Children's health
10 Dec 2012
New light on virus associated with developmental delays and deafness; offers hope for treatment
A new study published online in PLOS ONE reveals that primitive human stem cells are resistant to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), one of the leading prenatal causes of intellectual disability, deafness and deformities worldwide. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that as stem cells and other primitive…
Children's health
05 Dec 2012
Scientists identify depression and anxiety biomarker in youths
Scientists have discovered a cognitive biomarker – a biological indicator of a disease – for young adolescents who are at high risk of developing depression and anxiety. Their findings were published 28 November, in the journal PLOS ONE. The test for the unique cognitive biomarker, which can be done on…
Children's health
05 Dec 2012
Happy kids, happy future
At-risk children are more likely to successfully transition to secondary school if they take part in support programs during upper primary, a new study by ECU researchers has found. The project, entitled Happy Kids, was conducted by ECU researcher Professor Gary Partington in conjunction with the WA Department of Education…
Cancer
03 Dec 2012
Nanomedicine hope for childhood cancer
Researchers from UNSW’s Australian Centre for Nanomedicine have developed a nanoparticle that could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy for neuroblastoma by a factor of five. Neuroblastoma is an aggressive childhood cancer that often leaves survivors with lingering health problems due to the high doses of chemotherapy required for treatment. Anything…
Blood
03 Dec 2012
Better blood transfusions for preterm babies
Results of new research from the University of Adelaide are a promising step forward in helping to improve the quality of life-saving blood transfusions for preterm babies, by reducing the likelihood of adverse inflammatory responses to the blood. Blood transfusions are among the most common medical procedures experienced by preterm…
Children's health
30 Nov 2012
Physical activity key to healthy kids
Physical activity rather than food has the biggest impact on children’s weight according to new data from the Lifestyle of our Kids (LOOK) longitudinal study. Lead researcher Professor Richard Telford from the ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment and the Clinical Trials Unit at The Canberra Hospital said the…
Children's health
29 Nov 2012
Nearly double the number of boys hospitalised due to injury
Between 1999-00 and 2006-07 nearly twice the number of boys were hospitalised as a result of an injury than girls, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The report Trends in hospitalised childhood injury in Australia: 1999-2007 shows that almost half a million…
Children's health
28 Nov 2012
Preterm Birth Can Be Prevented with a Few Proven Treatments, Lancet Article Says
Lowering preterm birth rates by an average of 5 percent across 39 high-resource countries, including the United States, by 2015 would prevent prematurity for 58,000 babies a year, a group of international experts said. In an article published in The Lancet to coincide with the second annual World Prematurity Day,…
Children's health
23 Nov 2012
School nutrition lagging
Despite the rapid growth in childhood obesity, many schools do not have policies in place to promote healthy food choices and nutrition within the school environment, according to new research. A study examining school canteen policies, diet-related programs and health nutrition practices of the school community found almost half of…
