Pediatrics

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The age limit of such patients ranges from birth to 18. In countries where the age of majority is 18, this age limit may be from birth to age 17 (such as in Canada). A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician.

What is Pediatrics?

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine dealing with the health and medical care of infants, children, and adolescents from birth up to the age of 18. The word “paediatrics” means “healer of children”; they are derived from two Greek words: (pais = child) and (iatros = doctor or healer). Paediatrics is a relatively new medical specialty, developing only in the mid-19th century. Abraham Jacobi (1830–1919) is known as the father of paediatrics.

Pediatrics Training

Pediatric Skin Conditions

Subspecialties of Pediatrics

Pediatrician: Role, Education, Training, Subspecialties

Infections in Childhood

A Brief History of Pediatrics

Child and Adolescent Sports Injuries

Importance of Sensory Stimulation for Babies

Supporting Children with Mental Health Disorders

How Fast Food Affects Children's Health

Mental Health Disorders and Children

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Effects of Passive Smoking on Children's Health

Latest Pediatrics News and Research

Adderall shortage linked to shift in ADHD treatment for children

A national shortage in a common treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was associated with changes in stimulant prescriptions filled for children over recent years, a new study suggests.

27 Jan 2025

Elevated uric acid levels may contribute to severe malaria outcomes in children

Indiana University School of Medicine researchers and their collaborators in Uganda at the Makerere University School of Medicine have uncovered a significant connection between elevated uric acid levels and life-threatening outcomes in children with severe malaria.

27 Jan 2025

Infant mortality drops in the United States while SUID rates rise

Infant mortality in the United States decreased by 24.2% between 1999 and 2022. Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU discovered this improvement in a study published Jan. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.

27 Jan 2025

Study finds successful treatment of childhood obesity lowers long-term health risks

Effective treatment of childhood obesity significantly lowers long-term health risks, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension, promoting better adult health.

24 Jan 2025

Uncertainty surrounds effects of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for gender dysphoria

Major uncertainties remain about the impact of puberty blockers and gender affirming hormone therapy on children and young people with gender related distress (gender dysphoria), making it impossible to determine conclusively whether they help or harm, find two pooled data analyses of the available evidence, published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

23 Jan 2025

As states diverge on immigration, hospitals say they won’t turn patients away

California is advising health care providers not to write down patients' immigration status on bills and medical records and telling them they don't have to assist federal agents in arrests.

23 Jan 2025

Space research offers new hope for heart cell therapy

A team of researchers led by Emory's Chunhui Xu recently found that heart muscle cells can grow -and survive in the microgravity environment of space.

21 Jan 2025

Childhood obesity treatment reduces long-term health risks but not depression

When children with obesity undergo weight-loss treatment, the effects have repercussions later in life and the risk of serious health problems and premature death is lower as they reach young adulthood.

21 Jan 2025

New research identifies key subtype of bacterial vaginosis that increases chlamydia risk

Women who develop bacterial vaginosis (BV) often later acquire chlamydia, a common and potentially serious sexually transmitted bacterial infection.

16 Jan 2025

Study reveals AI’s critical flaw in medical decision-making

Large language models excel at answering medical questions but fail to recognize their knowledge gaps, posing risks in clinical applications.

15 Jan 2025

A new strategy for enhancing the production of protein-based drugs

An international team of researchers led by the University of California San Diego has developed a new strategy to enhance pharmaceutical production in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, which are commonly used to manufacture protein-based drugs for treating cancer, autoimmune diseases and much more.

15 Jan 2025

New push for stricter chemical laws to shield kids from harmful exposure

Research highlights the rising impact of synthetic chemicals on children's health, linking them to noncommunicable diseases and advocating for stringent global regulations.

13 Jan 2025

Can medical schools funnel more doctors into the primary care pipeline?

Throughout her childhood, Julia Lo Cascio dreamed of becoming a pediatrician. So, when applying to medical school, she was thrilled to discover a new, small school founded specifically to train primary care doctors: NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine.

13 Jan 2025

Research explores molecular dynamics of CAR T cells in cancer treatment

A study published in Science Advances shares new insights into how two of the most common types of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells kill cancer.

10 Jan 2025

Climate change threatens the mental well-being of youths. Here’s how to help them cope.

We've all read the stories and seen the images: The life-threatening heat waves. The wildfires of unprecedented ferocity.

9 Jan 2025

Scientists discover new target for treating aggressive brain cancer

A study co-led by UCLA scientists has found targeting a protein called endocan and its related signaling pathway could be a promising new approach for treating glioblastoma, an aggressive and lethal type of brain cancer.

8 Jan 2025

Can fluoride affect IQ? Study points to risks but raises questions

Despite finding a link between fluoride exposure and lower IQ, the study’s flaws raise questions.

7 Jan 2025

Puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones rarely prescribed to transgender youth

Puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones are rarely prescribed to U.S. transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adolescents, according to a new study from researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, and FOLX Health.

6 Jan 2025

Study reveals alarming rates of youth homelessness in Denver

A first of its kind study, published today in Pediatrics, has provided full-picture assessment of youth homelessness in Denver, Colorado.

3 Jan 2025

Unveiling the role of gene inactivation in human disease

New work by Columbia researchers has turned a textbook principle of genetics on its head and revealed why some people who carry disease-causing genes experience no symptoms.

2 Jan 2025