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January 24, 2010
Parents cut kids' calories when menus are labeled
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When restaurant menus list calories, parents will limit how much fast food their kids eat, a new report suggests.
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January 21, 2010
One-fifth of US teens have unhealthy cholesterol
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One in five American teens has unhealthy cholesterol levels, a major risk factor for heart disease in adults, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
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January 20, 2010
Flu vaccine additive boosts wide protection
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A vaccine additive made by Novartis and used in its European influenza shots can boost the body's immune response to a wide range of viruses, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.
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January 19, 2010
Secondhand smoke may disrupt asthmatic kids' sleep
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children with asthma may have a harder time getting a good night's sleep if they live with a smoker.
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January 18, 2010
Experts urge screening for obesity in kids
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Doctors should screen children and teens between 6 and 18 years for extra pounds, a federal task force recommends.
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January 18, 2010
Starting spoonfeeding later may trim obesity risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Waiting longer to start infants on solid food could make for slimmer adults, new research shows.
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January 15, 2010
Bipolar diagnosis jumps in young children: study
BOSTON (Reuters) - The number of children aged 2 to 5 who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and prescribed powerful antipsychotic drugs has doubled over the past decade, according to research released on Friday.
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January 13, 2010
US parents on trial in 4-year-old's overdose death
BOSTON (Reuters) - The parents of a 4-year-old girl with psychiatric problems who died after overdosing on powerful drugs are about to face first-degree murder charges in a Boston area courtroom.
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January 13, 2010
Movies for kids still depict unsafe behaviors
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While movie makers have gotten better at portraying appropriate injury-prevention tactics in movies made for kids, many scenes still show characters riding bikes without helmets, on boats without life vests, and riding in cars without buckling up, a US government study found.
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January 13, 2010
Peanut allergies less common than tests suggest
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many children who test positive for sensitivity to peanuts may not actually have full-blown allergies to the food, a new study suggests.
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January 12, 2010
Longer breastfeeding good for kids' mental health
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children who are breastfed for longer than six months could be at lower risk of mental health problems later in life, new research from Australia suggests.
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December 29, 2009
Timing of weight-loss surgery in teens important
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to weight-loss surgery for very obese adolescents, having the surgery sooner rather than later may yield a better long-term outcome, new study findings hint.
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December 29, 2009
Refrigerated breast milk keeps integrity for 4 days
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breast milk can be refrigerated for up to four days without losing its nutritional value or allowing bacteria to build up, a small study suggests.
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December 25, 2009
Do multivitamins curb kids' allergy risk?
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Giving multivitamins to kids 5 to 8 years old does not seem to alter their overall likelihood of having allergies, hint findings of a study from Sweden.
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December 24, 2009
U.S. doctors link gene to childhood asthma
BOSTON (Reuters) - A defective gene appears to contribute to most cases of childhood asthma, a finding that could lead to a better understanding of allergies, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.
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December 22, 2009
Acupuncture may ease the itch of eczema
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An acupuncture session may bring some itch relief to people with the allergic skin condition known as atopic eczema, a preliminary study suggests.
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December 21, 2009
Prenatal baby aspirin not harmful to infants: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Baby aspirin taken for high-risk pregnancy complications does not appear to harm brain development among very premature children assessed when 5 years old, according to a French study. It may actually have some benefit, the study hints.
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December 18, 2009
Flu pandemic may change US flu approach forever
WASHINGTON (Reuters Life!) - The swine flu pandemic may have changed the U.S. approach to handling influenza forever, and for the better, U.S. officials said on Thursday.
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December 16, 2009
Premature birth tied to later behavioral problems
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children who were born prematurely and at a very low weight may have an increased risk of certain behavior problems and symptoms of depression and anxiety, research suggests.
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December 16, 2009
Dirty air makes for wheezy kids: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Small particles from traffic and heating oil combustion may cause children younger than two to wheeze and cough, according to a new study.
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December 15, 2009
Antibody tests boost celiac disease diagnoses
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The advent of antibody testing to diagnose celiac disease has led to a substantial increase in the number of cases detected among children, a new study suggests.
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December 14, 2009
Seizure drug limits aggression in kids with ADHD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - If your child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is having trouble controlling his aggressive behaviors, adding a drug commonly used to treat seizures and manic depression may help, according to a small new study.
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December 14, 2009
Plasticizer may be tied to boys' breast enlargement
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A report out today points to yet another possible harmful effect of exposure to phthalates -- a controversial plastics chemical used widely in the manufacture of consumer products.
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December 14, 2009
Kids' mental problems often unaddressed: US survey
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - About 13 percent of American children and young teens have at least one mental health disorder, yet only about half have been seen by a mental health professional.
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December 11, 2009
Physical activity linked to school girls' grades
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Girls who spend more time in vigorous physical activity may do better in school, even if they are not particularly fit, study findings hint.
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December 10, 2009
Sugar with hugs relieve newborn pain
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mary Poppins was right - a spoonful of sugar does help.
