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Indiana receives CMS approval to expand SCHIP

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Secretary Mitch Roob on Friday announced that CMS has approved an expansion of Hoosier Healthwise, the state's version of SCHIP, the AP/Chicago Tribune reports.

13 May 2008

Pediatric society leaders, health policy experts consider sisparities in children's health as top priority for political candidates

Top policy and research experts and leaders of seven pediatric societies last week convened in Hawaii at a public symposium about health care and poverty issues facing U.S. children and adolescents as part of an effort to make the issues a top priority for national and state election candidates this year, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports.

13 May 2008

Three quarters of child car deaths could have been prevented in Australia

In what will come as quite shocking news, Australian researchers say that almost three-quarters of child deaths in car accidents could have been prevented if seatbelts had been properly fitted.

13 May 2008

Children eat healthier when all snacks are banned

According to a study from researchers at Cardiff University, one way to encourage children to eat healthily is to ban all unhealthy snacks in schools.

13 May 2008

Would you let your child participate in medical research?

Advances in medicine - new treatments, cures, vaccines and medicines - are driven by research involving humans. But when it comes to medical research that requires children to be involved, researchers often struggle to find participants.

13 May 2008

New plan says no vaccination no school

New proposals by Britain's Labour government will see children banned from starting primary school unless they have been vaccinated.

12 May 2008

CDC report finds increase in reports of respiratory illness in children after hurricane Katrina; New Orleans Mayor pushes for city residents to leave trailers

The number of children in the Gulf Coast region after Hurricane Katrina who complained of symptoms of bronchitis, pneumonia and other lower respiratory illnesses rose in the years after the storm, according to a 49-page CDC report released on Thursday, the Washington Post reports.

11 May 2008

Childhood and adolescent obesity impacts cardiac health

Study findings presented at the May 2008 Pediatric Academic Societies and Asian Society for Pediatric Research Joint Meeting indicate that childhood and adolescent obesity negatively impacts vascular endothelial function, which relates to cardiac health.

11 May 2008

Letter from Bush administration indicates states have more flexibility to prove they enrolled 95% of currently eligible children in SCHIP

The Bush administration on Wednesday sent letters to state health officials to clarify a policy directive issued last year that restricts states' ability to expand their SCHIP programs, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 5/7).

8 May 2008

Stopping smoking in schools

Smoking rates among teenagers can be reduced by training influential students within secondary schools to promote anti-smoking messages in their everyday conversations with their friends and peer group. This is the conclusion of authors of an article in this week's edition of The Lancet.

8 May 2008

Only one in five children have eyes tested, Australian figures show

The Optometrists Association Australia is urging parents to have their children's eyes tested as new figures show that only 19 per cent of school-aged children had their eyes tested in the past financial year.

8 May 2008

Nutrition for the growing athlete: The good, the bad and the ugly

For millions of American children and teens playing sports, good nutrition is critical for maximum health, performance and normal growth.

8 May 2008

A stable post-divorce family environment helps minimize long-term harm to children

For children of divorce, what happens after their parents split up may be just as important to their long-term well-being as the divorce itself.

7 May 2008

Too much TV for babies means less verbal interaction with Mum

Over the last decade or so there has been mounting concern about the effect of television and videos on young children.

7 May 2008

Australian research shows children are safer with their biological parents

An Australian psychologist who has conducted research into the deaths of children from violence or accidents, says children are safer with their biological parents.

7 May 2008

Corticosteroids provide no survival benefit for children with bacterial meningitis

Corticosteroids given to children who are hospitalized for bacterial meningitis do not provide a benefit in survival or in reduced hospital stays, according to a large multicenter study by pediatric researchers. This finding stands in contrast to previous studies in hospitalized adults, for which corticosteroids dramatically reduced mortality.

6 May 2008

Breastfeeding makes for more intelligent children

While it has been recognised for decades that breastfeeding is better for both mothers and babies, scientists are now suggesting that it also benefits a child's intelligence.

6 May 2008

TV hinders mother-child interaction - limited verbal interactions

Infants who are exposed to television and video in low socio-economic households tend to have limited verbal interactions with their mothers, according to a new study led by Alan L. Mendelsohn, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Clinical Research for the divisions of General and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine.

5 May 2008

Breastfeeding may improve children's IQ scores - other measures of cognitive development

Long-term, exclusive breastfeeding appears to improve children's cognitive development, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

5 May 2008

Strange barriers to physical activity may exist at child-care centers

At a time when over half of US children (aged 3-6) are in child care centers, and growing concern over childhood obesity has led physicians to focus on whether children are getting enough physical activity, a new study of outdoor physical activity at child care centers, conducted by researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, has identified some surprising reasons why the kids may be staying inside.

5 May 2008