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Sibling risk of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and adenotonsillar hypertrophy

A study in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP indicates that children have an increased risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) if they have at least one sibling who has been diagnosed with the sleep disorder.

3 Aug 2009

Seven out of ten U.S. children low in vitamin D

Seven out of ten U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, raising their risk of bone and heart disease, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The striking findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency could place millions of children at risk for high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease.

3 Aug 2009

Ethical ramifications of H1N1 vaccine priority groups

Pregnant women are among the groups that should receive H1N1 (swine) flu vaccinations this fall, according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices panel whose recommendations are generally accepted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

31 Jul 2009

U.N. program has little effect in reducing deaths among children in Bangladesh, study finds

"The U.N. unveiled a multimillion dollar strategy a dozen years ago to save children worldwide, but a new [Lancet] study has found the program had surprisingly little effect in Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest countries," the Associated Press reports.

31 Jul 2009

Expanded testing reveals 2000 percent increase in number of HIV-positive Indian children

"Expanded testing across India in the past three years shows a 2,000 percent jump in the number of HIV cases among children, [Ghulam Nabi Azad] the country's health minister announced Wednesday," CNN reports.

30 Jul 2009

Efforts underway in Namibia to treat pediatric HIV

Inter Press Service examines how efforts underway in Namibia have helped to decrease the number of infants born with HIV while also increasing the number of HIV-positive infants on life-saving antiretrovirals (ARVs).

29 Jul 2009

Overconfident students are often below-average readers, according to new study

Too much confidence among teenage students can be harmful. In a study that reinforces the danger of indiscriminately bolstering a child's self esteem -- whether the child earns that distinction or not -- the results show a clear connection between overconfident students and low reading comprehension, and suggest recommendations for parents and teachers.

29 Jul 2009

Plenty of dairy foods in childhood may mean a longer life

Milk is an excellent source of calcium and the children who ate plenty of dairy foods such as milk and cheese appeared to be protected against stroke and other causes of death, even though dairy products often contain fats and cholesterol which fur up the arteries and high consumption of dairy products did not raise the heart disease risk.

28 Jul 2009

Being active at age 5 helps kids stay lean as they age

Being active at age 5 helps kids stay lean as they age even if they don't remain as active later in childhood, a new University of Iowa study shows.

28 Jul 2009

Anesthesia not harmful for babies during birth process

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that children exposed to anesthesia during Cesarean section are not at any higher risk for learning disabilities later in life than children not delivered by C-section. These findings are reported in the current issue of the journal Anesthesiology.

28 Jul 2009

Obesity expert says rates of severe childhood obesity have tripled

Rates of severe childhood obesity have tripled in the last 25 years, according to a recent study by an obesity expert at Brenner Children's Hospital.

27 Jul 2009

New system may allow use of xenon to protect newborn brain

Breathing xenon gas can help protect the infant brain from damage caused by oxygen deprivation, but the xenon's high cost and scarcity has precluded its widespread use.

27 Jul 2009

Cause of colic

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston say one organism discovered during their study may unlock the key to what causes colic, inconsolable crying in an otherwise healthy baby.

24 Jul 2009

Active children sleep better

Experts from Australia and New Zealand say exercise plays an important role in the sleeping habits of children and children who do no exercise take longer to fall asleep.

22 Jul 2009

Child’s IQ can be affected by mother’s exposure to urban air pollutants

A mother's exposure to urban air pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can adversely affect a child's intelligence quotient or IQ, a study reports. PAHs are chemicals released into the air from the burning of coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic substances such as tobacco. In urban areas motor vehicles are a major source of PAHs.

21 Jul 2009

Babies and toddlers have double the risk of head injuries

Australian researchers have revealed that babies and toddlers have double the risk of head injuries than children of any other age and they have called for parents to exercise more vigilance.

20 Jul 2009

What happens in the womb dictates how well a child does at school

Australian scientists have found that a person's intelligence starts before birth and they say healthy fetal growth helps to improve a child's performance at school.

20 Jul 2009

Depression and stress worsen childhood asthma

Young people with asthma have nearly twice the incidence of depression compared to their peers without asthma, and studies have shown that depression is associated with increased asthma symptoms and, in some cases, death.

17 Jul 2009

Parents more conscious of overweight girls than overweight boys

According to the findings of a national survey by a major health insurance company, too many Australian parents are oblivious to the fact their children are overweight.

16 Jul 2009

Many Australian parents oblivious to the fact their children are overweight

The disturbing results showed that only 7.9% of children were considered to be overweight by their parents. However, this is a gross underestimation according to the recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report , which showed almost a quarter of all children (aged two to 12) are overweight or obese.

15 Jul 2009