- Are Psychotropics Overprescribed for Children in Foster Care? A government agency calls for more oversight of the use of psychotropic medications in children in foster care, prompted by new data showing the prescription rate for these vulnerable children as much as 5 times higher than that of non-foster children.
- When mom nurtures, kids’ brains grow A study by child psychiatrists and neuroscientists at Washington University in St. Louis is the first to show that changes in the hippocampus - a critical region of children’s brain anatomy - are linked to a mother’s nurturing.
- The Kids Are More Than All Right Every few years, parents find new reasons to worry about their teenagers.
- Pediatricians' Group Urges More Input From Parents A new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics calls for families of sick children to have a stronger presence at every level of care and a greater role in decision-making, citing the crucial role they play in the healing process.
- Experts want suicide risk warning on ADHD drug Members of a pediatric advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration have asked the agency to require a warming about increased suicidal ideation on the label for Focalin, an attention deficit medicine currently approved for children over age 6.
- Students to see healthier school lunches under new USDA rules The U.S. Department of Agriculture released new standards for nutritional content in school lunches. The standards are part of an overhaul of school nutrition authorized in the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act.
- Environmental Chemicals May Thwart Kids' Vaccines Routine vaccines may not work as well in children with elevated blood levels of chemicals called PFCs (perfluorinated compounds), according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
- Kids' brain injuries can cause lingering problems for years, study finds While conventionally believed that children have a great capacity to overcome damage from a severe traumatic brain injury because their brains are still developing and “plastic,” a new study shows that many may actually end up with some lasting deficits.
- Most States Get an F for Tobacco Prevention The American Lung Association has issued a new report card scoring state's efforts on tobacco prevention and cessation, with most states scoring poorly on protecting children from the dangers of smoking.
- Anxiety, other disorders more common in autism A new study of children with diagnosed autism spectrum disorders finds that many have multiple diagnoses with other mental health issues also present and that an original autism diagnosis does not necessarily remain as the child ages.
- Study: Children's drowning injuries, deaths decline A new study shows a dramatic decrease in child drowning deaths and injuries in recent years. Drowning remains the second leading cause of accidental trauma in the U.S., behind automobile accidents.
- Young, obese and getting weight loss surgery Increasing numbers of adolescents are having bariatric surgery to control their weight, however as one patient shows the adjustment to a new diet can be even tougher for teens.
- MIT researchers use smart phones to monitor health Based on research from MIT, a new company is testing whether smart phone data can be effectively used to monitor health and alter treatment plans. One pilot project focuses on children with irritable bowel syndrome and the length of treatment needed.
- Protocol to Treat Anorexia Is Faulted A new study of adolescents with Anorexia calls into question traditional treatment routines and may urge higher initial calorie targets during treatment.
- ADHD drug shortages causing anxiety among patients A shortage of drugs used to treat ADHD is causing concern for parents of children who need the medication as well as in-fighting between the two federal agencies tasked with monitoring the drug.
- Lower asthma risk in chubby tots who slim down Researchers in Sweden report that children who are overweight at age seven are more likely to develop asthma, but children who were overweight at early ages and were average weight by age seven did not have an increased risk.
- Studies Suggest an Acetaminophen-Asthma Link Researchers have linked Acetaminophen to increased rates of asthma, leading some pediatricians to caution against children using Acetaminophen particularly if they have or are at risk for developing asthma.
- Medical Home Model Serves Children Well Researchers have found that children being cared for in a medical home model have increased utilization rates of health services and better health outcomes.
- Heart implant is first for infants and children with life-threatening heart failure The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first heart pump for children with heart failure, offering an important treatment option for patients waiting to receive heart transplants who are too small to utilize adult devices.
- Teens swapping cigarettes for flavored mini cigars Health officials are concerned about the growing rate of teens smoking flavored mini-cigars. Teens are drawn to the candy flavorings and cheaper prices of the mini-cigars which are sold as single items.
- Does Strep Throat Trigger Serious Ills? Doctors are divided on an emerging condition known as Pandas (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcus), a series of autoimmune and neurological reactions to the strep virus.
- Adult Sickle Cell Drug May Benefit Kids, Too A new study indicates that children with sickle cell anemia may benefit from using a drug designed to treat adult patients.
