https://medicalxpress.com/childrens-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Children's Health The first time 5-year-old Calvin Owens went outside in more than a month, he met up with his canine friend Hadley on a hospital patio. Despite being tethered to equipment with wires and tubes, the little boy managed to stand up near his wheelchair long enough to toss her a ball. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-good-dog-children-hospitals-furry.html Sun, 24 May 2026 09:40:01 EDT news698833820 A recent trial of community-based and nurse-led ultrasound screening for hip dysplasia in Japan has been met with great success, according to new research at the University of Tokyo. The trial achieved almost universal reach and 8.7% of infants were found to have suspected developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), including children with no clinical signs or known risk factors. The paper is published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-community-based-baby-hip-screening.html Sat, 23 May 2026 20:30:01 EDT news698413893 Every year, thousands of Danish children experience their parents splitting up. For many, this is a major upheaval that can leave lasting marks on their well-being and daily lives. A new study conducted in collaboration with 21 Danish municipalities and the Danish Agency of Family Law shows that a digital tool developed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen can make a real difference. The tool helps children understand their emotions, put them into words and make tangible changes that improve their everyday life. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-digital-platform-significantly-distress-children.html Sat, 23 May 2026 14:00:03 EDT news698491947 A study by researchers at the University of Birmingham has identified a new biomarker for response to a specific cancer therapy, treating children with Ewing Sarcoma and other tumor types. The study, which is a Phase I/II treatment arm within the eSMART Trial, was carried out at the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU), recruited 70 patients, and of those 66 were treated across four countries (the UK, France, the Netherlands and Spain). All these patients had solid tumors, 36 had Ewing Sarcoma and 34 had various other tumor types, mainly types of sarcoma and central nervous system tumors. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-indicator-response-therapy-pediatric-cancers.html Fri, 22 May 2026 18:20:01 EDT news698677086 Many children who develop type 1 diabetes, the inability to produce insulin and process blood sugar, do not know they have the condition until symptoms arise. These symptoms are often driven by a severe and sometimes fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. As insulin levels drop and blood sugar rises, the body generates molecules called ketones, which are toxic in high concentrations. Children with DKA can experience organ failure and other serious issues, but why these complications occur is not well understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-dka-trigger-lingering-inflammatory-surge.html Fri, 22 May 2026 16:20:01 EDT news698680048 A new oral antiviral drug candidate has been developed for the treatment of diseases caused by orthoparamyxoviruses, such as measles and croup syndrome, according to a study published by researchers in the Center for Translational Antiviral Research at Georgia State University. The paper in Science Advances identifies clinical candidate GHP-88310 for urgently needed, improved orthoparamyxovirus disease management in rodent and non-rodent animal models of infection. Orthoparamyxoviruses, such as human parainfluenzaviruses, measles virus and emerging henipaviruses, pose a significant threat to human health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-daily-pill-aim-measles-croup.html Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:10 EDT news698671678 Thanks to special 3D-printed scaffolding trays designed by experts at Cincinnati Children's, researchers can now produce larger versions of functional human gut organoids twice as fast as previous methods—and these organoids grow their own nerve cells. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-3d-trays-human-gut-organoids.html Fri, 22 May 2026 13:00:03 EDT news698673181 Scientists and physicians should advocate to protect the vaccine research infrastructure that has saved an estimated 154 million lives over the past 50 years, according to a new commentary by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of Washington. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-advocacy-key-vital-vaccine.html Fri, 22 May 2026 11:20:02 EDT news698664661 Youth in military families need support from parents and peers to maintain a healthy mental well-being, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. Researchers found these relationships are connected to adolescents' abilities to utilize adaptive coping skills, such as problem-solving and self-reliance, which in turn promote their well-being. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-adolescents-military-families-mental-health.html Fri, 22 May 2026 10:20:03 EDT news698661541 More than a fifth (22%) of generation Z in England report having a longstanding mental health condition in their early 20s, double the rate of millennials (10%) at a similar age 10 years earlier, finds a new UCL study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-mental-health-difficulties-young-adults.html Fri, 22 May 2026 09:40:06 EDT news698660522 The latest Annual Epidemiological Reports from ECDC indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe. In 2024, notifications of gonorrhea and syphilis, alongside congenital syphilis, reached their highest levels in over a decade, reflecting sustained transmission across multiple countries. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-bacterial-stis-highs-europe-congenital.html Thu, 21 May 2026 21:00:02 EDT news698572664 The overall death rate of children and adolescents in the United States increased 6.6% between 2020 and 2023, researchers reported on May 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Many of the top causes of death in young people—including firearms, car accidents, and poisoning—lead to injuries that are treated in emergency departments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-child-death-states.html Thu, 21 May 2026 17:00:03 EDT news698588281 For ten years, the Fr1da study, coordinated by Helmholtz Munich, has been investigating whether early stages of type 1 diabetes in children can be detected in routine pediatric care. The latest evaluation shows that the screening program is sustainably feasible and identifies most children who will later develop stage 3 (clinical) type 1 diabetes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-early-diabetes-children-feasible-routine.html Thu, 21 May 2026 16:10:01 EDT news698597221 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 training, demonstrating the potential for enduring recovery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-wearable-knee-robot-children-muscle.html Thu, 21 May 2026 14:40:04 EDT news698581801 Around 1 in 6 adolescents worldwide report having self-harmed at some point in their lives. In England, an NHS mental health survey of 2,370 children and young people found that more than 1 in 3 young adults aged 17 to 24 had self-harmed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-teen-selfharm-responses-focus-social.html Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:01 EDT news698584682 New research from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute suggests that an unhealthy diet during adolescence could have long-lasting effects on how the brain makes decisions about food—even after returning to a healthy diet. