https://medicalxpress.com/pediatrics-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Pediatrics The mental health crisis among young people is on the rise. Unfortunately, limited access to professional help still remains one of the largest roadblocks to effectively dealing with mental health issues. Soon after AI chatbots entered the market, many people began turning to tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini for more than just information. They started leaning on these generative AI models for emotional reassurance and everyday psychological support. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-teens-ai-chatbots-mental-health.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:40:02 EDT news699700280 The DNA changes responsible for a rare genetic condition causing babies to be born without a pancreas can now be identified in almost all affected children through genetic testing. That's according to a new study from the University of Exeter, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, which found that genetic testing can identify the cause of pancreatic agenesis in 98% of cases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-genetic-fast-diagnosis-rare-pancreatic.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:30:05 EDT news699530790 Researchers at the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM), Karolinska Institutet, have identified a possible mechanism behind the spread of the aggressive brain tumor diffuse midline glioma. The study shows that the brain's own immune cells, microglia, may contribute to the tumor's invasive capacity by producing the protein fibronectin. The results are published in the journal Cell Death & Disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-children-brain-tumors-faster-microglia.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:40:07 EDT news699537541 Newborn meningitis is one of the most dangerous childhood infections. It is often life-threatening and can cause serious and lasting damage, including developmental problems, in the children who survive. Although meningitis is thankfully rare in newborns as a whole, it is more common in premature babies, affecting one in every 500 such infants in industrialized economies and likely more in developing countries. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-triple-therapy-block-newborn-meningitis.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:20:04 EDT news699533041 Pediatric flu vaccines significantly reduce the number of childhood cases of influenza, new research from Harvard Medical School confirms. The findings, published in JAMA Pediatrics, show that for every 100 children vaccinated, between nine and 14 fewer children catch the flu. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-childhood-flu-vaccines-infections-sharply.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:00:08 EDT news699264061 Healthy lifestyles can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other complications in childhood cancer survivors. These are the findings of two new international studies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-lifestyle-childhood-cancer-survivors.html Fri, 29 May 2026 13:40:06 EDT news699279661 Bans on teenagers' social media use are gathering pace worldwide. Their proponents claim that social media bans will improve young people's mental health, but what evidence supports these claims? In their new Frontiers in Developmental Psychology article, Dr. Monika Neff Lind and her co-authors argue that there is no solid scientific evidence behind these bans, and reason to believe they could backfire. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-social-media-teenagers-lack-evidence.html Fri, 29 May 2026 13:20:05 EDT news699268572 Most childhood lying does not lead to serious problems in adulthood, and only certain kinds of lying behavior are associated with later psychological or legal issues, a new study has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-children-criminals-persistent-patterns.html Thu, 28 May 2026 13:00:05 EDT news699190466 A new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests a routine heart test—an electrocardiogram (ECG)—may offer researchers a new way to measure biological development in children and adolescents. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-routine-heart-track-kids-mature.html Thu, 28 May 2026 11:20:03 EDT news699180393 A nationwide study has shed new light on how to most effectively and safely treat Chiari malformation and syringomyelia, rare neurological diseases that impact both children and young adults. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-chiari-malformation-syringomyelia-treatment-large.html Wed, 27 May 2026 17:00:02 EDT news699102841 A new Finnish study shows that blood markers of dysfunctional lipid metabolism are associated with poorer cognitive function in 15–17-year-olds. The findings are significant because brain development during adolescence is rapid, and protecting it from an early age is critical for lifelong brain health. Preventing lipid metabolism dysfunction from childhood may support not only cardiovascular health, but also healthy brain development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-heart-healthy-lipid-profile-benefits.html Wed, 27 May 2026 15:20:02 EDT news699101882 For most children diagnosed with medulloblastoma, the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor, survival rates are encouraging. But for a subset, remission is not the end of the story. Roughly 30% of patients will see their cancer return, and once it does, outcomes are often devastating. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-blocking-cancer-pathways-curb-medulloblastoma.html Tue, 26 May 2026 16:00:06 EDT news699029432