Pediatrics News and Research

Latest Pediatrics News and Research

Cigarette smoke worsens respiratory infections in infants

Studying Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) to learn what puts children at risk for the most severe infections, Washington University researchers at St. Louis Children's Hospital found that a child's age at the time of infection and whether that child lives with a smoker could mean the difference between the sniffles and the intensive care unit.

8 Mar 2005

Lack of clear definition for anaphylaxis puts millions at risk

A new report released today in The Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology sets the stage to clearly define a life-threatening medical condition that scientists characterized more than a century ago.

8 Mar 2005

Use of herbal supplements in women is increasing

The use of herbal supplements in women is increasing. Many mothers may also be giving herbal supplements to their children to treat or prevent various illnesses, including asthma, hyperactivity, colds, and respiratory infections.

8 Mar 2005

Adiponectin may be helpful in finding treatments for Progeria

In a study published in the March issue of The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers found that decreased levels of HDL cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol, may contribute to premature heart disease in children with Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, or Progeria.

8 Mar 2005

Cockroach allergen is the primary contributor to childhood asthma in inner-city homes

New results from a nationwide study on factors that affect asthma in inner-city children show that cockroach allergen appears to worsen asthma symptoms more than either dust mite or pet allergens.

8 Mar 2005

Pediatric obesity is now recognized as a major medical and health problem all over the world

A consensus statement on childhood obesity was published today in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one of the four journals of The Endocrine Society.

8 Mar 2005

Large hole in boy's liver repaired using innovative catheterization procedure

Through an innovative catheterization procedure, a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children's Heart Center in Houston repaired a severe liver condition in a 14-year-old male.

7 Mar 2005

Non-English speaking Hispanic teenagers have sex later than peers

Hispanic teenagers with lower acculturation (integration into American society) who use Spanish as their primary language are significantly less likely than their English-speaking more highly acculturated Hispanic peers to have had an initial experience of sexual intercourse, according to an article in the March issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

7 Mar 2005

Drinking more milk might not mean children develop healthier bones

The US Government's increased recommendations for increased daily calcium intake, largely from dairy products, to between 800 and 1,300 milligrams to promote healthy bones and prevent osteoporosis is being queried.

7 Mar 2005

Children should not operate motorbikes until they are old enough to obtain a driver's license

The use of motorbikes among children and adolescents is dangerous, on the rise and leading to a greater number of injuries, according to a new Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study.

7 Mar 2005

Underhand methods used to challenge secondhand smoke's link to infant death risk

The link between secondhand smoke and sudden infant death has been discredited in the last few years in scientific articles paid for and influenced by cigarette manufacturers, according to a new study of once-secret industry documents.

7 Mar 2005

Smoking prevention programs in junior high or high school have little influence on whether teens choose to light up

"Our study shows there is little evidence to suggest that existing school-based smoking prevention programs produce long-term reductions in smoking prevalence among youth," says the study's first author, Sarah Wiehe, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of pediatrics, Division of Children's Health Services Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

3 Mar 2005

Virtual reality games can help alleviate pain in children

Virtual reality games can help alleviate pain in children being treated for severe injuries, according to research published today in the Open Access, peer reviewed journal BMC Pediatrics.

2 Mar 2005

Small hearts make big difference for young transplant recipients

When a young child is in need of a heart transplant, the problem is not the intricate surgery, but the scarcity of donors.

1 Mar 2005

Children can benefit from surgery for sleep apnea

Times have changed. Within the last ten years, the primary reason that children have had surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids is not because of infection. Instead, up to 90 percent of the adenotonsillectomy surgeries are to correct obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

1 Mar 2005

New technologies may lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of disorders such as autism

Researchers at OHSU's OGI School of Science & Engineering have launched a unique, new research project that will use advanced speech and language technologies to better understand childhood communication disorders.

28 Feb 2005

More standardized geriatric training needed across all medical specialties

The changing medical needs of the growing 65-and-over population in the United States are not being met by current medical education, University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers warn.

27 Feb 2005

Beginning of new wave - first generation to turn 18 since technology and treatments have allowed them to survive to adulthood

More than half a million children with special health-care needs will turn 18 this year, the first generation to reach adulthood since sweeping medical advances ensured an unprecedented number would survive congenital conditions that until recently would have killed them.

27 Feb 2005

Gel provides protection from HIV and herpes

Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers demonstrated that a gel applied in the vagina provides protection from both the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the herpes simplex Virus. The study, presented at the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, is the first to show that a gel can retain anti-viral activity within the human vagina.

27 Feb 2005

Live surgical webcast of a minimally invasive mitral valve repair procedure

NYU Medical Center's Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery will conduct a live surgical webcast on March 9th at 3 pm ET of a minimally invasive mitral valve repair procedure.

27 Feb 2005