Articles tagged with Infants
Researchers created human intestinal 'mini-guts' to study the immune response to bacteria at different developmental ages. The study found that premature infants have an exaggerated immune response, contributing to NEC's pathogenesis.
A new supplement in Pediatrics synthesizes research on congenital Zika syndrome, exploring prevention, development profiles, and family support. It highlights the need for accurate information, active surveillance, and formal support services to address the ongoing health impact of Zika virus.
Infants can generalize beyond their native language to recognize that all languages can allow people to communicate. By 12 months, infants understand that non-native languages can transfer information to others, even if they don't understand the words themselves.
A new study suggests that infants who pay little attention to synchronous sights and sounds may be at elevated risk for developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The researchers found significant group differences in the infants' gaze patterns, with those with ASD showing no preference for audiovisual synchrony.
Infants born in opioid withdrawal after utero exposure show a significant increase in torticollis and plagiocephaly. These abnormalities can be prevented with early preventive measures, such as occupational and physical therapy.
New research shows that babies' babbling has a significant impact on their language development, with mothers responding more often to speech-like sounds. The study found that infants who babble more effectively learn words and vocabulary earlier in life, highlighting the importance of social feedback in language acquisition.
Researchers found that most babies develop new skills in irregular bursts, while their brain activity grows steadily behind the scenes. This study supports long-standing theories about infant development and provides insight into what's happening beneath the surface.
A study found that prebiotics in infant formula can enhance memory and exploratory behavior in piglets, suggesting a potential link between gut health and brain development. The researchers also discovered changes in volatile fatty acid concentrations and serotonin levels in the brains of pigs fed with prebiotic supplements.
Researchers used brain imaging techniques to study how infants process touch, finding that 7-month-old babies have a basic connection between 'self' and 'other.' This connection allows them to imitate and learn from others, and eventually develop empathy.
A new study found that preterm babies experience delays in auditory brain development, which are associated with speech and language impairments at age 2. The researchers used diffusion neuroimaging to track the development of the primary and nonprimary auditory cortex in the brains of preterm infants.
A brain imaging study found that preterm infants with developmental disturbances in the Heschl's gyrus, a part of the brain involved in speech and language, exhibit reduced expressive language ability. The study suggests that preterm birth may impact language development due to altered auditory cortex maturation.
A new study found that babies' crawling movements kick up high levels of dirt, skin cells, bacteria, pollen, and fungal spores, which can be detrimental to adult health. However, researchers suggest that this exposure may actually stimulate the immune system and reduce the risk of asthma and allergies later in life.
A new study found that both type 2 and type 1 diabetes are associated with complications during pregnancy, including stillbirths, emergency Caesarean sections, and infant mortality. The research also found a significant increase in high birth weight and preterm delivery among babies born to mothers with diabetes.
A study on bonobos reveals they consistently prefer hinderers over helpers, unlike human infants who naturally favor helpers. This finding suggests that the motivation to cooperate may be uniquely human and could have evolved after our species diverged from other apes.
A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that over half of US infants are introduced to complementary foods before six months, while 16.3% are introduced before four months. This deviation from current recommendations may lead to nutrient deficiencies, allergies, and poorer diets later in ...
A new study suggests that consuming sufficient amounts of choline during pregnancy can lead to enduring cognitive benefits in offspring. Half of the women in the study consumed 480mg/day and the other half 930mg/day, with faster information processing speeds seen in those who received more choline.
A new population of ancient Native Americans has been identified through genetic analysis of a 6-week-old infant found in an Interior Alaska archaeological site. The Ancient Beringians are believed to have split from East Asians around 35,000 years ago and lived in the Far North for thousands of years.
A large-scale international randomized trial showed that weaning to an extensively hydrolyzed casein formula during infancy did not reduce the incidence of type 1 diabetes. The study, TRIGR Study, followed infants for at least 10 years and found no evidence to revise current dietary recommendations.
A study of NYC hospitals found that black and Hispanic preterm infants are more likely to be born at hospitals with higher morbidity-mortality rates, contributing to racial disparities in neonatal deaths and severe complications. These differences explained 39.9% of the black-white disparity and 29.5% of the Hispanic-white disparity in...
A new study by Brigham and Women's Hospital investigators found that taking topiramate in early pregnancy increases the risk of oral clefts, particularly at high doses. The risk is approximately three times higher for women who took topiramate compared to those who did not take anti-epileptic medications.