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December 9, 2009
Safety data from kid drug trials often unpublished
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When drugs approved for adults are studied in youngsters, the research yields important safety data that could guide the use of these medications in children, a report published this week indicates.
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December 8, 2009
Starting some solid foods late boosts allergy risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Holding off on introducing certain foods in order to prevent children from becoming allergic to them may be counterproductive.
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December 8, 2009
DVDs for toddlers poorly designed: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Thinking of buying your toddler an "educational" DVD for the holidays, or gifting one to a friend's preschooler? If you're buying them for educational value, you might want to reconsider.
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December 7, 2009
Half of teen girls have STIs by 2 years of first sex
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Within 2 years of having sex for the first time, half of teenage girls may be at least one of three common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to results of a study published today. Often, those girls are infected by the age of 15.
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December 7, 2009
A little Mozart might benefit preemies' growth
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The sounds of Mozart might help slow premature infants' metabolism, potentially helping them to put on needed weight, a study published Monday suggests.
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December 7, 2009
News coverage of antidepressants for kids uneven
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Media coverage of the warnings on antidepressants and children's risk of suicidal behavior often failed to give the public the whole story, according to a study published Monday.
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December 6, 2009
REFILE: Depression, peers top influences on youth violence
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kids who are depressed and have delinquents for friends may be the most likely to lash out violently at others, according to a new study in The Journal of Pediatrics.
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December 4, 2009
FDA staff urge more antipsychotic review in kids
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. drug reviewers recommended that regulators further study the effects in children of a group of medicines known as atypical antipsychotics, a report released on Friday said.
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December 3, 2009
Depression, peers top influences on youth violence
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kids who are depressed and have delinquents for friends may be the most likely to lash out violently at others, according to a new study in The Journal of Pediatrics.
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December 2, 2009
Number of kids in daycare may affect asthma risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The more other children toddlers are exposed to at day care, up to a certain point, the lower their risk of developing asthma, new research shows.
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November 30, 2009
As moms age, more babies born with Down syndrome
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The percentage of children born with Down syndrome has increased by about one percent per year since 1979, according to new findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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November 30, 2009
Plastics chemical phthalate may shorten pregnancy
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Pregnant women who are exposed to higher levels of an increasingly controversial chemical in certain plastics may deliver their babies slightly earlier than women with less exposure, results of a study hint.
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November 27, 2009
Detergent exposure hard on workers' lungs: studies
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who work in detergent factories are at increased risk of developing respiratory problems, including asthma, probably from exposure to chemicals contained in detergent, two new studies hint.
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November 23, 2009
Exposure to smoke, lead ups risk of ADHD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - If you need another reason to stop smoking while pregnant, or to rid your home of lead, a new study suggests that children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy and who are exposed to the metal have more than twice the usual risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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November 22, 2009
Meet flu's rival in kids: respiratory syncytial virus
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - With all the public's attention focused on flu, particularly H1N1 swine flu, doctors in Boston are warning that another highly contagious seasonal virus takes a substantially greater toll in some ways than does seasonal flu, particularly in young children.
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November 22, 2009
Child care doubles TV time for some children
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Think you know how much TV your kid is watching? If you're not taking the time they spend in child care into account, you may be way off, according to a study from the University of Washington in Seattle.
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November 20, 2009
Did U.S. make a swine flu mistake?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As U.S. health officials struggle to vaccinate tens of millions of Americans against the pandemic of swine flu, some are looking regretfully at one easy way to instantly double or triple the number of doses available -- by using an immune booster called an adjuvant.
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November 17, 2009
Environment key in baby 'flat-head' syndrome
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to infants' risk of developing a flat spot on the head, environment appears more important than genes, a new study finds.
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November 16, 2009
Robot surgery safe in kids, but outcomes no better
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Robotic surgery is safe for use in children, but there's little evidence that outcomes for this type of surgery are any better than they are with standard operations, the authors of a new review of medical studies published in Pediatrics conclude.
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November 13, 2009
Better ventilation may ease some asthma symptoms
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Improved home ventilation that dehumidifies the air may make it easier for people with asthma to breathe at night, hint findings of a small study from the United Kingdom.
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November 12, 2009
Allergy drug tackles nasal congestion: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The "second generation" allergy drug desloratadine (brand name Clarinex) significantly reduces both the runny nose and congestion of seasonal and persistent allergic rhinitis, a study shows.
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November 9, 2009
Watch for kidney stones in kids with abdominal pain
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many children with kidney stones don't have the classical symptoms associated with the condition, such as painful, bloody urination, according to a new study.
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November 5, 2009
Breast feeding may not alter older kids' health
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Exclusive breast feeding for up to 6 months, though beneficial for an infants' immunity and mothers' weight, may not alter children's health risks over the long term, study findings hint.
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November 5, 2009
U.S. states, counties struggle to deliver H1N1 shots
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - States and counties will be struggling to vaccinate people against the swine flu pandemic well into December and January -- long after the first peak of the virus in the United States, officials said on Wednesday.