Pediatrics News and Research

Latest Pediatrics News and Research

Dr. Reddy's Labs launches generic version of LEVAQUIN tablets in the U.S.

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories announced today that it has launched Levofloxacin tablets, a bioequivalent generic version of LEVAQUIN tablets in the US market on June 20, 2011, following the approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration of Dr. Reddy's ANDA for Levofloxacin tablets.

22 Jun 2011

Reduced levels of VAPB protein may play central role in causing ALS

An international team of scientists led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to reveal for the first time how reduced levels of a specific protein may play a central role in causing at least one inherited form of the disease.

22 Jun 2011

Blueberry compounds might aid in building strong bones

Compounds in blueberries might turn out to have a powerful effect on formation of strong, healthy bones, if results from studies with laboratory rats turn out to hold true for humans.

22 Jun 2011

Smoking during pregnancy lowers offspring's HDL cholesterol, greater risk of heart disease later

Scientists said on Tuesday that mothers who smoke while pregnant are causing changes to their unborn babies that can lead them to have less of a type of cholesterol known to protect against heart disease.

22 Jun 2011

More mothers are breast feeding: Report

The latest figures reveal that the number of new mothers who start breastfeeding is rising. A UK-wide survey showed eight out of ten newborns were put to the breast at least once, up from six out of ten in 1990. The proportion of new mothers who start to breastfeed their babies has risen in the past five years from 76% to 81% across the UK.

22 Jun 2011

AMA removes support for ‘sin tax’ on sugary drinks

The American Medical Association (AMA) Tuesday afternoon removed its support from taxes on sugar-sweetened soft drinks, saying the concept needs more study. The AMA's policy-making House of Delegates this week debated the idea of supporting state and local taxation of “beverages with added sweeteners” as a way of fighting the nation's obesity epidemic and improving related education of the public.

22 Jun 2011

Poll: Few parents fully understand their role in preventing infections at water parks

Water parks offer families a chance to have fun and be physically active. That fun may come with the risk of getting sick with infections from the water, illnesses that affect over 10,000 Americans each year. One of the best ways to reduce the risk of infection is to make sure that parents and kids shower before playing at water parks.

21 Jun 2011

Kid’s allergies estimated to be more prevalent than thought

It is found that food allergies in children might be more common than some previous research has suggested. A new study estimates that about 8% of children, about 6 million in the U.S., have a food allergy. Not only is this estimate higher than some previous research has reported, the study found that reported allergic reactions are often severe and that many kids have more than one allergy.

21 Jun 2011

First Australian clinic to exclusively diagnose and treat fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Australia will soon have its first screening and diagnostic service for children with alcohol-related birth defects. The service is being set up by The Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney amid concerns that thousands of Australian children are suffering from fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The disorders are triggered in unborn babies exposed to alcohol consumed by their mothers and are the most common, preventable cause of disabilities and brain damage in children.

21 Jun 2011

Study: 1 in 13 children suffer from food allergies

A national study of food allergies in the US, the largest of its kind, finds that more children have food allergies than previously reported.

21 Jun 2011

Study: Portable pools may be more dangerous for children than many parents realize

As the weather gets warmer, many parents will turn to pools to keep their family cool. Due to their low cost and ease of use, portable pools - which include wading pools, inflatable pools and soft-sided, self-rising pools - have become an increasingly popular alternative to expensive in-ground pools or water park visits.

21 Jun 2011

Is it safe to give babies and toddlers cough medicines?

Consumer health website, www.itsmyhealth.com.au reports that over-the-counter cold remedies can do more harm than good.

20 Jun 2011

News media and childhood obesity

Where you get your news could play a significant role in determining what you perceive as the best strategy for addressing childhood obesity. According to a study led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, whether you believe the keys to combating childhood obesity are personal factors such as individual behavior changes or system-level factors such as marketing and the environment may depend on your primary news source.

20 Jun 2011

New study: 8% of children have food allergies

A new study in Pediatrics finds 8 percent of children have food allergies, much higher that previously reported.

20 Jun 2011

Mother and baby cytomegalovirus screening important to prevent consequences

According to health experts, pregnant women and newborns should be screened for a virus that causes brain damage and deafness. The study that appeared in the latest issue of The Medical Journal of Australia yesterday says hundreds of cases of cytomegalovirus (CMV) are likely being missed each year in Australia because of a lack of screening, denying babies treatment for the condition.

19 Jun 2011

Boosting immune response may cause cold-induced asthma flare-ups

People often talk about "boosting" their immunity to prevent and fight colds. Nutritional supplements, cold remedies and fortified foods claim to stave off colds by augmenting the immune system.

18 Jun 2011

Paternal exposure during pregnancy may affect man's ability to father a child

According to the California Teratogen Information Service (CTIS) Pregnancy Health Information Line, more studies are needed to evaluate men and the potential effect of illnesses, medications and lifestyle habits on fertility and pregnancy. For couples suffering fertility problems, the issue is linked to the potential father approximately 50 percent of the time. In close to a quarter of these cases, a specific cause is unknown.

18 Jun 2011

OptumHealth names Women & Infants as Center of Excellence for Reproductive Resource Services

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island has been named a Center of Excellence for Reproductive Resource Services by OptumHealth, an independent audit company.

18 Jun 2011

Longer looks: Turning doctors' views of alternative therapies; a male birth control pill; teenagers and tanning beds

Medicine has long decried acupuncture, homeopathy, and the like as dangerous nonsense that preys on the gullible. Again and again, carefully controlled studies have shown alternative medicine to work no better than a placebo. But now many doctors admit that alternative medicine often seems to do a better job of making patients well, and at a much lower cost, than mainstream care — and they're trying to learn from it.

18 Jun 2011

High rates of type 1 diabetes in Australian children

According to a new report the rate of Type 1 diabetes in Australian children will leap by 10 per cent in the five years to 2013, cementing Australia's position in the top 10 OECD nations for the condition's prevalence. Currently the prevalence of diabetes in Australia ranks seventh-highest among the 30 OECD nations.

17 Jun 2011