Pediatrics News - SciTechDaily

New Study Unravels the Mystery of COVID’s Worst Pediatric Complication

University of California San Francisco — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 22:58:46 +0000

A study identified how children’s immune systems trigger MIS-C by mistaking a COVID-19 protein for a similar human protein, leading to severe autoimmune responses. This finding provides new perspectives on treating autoimmune diseases linked to viral infections. Research uncovers a mechanism behind multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). During the early stages of the COVID-19 [...]

When Heart Transplants for Kids Go Wrong: Stanford’s Startling Discovery

Stanford Medicine — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:00:20 +0000

A new study by Stanford Medicine highlights flaws in the U.S. pediatric heart transplant waitlist, showing that the current system fails to prioritize the sickest children. The study suggests a shift towards a more nuanced approach, using a range of health indicators to assign risk scores and improve survival rates. According to a new study [...]

Experts Warn: Rising Use of Mood-Altering Drugs in Children Could Harm Long-Term Well-Being

BMJ Group — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 22:30:39 +0000

Experts in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin warn about the growing trend of prescribing psychotropic drugs to children and young people, highlighting the lack of solid evidence supporting this practice and the rising concerns about safety and efficacy. The editorial emphasizes the need for safer prescribing practices, more robust research, and better involvement of families [...]

Early Health Lessons: A Game Changer for Kids’ Waistlines

Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (F.S.P.) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 12:00:37 +0000

Early implementation of school-based health interventions in Madrid public schools significantly curbed abdominal fat accumulation among elementary students, showing the importance of timely health education. A study led by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) and Fundación SHE, supported by “la Caixa” Foundation, demonstrates that teaching healthy habits through classroom activities helps to prevent [...]

Unlocking Parental Powers in the Digital Battle With Tweens

University of California - San Francisco — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 14:00:05 +0000

Effective parenting strategies such as restricting bedroom and mealtime screen use, along with positive modeling, can curb children’s problematic screen habits, according to a UCSF study. For many parents, it can feel like curbing kids’ screen use is a losing battle. But new research from UC San Francisco (UCSF) has found the parenting practices that [...]

Alarming Trend – Young Adults’ Use of Popular Weight Loss Drugs Wegovy and Ozempic Skyrockets by 594%

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan — Mon, 27 May 2024 22:33:01 +0000

Recent data reveals a sharp rise in the use of weight loss drugs among U.S. youth, with significant gender disparities and concerns over off-label use and long-term effects. Public interest in weight loss medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic is rapidly increasing, yet there is a surprising lack of national data on their dispensing patterns [...]

Heightened Risks: Stunted Growth Linked to Living at Higher Altitudes

BMJ — Wed, 15 May 2024 03:57:33 +0000

Children living at 2000+ m above sea level in India are 40% more at risk than those living 1000m below. Children in rural areas seem to be the most vulnerable. Living at higher altitudes is linked to an increased risk of stunted growth in India, with children living in homes 2000 meters (~6600 feet) or [...]

Alarming Findings: New Study Reveals Childhood Abuse Drives 40% of Mental Health Conditions

University of Sydney — Fri, 10 May 2024 09:56:13 +0000

Scientists expose the lifelong impact of childhood abuse and neglect. A study focusing on childhood maltreatment in Australia has uncovered its alarming impact, estimating it causes up to 40 percent of common, life-long mental health conditions. The mental health conditions examined were anxiety, depression, harmful alcohol and drug use, self-harm, and suicide attempts. Childhood maltreatment [...]

Reassuring Findings: COVID-19’s Impact on Child Development More Subtle Than Expected

Johns Hopkins Medicine — Sat, 04 May 2024 12:53:30 +0000

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center express that the study results offer a sense of reassurance, instilling “guarded optimism” regarding the developmental outcomes of young children who have been exposed to restrictions stemming from the pandemic. A study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center has found that infants and children up to the age [...]

Scientists Reveal 5 Factors To Ensure an Infant Thrives

Leah Shaffer, Washington University in St. Louis — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 22:05:12 +0000

Research emphasizes the “thrive 5” — nutrition, stimulation, safety, caregiving, and sleep — as essential for infant development, advocating for policy changes to support these needs. There are basic resources every baby needs for the best possible chance to develop as a healthy well-functioning human. Start with good nutrition, breast milk if possible. That baby [...]

Early Birds Beat HIV: Pioneering Pediatric Remission Research

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:34:43 +0000

NIH-funded trial shows promising outcomes with treatment started promptly after birth. Four children have remained free of detectable HIV for more than one year after their antiretroviral therapy (ART) was paused to see if they could achieve HIV remission, according to a presentation at the 2024 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Denver. [...]

Rewiring Children’s Anxious Minds With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

National Institutes of Health (NIH) — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 17:25:57 +0000

NIH researchers found widespread differences in the brains of children with anxiety disorders that improved after treatment. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found overactivation in many brain regions, including the frontal and parietal lobes and the amygdala, in unmedicated children with anxiety disorders. They also showed that treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy [...]

