Articles tagged with Infants
New research published in Psychological Science suggests that mothers may speak less clearly to their infants than they do to adults. The study found that mothers tend to use cutesy words and a sing-song voice when talking to babies, but still pronounce sounds slightly less distinctly than when addressing adults.
A new project at the University of Washington is working to ensure that children with autism are identified and helped early enough to prevent problems later on. The initiative uses a Web-based screening system and simple play-based interventions to identify and treat toddlers at risk for autism.
Babies as young as 15 months can learn communicative skills from commercial videos, recognizing and producing signs with similar accuracy to parents' instructions. The study contradicts previous research on limited learning potential in this age group.
A Stanford study found that nearly 20% of very-low-birth-weight babies in California were not referred to the state's high-risk infant follow-up program. Larger neonatal intensive care units and referrals were more common among premature or medically fragile infants.
New research published in The Lancet Psychiatry suggests that video-based therapy can modify the emergence of autism-related behaviors and symptoms in infants at risk of autism. The therapy showed improvements in infant engagement, attention, and social behavior, with a moderate effect on reducing some children's risk of autism.
The study found a significant decrease in mortality rates among extremely premature infants between 2000 and 2011, with the largest declines observed in infants born at 23 or 24 weeks of gestation. Deaths attributed to respiratory distress syndrome and immaturity accounted for the majority of the reduction in mortality.
Researchers discovered that trauma-related cues from infancy can lower depressive-like behavior in adults, contrary to previous expectations. The study found that these cues altered the brain's serotonin levels, leading to mood uplift and alleviating depression in grown rats.
A new study from the University of Sheffield found that daytime naps of 30 minutes or more help infants retain and remember new behaviors. Infants who did not nap showed no evidence of remembering the new information and behavior.
Infants who slept for at least half an hour within four hours of learning reproduced significantly more actions than those who did not sleep. Timely sleep facilitates declarative memory consolidation in infants, according to a study by Ruhr-University Bochum researchers.
A CU Denver study reveals that experiencing racial discrimination during pregnancy can significantly impact a woman's physical health and pass these effects on to her infant. The research found an association between maternal ethnic discrimination and increased levels of stress hormones in pregnant women and their infants.
A study by researchers at NYU and McGill University found that monolingual infants expect others to understand only one language, while bilingual infants do not share this assumption. The findings suggest that infants may see a good communication partner as someone who speaks the same language they were raised with.
Researchers find that listening to human speech promotes infants' cognitive, social psychological capacities and has positive developmental consequences. Infants as young as 2-3 months old benefit from tuning in to speech, leading to better understanding of patterns, recognizing partners, and establishing coherent categories.
The journal presents studies on playfulness in dogs, dolphins, frogs, and octopuses, as well as its connection to humor, social bonding, and creativity. Researchers investigate how experiences in infancy shape a person's sense of humor and how playfulness affects adaptability and social success.
A study found that deeper or longer duration cooling did not improve outcomes for full-term infants with moderate or severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Longer cooling and deeper cooling has been shown to be neuroprotective in animal models, but its effectiveness was not observed in this trial.
Researchers highlight four areas of concern for parents and practitioners: normal sleep patterns, nightwakings, parental presence at bedtime, and safe sleep training. The study aims to educate nurse practitioners on sharing current knowledge with parents to promote healthy nighttime care choices.
A longitudinal study found that children with a behaviorally inhibited temperament and insecure parent-infant attachment are more likely to develop social anxiety in adolescence. This association is strongest among youth who reacted angrily to separation from their parents as infants.
A new study reveals that warm vinyl crib mattress covers release higher levels of phthalates, which can increase infant exposure four-fold. The preliminary findings suggest the need for further investigation into the potential risks posed by alternative phthalates.
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation will receive funding to improve early infant diagnosis of HIV, enabling a ten-fold increase in HIV treatment and universal access. The project aims to reach rural communities with limited access to testing and treatment services.
Research suggests that talking to babies and naming things in their world can help them make connections between what they see and hear. Training with individual-level labels in infancy leads to long lasting learning effects that generalize from the trained images to human faces.
Research shows adding chemotherapy drug carboplatin or blood vessel-targeting drug bevacizumab to standard preoperative chemotherapy increases pathologic complete response rates for women with basal-like triple-negative breast cancer. The drugs also showed benefits in certain gene signatures associated with aggressive disease.
