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Guardian examines difficulty of delivering polio vaccines in war-torn parts of Africa, like DRC

UNICEF is calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) so that polio vaccinators can access millions of children in an effort to beat back the re-emergence of the disease in several African nations, the Guardian reports. "We are calling on all parties to the conflict to respect the vaccination days and cease fighting," said Pierrette Vu Thi, UNICEF's representative in the DRC. "All children have the same right to health," Vu Thi said.

7 Dec 2010

Dartmouth awarded $2M grant for new Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center

Dartmouth recently received a $2 million pilot grant to fund the new Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth. The grant is jointly funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Dartmouth's is one of six emerging centers nationally that are undertaking interdisciplinary research to assist public health professionals and policy makers in combating children's diseases caused by environment pollutants.

7 Dec 2010

MU researcher hopes to protect cardiac muscles for children with DMD

Children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy face a future of rapidly weakening muscles, which usually leads to death by respiratory or cardiac failure before their 30th birthday. While researchers are hopeful that gene therapy could eventually evolve into an effective treatment, few have targeted the heart of the problem as much as Dongsheng Duan, PhD.

7 Dec 2010

Bierman ABA opens new clinic for children with autism

Bierman ABA is proud to announce the opening of its new clinic for providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to children with autism. After three years setting up home programs for children with autism, Bierman ABA has expanded to a clinic in Carmel, IN. The new location will serve families in Indianapolis and surrounding areas.

7 Dec 2010

New study reveals that sick teens are more isolated than other kids

A new study reveals that sick teens are more isolated than other kids, but they do not necessarily realize it and often think their friendships are stronger than they actually are.

7 Dec 2010

Screening for CCDC40 gene mutations may help determine risk for congenital heart defects

A gene that can cause congenital heart defects has been identified by a team of scientists, including a group from Princeton University. The discovery could lead to new treatments for those affected by the conditions brought on by the birth defect.

7 Dec 2010

Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens punished unfairly: Study

A new study says that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) teens and young adults, especially females are punished more often by school and criminal authorities than are straight youngsters. According to Yale researchers Kathryn Himmelstein and Hanna Bruckner, this increased punishment is not always due to more rule-breaking or law-breaking. Ms. Himmelstein, now a high school math teacher in New York City, began the study after spending time working in the juvenile justice system during a leave of absence from college. She noted this trend during her tenure and started this work as her senior thesis at Yale.

6 Dec 2010

New report reveals how African countries are performing in budgeting for their children

A new report launched today by The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) measures African government’s investment in children and confirms that a country’s commitment to child rights and wellbeing is not dependent on their economic status, but rather on political will and spending priorities.

6 Dec 2010

Researchers show link between accepting family attitudes, behaviors towards LGBT children

For the first time, researchers have established a clear link between accepting family attitudes and behaviors towards their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children and significantly decreased risk and better overall health in adulthood.

6 Dec 2010

Incidence of EPTS in children with TBI more than twice the rate in adults: Study

In the first study to utilize continuous EEG monitoring to define the incidence of early post traumatic seizures in children compared to published rates in adults, investigators at the University of Colorado followed pediatric patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury admitted to Denver Children's Hospital over a nine month period.

6 Dec 2010

LouseBuster device proves effective

Four years after the LouseBuster prototype made headlines when research showed the chemical-free, warm-air device wiped out head lice on children, a new study reveals that a revamped, government-cleared model is highly effective.

6 Dec 2010

Oral levetiracetam may be effective in stopping neonatal seizures

Seizures that occur in the first few weeks of life are a major predictor of future adverse neurological outcomes. Currently approved antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are effective in stopping seizures in less than 50% of these neonatal cases. The approved therapies can also have undesirable side effects.

6 Dec 2010

Ketogenic diet may benefit patients with myoclonic-astatic epilepsy

Many children with certain forms of epilepsy achieve seizure control through a stringent medically supervised diet, either the ketogenic diet (KD) or a Modified Atkins Diet (MAD). When to use these diets and the mechanisms underlying their anticonvulsant effect are not well defined. Research presented here at the 64th American Epilepsy Society annual meeting provides new insight into when and how these diets work.

6 Dec 2010

Seasonal light cycles can affect development of babies' specific brain function: Study

The season in which babies are born can have a dramatic and persistent effect on how their biological clocks function.

6 Dec 2010

Food outlets sending vouchers to kids in mail-outs

Now fast food outlets are sending direct mailers to kids under the age of 12 as part of online marketing campaigns to pre-teens that include special offers, free food vouchers and competitions. Outlet names like Hungry Jacks and Taco Bill Mexican Restaurants have come up in a submission to a Senate inquiry on privacy laws made by a coalition of some of the country’s peak health bodies.

5 Dec 2010

UNICEF spearheads polio immunization campaign across Abkhazia

UNICEF, the Abkhaz authorities and the European Union have left no stone unturned in their efforts to keep the region polio-free. In the first round of the polio immunization campaign that began here in November, 98 percent of all children up to 17 years of age were vaccinated.

4 Dec 2010

Wide-scale study of flu vaccine's effectiveness in European children needed

A wide-scale study of the effectiveness of flu vaccine in children is needed in Europe to fully assess the benefits, not only in keeping the kids from getting sick, but limiting the spread of flu to adults.

4 Dec 2010

Healthy People 2020 targets barriers to breastfeeding

For the first time, the barriers to breastfeeding are being addressed at the highest level of government. With the release today of Healthy People 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has targeted the new 10-year goals for our nation's health - and supporting breastfeeding is prominent among them.

4 Dec 2010

UBC receives $7M grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for PRE-EMPT Project

The University of British Columbia has received a $7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. UBC researchers working at the Child & Family Research Institute will test new strategies for the monitoring, prevention, and treatment of pre-eclampsia.

4 Dec 2010

Exposure to nicotine during pregnancy may cause learning disabilities in children: Research

Exposure to nicotine during pregnancy leads to a decrease in adult stem cells and a change in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of the offspring, according to new research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego in November.

4 Dec 2010

Child Health News

Guardian examines difficulty of delivering polio vaccines in war-torn parts of Africa, like DRC

Dartmouth awarded $2M grant for new Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center

MU researcher hopes to protect cardiac muscles for children with DMD

Bierman ABA opens new clinic for children with autism

New study reveals that sick teens are more isolated than other kids

Screening for CCDC40 gene mutations may help determine risk for congenital heart defects

Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens punished unfairly: Study

New report reveals how African countries are performing in budgeting for their children

Researchers show link between accepting family attitudes, behaviors towards LGBT children

Incidence of EPTS in children with TBI more than twice the rate in adults: Study

LouseBuster device proves effective

Oral levetiracetam may be effective in stopping neonatal seizures

Ketogenic diet may benefit patients with myoclonic-astatic epilepsy

Seasonal light cycles can affect development of babies' specific brain function: Study

Food outlets sending vouchers to kids in mail-outs

UNICEF spearheads polio immunization campaign across Abkhazia

Wide-scale study of flu vaccine's effectiveness in European children needed

Healthy People 2020 targets barriers to breastfeeding

UBC receives $7M grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for PRE-EMPT Project

Exposure to nicotine during pregnancy may cause learning disabilities in children: Research

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

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