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Cuddles diminishes pain from heel lance in preterm babies

Research published today in the open access journal BMC Pediatrics suggests that very preterm babies, born between 28 and 31 weeks, could benefit from skin-to-skin cuddling with their mother before and during painful procedures such as a heel lance.

24 Apr 2008

Child's sex is associated with the mother's diet

New research by the Universities of Exeter and Oxford provides the first evidence that a child's sex is associated with the mother's diet. Published today (23 April 2008), in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, the study shows a clear link between higher energy intake around the time of conception and the birth of sons.

22 Apr 2008

Maryland lawmakers approve measures intended to improve dental care for low-income children

In the 2009 fiscal year state budget, the Maryland General Assembly included millions of dollars in funding for initiatives that will expand dental care to more children enrolled in Medicaid, the Washington Post reports.

22 Apr 2008

Siblings may be to blame for low grades, bad behavior

We all know the story of a man named Brady and the group that somehow formed a family. But if the iconic '70s sitcom about a "blended" family reflected reality, the Brady Bunch likely would have been dealing with much more than silly sibling squabbles.

22 Apr 2008

UT Southwestern Medical Center receives grant to investigate relationship between infant feeding practices and iron deficiency in Hispanic toddlers

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Physician Faculty Scholars program has awarded a two-year, $203,626 grant to Dr. Jane Brotanek, assistant professor of pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

22 Apr 2008

Bush Administration directive to enroll low-income children in SCHIP before expanding coverage is unenforceable because it violates Federal law, according to GAO

The Bush administration violated federal law last year when it issued a policy directive that restricts states' ability to expand their SCHIP programs, according to a Government Accountability Office legal opinion released Friday, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 4/19).

21 Apr 2008

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder should undergo heart tests before treatment with stimulant drugs

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should get careful cardiac evaluation and monitoring - including an electrocardiogram (ECG) - before treatment with stimulant drugs, a new American Heart Association statement recommends.

21 Apr 2008

Keep children's health in mind

If there is any real purpose to the 2020 summit, it could be to establish a national program of research, clinical and community activity that would deliver a 21st century response to the real child and youth mental health problems that our society creates.

18 Apr 2008

Breastfeeding during anti-epilepsy drug treatment does not appear to harm a child's cognitive development

A first of its kind study finds breastfeeding while taking certain seizure medications does not appear to harm a child's cognitive development. The research will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12-19, 2008.

17 Apr 2008

Children with migraine more likely to have sleep disorders

Children with migraine are more likely to have sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and lack of sleep, than children without migraine, according to research on the effects of headaches on children’s sleep patterns that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12-19, 2008.

17 Apr 2008

Boys are twice as likely as girls in the U.S. and Asia to receive growth hormone

Boys are twice as likely as girls in the U.S. and Asia (mostly Japan) to receive recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) for growth hormone deficiency, illnesses that affect height, and short stature of a non-medical nature.

17 Apr 2008

Study shows factors influencing premature infant survival, disability

Based on observations of more than 4,000 infants, researchers in an NIH newborn research network have identified several factors that influence an extremely low birth weight infant's chances for survival and disability. The findings offer new information to physicians and families considering the most appropriate treatment options for this category of infants.

17 Apr 2008

Asthma symptoms worse among nation's poor, urban children

American children with asthma living in poor, urban areas are particularly vulnerable to respiratory health problems, a consequence of poor air quality in inner-city neighborhoods.

17 Apr 2008

Short-term effects of outdoor pollution levels on asthma symptoms and lung function in children

A new study reports that inner-city children with asthma may be particularly vulnerable to air pollution at levels below current air quality standards.

16 Apr 2008

Too much fibre and too little fat not appropriate for toddlers

After a number of years of encouraging people to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, surprising research from the UK is now warning that too much fibre and too little fat for toddlers is not healthy.

15 Apr 2008

Scots get serious about childhood obesity

Childhood obesity in Scotland has been a growing problem in recent years and research last year revealed that 21 per cent of all Primary 1 children were overweight: 8.8 per cent were classed as obese and 4.3 per cent as severely obese and the figures were were higher still in deprived areas.

15 Apr 2008

Team of health blitz ENT specialists on the ground in Alice

A health blitz which has begun to tackle some of the health issues suffered by Aboriginal children in remote communities, is already proving to be effective.

15 Apr 2008

Children suffering because of repeated delays in heart operations

Reports that the number of children in Victoria on waiting lists for heart operations is increasing, is a cause for concern.

14 Apr 2008

Girls improve boys' grades at school

Boys and girls may learn differently, but American parents should think twice before moving their children to sex-segregated schools.

13 Apr 2008

Infant feeding and the development of obesity: what does the science tell us?

On Wednesday, April 9, 2008, a symposium at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting at Experimental Biology was held in which noted scientists discussed new infant feeding studies that used methodology such as randomized clinical trials (involving breastfeeding promotion) as well as sibling pairs analysis.

11 Apr 2008