Research programs focused on child health and development. Covers pediatric research standards, infant nutrition and sleep, rare disorders, and childhood diabetes.
A new study found that LGB preteens ages 10-14 reported 10.4 hours of daily recreational screen time, which was nearly four hours more than their straight peers. The researchers argue that parents should regularly talk to their children about screen usage and develop a family media use plan.
High blood pressure in children is a significant health concern, potentially leading to cardiovascular problems in adulthood. The American Heart Association recommends monitoring blood pressure levels and implementing lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and weight management.
A team of researchers emphasizes the need for science-backed policies that consider children's developmental vulnerabilities in the digital world. They propose a multidisciplinary approach to develop regulations that address timely questions about digital platforms and their impact on children.
A study of 7,500 Irish children found that harsh discipline increases the risk of developing lasting mental health problems. Children exposed to 'hostile' parenting at age three were 1.5 times likelier to have high-risk mental health symptoms by age nine.
A study of over 65,000 Japanese infants found that those exposed to indoor pets during fetal development or early infancy had fewer food allergies. Children exposed to indoor dogs and cats were significantly less likely to experience specific allergies, while hamster exposure unexpectedly increased the incidence of nut allergies.
A new study published in the Journal of Cognition and Development found that preschoolers aged three and five prefer learning from a competent robot over an incompetent human. The research, conducted by Concordia University researchers, used humanoid robots to teach children about unfamiliar objects. Five-year-olds were more likely to ...
A study by Universitat Oberta de Catalunya found that playing video games has a negative impact on girls' satisfaction with their eye and skin color. The researchers concluded that the media's emphasis on women's physical appearance contributes to body-shape pressure, making girls feel insecure about their bodies.
A new study by UC San Francisco found that taxes on sugary drinks lower the risk of gestational diabetes, unhealthy weight gain, and small-for-gestational-age babies. The study analyzed over 5 million pregnant women and found a significant reduction in these health risks.
Research suggests that early life stress may increase pro-inflammatory processes during pregnancy, which can have long-term effects on maternal and child health. The study found that mothers who experienced higher levels of early life stress had increased pro-inflammatory factors but decreased immune cell development.
A new research letter highlights how quickly Colorado's children and teenagers can access a loaded gun, increasing the risk of adolescent suicides and firearm injuries. Nearly one-third of middle and high school students report having access to a gun within 24 hours or under 10 minutes.
A new tool has been developed to identify adolescent girls in developing countries who are at risk of nutritional deficiency, with a focus on Bangladesh. The tool uses a simple metric and can be applied online, avoiding the need for costly finger prick blood sampling.
A new national study finds that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth are twice as likely to report trouble falling or staying asleep than their straight peers. This is attributed to greater depression, stress, and family conflict among LGB youth, which can make it harder for them to get a good night's sleep.
A new report reveals that children born into the poorest fifth of families in the UK are 12 times more likely to experience poor health and educational outcomes by age 17. This clustering of adverse outcomes is linked to early childhood disadvantage, with modest reductions seen when lifting families out of poverty.
New research highlights the need for extra support from professionals like teachers, youth workers, and speech therapists for children with disabilities when using the internet. The study found that these professionals often fail to provide adequate guidance on managing online risks, exacerbating existing digital inequalities.
Scientists have identified a new molecule that could help distinguish and treat patients with a specific subgroup of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children. The discovery points to potential targeted therapies using a drug or drugs to block the molecule's activity.
A study found that prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants contributes to childhood obesity and metabolic disorders. However, the researchers discovered that high levels of vitamin B12 may enhance the obesogenic effect of certain pollutants, while β-cryptoxanthin from oranges or apples may protect against these effects.
A study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology found that Russian-speaking readers, including both children and adults, rely on orthographic information during parafoveal pre-processing. The participants were able to recognize words with incorrect letter order more easily than those with pseudohomophones.
Young children with autism spectrum disorder are less likely to undergo vision screening than their peers, despite a high risk of developing serious eye disorders. A recent study found that only 36.5% of children with ASD had completed vision screenings at well visits, compared to 59.5% for children without ASD.
A new national US study suggests that young children who are taught by a teacher of the same ethnicity as themselves develop better learning and problem-solving skills by the age of seven. The effect was most pronounced in Black and Latinx children, with improved working memory and reading achievement scores.
