Children's health
18 Jun 2007
Allergy and Eczema: a New Explanation
The rising incidence of allergy and allergic diseases in the developed world might be attributable to excessive washing with harsh soaps and abrasive skin care products which strip away a protective layer of skin. Researchers at the UCL Institute of Child Health/Great Ormond Street Hospital propose a new mechanism to…
Cancer
18 Jun 2007
Quit Smoking Long before Father’s Day: Cigarette Smoke Alters DNA in Sperm, Genetic Damage Could Pass to Offspring
The science has long been clear that smoking causes cancer, but new research shows that children could inherit genetic damage from a father who smokes. Canadian researchers have demonstrated in mice that smoking can cause changes in the DNA sequence of sperm cells, alterations that could potentially be inherited by…
Children's health
15 Jun 2007
Liver Transplants
Liver transplant is a surgical procedure in which a diseased liver is replaced with a donor organ. It treats cirhossis and acute or chronic liver…
Children's health
14 Jun 2007
Sibling Relationships and Adult Depression
Poor sibling relationships during childhood could predict major depression. Although children spend a large amount of their time with their brothers and sisters, most research on the connection between childhood relationships and later depression focuses on children’s relationships with their parents. Now, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have…
Children's health
14 Jun 2007
Study: Directly Observed HIV Therapy for Children is Promising
The first study in the developing world of directly observed antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected children shows this form of treatment is an inexpensive, effective way to ensure that children take life-saving medications. Researchers at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, together with Maryknoll, the international Catholic charity, conducted…
Children's health
14 Jun 2007
Future Parents’ Lifestyle Choices Affect Babies’ Risk of Heart Defects
Prospective parents can take positive lifestyle steps to increase the chance that their babies will be born with a healthy heart, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement. The “Non-inherited Risk Factors and Congenital Cardiovascular Defects: Current Knowledge” statement is published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart…
Children's health
14 Jun 2007
Glycaemic Index (GI)
The glycaemic index (GI) is obtained by measuring the effect that a carbohydrate containing food has on blood sugar levels, compared to the effect of…
Children's health
13 Jun 2007
A First Glimpse at Healthy Brain and Behavioural Development
First report from large-scale study establishes norms for 6- to 18-year-olds. Yes, there are gender differences in cognitive function, but they’re more limited than previously thought. And yes, income does affect cognitive performance – but less than expected when only healthy children are considered. And while basic cognitive skills steadily…
Bone
13 Jun 2007
Gene for Goltz Syndrome Identified by Researchers
The gene mutation that results in Goltz syndrome, also called Focal Dermal Hypoplasia – a developmental disorder affecting skin, bone, eyes and other body systems – occurs in a gene called PORCN, which is involved in the secretion of proteins necessary for proper signalling within the cell that leads to…
