Infant
Whooping cough booster for parents of newbornsA booster vaccination for parents of new babies and other household members may be the most effective way of preventing the fatal form of whooping cough in young infants, say a group of paediatric intensive care doctors on bmj.com today.
Buggies influence parent-infant interactionA groundbreaking study being presented on 22nd November at the British Psychological Society Scotland's Annual Conference suggests the orientation of a baby's buggy impacts on mother-baby interaction, infant stress levels and ultimately child development.
Water aerobics in pregnancy help pregnant women during laborA course of water aerobics classes has been shown to reduce the amount of pain-killing medication women request during labor.
Asthma risk more in children born in autumnChildren who are born four months before the peak of cold and flu season have a greater risk of developing childhood asthma than children born at any other time of year, according to new research from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Birth defects rate high in infants born with assisted reproductive technologyInfants conceived with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) are two to four times more likely to have certain types of birth defects than children conceived naturally, according to a study by the CDC.
Depressed pregnant women may have preterm deliveryDepressed pregnant women have twice the risk of preterm delivery than pregnant women with no symptoms of depression, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.
Health Canada reaffirms safety of BPA useAnnouncement by Health Canada regarding completion of its assessment of bisphenol A (BPA) offers reassurance to Canadians that the use of this chemical in the production of epoxy resins in metal food and beverage packaging presents no risk to consumers.
US FDA assessed melamine and melamine compounds in foodThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the results of its interim safety and risk assessment of melamine and melamine-related compounds in food, including infant formula.
Nicotine gum for pregnant smokersNicotine gum might help pregnant women to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke, which could reduce their risk of having premature or low-birthweight infants.
Childhood wheezing with rhinovirus can increase asthma riskInfants who experience viral respiratory illnesses with wheezing are known to be at increased risk for developing asthma later during childhood. It is not known, however, whether every type of respiratory virus that produces wheezing presents similar risk.
Breastfeeding mothers reduce breast cancer riskMothers who breastfeed their babies for a total of a year, are almost five per cent less likely to develop breast cancer than women who do not breastfeed at all, a scientist has advised.
Chemotherapy target found for leukemiaCancer researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered a promising new chemotherapy target for a deadly form of leukemia. Their discovery hinges on a novel "double agent" role for a molecular signal that regulates cell growth.
Health expert urges FDA to take action to reduce BPA exposureResearchers found a significant relationship between urine concentrations of the environmental estrogen bisphenol A (BPA) and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and liver-enzyme abnormalities.
Canada inspecting shipments of peppers from MexicoIn keeping with the Government's commitment to food safety, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is taking precautionary actions to prevent the implicated source of the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak in the United States (U.S.) from entering Canada.
Jalapeno, Serrano peppers not connected to Salmonella Saintpaul OutbreakJalapeno and Serrano peppers grown in the United States are not connected with the current Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak, informed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Epilepsy drug topiramate during pregnancy raises birth defects riskTaking the epilepsy drug topiramate alone or along with other epilepsy drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a study published in the July 22, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Breastfeeding increases trust hormone in mothers' brainsWhen a baby suckles at a mother's breast, it starts a chain of events that leads to surges of the "trust" hormone oxytocin being released in their mothers brains.
Low vitamin D level during pregnancy affects baby's dental healthLow maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy may affect primary tooth calcification, leading to enamel defects, which are a risk factor for early-childhood tooth decay.
Update of Salmonella Saintpaul Situation in CanadaPublic Health officials in Canada have reported a case of a Salmonella Saintpaul infection that matches those associated with the outbreak in the United States. The individual involved has indicated that he recently travelled to the United States. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) officials will continue to work with their colleagues in Canada and the U.S. to monitor the situation and assess further cases.
New research will help identify risk factors for SIDSSudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS is a condition that unexpectedly and unexplainably takes the lives of seemingly healthy babies aged between a month and a year. Now researchers of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, Italy, have developed a mouse model of the so-called crib or cot death, which remains the leading cause of death during the first year of life in developed countries.
