Children News and Research

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Nothing changes - health aid still fails for the poorest

A study by the World Bank into the impact of health programmes aimed at helping the poorest people in developing countries, warns they are more likely to benefit the wealthier groups in their society.

11 Dec 2005

Obese mothers put their kids at risk

According to a new study, children of mothers who are obese before pregnancy or who smoke during pregnancy, have a higher risk of becoming overweight at a very young age.

7 Dec 2005

Junk food ads aimed at kids endangers their health

The Institute of Medicine says that the majority of food and drink advertising to children promotes unhealthy choices and can lead to poor diets.

7 Dec 2005

Prevention of childhood obesity needs to begin before a woman ever gets pregnant

A child's weight may be influenced by his mother even before he is actually born, according to new research.

7 Dec 2005

Modified version of Atkins diet effective at controlling childhood seizures

A modified version of a popular low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet is nearly as effective at controlling seizures as the highly restrictive ketogenic diet, Johns Hopkins Children's Center researchers report.

7 Dec 2005

Stem cells may cause some forms of bone cancer

The researchers are the first to identify a population of cells with characteristics of adult and embryonic stem cells in cultures derived from biopsies of patients' bone tumors. They describe their findings in the medical journal Neoplasia.

7 Dec 2005

Toddlers with sleep apnea experience more respiratory disturbances when they sleep on their backs

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston have discovered that toddlers with sleep apnea experience more respiratory disturbances when they sleep on their backs than in other positions.

7 Dec 2005

Role of melatonin for the treatment of cancer increasing in improtance

Researchers say that the results are so compelling that cancer funding agencies should be eager to support clinical trials to evaluate its therapeutic role in a variety of cancers.

7 Dec 2005

Low-fat diet early in life improves heart health in men

New research has apparently added to the growing belief that early dietary interventions can improve cholesterol levels in children.

6 Dec 2005

Hearing implants give best results when placed early

Investigators say that deaf children who are given cochlear implants before the age of 30 months are more able to combine what they hear and what they see than those who receive their implants when they are older.

6 Dec 2005

Backpacks damage kids' shoulders and backs

Kids today are carrying too much of a load on their backs and researchers say back pack weight should be reduced for comfort and safety.

6 Dec 2005

Exercise good for children with heart defects

According to a new U.S. study, children born with heart defects who have traditionally been told not to exercise can improve their heart function through programs that involve exertion.

5 Dec 2005

Pricey head lice treatment nothing but common cleanser

An expensive experimental head lice treatment for children has been revealed as nothing more than a common skin cleanser costing as little as $10 a bottle.

5 Dec 2005

Mirror neurons in autistic children abnormal

Researchers have found, through the use of functional MRI scans that looked at the brain, that there is an abnormal activity in the some of the neurons in the brains of autistic children.

5 Dec 2005

Children with heart defects benefit from exercise

A small but compelling pilot study indicates that many children with serious congenital heart disease, who are typically urged to restrict their activity, can improve their cardiovascular function and exercise capacity through a cardiac rehabilitation program.

5 Dec 2005

Comforting behavior in girls mistaken for movement disorder

The comforting behavior of thumb-sucking wouldn't land a 1-year-old girl in a neurologist's office, but the twisting and unusual movements of the comforting act of infantile masturbation can lead parents and physicians to believe a child is suffering from a movement disorder.

5 Dec 2005

The earlier cochlear implants considered, the better

New research at Johns Hopkins has clearly demonstrated the ability of cochlear implants in very young animals to forge normal nerve fibers that transmit sound and to restore hearing by reversing or preventing damage to the brain's auditory system.

5 Dec 2005

Genetics play a part in the inability to stop caffeine use

A study led by Johns Hopkins investigators has shown that women with a serious caffeine habit and a family history of alcohol abuse are more likely to ignore advice to stop using caffeine during pregnancy.

5 Dec 2005

First study to demonstrate the elimination of a racial/ethnic disparity in health and healthcare

Community-based case managers are much more effective than traditional government outreach and enrollment programs in obtaining insurance coverage for uninsured Latino children, according to a study authored by a physician at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

5 Dec 2005

Researchers move in on novel therapeutics to inhibit melanoma

Northwestern University researchers have developed a novel, three-dimensional model that allows scientists to observe how interacting with the microenvironment of metastatic melanoma cells induces normal skin cells to become similar to aggressive cancer cells that migrate and spread throughout the body.

5 Dec 2005