A study found that preterm infants have significantly lower nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal volumes compared to full-term peers. This suggests that the risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be confined to the upper airway.
A new review paper concludes that varied diets and persistence in exposing infants and children to healthy foods, even when they don't like them at first, are key to promoting healthy eating behaviors. Repeated exposure can familiarize the child with specific flavors and set the stage for later acceptance of healthy flavors.
A clinical trial found that implanting a shunt or endoscopically reducing intracranial pressure is equally effective in treating hydrocephalus, but endoscopy may have fewer long-term complications. The study also found that children with normal brain development had better outcomes.
A randomized trial showed that an alternative, potentially one-time operation called endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization (ETV/CPC) is as good for infant brain development as placing a shunt. The study found no significant difference in cognitive scores between the two groups after 12 months.
New Hampshire's neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) diagnoses increased fivefold from 52 to 269 between 2005 and 2015. The average hospital stay for NAS-diagnosed newborns rose to 12 days, compared to three days for non-exposed infants.
The Constance A. Howes Women's Health Innovation Research Fund has awarded $75,000 in grants to three Researchers from Women & Infants Hospital are advancing knowledge and care models related to women's health and gender-based research.
Researchers at Lancaster University found that 10-week-old babies who practiced 'reflex walking' showed a stronger brain response when watching humans walk compared to those who didn't. The study suggests that experience can refine the perception of biological motion in early infancy.
A study published in Science Advances found that infants born within a half mile of a hydraulic fracturing site were 25% more likely to be born at low birth weights, increasing their risk of infant mortality and long-term health problems. The research also found significant impacts on cognitive development.
A study analyzing recorded conversations between doctors and parents of critically ill infants found that medical staff often downplay quality of life issues, leaving families more optimistic than intended. Clinicians' prognostic statements were twice as likely to be optimistic than pessimistic.
Researchers found that labeling people and objects in books enhances infant attention and retention. The study, led by Lisa Scott, suggests that shared reading with labeled books can support cognitive development in the first year of life.
Early evidence suggests that a gene therapy developed at St. Jude improves immune systems in infants as young as 2 months old with XSCID, offering broad protection and reducing the need for protective isolation. The treatment has been shown to be well-tolerated and effective in restoring immune function.
A landmark clinical trial demonstrated that providing dietary B. infantis EVC001 resulted in rapid and substantial remodeling of the infant gut microbiome, reducing potentially harmful bacteria and improving gut health. The study also showed that breastfed infants colonized by B. infantis had significantly lower levels of endotoxin.
A nationwide study found that mandatory newborn screening policies for critical congenital heart defects significantly reduced infant cardiac deaths. The study, which analyzed data from 2007-2013, showed a notable decrease in early infant deaths due to these defects in states with implemented mandatory screening policies.
Researchers found that infants raised in homes with multiple accents recognize words differently than those exposed to single accents. The study suggests that children from diverse linguistic environments process language uniquely and highlights the importance of considering accent variation when studying speech development.
A study found that cerebral blood flow is altered in preterm newborns' brains, with key regions such as the insula and anterior cingulate cortex receiving decreased blood supply. This alteration may serve as an early warning sign of disturbed brain maturation.
A new study found that stressed newborn babies exhibit a heightened brain response to pain, but their behavior remains unaffected. This dissociation between brain activity and behavior has implications for pain assessment in infants.
Infants' brainwaves synchronize with adults when they make direct eye contact, allowing for more effective communication and potentially enhancing learning. This synchronization also enables infants to communicate more effectively, making vocalizations when the adult makes direct eye contact.
Babies exposed to antibiotics for GBS developmentally delayed gut bacteria, which recovered by 12 weeks of age. Long-term effects on infant health are unclear.
University of Miami Assistant Professor Elizabeth Simpson challenges a 2016 study that claims human babies do not imitate, citing flaws in methodology and presenting evidence of neonatal imitation. Her research suggests that imitation is a marker of healthy social development in infants.
A University of Alberta study found that infant boys born to mothers with asthma have a reduced gut microbiome, particularly lower levels of Lactobacillus, which could lead to a preventative approach to reduce the risk of asthma. The study also suggests sex-specific differences in the impact of maternal asthma on infant gut microbes.