A new study by Dr Stuart Fox found that childhood volunteering increases interest in politics and attachment to community, leading to a greater propensity to view voting as a civic duty. However, the effect was limited, with most children from disengaged households already likely to vote in adulthood.
Children from low-income neighborhoods are more likely to develop preventable heart disease due to high blood pressure, according to a new study. The research highlights the importance of considering neighborhood-related factors when diagnosing hypertension in youth.
A Kaiser Permanente study of over 800,000 children aged 3-17 found that youth with higher BMI were at a 26% increased risk of developing hypertension. The study highlights the importance of preventing hypertension in young people to avoid irreversible organ damage.
A new study finds that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), lithium, and clozapine may reduce suicide rates in adolescent men with severe mental illness. The study suggests that early intervention with medico-psychiatric treatment can lower suicide rates among late-teenage boys.
A Norwegian University of Science and Technology study found a connection between pupils' well-being at school and their perceived competence in various subjects. The researchers discovered clear connections between students' comfort levels at school and their performance in reading, mathematics, science, and physical education.
An international team of researchers has received $3 million to study how early gut development shapes children's health. They will collect tissue samples from diverse groups to understand the impact of environment, genetics, and other factors on gut development.
A study involving 175 two to five-year-olds found that children start to develop spatial abilities from around four years old, using scale models to find objects in real-world scenarios. This new skill potentially lays the foundations for maths and science skills.
More than half of all reported poisonings affect children ages 5 and younger, with opioids responsible for over half of fatal poisonings. Opioids have contributed to a significant increase in child poisoning deaths despite regulation measures.
A review highlights the impact of paternal diet, nutrition, and lifestyle on future generations, with strong evidence suggesting a western diet leads to imbalances in nutrient intake. Advanced paternal age is linked to genetic, psychiatric, and metabolic disorders in offspring, emphasizing the need for men's healthcare.
A pooled data analysis of 16 studies found that most family outcomes were similar between sexual minority and different sex parent families, with some advantages in child psychological adjustment and child-parent relationships. However, risk factors such as stigma and discrimination can negatively impact family outcomes.
A recent study by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University found that ethnic minority parents in Inner Mongolia prefer evidence-based knowledge on family education tailored to their local environment and culture. They sought information on how geographical features like the geomagnetic field influence children's growth and well-being.
A study of over 1,300 children aged 9-13 found a significant increase in substance use when combining hair analysis with survey results, nearly doubling the estimated number of child drug users. This suggests that hair analysis is a more accurate method for assessing adolescent substance abuse than self-reporting alone.
A new non-invasive diagnostic technique using smartphone photographs of the eye and face has been successfully developed to detect anaemia in children. The study, published in PLOS ONE, used images from 43 children under four to predict blood haemoglobin concentration with high accuracy.
Researchers found broad similarities in how deaf homesigners and hearing adults describe tool-related events, suggesting universal aspects of human thinking. The study suggests that these similarities reflect the extent to which a tool shapes the object it is being used on.
Researchers found a fivefold increase in nearby language exposure per day for fetuses relative to preterm infants, highlighting the need to provide similar sound exposures to premature babies. The study also revealed differences in silence and noise levels, with premature infants often exposed to prolonged periods of silence.
A clinical study by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers found that oral verapamil can improve pancreatic beta cell function in children with new-onset type 1 diabetes, with a 30% increase in insulin secretion over the first year. The trial involved 88 participants and was published in JAMA.
Children with autism may not process visual illusions in the same way as their peers, indicating a potential issue with predicting and filling in missing visual information. This finding has implications for understanding and supporting individuals on the autism spectrum.
Growing up in less safe environments can lead to physical and mental health limitations in adulthood. Parents who show they care about their kids' lives can positively impact their health.
The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) has awarded four radiologists with the 2023 Resident/Fellow in Radiology Awards for their exceptional research, education, and administrative work. Drs. Elliot T. Varney, Vincius Alves, Luca Pasquini, and Pallavi Srivastava will present their research findings at the upcoming ARRS Annual Meeting...
Researchers re-examine molecular characteristics of WNT-subgroup patients to identify optimal treatment strategies for low-risk medulloblastoma. Key findings suggest that therapy-related late toxicity remains a concern, despite comparable survival rates between children and adolescents with this disease subtype.