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-teenager-food-choices-life.html Thu, 21 May 2026 12:20:08 EDT news698577782 Researchers have worked out how girls' sweating patterns change as they grow, establishing that the age of 14 is a critical turning point. Their findings can inform better sportswear designs for teenagers, and be used to encourage more teenage girls to take part in sport. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-patterns-girls-older.html Thu, 21 May 2026 12:00:16 EDT news698582582 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. Tracking more than 1,000 young people from age 14 to 17, researchers found early attitudes to physical activity strongly predict measurable aerobic fitness three years later. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-teen-attitudes-years.html Thu, 21 May 2026 10:40:06 EDT news698577421 New Curtin University-led research has found siblings of people with neurodevelopmental conditions in regional and remote Australia are struggling with poorer well-being and are more likely to feel overlooked. The study is published in the journal Disability and Rehabilitation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-rural-siblings-people-neurodevelopmental-conditions.html Thu, 21 May 2026 07:20:01 EDT news698564642 Presented on May 20 in Geneva, the CHH-Lancet Commission report on health, conflict and forced displacement, co-chaired by the University of Geneva's Center for Humanitarian Studies, reveals that more than one-third of people in need receive no assistance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-urgent-humanitarian.html Wed, 20 May 2026 23:20:01 EDT news698491830 Vaping education campaigns in Australia may be missing key opportunities to support behavior change, University of Queensland research has found. The paper is published in the journal Tobacco Control. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-anti-vaping-campaigns.html Wed, 20 May 2026 18:40:01 EDT news698515021 Extremely preterm birth (before 28 weeks of gestation) places infants into the world at one of the most extraordinary moments in human development. The brain at this stage is not simply growing; it is folding, organizing, and laying down the networks that will eventually support language, memory, attention, and learning. It is doing all of this in the dark, in the warmth, protected. When birth happens this early, all conditions change in an instant. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-rewiring-early-life-extremely-preterm.html Wed, 20 May 2026 17:40:04 EDT news698487406 More than one in 10 children with medical complexity had an incident reported by home care agency staff, according to a multi-state study recently published in JAMA Network Open. Half of reported events were safety related and a quarter caused harm to the child. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-home-incidents-affect-children-medical.html Wed, 20 May 2026 16:20:03 EDT news698509921 Elementary school can be an unforgiving place for children who are socially isolated. A close friend can be critical in helping these kids through tough times. However, a new Concordia paper published in the journal Child Development shows that the effects of friendship depend on the friend's level of social capital—meaning benefits like inclusion, trust, popularity and support—and the type of isolation a child is experiencing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-friend-isolated-child-exclusion.html Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:10 EDT news698499998 Adrenarche—an early, puzzling transition between childhood and adolescence—has long been clouded by inconsistent terminology across pediatrics, endocrinology, and puberty research. A new call for precision aims to change that in a Viewpoint paper by Lauren Houghton, Ph.D., assistant professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health published in JAMA Pediatrics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-clarity-littleunderstood-stage-childhood.html Wed, 20 May 2026 13:20:06 EDT news698500024 Université de Montréal psychiatry professor Laurent Mottron has spent his career studying the cognitive processes of people with autism. Rather than viewing autism as a deficit, he sees it as a different way of processing sensory and social information. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-children-autism-worse-differently.html Wed, 20 May 2026 10:40:05 EDT news698491110 Cutting recess doesn't just shortchange kids on playtime. A Syracuse University researcher says it can have real consequences for their health and development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-school-recess-health-necessity-reward.html Wed, 20 May 2026 09:20:10 EDT news698486402 Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a condition in which the kidneys suddenly lose their ability to filter waste from the blood. Developing within hours or days, AKI can cause dangerous waste accumulation and disrupt the body's fluid balance. It is a frequent and serious complication among hospitalized infants and children, often linked to higher mortality rates, prolonged hospital stays, and an increased need for mechanical ventilation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-kidney-crisis-childhood-shadow-health.html Wed, 20 May 2026 09:20:01 EDT news698487345 A new study led by Murdoch University has found that children of parents with severe mental illness are more likely to experience cognitive difficulties. The study, "Cognitive performance in offspring of parents with severe mental illness: a meta-analysis," is published in the journal Psychological Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-children-parents-severe-mental-illness.html Wed, 20 May 2026 07:40:09 EDT news698473862 Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in behavior, social interactions, communication, and sensory perceptions. Some autistic individuals find communicating and connecting with others more challenging than others, yet how these differences in social functioning emerge remains poorly understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-autism-social-differences-emerge-early.html Wed, 20 May 2026 07:40:01 EDT news698420043