A study published in Development and Psychopathology found that infants who experienced higher distress and received less physical contact had an underdeveloped molecular profile compared to those with more comfortable interaction. This effect was detectable four years later, pointing to the possibility of slower epigenetic aging.
A new study from MIT and Harvard University found that babies as young as 10 months can integrate information about costs and benefits to calculate the value of a goal. By observing an agent's effort to achieve a goal, 10-month-old infants inferred the amount of value they placed on it.
A new study found that infants attribute more value to rewards that are harder to attain, indicating they can grasp concepts of reward and cost. Infants gaze longer at scenarios where the character chooses a less desirable reward over a more accessible one, suggesting they understand that greater effort is needed for better outcomes.
The study identified five subgroups of eczema in children, with one-third resolving by age five and others persisting into adulthood. Genetic risk factors contribute to long-lasting eczema, highlighting the need for tailored treatments and clinical trial approaches.
A new study suggests that a second HIV test can substantially reduce incorrect diagnoses in infants, saving costs on unnecessary treatment. The study found that confirmatory testing reduces the number of infants incorrectly diagnosed with HIV by 99.6%, leading to cost savings over a lifetime.
Researchers found that babies as young as six months old can recognize relationships between words and objects, such as cars and strollers. This understanding of word relationships is linked to the amount of time caregivers talk about objects in their daily lives.
A study examines infants' understanding of word relationships at 6 months old, finding they look longer at unrelated image pairs. The learning environment plays a crucial role in developing language comprehension in early childhood.
A recent NIH study found that obese pregnant women are more likely to give birth to large infants, with fetuses experiencing longer bones and higher birth weights. This increased fetal growth may predispose these infants to obesity and cardiovascular disease later in life.
A new study at Queen's University is using a nipple-monitoring device to evaluate the feeding skills of high-risk newborns in intensive care. The goal is to better identify and address feeding difficulties, allowing for more accurate treatment recommendations and potentially shorter hospital stays.
Researchers found that cockatoos excel at fitting shapes into specific frames without requiring training or visual alignment like humans. They require fewer attempts to insert simple shapes compared to non-human primates, highlighting an allocentric frame of reference similar to toddlers.
The study found Africa has the highest burden of GBS, causing 54% of estimated cases and 65% of stillbirths and infant deaths. A vaccine could potentially prevent 231,000 infant and maternal GBS cases with an 80% effective rate.
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) bacteria affect an estimated one in five pregnant women worldwide, leading to stillbirths and infant deaths. A new study estimates that GBS is responsible for at least 147,000 stillbirths and infant deaths globally each year.
A new study suggests that biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy do not significantly increase the risk of opportunistic infections in infants. Researchers found no significant difference in infection rates among infants whose mothers used biologics compared to those who did not.
Researchers found that babies prefer to look at the likely option when it is easier to distinguish, but not when the difference is smaller. Six-month-old babies can also estimate which color makes up the majority of balls and choose accordingly.
A new law in Rhode Island requires coverage for fertility preservation prior to gonadotoxic medical therapy. The authors of the perspective published in NEJM recommend revising existing non-infertility-related mandates or establishing a separate definition for fertility preservation, which could encourage other states to follow suit.
A clinical trial shows that nusinersen, a new medication, is 'transformative' for babies with spinal muscular atrophy, enabling them to show gains in motor function and increasing their chances of survival. The treatment was approved by the FDA for all patients with this progressive neuromuscular disorder.
A new study demonstrates that babies can learn, remember and use contextual cues in a scene to guide their search for objects of interest. The study found that 6-month-old babies showed steady improvement in finding faces in repeated scenes, but didn't get any quicker or more accurate in finding faces in new scenes.
Researchers developed illuminated pajamas that emit therapeutic blue light directly onto a baby's skin, improving the treatment experience and reducing discomfort. The photonic textiles, woven into satin fabric, are breathable, comfortable, and suitable for everyday wear.
Researchers discovered that mothers with high levels of neutralizing antibodies were more likely to pass on HIV to their infants through breast milk. Infants born to these mothers were also at higher risk of serious illness or death from the virus.
A longitudinal study published by the American Psychological Association found that women who breastfed their children longer exhibited greater maternal sensitivity well past infancy and toddler years. The effect sizes were small, suggesting the bond may be strengthened through multiple interactions, not just breastfeeding.