Researchers found that parrots and crows, particularly New Caledonian crows, Goffin cockatoos, Black Palm cockatoos, and Kea, demonstrated complex object-object combinations during play. These species also combined their toys with playground objects at high rates.
A study by Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research found that exposure to volatile organic compounds from new flooring before and after birth can cause breathing problems in early childhood. Renovations during pregnancy significantly increase the risk of wheezing in infants, particularly those with asthma or allergies.
A new study published in the European Respiratory Journal suggests that toddlers who share a bed with their parents are more likely to develop asthma in later childhood. Researchers found an association between bed-sharing at two years old and increased wheezing symptoms in early childhood.
A study published in the American Journal of Perinatology found that severely premature infants (23 weeks gestation) have higher death rates if born male, as multiples or without access to neonatal care. Lower birth weights and lack of steroid exposure before birth also increase disability risk.
New research reveals RSV mortality rates are significantly lower than previously estimated, affecting mostly premature babies and those with preexisting conditions. Most hospitalizations due to RSV can be managed with minimal complications.
Researchers found that on young worlds, the Habitable Zone is located farther away from the star than previously thought. This means that infant planets can be spotted earlier by next-generation telescopes when their star is still young.
A Swedish-US research team analyzed over 1.8 million births to find that maternal overweight and obesity increase infant mortality risk, with grade 2-3 obesity linked to more than doubled infant deaths. The study found modest increased risks for overweight mothers and significant increases for those with severe obesity.
A recent study found that nearly 55 percent of US infants sleep with potentially unsafe bedding, increasing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. The researchers analyzed data from over 20,000 caregivers and reported a decline in safe sleep practices despite awareness campaigns.
Research on Tanzanian chimpanzees reveals that the mothers of sons are 25% more social than those of daughters. They spend more time with other adults and associate with more kin, which helps their young males develop social skills. This finding suggests a potential link between early social exposure and gender-typical behavior in humans.
Babies as young as five months old can recall positive emotional interactions with caregivers, but struggle to remember negative ones. Researchers used eye-tracking tests to measure infant memory, finding that happy voices and emotions significantly improved shape recognition and recall.
A new study from UNC's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute reveals that disruptions in child care negatively affect children's social development as early as age 4. However, the effects of child care instability are not unduly large, and some types of instability appear to have no negative impact on children.
Researchers at UTHealth will study the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri to prevent and ease NEC in animal models. The study aims to decipher the optimal dose and mechanism of action of the probiotic and its effects on intestinal inflammation.
Researchers presented findings on the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in infants, which showed promise for improving survival rates. Additionally, studies investigated the long-term cardiac risk in survivors of the Fontan operation for congenital heart disease, revealing a significant risk of late myocardial infarction.
New wearable baby monitors are marketed as a solution to reduce parents' fears of SIDS, but no medical evidence supports their effectiveness. Experts call for prominent disclaimers and caution against relying on these devices for health benefits.
A recent study published in JPEN found that premature infants who received sodium supplementation gained weight faster, had lower rates of hyponatremia, and no increased risk of prematurity-related morbidities. The researchers recommend further studies to determine the optimal dose and duration of sodium therapy.
A study led by NYU Langone Medical Center found that a mother's soothing presence can alter gene activity in an infant's brain, reducing pain and promoting emotional development. This research offers new insights into the short-term effects of maternal caregiving on a developing brain.
A new study found a strong link between environmental exposure to peanut protein during infancy and an allergic response to peanuts in children who have eczema early in life. Exposure to peanut in dust doubled the risk of peanut allergy, particularly in children with a history of eczema.
Researchers have found that premature infants are exposed to unsafe levels of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), a chemical used in many plastic devices. The study suggests that this exposure may contribute to illness and long-term health problems.
New research from the University of Leeds shows that adding vegetable puree to milk during weaning can significantly increase infants' vegetable intake. The study found that babies who consumed milk with added puree ate nearly half as many vegetables as those who only had plain milk.
The discovery of two Ice Age infant remains at the Upward Sun River site in Alaska offers a rare glimpse into the lives of early human societies. The burials, dated to around 11,500 years ago, include grave offerings such as hafted compound weapons and provide insights into funeral practices and social organization.
