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Pediatrics news
New body index aims to move beyond BMI and works for babies too
Body Mass Index (BMI) has long been used in public health and clinical settings as a simple tool to classify an individual's physical status based on their height and weight. Originally developed in the 1830s by Belgian mathematician ...
15 hours ago
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Missing metabolite may drive rare childhood brain disorder, new biosensor reveals
Scientists at Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have discovered why babies born with a rare inborn error of metabolism called GPT2 deficiency suffer from severe neurological impairment. ...
13 hours ago
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Before babies can hear, their brains are already wiring for sound
Long before a baby's ears are functional, the brain is already building the circuitry needed for hearing, according to new research from Johns Hopkins University. Published in the journal Science Advances, the study in mice ...
Jul 16, 2026
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Simple antiseptic approach could help prevent deadly infections in newborn babies
A low-cost antiseptic treatment routinely used in health care settings could help reduce the risk of life-threatening infections in newborn babies, according to new research led by scientists at City St George's.
Jul 16, 2026
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Targeting RBM5 may help disrupt 'undruggable' MYC in childhood leukemia
Scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and collaborators have identified the RNA-binding protein RBM5 as a potential vulnerability in a set of difficult-to-treat childhood leukemias. They characterized how ...
Jul 16, 2026
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Study finds mixed associations between breastfeeding and childhood allergies
Breastfeeding is widely recognized for its important role in supporting a child's early growth and immune system development. Previous studies have found that exclusive breastfeeding for 4 to 6 months is associated with a ...
Jul 16, 2026
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Taking prebiotics during pregnancy could protect babies from antibiotic-linked food allergies
New research from The Kids Research Institute Australia suggests a simple dietary intervention during pregnancy could help protect against the increased risk of food allergies associated with antibiotics taken before birth.
Jul 16, 2026
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Epidurals not linked to increased harm for newborns or children
Having an epidural during labor is not associated with clinically significant increased risks of harm to newborn babies, including brain injury, severe breathing problems, sepsis and death, or cerebral palsy later in childhood, ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Leading ADHD medications found to be equally effective in children, with one key difference
Dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate have been found to be equally effective in the treatment of ADHD in children, but greater weight loss was observed in children taking dextroamphetamine, according to an Australian study ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Newborn screening: Why clear communication matters as testing expands
"I think you always believe it's never going to happen to me." That is how one parent described learning that their newborn baby had been identified as being at possible risk of a rare genetic condition through routine newborn ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Study sheds light on a misunderstood childhood food allergy
A few hours after eating, an infant may suddenly experience a severe reaction that leaves his or her parents searching for answers. Such episodes may be caused by food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), a condition ...
Jul 15, 2026
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India's immunization program reduced child mortality but highlights need for coordinating health, education policies
Each year, approximately 700,000 children worldwide die from diseases that vaccines could have prevented, nearly all of them in low- and middle-income countries. New research from University of Notre Dame economist Santosh ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Parents as 'coaches' can boost children's physical activity
Schoolchildren in Hong Kong face intense academic demands, with long hours of sedentary study leaving little time for movement. On average, their physical activity falls short of the World Health Organization's recommendation ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Why staying in sports or clubs may help kids say no to alcohol
Middle schoolers who stayed consistently involved in extracurricular activities maintained stronger personal reasons to avoid drinking alcohol, according to a new study.
Jul 15, 2026
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The new malaria vaccine helps in Africa but faces a test: Completing all 4 doses
Rain had turned the dirt road into thick mud, but Mabel Djoumessi kept walking with her 9-month-old son, Kenfack, strapped to her back. His malaria vaccination appointment at a clinic in central Cameroon was too important ...
Jul 15, 2026
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How geographic and local drivers shape breastfeeding initiation across the U.S.
New data on breastfeeding initiation across the U.S. reveal broad geographic patterns as well as local factors that can inform targeted public health interventions. The study by Tony Grubesic from the University of California ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Public health groups sue FDA over policy allowing marketing of unauthorized e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches
A coalition of public health organizations, pediatricians and parents has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Food and Drug Administration's new enforcement policy that allows e-cigarette and nicotine pouch products to ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Preparing teachers can support students with asthma
One in every 12 children has asthma, making it the most common chronic condition in children. But many teachers lack the training needed to support those students, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. ...
Jul 15, 2026
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FDA expands use of Zoryve to include young children with plaque psoriasis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an expanded indication for Zoryve (roflumilast) cream, 0.3%, for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in patients ages 2 and older. The expanded approval was granted ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Preterm birth impacts early educational achievements, study finds
More than half (57%) of children born before 32 weeks were not ready for school at age 5, including in areas such as communication and language and physical and emotional development. Those born earlier, at 23–24 weeks, were ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Nicotine use linked to mental health problems in adolescents, especially girls
Adolescents who use nicotine are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety, depression and other mental health problems than their peers who do not use nicotine. Girls appear to be particularly vulnerable, according to three ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Researchers uncover new therapeutic vulnerability in one of the most aggressive childhood leukemia
An international team led by the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC) in Barcelona, the Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENyO) and the University of Granada (UGR) has identified a new biological ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Children born in lockdown show weaker executive function at age 4, study finds
Children born during the first COVID-19 lockdown in England had lower reported levels of executive function—crucial skills involved in making plans, solving problems and adapting to new situations—suggest findings from a ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Postnatal collapse is rare but can have deleterious consequences
Sudden unexpected postnatal collapse during the first week of life is rare but can have deleterious consequences. A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that the condition is more common than previously estimated and ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Why food skills belong in the school curriculum—not left to chance at home
One in 10 children ages 7 to 9 is living with obesity in Europe. In England, childhood obesity rises from around 10% of children in Reception to around 22% by Year 6. While we know there are many complex and inter-connected ...
Jul 14, 2026
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