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Paediatrics
All children with possible penicillin allergy test negative – small study
Children who, according to their parents, had possible penicillin allergy on the basis of non-specific symptoms all tested negative for actual allergy, a small...
Pretoria teaching hospital rife with paediatric medication errors
The incidence of medication errors in the neonatal intensive care unit and paediatric wards at a Pretoria teaching hospital was higher than values reported...
Serum test to identify abusive head trauma in infants
A serum-based test, which needs to be validated in a larger population and receive regulatory approval, has been developed that would be the first...
Booster vaccine during pregnancy cuts pertussis incidence in infants
Among infants of women who received the Tdap pertussis booster vaccine during pregnancy, the risk of contracting pertussis was reduced by an estimated 91%...
Antibiotic treatment of acute appendicitis mostly safe for children
An analysis of several studies including 404 paediatric patients suggests antibiotic treatment for acute uncomplicated appendicitis is safe and effective in the majority of...
Supportive touch and less painful procedures help prem babies
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) treatments save millions of infants born prematurely every year. But this treatment is not without cost. Painful procedures such...
Estimates show mother-to-child HIV transmission dropping in US
Research has estimated that there were 69 perinatal human immunodeficiency virus or HIV infections among infants born in the US in 2013 (1.75 per...
Secondhand sugar found to pass through breast milk
Fructose, not a natural component of breast milk, is passed from mother to infant through breast milk, found a small proof-of-concept study from the University...
Physical AND mental health problems for low birth-weight babies
Babies born with extremely low birth weight are not only at risk for physical problems but are also more likely to experience mental health...
HPV vaccine delivering benefits
Data show early benefits from the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in young girls, according to a study at Queen's University and McGill.
Fresh whole blood from a single donor is best
Using fresh whole blood from single donors is better than using component blood from multiple donors in paediatric heart surgery patients.
Alcohol and energy drinks – an explosive mix for teens
US teens aged 15-17 years old who had ever mixed alcohol with energy drinks were four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder than a teen who has tried alcohol but never mixed it with an energy drink.
Therapeutic hypothermia does not improve survival
A large-scale, multicentre study has shown that emergency body cooling does not improve survival rates or reduce brain injury in infants and children with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, more than normal temperature control.
Oral insulin sparks immune response
Children at risk for Type 1 diabetes, who were given daily doses of oral insulin, developed a protective immune response to the disease, found a pilot study carried out in the US, Germany, Austria and the UK.
Gene therapy success with immune condition
Patients with the most severe form of the immune condition Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome have been successfully treated using gene therapy at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London.
Extended breastfeeding delivers brain benefits
Longer duration of breastfeeding is linked with increased intelligence in adulthood, longer schooling, and higher adult earnings, a Brazilian study following a group of almost 3,500 newborns for 30 years has found.
The 'golden hour' in paediatric cancer tx
Paediatric cancer patients who receive antibiotics within 60 minutes of reporting fever and showing neutropenia, have decreased intensive care needs and lower mortality.
Higher arsenic levels in formula-fed infants
In the first US study of urinary arsenic in babies, Dartmouth College researchers found that formula-fed infants had higher arsenic levels than breast-fed infants.
Peanut allergies can be reversed – study
A study from King's College London shows that the number of children developing a peanut allergy can be drastically reduced if children are introduced to peanuts as soon as they begin to eat solid foods. Researchers say new public health guidelines are needed.
Energy drinks fuel hyperactivity
Middle-school children who consume heavily sweetened energy drinks are 66% more likely to be at risk for hyperactivity and inattention symptoms, a Yale-led study has found.
Study confirms WHO's 'breast is best' mantra
A US study found that babies fed only breast milk have microbial communities that seem more ready for the introduction of solid foods, providing support for World Health Organisation recommendations to breastfeed exclusively during the first six months of life.
Morphine link to respiratory threat
Treating post-operative pain with morphine can cause life-threatening respiratory problems in some children who have had their tonsils and/or adenoids removed, Canadian research has found.
PHT kids still a high risk surgical group
Despite effective new treatments for their disease, children with pulmonary hypertension (PHT) are still a high-risk group for serious complications and death related to anaesthesia and surgery. "The risk for adverse events during anaesthesia in patients with PHT remains high, despite newer disease-modifying treatments," Science Daily reports the study by Dr Katherine Taylor and colleagues of the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto found. Younger children and those with more severe disease are at higher risk, but larger studies will be needed to understand the risks of anesthesia in the era of modern treatments for PHT, researchers said.
Brain development boosted by being read to from birth
With the increased recognition that an important part of brain development occurs within the first three years of a child’s life, a new policy...
Overweight smokers more likely to give birth to obese children
Women who smoke during pregnancy and are overweight early in pregnancy are more likely to have children who become obese as toddlers and stay...
Lack of sleep in children could cause health problems later
In a new study, children who regularly got too little sleep had worse physical, emotional and social health than those who slept the average...
Older mothers who smoke increase babies’ chance of heart defects
Babies born to women over 35 who smoke are at greater risk of having specific heart defects, reports BBC News. A new study adds...
Tdap vaccine appears safe in pregnant women
New research Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, suggests that vaccinating pregnant women during their third trimester to prevent tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis in their...
Mother’s diet can alter function of baby’s genes
A mother’s diet before becoming pregnant can alter the way her baby’s genes function, potentially leading to ‘permanent, lifelong effects’ on its health. The...
Message on SIDS not getting through
Since 1994, parents have been urged to put their babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome...
Sedative drugs effective in treating seizures in children
The sedative drugs diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan) are equally effective in treating the prolonged seizures known as status epilepticus in children, according to...
Swedish parental perceptions a problem in child obesity
The findings of part of a European study show that one out of two parents of overweight children feel their child’s weight is normal,...
Poorly planned heath initiatives costing billions
Chronic illnessesexact a heavy toll on businesses, budgets and economies. According to a World Economic Forum report, they account for the lion’s share of...
Obesity-fighting programmes can help lower children’s BP
Programmes designed to prevent obesity in children may help lower their blood pressure, according to a new review of past studies. Researchers found that...
Cooling therapy helps oxygen-deprived babies
Research suggests that cooling babies deprived of oxygen at birth improves their chances of growing up without disabilities such as cerebral palsy, reports BBC...
Preschoolers benefit from participating in family routines
Preschoolers who sing, tell stories and eat dinner with their families tend to be emotionally healthier and better adjusted socially than kids who don't...