Improving children’s access to care could mitigate the health consequences of exposure to neighborhood violence

A new collaborative study between Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia finds exposure to neighborhood violence among children was associated with unmet health needs and increased acute care utilization.

EARLY-LIFE AIRBORNE LEAD EXPOSURE ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER IQ AND SELF-CONTROL IN NIH STUDY

Children who lived in areas with higher levels of airborne lead in their first five years of life appeared to have slightly lower IQs and less self-control, with boys showing more sensitivity to lead exposure, according to a new study from the NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

To Boost a Preschooler’s Language Skills, Consider Reminiscing

Book sharing is a popular way parents engage young children in conversation. Not all parents are comfortable with book sharing and not all children like having books read to them. Research provides an alternative. To boost the quality of a preschooler’s language experience and skills, consider reminiscing with them. Findings show reminiscing is very good at eliciting high quality speech from parents, and in many ways, is just as good as book sharing (wordless picture books).

Migrant and refugee children need early education supports too

Early childhood educators need more support to deliver positive outcomes for Australia’s most vulnerable children – including migrant and refugee children – say early childhood experts at the University of South Australia.

Monkey see, monkey do: how sideline sports behaviours affect kids

For children’s sports, there’s no doubt that parents are essential – they’re the free ferry service, the half-time orange supplier, and the local cheer squad. But when it comes to sideline behaviour, some parents can behave badly, and when this happens it’s often a case of ‘monkey see, monkey do’.

Awards totaling $2.6 Million Support Exploration of Therapeutic Strategy for Adult and Pediatric T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Daniel Herranz Benito, PhD, PharmD, resident researcher at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s leading cancer program and only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center together with RWJBarnabas Health, and associate professor of pharmacology and pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has received a total of $2.6M to support his research on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), an aggressive type of leukemia that affects both children and adults.

Psychologist Calls Attention to Social Media as a Public Health Hazard

In New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City speech, he discussed protecting kids’ mental health in the face of excessive social media usage.  Dr. Anthony Anzalone, a clinical psychologist at Stony Brook Medicine, also agrees that social media…

Specific gut bacteria increase risk of severe malaria

Researchers have identified multiple species of bacteria that, when present in the gut, are linked to an increased risk of developing severe malaria in humans and mice. Their findings could lead to the development of new approaches targeting gut bacteria to prevent severe malaria and associated deaths.

Botox Improves Chronic Nausea and Vomiting in Children with Disorder of Gut-Brain Interaction

A study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago demonstrated that Botulinum toxin (Botox) injected in the pylorus (sphincter where the stomach exits into the small intestine) during endoscopy improves chronic nausea and vomiting in children who have a disorder of gut-brain interaction (DGBI).

University Hospitals announces historic $2 billion fundraising campaign

University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio announced today a $2 billion fundraising effort to advance its mission. Because of You: The Campaign for University Hospitals, led by campaign co-chairs Dee Haslam and Shelly Adelman, has received more than $1.18 billion in support to date – nearly 60 percent of its goal.

Expert and Advisory Panel Writing Group member available to talk about the American Heart Association Presidential Advisory on Food is Medicine

The American Heart Association released a Presidential Advisory Board on Food Is Medicine today, which was published in Circulation journal and just released off embargo. Shreela Sharma, PhD, RD, professor and pioneer in food inequity research and getting nutritious food…

Iron supplements provided in prenatal visits improved outcomes

Giving free prenatal iron supplements to medically underserved pregnant patients rather than only recommending them significantly reduced anemia and postpartum blood transfusions, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Health report in a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Loud Noise Risk For Children

Dominic Lucia, MD, at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. How do loud noises impact children? (SOT@ :14, TRT :43) How do we know if something is…

Dr. Carol Nwelue discusses school backpack and playground safety.

Carol Nwelue, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. Why are heavy backpacks potentially dangerous for kids? (SOT@ :14, TRT :30) Are roller bag backpacks a safe choice? (SOT@…

Researchers at UC Irvine issue a warning that GLP-1RA’s may be dangerous for children

A team of clinicians, exercise scientists, pharmaceutical scholars, ethicists, and behavioral experts at the University of California, Irvine, outlined their concerns that the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA’s) to treat childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes may have unintended and adverse consequences for children’s health.

Cause of ‘brain freeze’ a bit of a mystery, but not to worry

You’re eating or drinking something frozen, like a snow cone, ice cream, or ice pops – probably a bit too eagerly – and you get one of those sudden-onset, painful headaches known as “brain freeze.” Man, does it hurt, but usually not for long, and it’s not harmful, according to an expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Carol Nwelue discusses how to keep your kids healthy when going back to school.

Carol Nwelue, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. How can parents keep their kids healthy this back-to-school season? (SOT@ 0:14, TRT 0:34) Why do sicknesses spread easily when…

A ‘FAAIRI’s touch to ease children’s fear of needles

Vaccinations, blood tests, or IVs – it’s fair to say that no child likes a needle. So, when it comes to the jab, a light touch and a caring approach is incredibly welcomed – both by the child and the parent. Now, world-first research from the University of South Australia shows that while many children suffer distress, new ultrasound-guided techniques could provide much-needed reprieve.

Kentucky physician explores new pediatric care protocols in developing nations

George Fuchs, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, conducted a years-long trial in Bangladesh testing a model of healthcare delivery for children with pneumonia. The results have the potential to change pediatric care in developing nations.