Children

In the largest epidemiologic study of arsenic and birth outcomes to date, researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago and collaborating institutions estimated arsenic levels in U.S. private well water sources by county and compared estimates to documented birth outcomes. They found an association between estimated groundwater arsenic concentration and risk of low birth weight.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists partnered with the University of Michigan to convene a panel of maternity care experts to determine new prenatal care delivery recommendations. Based on emerging evidence and experience, including significant changes in prenatal care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, these recommendations are published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Women’s

Vaccines are among some of the most effective preventative measures against infectious disease morbidity and mortality. Smallpox, for example, has been eradicated worldwide solely through a concerted global vaccination effort. Similarly, in many parts of the world, deadly diseases like poliomyelitis and measles are exceedingly rare. However, an increasing number of conspiratorial claims regarding vaccines

The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its safe-sleep guidelines for infants for the first time in more than five years, emphasizing that babies should sleep on their backs on flat, level surfaces to reduce their risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It’s estimated that there are 3,500 sleep-related infant deaths in the

In a recent research paper published as an accepted manuscript in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal, scientists analyzed the population immunity against pre-Omicron and Omicron severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) variants in U.S. counties and states up until December 1, 2021. Study: Population immunity to pre-Omicron and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants in US states and counties through

A study analyzing prescription claims for a drug used to treat opioid addictions found that adolescents and young adults were less likely than usual to get treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially if they were covered by private, commercial health insurance. The findings of the study, conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and

A new multidisciplinary study conducted by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center has found that the co-development of three systems, the gut microbiome, respiratory system and immune system, is correlated with a baby’s respiratory health, and an infant can have negative respiratory outcomes if the development of one of these systems is disrupted.

Physicians at Stanford Medicine have developed a way to provide pediatric kidney transplants without immune-suppressing drugs. Their key innovation is a safe method to transplant the donor’s immune system to the patient before surgeons implant the kidney. The medical team has named the two-transplant combination a “dual immune/solid organ transplant,” or DISOT. A scientific paper

Pediatric Emergency Department (ED) encounters related to physical abuse decreased by 19 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a multicenter study published in the journal Pediatrics. While encounter rates with lower clinical severity dropped during the pandemic, encounter rates with higher clinical severity remained unchanged. This pattern raises concern for unrecognized harm, as opposed

Horror stories of children trapped in hot cars make headlines, but air pollution and impacts from a changing climate are more constant threats. Children are at higher risk for health changes due to these impacts for a range of reasons, including the way their bodies metabolize toxins, need more air on a per pound basis,

A new study has revealed how acculturation -; the process of assimilating to a different culture -; can affect the dietary patterns of adolescents who move to the U.S. The researchers found that being born outside the U.S. and living in the U.S. for less time were associated with higher diet quality. The analysis also

New research from UT Southwestern suggests that RNA exosomes – the cellular machines that degrade old molecules of RNA – play a key role in the development of B cells, which are critical to the immune system’s ability to protect against infection. The findings, published in Science Immunology, explain why patients with rare mutations in

Children who are born severely ill or who develop serious illness in the first few weeks of life are often difficult to diagnose, with considerable implications for their short and longer-term care. But whole-genome sequencing (WGS), carried out rapidly, can provide an accurate diagnosis and therefore lead to improvements in their clinical care. Results from

Researchers have known for some time that maternal breast milk provides critical nutrients for newborns, and antibodies from mothers vaccinated against a specific disease-causing bacterium or virus can be transferred via breast milk to babies. Now a new preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators shows that one specific set of antibodies that is induced

Innovative efforts at the University of Virginia School of Medicine to use a harmless amoeba to protect children from dangerous infections has won critical financial support from The Hartwell Foundation. The Hartwell Foundation, which supports early-stage, cutting-edge biomedical research to benefit children of the United States, will provide UVA researcher Shannon Moonah, MD, $100,000 each

Analyzing brain stem cells of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rutgers scientists have found evidence of irregularities in very early brain development that may contribute to the neuropsychiatric disorder. The findings support a concept scientists have long suspected: ASD arises early in fetal development during the period when brain stem cells divide to form

In a recent Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition study, researchers discuss the results of a randomized and double-blind trial to study the growth-promoting efficacy and safety parameters of a goat milk-based formulation in infants. Study: Goat milk based infant formula in newborns: A double-blind randomized controlled trial on growth and safety. Image Credit: MaraZe /

Genetic testing results in lower length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for infants with epilepsy, according to a study published in the journal Pediatric Neurology. The reduction in hospital stay time in babies with epilepsy who spent time in the NICU was not explained by changes in the severity of illness,