Children's Health

Dairy-free diets may put boys with autism at risk for thin bones
Bone 05 Feb 2008

Dairy-free diets may put boys with autism at risk for thin bones

Results of an early study suggest that dairy-free diets and unconventional food preferences could put boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at higher than normal risk for thinner, less dense bones when compared to a group of boys the same age who do not have autism. The study,…
Pedometers help people lose weight even without changes in diet
Children's health 01 Feb 2008

Pedometers help people lose weight even without changes in diet

People who participate in a pedometer-based walking program can be expected to lose a modest amount of weight even without changing their diet, with more weight loss the longer they stick with the program, according to a University of Michigan Health System analysis of nine studies. “The amount of weight…
Pet turtles: cute but contaminated with salmonella
Children's health 30 Jan 2008

Pet turtles: cute but contaminated with salmonella

The little glassy-eyed creatures may look cute and harmless, but small turtles can make people very ill. Turtles commonly carry bacteria called Salmonella on their outer skin and shell surfaces. People can get Salmonella by coming in contact with turtles or their habitats. Salmonella can cause a serious or even…
Culprit cell for childhood leukaemia discovered
Blood 30 Jan 2008

Culprit cell for childhood leukaemia discovered

A study by British researchers of twin girls has identified a rogue cell that is the fundamental cause of childhood leukaemia. The twins have been crucial to the new research, as they are genetically identical but one has developed cancer while the other has not. The research has identified precisely…
Eczema still on the increase in developing countries
Children's health 30 Jan 2008

Eczema still on the increase in developing countries

Experts are warning policy makers that allergic disease might replace infectious disease as a major cause of ill health in cities undergoing rapid demographic changes in developing countries. New research tracking the number of cases of childhood eczema across the globe has revealed big changes in the prevalence of the…
Exposure to smoking in movies influences kids lighting up
Cancer 30 Jan 2008

Exposure to smoking in movies influences kids lighting up

New research from Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) strengthens the case that children’s exposure to smoking in movies influences their decision to start smoking. It further suggests that smoking in movies seen in early childhood has an equally significant impact on that decision as movie smoking exposure closer to adolescence. The…
FDA warnings affected prescriptions of antidepressants to youth
Children's health 29 Jan 2008

FDA warnings affected prescriptions of antidepressants to youth

U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings regarding the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours in children and adolescents taking antidepressants appear to have had modest and targeted effects on the intended populations, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Premature labour
Anatomy 27 Jan 2008

Premature labour

Premature or preterm labour refers to childbirth occuring any time before a woman is 37 weeks pregnant, and results in a premature baby.
Divorce may widen distance between teens, fathers
Children's health 25 Jan 2008

Divorce may widen distance between teens, fathers

The typical distancing from parents by adolescents is exacerbated by divorce for fathers, but not for mothers, according to a study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family. "Historically, teens distance themselves from parents and increase involvement with peers," said co-author Alan Booth, distinguished professor of sociology, human development…