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New U.S. infant mortality data released

The United States ranked 29th in the world in infant mortality in 2004, compared to 27th in 2000, 23rd in 1990 and 12th in 1960, according to a new report from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

15 Oct 2008

Identification of diagnostic biomarkers for infant infections

Infection is the leading cause of infant deaths worldwide, and particularly a common killer of weaker, pre-term infants.

14 Oct 2008

Breast is best in fight against childhood asthma

A University of Sunderland academic has discovered a link between breast feeding and a lower incidence in asthma in young children.

14 Oct 2008

Experts say double the daily dose of vitamin D for children

The American Academy of Pediatrics says children - from newborns up to teenagers - should be given double the current recommended amount of vitamin D because research has shown it may help prevent serious diseases.

14 Oct 2008

Walking the dog - the way to curb childhood obesity

A study by researchers at Deakin University has found that young children who have a dog were 50% less likely to be overweight or obese than those without a pet dog in the family home.

14 Oct 2008

Seeds of optimism in Iraq's mental health provision

University of Leicester psychiatrist Dr Mohammed Al-Uzri flies to Iraq on 15th October for the third National Conference on Mental Health which aims to help to develop mental health strategy for the next five years.

13 Oct 2008

Obese teenagers face higher metabolic syndrome risk in South America than Europe

Obese teenagers are much more likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome - which can lead to heart disease - if they live in Brazil than Italy, according to a study in the October issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

13 Oct 2008

Experts say more exercise and better diet the key to childhood obesity

With experts saying the life expectancy of Australian children will be shortened by two years if something is not done about the country's obesity epidemic, researchers in Britain are saying the one hour of moderate exercise a day recommended to children from health experts may not be enough to tackle the problem of childhood obesity.

13 Oct 2008

Fans in baby's bedrooms lessens the risk of SIDS

American researchers say using a fan in a baby's bedroom while they are asleep lessens the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

7 Oct 2008

Experts say exotic pet pose health risks to young children

Experts say exotic pets such as reptiles and monkeys should be discouraged in homes with small children or people with immune system problems, as they pose a health risk.

7 Oct 2008

Influenza vaccine not associated with reduced hospitalizations among young children

Use of the influenza vaccine was not associated with preventing hospitalizations or reducing physician visits for the flu in children age 5 and younger during two recent seasons, perhaps because the strains of virus in the vaccine did not match circulating strains, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

6 Oct 2008

School vending machines dole out excess calories and added sugar beverages

Despite efforts to include more healthy choices at schools, standard offerings from vending machines - including fruit juices - are giving students more calories than they need.

6 Oct 2008

Simple blood test could help detect serious bacterial infections in babies

A simple blood test may help detect serious bacterial infections (SBIs) like urinary tract infections and blood stream infections in young infants who come to the emergency department (ED) with fevers that have no clear cause.

6 Oct 2008

Better air ventilation in infants' bedrooms linked to reduced SIDS risk

Infants who slept in a bedroom with a fan ventilating the air had a 72 percent lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome compared to infants who slept in a bedroom without a fan, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. The study appears in the October issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine.

6 Oct 2008

Burst appendix or stomach flu?

A young child arrives at the emergency room after several days of abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea and is sent home with a diagnosis of viral gastritis and treatment for the symptoms. The child seems better for a while, only to return to the ER with worse symptoms and a ruptured appendix, a life-threatening complication of appendicitis.

6 Oct 2008

Parents' expectations influence children's asthma

According to new research children with asthma whose parents have high expectations for their ability to function normally, are less likely to have symptoms than other children dealing with the condition.

6 Oct 2008

Online bullying far too common

Psychologists in the United States say that the bullying of teenagers online is common and almost three in four teenagers say they were bullied online at least once during a recent 12-month period.

6 Oct 2008

Reading the right book helps obese kids lose weight

Researchers at Duke Children's Hospital in North Carolina have looked at the effect of literature on obese adolescents and discovered that reading the right type of novel may make a difference.

6 Oct 2008

Too many Australian children have an unhealthy lifestyle

A survey on the lifestyle of Australian children has found big changes need to be made if many are to avoid health problems later on in life.

6 Oct 2008

New Allegheny County, Pa., effort taps religious leaders to educate blacks on SIDS risks

The Allegheny County, Pa., Health Department and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh on Wednesday launched a collaborative effort that aims to educate blacks about safe sleep practices for infants and reduce infant deaths among blacks, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

5 Oct 2008