Category: Kids Health

How to celebrate Ramadan with kids

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins at sunset on May 15 this year, which is the start of the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It marks the beginning of religious observances wherein many Muslims all over the world fast from sunrise to sunset. But while fasting is a major part of Islam, it’s

Initiative cuts overuse of tests, treatments for bronchiolitis

(HealthDay)—A multidisciplinary improvement initiative can reduce overuse of interventions for bronchiolitis, according to a study published online May 11 in Pediatrics. In an effort to reduce overuse of interventions for children with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis, Amy Tyler, M.D., from the Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, and colleagues used a multidisciplinary event to initiate

Study finds prenatal marijuana use can affect infant size, behavior

Smoking during pregnancy has well-documented negative effects on birth weight in infants and is linked to several childhood health problems. Now, researchers at the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions have found that prenatal marijuana use also can have consequences on infants’ weight and can influence behavior problems, especially when combined with tobacco use.

Peds fasting duration not tied to adverse sedation outcomes

(HealthDay)—For children undergoing procedural sedation for a painful procedure, fasting duration is not associated with adverse events, according to a study published online May 7 in JAMA Pediatrics. Maala Bhatt, M.D., from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, Canada, and colleagues conducted a planned secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study involving children

Teen sexting linked to intimate partner violence, sexual abuse

(HealthDay)—Teen sexting is associated with sexual abuse, with higher victimization in girls and intimate partner violence perpetration in boys, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, held from May 5 to 8 in Toronto. Kanani E. Titchen, M.D., from the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York City,

Executive function improved with prenatal exposure to SSRIs

(HealthDay)—Children with prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (pSRI) have better executive function (EF) at age 12 years, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, held from May 5 to 8 in Toronto. Sarah Hutchison, Ph.D., from British Columbia Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, and colleagues followed 51 children

Which targeted nutritional approaches can bolster micro-preemies’ brain development?

The volume of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and calories consumed by very vulnerable preemies significantly contributes to increased brain volume and white matter development, however additional research is needed to determine specific nutritional approaches that best support these infants’ developing brains, according to research to be presented during the Pediatric Academic Societies 2018 annual meeting. During

Simple drug packaging change could save toddlers’ lives

(HealthDay)—As America’s opioid crisis continues, too many toddlers are accidentally overdosing on narcotic medicines. But a new study suggests that better packaging might curb the problem. Among kids under the age of 6, single-dose packaging prompted a 79 percent decrease in the number of unintentional exposures to a narcotic called buprenorphine. The medication is given

Researchers partner with moms to overcome breastfeeding obstacles

The message, “breast is best” may be familiar and powerful, but it’s not enough to get some women to breastfeed. A new University of Rochester Medical Center project creates a partnership with mothers who are not likely to breastfeed exclusively, and tries to improve the rates by first understanding their perspective and obstacles. Although Rochester

Why free preschool makes the most sense for families

The Ontario Liberals recently announced a plan to offer free child care for preschoolers —from the age of 2.5 years until they start kindergarten —to every family that wants it by 2020. Premier Kathleen Wynne also announced Thursday funding for new licensed child-care spaces in community locations—such as community centres, places of worship and Indigenous

Could vaping lead teens to pot smoking?

(HealthDay)—Teens who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to try marijuana in the future, especially if they start vaping at a younger age, a new study shows. More than 1 in 4 teenagers who reported e-cigarette use eventually progressed to smoking pot, according to the survey of more than 10,000 teens. That compared with just

Trials in Africa support conditional day 3 follow-up for children with fever

Children in sub-Saharan African settings with uncomplicated fever may be safely managed with conditional, rather than universal, 3-day follow-up with a community health worker (CHW), according to two cluster-randomized, community-based non-inferiority trials published this week in PLOS Medicine. The trials, conducted by Luke C. Mullany of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore,

Transgender youth more often diagnosed with mental health conditions

Transgender and gender-nonconforming youth are diagnosed with mental health conditions much more frequently than young people who identify with the gender they are assigned at birth, according to new Kaiser Permanente research published today in Pediatrics. While this subject has been analyzed in small, specialized, clinic-based studies that rely on self-reported behavior problems, this large

Free-range parenting laws letting kids roam could catch on

After Utah passed the country’s first law legalizing so-called free-range parenting, groups in states from New York to Texas are pushing for similar steps to bolster the idea that supporters say is an antidote for anxiety-plagued parents and overscheduled kids. Free-range parenting is the concept that giving kids the freedom to do things alone—like explore

Whole body CT doesn’t cut mortality in peds blunt trauma

(HealthDay)—Whole body computed tomography (WBCT) is not associated with reduced mortality compared with a selective CT approach among children with blunt trauma, according to a study published online April 9 in JAMA Pediatrics. James A. Meltzer, M.D., from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y., and colleagues conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study