Unraveling the Mystery of Knee Pain: Why Do Some Joint Deformities Hurt While Others Don’t?

Osaka Metropolitan University — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 00:35:57 +0000

Explaining why certain individuals with specific joint deformities experience symptoms, whereas others do not. With the array of advanced imaging technologies at their disposal, healthcare professionals can diagnose tissue and joint deformities through non-invasive methods with exceptional precision. Yet, a vexing question persists: why do certain patients with specific joint deformities experience symptoms, while others [...]

Baby’s First Words on Hold: The Alarming Acetaminophen Connection Uncovered

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 01:55:17 +0000

Research from the University of Illinois links increased acetaminophen use during pregnancy to early childhood language delays. The study advises caution in using the drug for minor pains during pregnancy, while recognizing its necessity for serious pain or fever. Acetaminophen is considered the safest over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer available during pregnancy, and studies [...]

Shots of Hope: COVID-19 Vaccine Reduces Long COVID in Children

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 23:20:22 +0000

Vaccination associated with moderate protection in large, diverse cohort. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, reduces the risk of serious acute illness in children and adolescents. However, its role in protecting against persistent health problems in the months after COVID-19, or “long COVID,” was less clear. Now, researchers from 17 health systems in [...]

Unveiling the Psyche’s Guardians: The Science Behind Adult-Child Bonds and Mental Health

Columbia University Irving Medical Center — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 19:54:36 +0000

Relationships with caring adults provide a buffer against depression and anxiety, regardless of adverse childhood experiences. A Columbia University study found that positive relationships with parents and other adults during childhood are associated with better mental health in adulthood, regardless of exposure to adverse childhood experiences. The findings, published in JAMA Psychiatry on December 27, [...]

Alarming 300% Surge – ADHD Medication Errors Skyrocket in U.S. Kids

Nationwide Children's Hospital — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 04:42:46 +0000

Experts call for patient and caregiver education and for development of improved child-resistant medication dispensing and tracking systems. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders. In 2019, nearly 10% of United States (U.S.) children had a diagnosis of ADHD. Approximately 3.3 million children, or roughly 5 out of every 100 children [...]

Stanford Medicine Study: Smartwatches Effective at Finding Hidden Heart Issues in Children

Stanford Medicine — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 06:42:21 +0000

Apple watches have some advantages over traditional ways of diagnosing cardiac arrythmias in children but need more validation, finds a Stanford Medicine study. Smartwatches can help physicians detect and diagnose irregular heart rhythms in children, according to a new study from the Stanford School of Medicine. The finding comes from a survey of electronic medical [...]

New Research Links Screen Time With Childhood Development Delays

Tohoku University — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 05:54:45 +0000

A study conducted by Tohoku University in collaboration with Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, and published in JAMA Pediatrics, has found a correlation between the screen time of one-year-old children and developmental delays. The research involved 7,097 mother-child pairs from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. It assessed each child’s exposure [...]

Brain Mimics in a Dish: The Dawn of Next-Gen Organoids to Model Pediatric Brain Tumors

Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 10:04:58 +0000

Researchers from the Princess Máxima Center and the Hubrecht Institute have developed advanced brain organoids that closely resemble the human cortex. These organoids, named Expanded Neuroepithelium Organoids (ENOs), mimic the brain’s development and cellular identity more accurately than previous models. These mini-organs have features like cell organization, stem cell expansion, and cell identity that more [...]

Nighty-Night or Not Quite Right? Unpacking the Melatonin Craze Among the Young

University of Colorado at Boulder — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 13:43:47 +0000

Research shows a significant increase in melatonin use among children and preteens for sleep, raising concerns about safety, efficacy, and the potential for long-term health effects. Experts advise caution and recommend prioritizing behavioral solutions for sleep issues. Nearly one in five school-aged children and preteens now take melatonin for sleep, and some parents routinely give [...]

A New Frontier in Pediatric Care: AI-Driven Growth Charts for Muscle Mass

Brigham and Women's Hospital — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:00:40 +0000

An analysis of MRI scans led by Brigham researchers using artificial intelligence resulted in the production of a reference growth standard and a fast, reproducible way to measure indicators of lean muscle mass in developing children. Leveraging artificial intelligence and the largest pediatric brain MRI dataset to date, researchers have now developed a growth chart [...]

Is Screen Time a Symptom or a Cause of Autism? New Study Sheds Light

Nagoya University — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 16:48:47 +0000

Researchers from the Graduate School of Medicine at Nagoya University in Japan have studied screen time habits among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD. “Screen time” is the term used to describe the duration someone spends on electronic devices, including smartphones, computers, TVs, or gaming consoles. Their findings revealed that children genetically predisposed [...]

New Study: Babies Who Nap Frequently Have Smaller Vocabularies and Poorer Cognitive Skills

University of East Anglia — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:13:24 +0000

Babies that nap frequently tend to have smaller vocabularies and weaker cognitive abilities according to a recent study conducted by the University of East Anglia. This issue is a common concern for parents globally, who often worry about their children’s sleep duration. But a new study published today reveals that some children are more efficient [...]