- What really works to prevent obesity in kids? A new Australian study looking at the myriad of policy options aimed at reducing childhood obesity has indicated that school based initiatives are the most effective.
- Some children’s cereals packed with sugar, study finds A new study released by the Environmental Working Group found that children's cereals contain high amounts of sugar with some containing more sugar in a serving than a Hostess Twinkie, and many with more sugar in a cup than three Chips Ahoy cookies.
- Few parents recall doctor saying their child was overweight Researchers have found that less than a quarter of parents with overweight children recall their pediatrician mentioning obesity or weight concerns to them.
- Foster Kids More Likely To Be Given Psychotropic Drugs A new study by the Government Accountability Office found that foster children are significantly more likely than other children to be given psychotropic drugs, and to have higher than recommended dosages.
- Sen. Whitehouse holding children's hospital bill Senator Whitehouse is concerned that the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education funding billl does not include psychiatric hospitals and has placed a hold on the bill, preventing it from moving forward as the session draws to a close.
- Antipsychotic drugs tied to diabetes risk in kids A new study indicates that children taking second generation anti-psychotic medication, for conditions ranging from schizophrenia to autism, may be at increased risk of developing diabetes.
- Pizza as a Vegetable? Congress Proposes New School Lunch Bill Congress passed a spending bill which included provisions that would severely undermine new school lunch nutrition standards. One point of contention is classification of tomato sauce used in pizza as a vegetable serving.
- Kids' Heart Health Is Faulted A new analysis of federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a dismal picture of children's cardiovascular health that suggests the current generation of teenagers could be at risk of increased heart disease.
- Outlook Good for Obese Kids Who Lose Weight A long term study published by the New England Journal of Medicine has concluded that individuals who were obese as children but became healthy weight adults did not have increased risks for health problems associated with obesity.
- Liver illness threatens obese children Obese children are being diagnosed with a chronic liver disease found only in adults until about a decade ago, according to pediatric liver specialists. Liver disease has become a serious health issue, particularly among Hispanic and Asian children.
- Children Should be Screened for High Cholesterol Before Puberty The American Heart Association is set to call for routine childhood screenings of cholesterol levels in order to detect early risk factors for cardiac complications. The shift reflects growing concerns about childhood obesity.
- Poison Centers Facing Greater Risks All Around Poison control centers are facing cuts due to state and federal budget constraints even as they face a wider array of dangerous drug interactions and overdoses, especially in young children.
- Role of school nurse has changed dramatically School Nurses are increasingly called upon to serve as public health leaders and managers of special healthcare needs, as well as health care providers.
- Don't be afraid: Suicide awareness leads to prevention Mental health advocates advise those living and working with teens to report signs of depression and intervene directly with teens at risk of suicide, as direct discussion about suicide is often a successful preventative measure.
- Flu Can Be Fatal in Children With MRSA A new study has found that children hospitalized with flu were significantly more likely to die if they were also infected with MRSA, a type of staph infection now sometimes found in healthy children.
- Obesity, Sleep Apnea and Cognitive Problems in Children Linked Researchers in Chicago found that cognitive and weight related problems in children have a complex inter-relationship, each influencing the other in newly realized ways.
- C-Section Delivery Linked to Respiratory Infections, Study Says Researchers in Australia have found that babies born by cesarean section are more likely to have a serious respiratory infection in the first year of life. The researchers called for further study of chemicals used during the procedure.
- Last Chance to Register! TODAY is your last chance to register for the NEACH Children's Healthcare Summit! Please register now to join us for this very informative event.
- HPV shot for boys A Centers for Disease Control panel has recommended that boys as well as girls be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus which can cause cancers.
- Does Playing Outdoors Benefit Kids' Vision? Researchers have determined a link between children's time outdoors and a decreased risk of near sightedness. It is unclear if the physical activity engaged in outside influenced the vision outcomes.
- Black, Hispanic children less likely to receive cranial CT scans A new study finds that non-white children are less likely to receive CT scans after head trauma than white children. Researchers concluded that the disparity was caused by excess scans of white children rather than under scanning of non-white children.
- Lack of sleep linked to teen weight gain Researchers have demonstrated that teens who do not get eight hours of sleep per night are more likely to gain weight and have a higher body mass index than teens who get adequate rest.