A large study found that using world region-specific birth-weight curves for immigrant mothers and their babies can predict adverse outcomes more accurately than Canadian curves. This method may help avoid unnecessary interventions and reduce parental stress.
The national preterm birth rate fell to 11.4% in 2013, beating the federal Healthy People 2020 goal seven years ahead of schedule. Despite this progress, the US still ranks among high resource countries with one of the highest preterm birth rates.
A new study reveals breastfeeding mothers experience shame due to exposure, while those who don't breastfeed face judgment and condemnation for perceived failures. The study emphasizes individualized support and addressing cultural constraints associated with infant feeding.
A Florida State University study reveals that parent-led social intervention can improve developmental levels, social communication skills, and autism symptoms in toddlers. The treatment model is affordable, efficient, and accessible to any early intervention system.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo found that infant dietary patterns are influenced by mothers' socioeconomic backgrounds and racial identities. Babies whose diet included more breastfeeding and solid foods adhering to international guidelines were associated with higher household income and mothers with higher education levels.
A new acoustics study suggests that mothers alter their speech patterns to both babies in a twin pair, even if only one infant has hearing loss. Mothers use lower pitch and more variable intonation with the normal-hearing twin compared to the hearing-impaired twin.
A study on newborn mice reveals a previously unknown mechanism involving bone growth and muscle contraction that rapidly realigns fractured arm bones. This finding could lead to alternative approaches for treating fractures in adults, improving treatment outcomes by reducing side effects like muscle atrophy.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that infants at 7 months old can distinguish between fearful and non-fearful eye expressions, indicating an early ability to detect social cues. This suggests that brain processes for automatic eye recognition develop during infancy.
Researchers have found that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can stimulate soluble sFlt1 production in the placenta, contributing to the development of preeclampsia. Elevated VEGF levels during early pregnancy can cause severe placental damage and embryonic lethality.
A new study found that babies whose mothers used cocaine during pregnancy have increased amounts of hyperphonation in their cries, indicating nervous system damage. The researchers also identified a similar spectral characteristic in rat pups treated with prenatal cocaine exposure, paving the way for translational analyses to detect is...
A study published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found a strong link between early-life exposure to peanut protein in household dust and peanut allergy in children genetically predisposed to a skin barrier defect. Exposure to peanut protein was associated with a three-fold increase in risk of school-age peanut allergy.
A genetic analysis of childhood obesity found a strong link between genetic susceptibility and body size, shedding light on the causes of this complex condition. The study identified specific genetic markers associated with increased risk of obesity in children, highlighting the importance of early intervention.
A standardized slow enteral feeding protocol significantly reduces necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and accompanying death in infants with extremely low birth weight. Infants on the slower protocol showed comparable weight gain, head growth, and NICU stay without increased mortality.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that frontline health workers can accurately diagnose bacterial infections in young infants, but access to antibiotics is limited. The study suggests that improving diagnosis and antibiotic access can help reduce neonatal deaths in low- and middle-income countries.
A new study published in Biological Psychiatry found that children raised in institutional settings had reduced cortical thickness and greater ADHD symptoms. The study suggests a mechanism linking institutional rearing to compromised brain development.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is revisiting its policy on toddler screen time as technology advances. Pediatricians Dr. Dimitri Christakis and Dr. Donald Shifrin will debate the topic at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition, with both agreeing that hard rules are challenging to implement.
Researchers found that toddlers use visual and social cues to understand the motivations of people around them, and their impulsive tendencies influence their behavior. The study suggests that early self-control skills are crucial for children's development, with individual variability predicting later school readiness and behavior.
The partnership aims to identify and support sustainable approaches to protect and nurture early brain development, ultimately increasing human capital by transforming impoverished communities. Funding of $2.9 million supports 19 projects in 8 countries, with a focus on improving maternal, newborn, and child health.
The UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute has named three recipients of the inaugural Harry Winston Fellowships, supporting young pediatric physician-scientists conducting research to prevent, treat, and cure diseases in children. Dr. Kristina Adachi, Dr. Leslie Kimura, and Dr. Edward Talya will receive funding for their p...
The article presents a framework for future development of fetal interventions while minimizing maternal risk. Experts highlight the need to limit the number of fetal surgery centers due to high costs and rare conditions.