Children's health
19 May 2006
Caffeine boosts breathing in premature infants
Many people rely on a caffeine kick from their morning coffee to boost their critical thinking. But for premature infants, a dose of caffeine may help with more vital functions, such as breathing. For decades doctors have prescribed caffeine to premature babies because it appears to protect against apnoea,…
Cancer
15 May 2006
Carcinogens from Parents' Tobacco Smoke Found in Their Babies' Urine
When mom or dad puffs on a cigarette, their infants may inhale the resulting second-hand smoke. Now, scientists have detected cancer-causing chemicals associated with tobacco smoke in the urine of nearly half the babies of smoking parents. “The take home message is, ‘Don’t smoke around your kids’,” said Stephen…
Children's health
15 May 2006
Women Can Help Prevent Pregnancy Complications
Pregnancy can be a wonderful and stressful experience any time of the year, but during the summer months, women should take extra steps to avoid complications, according to obstetrician/gynecologists at Duke University Medical Center. According to Amy Murtha, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine…
Children's health
15 May 2006
Successful treatment of mothers with depression helps their children, too
Children whose mothers are depressed are more likely to suffer from anxiety, mental-health problems and disruptive behavior than those whose moms aren’t. And if the mothers don’t get better, these kids’ problems often become worse, new research shows. Conversely, however, children whose mothers are successfully treated for their depressive…
Children's health
12 May 2006
Prescribing of antipsychotics to children soaring
The prescribing of antipsychotic medications to U.S. children is rising dramatically, according to research done at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Investigators found the overall frequency of antipsychotic prescribing increased fivefold in just six years – from 8.6 out of 1,000 U.S. children in 1995-1996 to…
Blood
12 May 2006
Boosting newborns' immune responses
Newborn babies have immature immune systems, making them highly vulnerable to severe infections and unable to mount an effective immune response to most vaccines, thereby frustrating efforts to protect them. Researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston now believe they have found a way to enhance the immune system at birth and…
Children's health
07 May 2006
Urban kids in diabetes timebomb
Survey results show that children living in inner city areas are at a hugely increased risk of becoming obese and developing Type 2 diabetes. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Leicester, shows that only 37 per cent of children in an urban area walked to school, compared…
Children's health
07 May 2006
Peanuts, bee stings and fear: Dealing with potentially life-threatening allergies
The first sign that something was wrong with Shon Dwyer’s son was as sudden as it was dramatic. Dylan was 10 months old when she spotted quarter-sized hives on his face, and soon after, Dwyer learned her little boy had a peanut allergy that will continue to affect the family’s…
Cancer
03 May 2006
Pap abnormalities in adolescents require cautious management
Adolescents with abnormal cervical cytology screening results should be treated less aggressively than adult women, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends. ACOG issued its committee opinion on evaluating and treating abnormal cervical cytology in adolescents, in the April issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. In many cases,…
