Children's health
17 Dec 2012
Preschool movement skills programs could lead to life-long benefits
Preschools could hold the key to kids developing a life-long interest in physical activity. Researchers with Deakin University’s School of Health and Social Development, with colleagues from Northern NSW Local Health District, evaluated a movement skills program run by NSW Health in 18 NSW preschools. The study, published in the…
Blood
14 Dec 2012
New research shows an interesting twist in the fight against malaria
New research published in the prestigious Science journal has challenged previous notions about how the body fights against malaria infection. Scientists have discovered that platelets, normally known for their role in preventing bleeding, can actually target and kill the parasite that causes malaria as it grows inside red blood cells.
Blood
12 Dec 2012
Babies get a better chance to escape a dangerous health cycle
A promising step forward in stopping an intergenerational cycle of birth complications, diabetes and obesity associated with gestational diabetes has been made by researchers at the University of Sydney. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that mums with carefully controlled gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can give…
Children's health
12 Dec 2012
Risk of pertussis increases as time since last dose of DTaP vaccine lengthens
In an examination of cases of childhood pertussis in California, researchers found that children with pertussis had lower odds of having received all 5 doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) vaccine series; however the odds increased as the time since last DTaP dose lengthened, which is…
Cancer
10 Dec 2012
Treating childhood cancer in developing countries less expensive than believed
The assumption that childhood cancer in developing countries is prohibitively expensive to treat is challenged by new research contributed to by the University of Sydney. “Our findings mean it is time to re-evaluate global health policy,” said Dr Alexandra Martiniuk from the University’s School of Public Health and The George…
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…
