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Researchers study newborns' umbilical cord blood to better understand fetal health risks from smoking mothers

Despite the well-known dangers of first- and secondhand smoke, an estimated ten percent of pregnant women in the U.S. are smokers.

3 Dec 2008

Unstable housing linked to child hunger and poor health

A new study shows that children whose families move frequently or live in overcrowded conditions are more likely to suffer from hunger and poor health than those in stable housing.

3 Dec 2008

Exposure to pseudoephedrine common among young children

Researchers from Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center have found that exposure to pseudoephedrine, a decongestant found in many cough-and-cold and allergy medications, has been common among U.S. children, especially those under the age of two years who are at the highest risk for toxicity and for whom safe dosing recommendations are lacking.

1 Dec 2008

Babies exposed to tobacco in utero more irritable, difficult to soothe

Previous studies have shown that babies exposed to tobacco in utero are more likely to have a low birth weight and are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome.

1 Dec 2008

High levels of prenatal smoking exposure affects sleep in early babies

A study in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Sleep is the first to show that high levels of prenatal smoking exposure strongly modify sleep patterns in preterm neonates, which places infants at a higher risk for developmental difficulties that could persist throughout early and middle childhood.

1 Dec 2008

Epilepsy drug valproate may increase risk of autism in children

A new study shows that women who take the epilepsy drug valproate while pregnant may significantly increase their child's risk of developing autism.

1 Dec 2008

Elementary school social development intervention leads to better-functioning young adults

A social development intervention administered in elementary school appears to have positive effects on mental health, sexual health and educational and economic achievement assessed 15 years after the intervention ended, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

1 Dec 2008

Children of farm workers less likely to have health cover

Children of farm workers are three times as likely as all other children and almost twice as likely as other poor children to be uninsured, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

1 Dec 2008

Kick, catch and throw - key to obesity prevention

A new study has found kids who learn how to kick, catch and throw are more likely to grow into active and fit teens.

1 Dec 2008

Good pre-school and home-learning boosts academic development

Attending a high quality pre-school followed by an academically effective primary school gives a significant boost to children's development.

30 Nov 2008

Parents of new babies should be considered for a whooping cough booster, say experts

A booster vaccination for parents of new babies and other household members may be the most effective way of preventing the fatal form of whooping cough in young infants, say a group of paediatric intensive care doctors on bmj.com.

28 Nov 2008

UNC expands infant brain imaging study

A study led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers using brain imaging of infants to examine changes in their brains and behavior that may mark the onset of autistic symptoms is being substantially expanded after receiving an additional $3.25 million in funding.

26 Nov 2008

Strabismus (misaligned eyes) in children triples risk of mental illness

Children whose eyes are misaligned and point outward are at significantly increased risk of developing mental illness by early adulthood, according to findings of a Mayo Clinic study published this month in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

26 Nov 2008

Study looks at amount of time single mothers are able to give their children

"Time poor" single mothers come surprisingly close in the number of hours they spend caring for their children compared to married mothers, and the difference is explained almost entirely by socio-economic factors and the kind of jobs they hold, say University of Maryland sociologists in a new study.

25 Nov 2008

Increase in adoption of children in care in Northern Ireland

The number of children being adopted from care in Northern Ireland has increased, according to a study by Queen's University. However, Health Boards and Trusts vary dramatically in their decisions on long-term placements for children in care.

25 Nov 2008

Cohabiting and married mothers spend more time caring for their children than single mothers

A new study in the Journal of Marriage and Family examined differences in the amount and type of time that single, cohabiting and married mothers spend with their children.

24 Nov 2008

Exercise helps manage anger in overweight children

Regular exercise seems to reduce anger expression in overweight but otherwise healthy children, researchers said.

24 Nov 2008

Children with constipation a significant health issue

According to new research conducted at Nationwide Children's Hospital, the burden of illness in children suffering from constipation, and the costs associated with this condition, are roughly of the same magnitude as those for asthma and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

24 Nov 2008

Hairspray linked to common genital birth defect in baby boys

British scientists from Imperial College London say women who are exposed to hairspray in the workplace during pregnancy have more than double the risk of having a son with the genital birth defect hypospadias.

24 Nov 2008

Neurological health risk in children with blunt head injuries: fashion hair beads

An intriguing article published in the December 2008 online issue of Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics may come as quite a surprise to parents, especially those with little girls.

21 Nov 2008