https://medicalxpress.com/childrens-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Children's Health Babies who are exclusively breastfed for at least three months carry markers in their blood that differ from babies who are not breastfed. The finding comes from the largest study of its kind, conducted across an international consortium. Researchers studied blood sample data in children, looking at epigenetic marks across the genome. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-exclusive-breastfeeding-linked-term-dna.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:20:04 EDT news695535841 Efforts to identify and evaluate next-generation therapeutics for pediatric brain tumors are easily stymied by the quality and availability of laboratory models for research. To address this issue, scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have developed patient-derived tumor organoids and tumor organoid xenografts that accurately reflect the biologic underpinnings of embryonal brain tumors. These models utilize the latest technical advances, allowing researchers to perform functional assays and preclinical drug testing faster without relying on newly obtained tumor samples. The models are available to other researchers upon request, providing a resource to help advance the field. The work appears in Science Advances. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-3d-brain-tumor-organoids-scientific.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:30:02 EDT news695492401 Researchers at Cincinnati Children's, working with collaborators at University College London and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have identified a practical, data-centered strategy to reduce bias in artificial intelligence (AI) systems used in children's mental health care. The findings, published in Communications Medicine, address growing concern that AI tools designed to assist clinicians may not perform equally well across patient groups. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-method-advances-efforts-bias-ai.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:40:01 EDT news695486823 Adolescents who consume more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have significantly higher odds of being overweight or obese, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the open-access journal PLOS One by Mekuriaw Nibret Aweke of the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ultra-food-intake-sharply-higher.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:11 EDT news695466061 Millions of neurons branch throughout our bodies, keeping them in close communication with our brains. This peripheral network begins to take shape long before birth, as the cells of a growing embryo move into position and adopt their specialized roles. This crucial stage of human development can't be monitored directly, but by examining genetic clues that linger in adult cells, scientists have now gained surprising insights into the developmental origins of the peripheral nervous system. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-secrets-human-early-nerve-cell.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:00:01 EDT news695404502 A new Yale study shows how the timing of depression in mothers and fathers affects mental health in their adult children. This includes influences on depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-parental-depression-adult-children-mental.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:40:01 EDT news695401980 The cerebellum, a part of the brain traditionally associated with balance and movement, is also important for more complex tasks like reading and spelling, a University of Alberta study suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-links-brain-region-linguistic-ability.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:40:01 EDT news695368261 Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that has been shown to strengthen teeth and reduce cavities. Many municipalities add fluoride to their drinking water—a process called community water fluoridation—as a public health measure to support dental health. In recent years, however, some have claimed that ingesting fluoride can harm children's IQ. Now researchers at the University of Minnesota have led a team that investigated the connection between fluoride in drinking water and children's IQ to see if these claims had merit. The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-fluoride-kids-iq-decades-analysis.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:20:06 EDT news695316481 Researchers at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have found that stopping mass drug administration for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) was associated with an increase in infections from other parasitic worms, threatening disease control efforts. The study, published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, suggests that once wider community treatment programs for LF ended, school-aged children were nearly twice as likely to be infected with the intestinal roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-community-wide-treatment-linked-resurgence.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:40:07 EDT news695301481 A new study, published in JAMA Network Open, reveals that school-age children and adolescents with medically diagnosed traumatic brain injury (TBI) have significantly higher rates of anxiety/depression, and strong family support and resilience helps alleviate some of it. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-impact-traumatic-brain-injury-children.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:00:15 EDT news695293201 Researchers from the University of California San Diego have found that local sales bans on flavored tobacco in California are associated with reduced youth vaping over time without increasing cigarette smoking. The findings, based on an analysis of more than 2.8 million middle and high school students, were published April 10, 2026, in JAMA Health Forum. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-flavored-tobacco-linked-youth-vaping.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:40:01 EDT news695047091 Humans and most other organisms have internal biological clocks that track the daily cycle of sunrise and sunset. These clocks help time our sleep, metabolism and other essential body functions over the course of a day, creating daily patterns called circadian rhythms. Research shows that when these rhythms are disrupted—by jet lag, lack of sleep or irregular work schedules—people can suffer long-term negative health effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-baby-body-clock-synchronize-local.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:40:01 EDT news695048979 The gut microbiome and epigenetics—molecular switches that turn genes on or off—are intertwined, and both contribute to neurodevelopment, finds a study published in Cell Press Blue. The researchers showed that epigenetic changes present at birth can impact how an infant's gut microbiome develops during their first year. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-epigenetic-birth-infant-microbiome-neurodevelopment.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:00:05 EDT news695040601 The numbers are sobering: nearly 80% of the world's teenagers don't get enough physical activity, according to the World Health Organization. But a new longitudinal study from Université de Montréal suggests the seeds of that sedentary lifestyle—or an active one—may be sown much earlier than anyone realized. Like when a child is 2.5 years of age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-play-age-decade-motion.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:06 EDT news695033641