- Prenatal Exposure to BPA Might Affect Children's Later Behavior A new study published in Pediatrics draws a connection between prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in many products and containers, and emotional and behavioral problems in 3-year-olds. The link was especially strong in girls.
- Cooler weather bothers children with asthma As the outside air begins to cool, asthma care and staying on track with medications becomes even more important.
- Unvaccinated Kids Behind Largest U.S. Measles Outbreak in Years: Study The largest U.S. outbreak of measles to occur in 15 years -- affecting 214 children so far -- is likely driven by travelers returning from abroad and by too many unvaccinated U.S. children, according to new research.
- Doctors discourage video watching for babies under two: American Academy of Pediatrics The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new guidelines discouraging TV time for children under the age of two stating that it can be harmful to their language development.
- New Rules to Fight Crib Death: Breast-Feeding and Vaccinations The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines for reducing a baby's risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which include, among others, no crib bumpers, vaccinations, and breastfeeding when possible.
- New ADHD Guidelines Include Kids as Young as 4 New guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics lowered the age at which attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be reliably diagnosed to four. The change was made to encourage early intervention for children with ADHD.
- Lawmakers attack plan to limit food ads to kids Republican lawmakers on Wednesday attacked an Obama administration proposal for limiting food advertising to children even as the team behind the plan offered concessions to food and beverage makers.
- Looking to Save Money, More Places Decide to Stop Fluoridating the Water Some communities are reexamining the benefits of fluoridating water, citing cost and a growing debate about the efficacy and health effects of tap water fluoridation.
- Kids’ Emergency Mental Health Needs Add To Safety Net’s Burden A new study finds that emergency room visits for psychiatric care have increased significantly for uninsured and underinsured children.
- Federal regulators rethinking guidelines on marketing food to children Federal regulators working on voluntary guidelines to restrict junk food marketing to kids are indicating that the guidelines may be weakened significantly before being finalized.
- TV Ads Whet Kids' Appetite for Junk Food A new study in the Journal of Pediatrics indicates that children are influenced by advertisements for junk food, but that the influence of the ads can be mitigated by parental guidance towards healthier food choices.
- Chemical concerns should steer families toward organic food Maine and other states are taking part in a study to examine the effects of pesticide exposure on children. A growing body of research suggests negative impacts on children of pesticide exposure, which can be reduced by an organic diet.
- Schools Dangle Carrot Snacks, but It’s a Tough Sale As schools introduce more health minded vending machines they struggle to get students to choose healthy options over traditional unhealthy snacks.
- CDC launches new project to address childhood obesity The CDC recently launched a new effort through private and public health providers to combat childhood obesity, according to a press release.
- Mother's Love May Keep the Doctor Away An extra dose of motherly nurturing insulates children from lifelong health problems associated with poverty, a new study says.
- Obama Urged to Push Kids' Food Marketing Regs Academic experts from across the nation are calling on President Obama to ensure that his administration establishes guidelines on marketing food to children.
- Children's Hospital receives $12M grant The National Institutes of Health gave Cincinnati Children's Hospital a $12 million grant, wcpo.com reported. The grant will be used to conduct the first clinical trial to determine medication choices to prevent migraines in children and teens.
- Flu vaccine facts can persuade reluctant parents Around this time of year, nurse practitioners and physician assistants should be taking a few extra minutes to convince reluctant parents to get their children vaccinated against influenza.
- Few poor kids get asthma meds after ER visit (Reuters Health) - When low-income children end up in the ER with an asthma attack, few are prescribed the medication needed to prevent further attacks, a study of South Carolina children suggests.
- HRSA Awards $2.3 Million to Integrate Oral Health Care into School-Based Health Centers The Health Resources and Services Administration today announced nearly $2.3 million in awards to 12 organizations to increase access to oral health care and to assure the delivery of services to children.
- Some Doctors Refuse To Treat Kids Who Have Not Been Immunized When repeated efforts to educate parents fail, some pediatricians are now taking action: They're refusing to treat children unless their parents agree to have them vaccinated according to guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Senate Passes Autism Bill A bill to reauthorize autism-related research and screening programs passed the Senate on Monday night by unanimous consent, ending concerns that programs might expire at the end of the month.
- Reducing Obesity in America Calls for Tough Policies and a "Sugar Tax" Policymakers say aggressive action is needed to stem the growth of the obesity epidemic in the United States.
