https://medicalxpress.com/pediatrics-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Pediatrics A CU Anschutz study exploring more than 10,000 youth suicides suggests gaps in the system are costing kids' lives, pointing to a critical need for new approaches in responding to the national crisis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-kind-classification-youth-suicide-earlier.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:40:23 EDT news703776288 Adolescents and young adults in the U.S. are increasingly using popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs alone or in conjunction with metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) to manage obesity, according to a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers published in JAMA Pediatrics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-glp-rapidly-adolescents-young-adults.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:40:06 EDT news703778101 Infants, toddlers and young children need outdoor activity to build strong bodies and minds, but they also require extra care in the heat. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-babies-safe-temperatures-soar.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:20:05 EDT news703774289 Antimicrobial resistance in children is rising globally and will worsen over the next decade, threatening the effectiveness of life-saving antibiotics, according to the world's first monitoring platform. The study, led by Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in collaboration with the University of Sydney, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, analyzed more than 106,000 infection samples from children aged up to 18 years across 82 countries. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-line-antibiotics-children-resistance.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:20:01 EDT news703776420 Researchers have conducted one of the most comprehensive studies on how the autistic brain processes faces. Some hallmark characteristics of autism include tendencies to avoid looking at others' faces and to make less eye contact. Many autistic individuals have a harder time remembering faces and recognizing facial emotions than their neurotypical counterparts. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-autistic-brains-differently.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:00:07 EDT news703770181 A review article by a University of Nebraska Medical Center/Child Health Research Institute research team underscores how altering fundamental brain development processes can harm the developing fetus. The publication suggests that curtailing the use of certain medications could reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental pathology in the developing fetal brain. The medications studied include some statins, antidepressants, anxiety medications and cardiovascular drugs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-attention-brain-medications-pregnancy.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:40:03 EDT news703769821 The pendulum may have swung too far in the direction of caution when it comes to limiting opioids for adolescents who are in pain, according to new research from a University of Alberta emergency medicine team published in Pediatrics. The investigators examined a long-held belief by clinicians and parents that an opioid prescription for pain from a torn muscle or broken limb could put a teenager at higher risk for future opioid-related harms such as overdose or addiction. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-er-opioid-prescriptions-significant-drivers.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:40:02 EDT news703760997 Most of us would like to hang around on the planet for as long as possible, and thankfully, lifespans in many countries are increasing. Scientists are also developing a new field known as longevity medicine, which aims to help people stay healthier for longer as they age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-healthy-aging-born.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:40:02 EDT news703763143 New research being presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (15–17 July), shows that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for weight loss in children of various ages without diabetes are safe and effective. The study is by Dr. Manpreet Kaur Oberoi of the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-ozempic-drugs-safe-effective-children.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:20:07 EDT news703759343 A landmark 34-year study, co-led by the University of Warwick, tracks very preterm babies from birth to middle adulthood and identifies early cognitive development as the strongest predictor of who flourishes and struggles as adults. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-adults-born-premature-economic-social.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:00:04 EDT news703505689 Concerns surrounding young people's screen time are widespread. Australia became the first country to ban social media for users under 16 in December 2025, and Denmark, France and the United Kingdom have since announced similar restrictions to begin this year. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-screen-guidelines-kids-adolescents-shifted.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:20:07 EDT news703749422 Many of us have grown up hearing the mantra that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet children's cereals fall short of that standard. That is the takeaway of new research analyzing child-targeted cereals in Canada. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-children-cereals-breakfast-fun-nutrition.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:40:06 EDT news703749062 For many teenagers, anxiety is more than occasional stress or nerves. It can make school feel overwhelming, strain friendships and turn everyday situations into something that feels unmanageable. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-video-game-anxiety-treatment-teens.html Sun, 19 Jul 2026 06:20:01 EDT news703656654 Federal housing assistance may help reduce young children's exposure to lead, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Epidemiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-federal-housing-young-children-exposure.html Sun, 19 Jul 2026 05:40:02 EDT news703656238 A machine learning tool that analyzes information already captured in a child's electronic health record helped pediatricians more accurately assess asthma risk in standardized clinical case scenarios, according to a pilot randomized clinical trial led by a Regenstrief Institute researcher. The study was published in Scientific Reports. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-machine-identification-asthma-children.html Sat, 18 Jul 2026 08:00:05 EDT news703250326 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. Using their newly developed biosensor to track the essential metabolite alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG), researchers found that the mitochondrial enzyme GPT2 and transporter protein SLC25A11 work together to control the production and transport of αKG from the mitochondria to the nucleus. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-metabolite-rare-childhood-brain-disorder.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:00:01 EDT news703496892 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 Adolphe Quetelet, BMI was designed to describe the characteristics of the average man rather than to assess an individual's health, and it did not account for age, sex, ethnicity or body composition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-body-index-aims-bmi-babies.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:50:02 EDT news703491612 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 lower risk of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis during early childhood. Recognizing these health benefits, the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Despite its positive effects, its impact on food allergies remains inconclusive. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-associations-breastfeeding-childhood-allergies.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:40:01 EDT news703420210 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. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-simple-antiseptic-approach-deadly-infections.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 15:20:07 EDT news703427765 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 RBM5 regulates and interacts with the well-known cancer-driving protein MYC, which has long been considered impossible to effectively and directly target with existing cancer drugs. The findings, published today in Leukemia, present a new opportunity to develop targeted therapeutic interventions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-rbm5-disrupt-undruggable-myc-childhood.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 15:00:02 EDT news703427405 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 identifies a previously unknown neural "shortcut" that organizes the auditory system before birth, offering new insight into how the auditory system prepares to process sound and eventually learn language. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-babies-brains-wiring.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:30:02 EDT news703427394 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. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-prebiotics-pregnancy-babies-antibiotic-linked.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:20:01 EDT news703410578 "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 screening. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-newborn-screening-communication.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 19:40:03 EDT news703345943 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, according to a study published in The BMJ. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-epidurals-linked-newborns-children.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:30:06 EDT news703314795 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 of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-parents-boost-children-physical.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:00:01 EDT news703345923 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. The paper is published in the Journal of Applied School Psychology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-teachers-students-asthma.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 17:00:07 EDT news703339862 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 Riverside and colleagues was published in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-geographic-local-drivers-breastfeeding.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:38 EDT news703325729 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 that is often mistaken for other health problems and frequently goes undiagnosed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-misunderstood-childhood-food-allergy.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:20:11 EDT news703338301 Middle schoolers who stayed consistently involved in extracurricular activities maintained stronger personal reasons to avoid drinking alcohol, according to a new study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-staying-sports-clubs-kids-alcohol.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:00:09 EDT news703338242 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 published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-adhd-medications-equally-effective-children.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:00:03 EDT news703328806