Last update:

Children's health news

Early lung damage mapped in children with cystic fibrosis

Researchers have mapped how lung damage begins early in life for children with cystic fibrosis, providing new insights that will help reshape future care. The research team, led by Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) ...

Is baby talk bad? Why 'parentese' actually helps babies learn language

Many parents have heard the warning: Don't use baby talk with babies and toddlers. Instead, caregivers are often encouraged to speak properly and use adultlike language, out of concern that simplified speech could confuse ...

Wearable knee robot could help children with muscle weakness

A lightweight robotic device that facilitates neuromuscular recovery in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), helping them to stand unassisted, is published in Nature this week. Improved function persists after discontinuing ...

Teen attitudes to exercise shape fitness years later

Teenagers who see exercise as fun, social and good for their health are significantly fitter by late adolescence than those driven by competition, pressure or fear of judgment, new research led by Flinders University shows. ...

Heart disease risk may start in the womb

A child's future heart health may be partially shaped before they are born, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study that found pregnancy complications are linked to poorer cardiovascular health in offspring more than 20 ...

Kids remember veggie scents from womb, study finds

Experiencing bitter or non-bitter flavors before birth can shape taste likes or dislikes after being born, according to new research led by the Durham University Department of Psychology. Researchers found that young children ...

Pediatric surgery program cuts opioid use by 56%

A 21-element recovery program for children undergoing gastrointestinal surgery reduced opioid use during hospitalization by 56%, according to a large clinical trial led by Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie ...

Teen depression linked with higher substance use rates

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adolescents experienced depression between 2021 and 2023, and those teens were significantly more likely to use substances such as alcohol, marijuana and opioids, according to a new national study.

Refugees reveal hidden trauma of life in the UK

From relentless cycles of intrusive memories to loneliness and physical pain, a new study from the University of East Anglia reveals the struggles of refugees who entered the U.K. as unaccompanied minors. Researchers interviewed ...

Today's teens are sleeping less than ever before

New research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health shows that teenagers today are getting less sleep than any generation before them. This lack of sleep causes daily fatigue and reduced functioning, alongside ...