- Study: Well-Child Visits Suffer From Time Squeeze Longer well-child visits for babies and toddlers make for happier parents because doctors can fit in more advice and answer more questions, a new study finds.
- Funds Awarded To Improve Maternal And Child Health With Home Visits In another round of grants funded by the 2010 health law, the Department of Health and Human Services provided resources to support efforts by nurses, social workers, or other health care professionals to make home visits to low-income families.
- U.S. advisers urge FDA to address antipsychotics in kids U.S. pediatric health advisers on Thursday urged drug regulators to continue studying weight gain and other side-effects of antipsychotic drugs as they are increasingly taken by children.
- Obese Children and Happiness Does obesity cause children to be unhappy or are unhappy children more likely to become obese? The answer to that question is revealed in a new study released in the October issue of Pediatrics.
- Less Play Time = More Troubled Kids, Experts Say When kids are allowed to play, they make up games, negotiate rules and make sure others are playing fair. All of that helps to teach children how to make decisions, to solve problems and gain self-control.
- Military Health Plan Now Covers Adult Children Tricare coverage generally ends for adult children at age 21 (or 23 for full-time students). But the new rules let you extend that coverage until the child reaches age 26.
- Children slipping through health care safety net The ranks of the poor are growing. They're populated with children. And they depend on Medicaid for their health care in increasing numbers. Let's not sacrifice their future while we're trying to save it for the rest of us.
- Giving flu vaccine to tots cuts ER visits A new study by Boston and Montreal researchers indicates that the policy of recommending all toddlers get flu vaccines significantly decreases instances of ER visits for child flu in both toddlers and older children.
- Using Hospital Community Benefit Programs To Promote Health Equity Please join Community Catalyst for the latest in our Health Equity call series, September 22, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET Register by clicking the title above by Sept. 21st. The call will provide an update on community benefits as well as some best practices.
- Latino Childhood Obesity: Seeking Solutions At Home And At School This article examines the efforts of several organizations which are developing anti-obesity projects specifically focused on Latino children. These projects include school and community based efforts focused on education and access.
- A Better Night’s Sleep For Your Child If your child has trouble sleeping through the night, or getting to sleep, a new study says that sleep-related consultations with parents may be the key to helping their child get a better night’s rest.
- Nearly one in six in poverty in the U.S.; children hit hard, Census says The U.S. Census bureau released poverty figures from the 2010 census showing that poverty for children has increased substantially in the past decade.
- Pesticides in food linked to ADHD in kids A new study finds links between exposure to common pesticides and ADHD leading researchers to encourage families to consume organic produce.
- Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring Out Its Cause This review of academic articles looks at the overall causes of the obesity epidemic in a historical context and some of the potential policy tools to reverse it.
- Jobs Versus Children’s Health—A false choice An Environmental scientist from Duke University examines the health and economic cost of delaying EPA regulations that would have helped reduce asthma attacks in children.
- Children's advocates decry Medicaid cuts ahead of deficit supercommittee action A new report commissioned by First Focus discusses the danger to children's health and overall health access and outcomes if Medicaid were to be block granted to states.
- Pediatric Obesity: Practical Applications and Strategies From Primary to Tertiary Care September's Pediatrics contains a supplemental issue focused on childhood obesity studies and treatment options, including one article discussing the long term cost of childhood obesity and the cost effectiveness of early prevention and treatment.
- U.S. Researchers Identify Two Autism Strains in Major Breakthrough University of California researchers working on the Autism Phenome Project announced today that they have identified two biologically distinct strains of autism, a breakthrough that might lead to specialized treatment options in the future.
- Black kids twice as likely to have food sensitivities to peanuts, eggs, milk A new study conducted at Boston Medical Center shows that children with genetic markers noting African ancestry were more likely to have food sensitivities than those with European markers.
- How we can protect our youth from Big Tobacco In an op-ed Secretary Sebelius discusses important protections currently in place and still needed to protect children from tobacco companies' advertising and the use of tobacco products.
- CDC: Doctors Prescribing Fewer Antibiotics to Kids Since the early 1990s, there's been a 10 percent drop in prescription rates for antibiotics for kids 14 and younger, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The reduction has mainly been in prescriptions for sore throats and coughs.
