. This gap leaves a portion of newborns at risk for undetected exposure.

28 Apr 2026

Delaying hepatitis B birth vaccines increases infant infection risks

Delaying hepatitis B vaccination after birth increases infections among newborns and decreases their survival rates and quality of life, according to a new Cornell University study.

27 Apr 2026

U.S. child mortality rates remain higher than other high-income nations

At every age, children in the United States die at higher rates than peers in other high-income nations, according to a new study from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

25 Apr 2026

Intercellular heme transfer pathway sustains red blood cell production under stress

Scientists have long been puzzled by how maturing red blood cells manage to produce all the hemoglobin they need to carry oxygen to tissues, even after shedding the vital structures they need to produce it.

25 Apr 2026

Social media ‘sweet spot’ for Aussie teens

YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat – they’re just a few of the banned social media sites for Australian teenagers under 16.

25 Apr 2026

Study reframes Hodgkin lymphoma as a cancer of failed cell development

For the first time, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have demonstrated that Hodgkin lymphoma cancer cells from patient samples are immune cells stuck in an "identity crisis."

24 Apr 2026

Air quality in infancy may fundamentally shape long-term immune development

Ambient air pollution is associated with respiratory infection burden in the first year of life, according to preliminary findings from the Immune Development in Early Life (IDEaL) Rome Cohort. Findings from the cohort will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2026 Meeting, taking place April 24-27 in Boston.

24 Apr 2026

Children with multiple chronic conditions show unique antibiotic exposure patterns

A new study from Boston Children's Hospital found that annual prescription rates increased non-linearly as children's underlying level of medical complexity increased. Frequent antibiotic use has associated risks, including increased likelihood of antibiotic-related complications (e.g., C. difficile) as well as the development of antibiotic resistance. Findings from the study will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2026 Meeting, taking place April 24-27 in Boston.

24 Apr 2026

Study highlights the fragility of measles elimination in the United States

A new study examined measles vaccination coverage following a large postelimination outbreak, primarily affecting unvaccinated children. Findings from the study will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2026 Meeting, taking place April 24-27 in Boston.

24 Apr 2026

Negative parenting behaviors linked to gaming disorder in children with ADHD

A new Children's Hospital of Philadelphia study examines the relationship between parenting factors and gaming disorder in young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Findings from the study will be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2026 Meeting, taking place April 24-27 in Boston.

24 Apr 2026

U.S. dentists still prescribe opioids at higher rates globally

People getting their teeth pulled or drilled by dentists in the United States are still much more likely to get powerful opioid medications than dental patients in other developed countries or even the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, a new study finds.

23 Apr 2026

Researchers receive NIH grant to accelerate Alzheimer's drug discovery efforts

Dr. Damian Young, investigator at Texas Children's Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) and director of the Center for Drug Discovery at Baylor College of Medicine, along with collaborators has been awarded a $6.7 million grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to develop new approaches to rapidly identify potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias with the goal of accelerating the discovery of new therapies.

23 Apr 2026

Exercise may be safer for children with heart conditions

Physical activity in children and teenagers with cardiomyopathy (conditions that affect the heart muscle's structure and function, impairing its ability to pump or fill effectively), as well as children with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may be safer than previous research suggested, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published today in the Association's flagship peer-reviewed journal Circulation.

23 Apr 2026

Long COVID in children doubles risk of poor grades

Findings indicate long-COVID leads to academic and social difficulties in children, highlighting the importance of addressing their unique educational needs.

23 Apr 2026

Rural and urban children face distinct mental health challenges

A study in Pediatric Investigation found that rural and urban children and adolescents tend to experience different mental health issues, with those living in the country showing more emotional problems and those in the city demonstrating more behavioral issues.

22 Apr 2026