A new study published by researchers at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin found a significant link between early childhood trauma experienced by mothers and various health problems in their children. The research analyzed data from over 4,300 American mothers and their children, revealing that children of mothers with adverse experi...
A new study published in the European Respiratory Journal reports that children's lung capacity has improved in areas with decreased air pollution in Stockholm. The researchers found a 20% lower risk of significantly impaired lung function in participants living in areas with better air quality.
A new study published in Genes, Brain and Behavior found that genetic variants in LINGO2, OAS1, and HECTD1 are associated with different mathematical abilities in Chinese children. The study refined genome-wide association studies of math skills and added population diversity to the literature.
A new study by NYU researchers found that infants excel at spotting motivations driving human actions, while state-of-the-art AI models struggle. By comparing infant and machine intelligence on a series of tasks, the researchers shed light on the limitations of current AI systems.
A new study explores the complexity of parents' decision-making processes regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for their children. The research highlights the importance of individualized discussions with healthcare providers to help interpret evidence and provide tailored recommendations.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant disparities in childcare disruption and missed preventive checkups among low-socioeconomic status families. Research highlights the need to investigate the association between delayed appointments and child health outcomes.
A recent study found that mothers struggling with depression tend to respond slower to their child during back-and-forth dialogue. This delayed response time may have long-term impacts on children's language development and academic outcomes.
A recent study published in Human Reproduction found a significant association between prenatal alcohol exposure and changes in children's facial features. The research used AI to analyze three-dimensional images of children's faces at ages nine and thirteen, revealing that mothers' alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy can h...
An international survey found that most health and nutrition claims on infant formula products are backed by little to no high-quality scientific evidence. The study identified 757 products with an average of two claims each, including benefits for brain development, immunity, and growth.
Researchers found pronounced delays in brainstem responses to sounds among newborns later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This delay may be linked to limited access to sound frequencies and difficulties integrating sensory streams, ultimately affecting social interactions and communication.
Research highlights the intergenerational impact of prepregnancy heart health on offspring, with low pre-pregnancy cardiovascular health linked to pregnancy complications and higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Improving women's heart health before pregnancy could reduce these risks and have a positive impact on future generations.
A recent study by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found that socioeconomic deprivation and frailty are independently associated with increased late mortality in childhood cancer survivors. The research highlights the importance of policies to improve local environments and access to interventions that may improve health conditions.
A new study found that high physical activity does not offset obesity risk among preteens with high screen time, highlighting the importance of limiting screen time. Parents are advised to encourage physical activities, such as sports and outdoor play, to help combat childhood obesity.
A recent study by Crystal Lim found that obesity prevention programs combining nutrition and exercise components over an extended period had the most success in changing students' daily behaviors. Successful programs also included evidence-based strategies like goal setting, problem solving, and self-regulation techniques.
A York University study found that higher fluoride levels in drinking water may increase the risk of hypothyroidism in pregnant women, associated with a 65% increased risk. The study also suggests a potential mechanism for lower IQs in boys born to mothers with higher fluoride exposure.
A new study suggests that childhood mental health problems resulting from early-life adversity drive poorer cognitive performance in adolescence. Researchers found that addressing mental health difficulties when children are young can alleviate the effects of early-life adversity on later cognition.
A study published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that breastfeeding can reduce arsenic exposure in infants compared to formula feeding. Researchers measured arsenic levels in mothers, babies, and breast milk, revealing a clear association between maternal and neonatal arsenic exposure.
A new WVU study found nearly one in eight West Virginia infants had in utero exposure to opioids, stimulants, and/or cannabis between 2020 and 2022. The study showed a 40% increased risk of preterm birth among infants exposed to stimulants alone and a 70% increase with concurrent stimulant and cannabis exposures.
A study of 160 urban preteen students found no association between video game play and their performance on the Cognitive Ability Test 7, evaluating verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal/spatial skills. The researchers also discovered that certain types of games claiming to improve cognitive skills showed no measurable effects.
Research analyzed data from nearly 1,000 participants born in the 1950s and 1960s, finding that children with overprotective fathers were more likely to die before age 80. Conversely, women who received better care from their mothers during childhood may experience a reduced risk of premature mortality.
Researchers analyzed electronic health record data from over 7.1 million children to identify risk factors associated with a faster decline in kidney function, including disease origin, proteinuria, hypertension, and younger age. The study found that certain attributes are linked to a more rapid decline in kidney function, providing va...