https://medicalxpress.com/childrens-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Children's Health A prospective study led by researchers at Children's National found that onabotulinumtoxinA (ONA), commonly known as Botox, reduces headache frequency and headache-related disability in children and young adults with chronic migraine, providing important evidence to support its use in a pediatric population where treatment options remain limited. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-botox-pediatric-chronic-migraine-headaches.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:40:02 EDT news705036542 Currently, the U.S. health care system is very reactive, mainly treating people, including children, after they become sick rather than preventing illness. School nurse expert Erin Maughan and colleagues in the American Academy of Nursing's (AAN) Child, Adolescent and Family section believe a stronger focus on prevention could improve children's health throughout their lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-nurses-focused-approach-child-health.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:20:01 EDT news705036362 The United States is in the middle of a well-documented adolescent mental health crisis. Because Medicaid provides medical coverage for roughly half of all children in the country, the program has an essential role in responding to that crisis. Increasingly, that response runs through a small number of large corporations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-corporations-adolescents-medicaid.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:00:01 EDT news705036001 The definition of autism may have become so broad that it risks confusion and even misdiagnosis, according to a new editorial by UCL professor Dame Uta Frith, whose pioneering research in the 1960s and '70s laid the foundations for how we understand autism. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-definition-autism-broad.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:00:01 EDT news704964542 When tweens and young adolescents bring or pour drinks for adults, they may perceive that their parents approve of underage drinking, increasing the risk of early drinking initiation and later harmful alcohol use. Findings from a new study help clarify that this family practice may have unintended negative consequences. Certain well-intentioned parenting practices, including permitting children to taste alcohol, are strongly linked to later teen drinking—though why and how are not well understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-children-adults-problematic-alcohol.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:40:08 EDT news704978462 QIMR Berghofer researchers have found how breast milk supports infant immunity via a protein called osteopontin. The study also identifies a potential way of mimicking this protective effect in baby formula. The findings, published today in the journal Cell, reveal osteopontin triggers a cascade of biological signals that support immune cell development in a baby's liver and lungs and help protect against potentially deadly respiratory infections. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-breast-protein-osteopontin-shield-infants.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:40:02 EDT news704986561 One in four children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder was found to have rare chromosomal differences at considerably higher rates than the general population, according to a study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research. Half of those differences were associated with harmful or potentially harmful genetic variations. The study's authors recommend high-resolution genetic testing whenever fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is diagnosed to provide a more complete clinical diagnosis and identify opportunities for improved medical management. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-rare-chromosomal-differences-children-fetal.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:20:08 EDT news704978102 A research team from the School of Nursing at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has found that video-call support from trained peer mothers helped first-time mothers breastfeed more successfully. Among mothers who received this support, the study revealed a 42.6% relative increase in the number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their babies at two months after birth, along with greater confidence in breastfeeding. This is the first-of-its-kind randomized clinical trial in Hong Kong to evaluate video-call-based peer support for breastfeeding and is also one of the first trials globally to rigorously examine the effectiveness of this digital approach in improving breastfeeding outcomes. The research findings were published in JAMA Network Open. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-video-based-peer-boost-breastfeeding.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:20:04 EDT news704980381 Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital have conducted the world's first randomized clinical trial to test cortisone eyedrops to slow the progression of serious eye disease in extremely premature babies. The results suggest that the intervention can reduce the need for invasive treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a disease that causes blindness in 35,000 children worldwide each year. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-cortisone-eyedrops-sight-extremely-premature.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:40:06 EDT news704978641 Somewhere in Australia, a child is wobbling a baby tooth loose as an adult tooth pushes up behind it. For one in seven Aussie kids, that new tooth arrives already weak, marked with a creamy white or brownish patch in the enamel. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-mystery-weak-teeth-australian-kids.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 11:20:03 EDT news704968322 While Black and Hispanic families are enthusiastic about research participation, other provider- and system-focused factors may influence their involvement in pediatric oncology clinical trials, a UT Southwestern Medical Center-led study found. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, focused on parent and clinician perspectives, revealing opportunities to increase clinical trial participation among historically marginalized patients to help improve outcomes and make trial results more generalizable. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-boost-enrollment-black-hispanic-patients.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:20:05 EDT news704970001 Research from Oregon Health & Science University's Center for Mental Health Innovation provides new evidence that the way caregivers interact with children when they're very young can protect against the negative effects of inflammation during pregnancy, including increased attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, symptoms in children. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-link-caregiver-child-relationship-adhd.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:40:01 EDT news704954461 A pair of wearable stickers may transform diagnostic sweat testing for cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder that causes problems with digestion and breathing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-wearable-stickers-cystic-fibrosis-diagnosis.