Pediatrics News and Research

Latest Pediatrics News and Research

The risks of indoor tanning to women

At age 17, all Meghan Rothschild and Brittany Lietz wanted was a dark tan. They thought it made them look beautiful. But both had no idea that in just three years they would be battling melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Now Meghan, 24, of Wilbraham, Mass., and Brittany, 23, of Annapolis, Md., are speaking out about their experiences.

5 May 2008

Whole-organ genomic survey depicts journey from normal to malignant cell

Whole-organ maps that superimpose genetic information over the terrain of cancerous bladders chart the molecular journey from normal cell to invasive cancer, an international research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports online at the journal Laboratory Investigation.

5 May 2008

TV hinders mother-child interaction - limited verbal interactions

Infants who are exposed to television and video in low socio-economic households tend to have limited verbal interactions with their mothers, according to a new study led by Alan L. Mendelsohn, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Clinical Research for the divisions of General and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine.

5 May 2008

Strange barriers to physical activity may exist at child-care centers

At a time when over half of US children (aged 3-6) are in child care centers, and growing concern over childhood obesity has led physicians to focus on whether children are getting enough physical activity, a new study of outdoor physical activity at child care centers, conducted by researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, has identified some surprising reasons why the kids may be staying inside.

5 May 2008

Extra iron for infants who don't need it might delay development

A new study suggests that extra iron for infants who don't need it might delay development -- results that fuel the debate over optimal iron supplement levels and could have huge implications for the baby formula and food industry.

5 May 2008

Parental psychiatric disorders associated with autism spectrum disorders in the offspring

Parents of children with autism were roughly twice as likely to have been hospitalized for a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, than parents of other children, according to an analysis of Swedish birth and hospital records by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher and colleagues in the U.S. and Europe.

5 May 2008

Uninsured kids in middle class have same unmet needs as poor

Nationwide, uninsured children in families earning between $38,000 and $77,000 a year are just as likely to go without any health care as uninsured children in poorer families. More than 40 percent of children in those income brackets who are uninsured all year see no physicians and have no prescriptions all year, according to new research from the University of Rochester Medical Center.

5 May 2008

New SCHIP enrollees have unmet health care needs

Even with prior private health insurance, patients enrolling in the state children's health insurance program (SCHIP) had unmet health care needs. Instituting a waiting period would further prolong these children's need to address asthma and other chronic health conditions.

5 May 2008

Nearly one-third of U.S. parents don't know what to expect of infants

Almost one-third of U.S. parents have a surprisingly low-level knowledge of typical infant development and unrealistic expectations for their child's physical, social and emotional growth, according to new research from the University of Rochester.

5 May 2008

Antidepressant amitriptyline shown to alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

Researchers at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA have found that low-dose antidepressant therapy can significantly improve the overall quality of life for adolescents suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

1 May 2008

Children's experiences in a pediatric intensive care unit

Nearly one in three children admitted to pediatric intensive care will experience delusions or hallucinations, which put them at higher risk for post-traumatic stress symptoms, according to a new study of children's experiences in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

1 May 2008

U.S. Congress passes genetic nondiscrimination act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) today by a vote of 414-1, building on the momentum of last week's unanimous Senate vote.

1 May 2008

Young children hospitalized for flu associated with higher costs and higher risk illness

The high costs of hospitalizing young children for influenza creates a significant economic burden in the United States, underscoring the importance of preventive flu shots for children and the people with whom they have regular contact, according to research led by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and presented May 4 at the Pediatric Academic Society annual meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.

30 Apr 2008

Mothers less likely to pursue HPV vaccination for youngest daughters

Because the first national study of its kind has found that U.S. mothers report they are less likely to vaccinate daughters under age 13 against human papillomavirus virus (HPV), even though the vaccine is recommended for girls at age 11 and 12, it's incumbent upon the healthcare community to work to improve moms' acceptance of the vaccination for younger daughters, say researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center who conducted the study. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus known to cause cervical cancer.

30 Apr 2008

Children more vulnerable to harmful effects of lead at age 6 than as toddlers

Contrary to prevailing assumptions, children are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead exposure at the age of 6 than they are in early childhood, according to a Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study to be presented May 4 at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Honolulu.

30 Apr 2008

U.S. unemployment having impact on kids' health care coverage

Two new studies conducted by researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center point to the negative impact of parental job loss on children's healthcare and the importance of having continuous health insurance coverage to meet children's healthcare needs and reduce healthcare disparities.

30 Apr 2008

Clinton Foundation, UNITAID announce new antiretroviral discounts

The Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative and UNITAID on Monday announced that they have negotiated agreements with generic drug companies that will reduce the cost of some antiretroviral drugs and provide new pediatric formulations, the Wall Street Journal reports.

29 Apr 2008

New less traumatic way of delivering surfactant to help preemies breathe could reduce chronic lung disease

A less traumatic way of delivering surfactant, a lung lubricant that premature babies need to help them breathe, could reduce the incidence of respiratory problems they'll have later, Medical College of Georgia physicians say.

29 Apr 2008

Factors affecting survival, disability of extremely premature infants identified

Gestational age has long been the factor most commonly used to predict whether an extremely low-birth-weight infant survives and thrives, but four additional factors that can help predict a preemie's outcome have been identified by the National Institutes of Health Neonatal Research Network, of which Yale is a member.

29 Apr 2008

CDC says one in four children are out of compliance with U.S. vaccination guidelines

Your toddler might be improperly vaccinated, even if she's had every immunization the government recommends, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

29 Apr 2008