- Strokes in Children and Young Adults on the Rise A new study examining the prevalence of strokes in comparison to previous decades found a marked increase including among children and teens. The researchers point to obesity and other lifestyle factors as contributing to the rise.
- President Obama launches anti-obesity month President Obama proclaimed September national childhood obesity awareness month. The President used the proclamation as an opportunity to call awareness to the childhood obesity epidemic and to encourage learning and activity around healthy living.
- Transitioning HIV-Infected Adolescents Into Adult Care A new article outlines the difficulties of transitioning HIV positive adolescents to adult care and possible guidelines for a successful transition, particularly for children who have received care since birth at a single pediatric setting.
- Youth from Low Income Families Have Higher Prevalence of Heart Disease Risk Factors A new study from Emory University shows that children from low income households are 50% more likely to be obese than children from the highest income households.
- Children's Hospital President: We must rein in costs The president of Children's Hospital Boston addresses rising healthcare costs while also calling for caution around the monetization and commodification of care.
- Teen vaccinations against cervical cancer lagging The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 49% of girls have received the HPV vaccine, which helps to prevent cervical cancer, much lower than the percentage of girls who have received other adolescent focused vaccines.
- Antibiotic use has grown along with obesity. Coincidence? New research suggests that exposure to antibiotics may impact obesity though disruption of hormones regulating food intake. The researchers also believe antibiotics may contribute to asthma and other allergies in children.
- Bipartisan children's caucus prepares for supercommittee The House Children's Caucus is preparing for a series of events at the start of the fall session. The events are aimed at protecting children's programs in the deliberations of the deficit supercommittee.
- Shocking Need: American Kids Go Hungry A new study finds that nearly 17 million children in the U.S. currently have insecure access to food. The study also discusses the dangerous short and long term health effects of hunger and malnurishment.
- For sleeping babies, softer isn't safer A new study shows that many parents misinterpret pediatrician warnings about proper sleep environments for infants. Parent's misunderstanding of what should be on and around a baby while sleeping can lead to increased risk of infant death.
- Atlanta Children's Hospital tackles childhood obesity Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta will release edgy new print and television ads in Georgia's largest ever public awareness campaign on childhood obesity.
- Aligning and Simplifying Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment for Children and Parents A new report from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families explores ways states have and can streamline their eligibility and enrollment processes for the CHIP and Medicaid programs.
- Coverage Gains for Children A new report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute notes increases in health insurance enrollment for children across the country. The report also indicates potential avenues for increasing coverage and areas for continued work.
- Benefits For Severely Disabled Children Scrutinized House Republicans have pushed for cuts to the SSI program which provides benefits to severely disabled children. Advocates say the program, currently under review, is a crucial support to families struggling with illness and disability.
- Annual Survey of Children's Well Being Highlights New England The Annie E. Casey Kids Count data book, an annual national survey of children's health and wellness indicators was released and once again New England states were among the highest ranked in every category, with New Hampshire ranking number one overall.
- Drug Abuse Now Equals Childhood Obesity as Top Health Concern for Kids Childhood obesity tops a new survey of adults major health concerns for children in their communities. Drug abuse, smoking, and teen pregnancy were also listed as top concerns for children's well being.
- Dangerous drug patches pose overlooked risk to kids The use of medical patches is posing an growing risk to young children who accidentally touch or ingest them. Children have been sickened in cases where they come in contact with the patch through accidental transfers or improper disposal.
- Cereals' health claims confuse many parents A new study from Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity indicates that parents can be mislead by health buzzwords on children's cereal packaging. Parents in the study believed cereals with the buzz words to be nutritious when many were not.
- Junk food still stars in TV ads seen by kids A new study reports that even after four years of an industry initiative aimed at reducing children's exposure to junk food ads, ads for unhealthy and fast foods still make up the majority of advertisements children see.
- CDC: Hospitals Should Do More to Encourage Breastfeeding Although breastfeeding has been found to significantly lower rates of childhood obesity and other child health problems a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that hospitals are not doing enough to encourage breastfeeding.
- Is Commercially-Prepared Food Responsible for Childhood Weight Gain? A new study suggests that children who consume commercially prepared foods are more likely to consume higher calories than when eating homemade meals. The study also demonstrates the overall increase in children's intake of commercially prepared foods.