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:00:04 EDT news704707796 Newborns receive several routine immunizations shortly after birth. Prophylactic vitamin K is one such recommended shot. It activates several coagulation factors necessary for blood to clot properly, preventing vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), a condition that can be life-threatening. As more parents refuse prophylactic vitamin K for their children, researchers in Sweden wanted to examine trends in newborn vitamin K shots over time and any associations with infant bleeding diagnoses. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-million-newborns-vitamin-shot-higher.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:40:04 EDT news704621079 Exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke during the first days of life can cause changes in tooth enamel mineralization without causing visible changes to the teeth. This was demonstrated in an animal model study conducted by researchers at the Ribeirão Preto School of Dentistry at the University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) in Brazil. The results were published in May in the scientific journal Calcified Tissue International. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-rat-early-secondhand-exposure-tooth.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 07:00:03 EDT news704769247 An evidence review of international research suggests widespread misconceptions within the medical community about early milk production, pacifiers and breast pumps may be undermining breastfeeding success in the critical first days after birth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-hours-hospital-routines-undermine-breastfeeding.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:10:01 EDT news704619421 Vape devices are flooding teens' bodies with increasingly heavy doses of addictive nicotine, a new study finds. Average urine levels of a key nicotine metabolite, cotinine, nearly tripled among teenagers over a period of a few months in late 2024, researchers report in JAMA Psychiatry. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-nicotine-teens-vape.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news704703244 For children with asthma, exacerbation risk is associated with distinct profiles depending on house dust mite (HDM) sensitization status, according to a study published online July 16 in the International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-exacerbation-profiles-vary-house-mite.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:40:01 EDT news704719750 For children with allergic rhinitis (AR), press-needle therapy, especially in addition to medication, is potentially effective in improving clinical response, symptoms and quality of life, according to a review published in the September issue of the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-needle-therapy-potential-pediatric-allergic.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:00:05 EDT news704719926 Puberty is a process regulated by the endocrine system, and its timing can be altered by environmental factors. Several recent studies point to a trend toward earlier onset of puberty in girls, a phenomenon linked to a complex interplay among genetics, lifestyle and exposure to chemicals capable of interfering with hormones. Among these substances are certain pesticides, widely used in agriculture and present in some everyday foods. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-links-exposure-fungicides-insecticides-age.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:00:02 EDT news704720762 Breastfeeding support should move beyond simply encouraging women to breastfeed and instead focus on providing personalized, compassionate and culturally sensitive care, according to new research published in Women and Birth as part of World Breastfeeding Week. The commentary reviews some of the latest breastfeeding research and argues that while most women understand the benefits of breastfeeding and want to breastfeed, many are still not receiving the tailored support they need to achieve their own feeding goals. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-personalized-women-breastfeeding-goals.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:20:04 EDT news704702702 Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten that affects 1% to 3% of people globally and is caused by a mix of known genetic factors and unknown environmental ones. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-gluten-free-diet-reshapes-gut.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:00:03 EDT news704696762 Linguistic models that analyzed the words children used when talking about stressful events were better at predicting future mental health problems than a panel of human experts. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-children-future-mental-health-problems.html Fri, 31 Jul 2026 05:00:04 EDT news704553721 Screening for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in a pediatric asthma clinic may identify more patients than previously thought, according to a study published online June 23 in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-eosinophilic-esophagitis-prevalence-higher-thought.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:20:02 EDT news704634453 Adult childhood cancer survivors (CCS) of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) frequently report mental distress, fatigue and executive function (EF) impairment, according to a study published online in Current Oncology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-mental-distress-fatigue-common-childhood.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:40:01 EDT news704621531 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Simtriyo (centanafadine) for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children 6 years and older weighing ≥20 kg. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-fda-simtriyo-adhd-children-adults.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news704634448 Every day in the urban slums of Mumbai, hundreds of young children were fed toddler-appropriate porridge, soft curry or fresh-baked goods. For some, these were made of ordinary pearl millet, an ancient grain common in the Indian diet. For others, they were made of a specially bred variety packed with nearly three times the iron and more zinc than typical grain. The difference was largely imperceptible on the palate. But deep in the children's guts, something meaningful was beginning to happen. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-supercharged-millet-children-gut-health.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:00:06 EDT news704646035 Nichole Sims started using a tanning bed at 15 because she said everyone around her was doing it, especially before events like homecoming dances and prom. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-tanning-hot-skin.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:20:11 EDT news704645542 A study of more than 128,000 U.S. adults found that those who experienced parental divorce during childhood had 41% higher odds of depression in adulthood than those whose parents remained married. Yet the findings suggest that parental divorce itself may not be the main driver of later depression. When parental mental illness and parental substance use were taken into account, the association between parental divorce and lifetime depression declined substantially and was no longer statistically significant. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-children-divorce-higher-lifetime-depression.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:00:01 EDT news704631182 A major study has ruled out inflammation as the cause of a developmental condition affecting children's teeth while also revealing how common the condition is. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-root-common-dental-defect-children.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:20:03 EDT news704622291