New drug labels better for pregnant & nursing mothersNew drug labeling system would provide better information about any prescription drug to pregnant women and nursing mothers as FDA proposes new rule to provide updated information on the use of prescription drugs and biological products during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Second hand smoke increases infectious diseases risk in infantsSecond hand smoke decreases immunity in infants and thereby raises risk of infectious diseases and early hospitalization even in the first year of life in infants, revealed by researchers in the BMJ journal Tobacco Control.
Parents use cough medicines on under 2s despite the warningsMore than 40% of parents have used cough medicine for children younger than two – even though it is not recommended, nor proven effective for children in this age group, an Australia-first study has found.
Breastfeeding improves children's intelligenceLong-term, exclusive breastfeeding appears to improve children's cognitive development, revealed by researchers. It is already known that children and adults who were breastfed as infants have higher scores on IQ tests and other measures of cognitive (thinking, learning and memory) development than those who were fed formula.
21% children not fully protected against vaccine-preventable diseasesThe U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) last week.
Preterm babies could benefit from skin-to-skin cuddlingPreterm babies, born between 28 and 31 weeks, could benefit from skin-to-skin cuddling with their mother before and during painful procedures such as a heel lance, reported in a recent study.
Canada takes action on Bisphenol ACanada is the first country in the world to complete a risk assessment of bisphenol A in consultation with industry and other stakeholders, and to initiate a 60 day public comment period on whether to ban the importation, sale and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles which contain bisphenol A.
Heart disease predetermined by oxygen levels in the wombThe amount of oxygen available to a baby in the womb can affect their susceptibility to developing particular diseases later in life. Research presented at the annual Society for Endocrinology BES meeting in Harrogate shows that your risk of developing cardiovascular disease can be predetermined before birth, not only by your genes, but also by their interaction with the quality of the environment you experience in the womb.
GSK's new vaccine Rotarix to prevent gastroenteritis by rotavirusThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Rotarix, the second oral U.S. licensed vaccine for the prevention of rotavirus, an infection that causes gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea) in infants and children. Rotarix is a liquid and given in a two-dose series to infants from 6 to 24 weeks of age.
Quit smoking in pregnancy to have easy going childGiving up smoking during pregnancy may boost the chances of giving birth to an easy going child, indicates research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy, may threaten healthRates of tobacco use during pregnancy, as well as exposure of pregnant women and their young children to secondhand smoke, are significant threats to health in several low and middle-income countries, reveals a study from National Institutes of Health (NIH).
HIV can be transmitted through pre-chewed foodHIV can be transmitted to infants through food that is pre-chewed by an HIV-positive parent or caregiver,
CDC researchers said Wednesday at the
15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, the
New York Times reports. Specific findings from the study have not been released, the
Times reports.
Ban use of bisphenol A in baby bottlesDozens of state and national environmental health organizations in the U.S. and Canada are calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and other food and beverage containers, based on the results of a new study that demonstrates the toxic chemical BPA leaches from popular plastic baby bottles when heated.
Teenage fathers have babies with birth problemsTeenage fathers carry an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, whereas advanced paternal age is not an independent risk factor for adverse birth outcomes, revealed by researchers in a study published in Human Reproduction.
Baby personal care products safer for infantsA study published this month in the journal, Pediatrics, suggests that the use of baby lotion, powder, and shampoo is linked to the presence of phthalates in babies. Phthalates are a large family of compounds used in a wide variety of everyday products.
Breastfeeding safer for infants of HIV mothers with NevirapineAn antiretroviral drug already in widespread use in the developing world to prevent the transmission of HIV from infected mothers to their newborns during childbirth has also been found to substantially cut the risk of subsequent HIV transmission during breast-feeding.
Genetic mutation increases risk of preterm birthGenetic mutations in the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene appear to have significant association with inflammatory injury to the placenta and developing baby, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh's department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences report at the 28th annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Scientific sessions continue through Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Dallas Hyatt Regency at Reunion.
Babies excrete vaccine-mercury quickerFebruary's issue of Pediatrics offers another reason to rethink blaming the spike in autism diagnoses on thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative routinely used in several childhood vaccines until the late ‘90s.
7000 pediatric emergency visits linked to cough and cold medicationAn estimated 7,000 children ages 11 and younger are treated in hospital emergency departments each year because of cough and cold medications, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately two-thirds of those incidents were due to unsupervised ingestion (i.e., children taking the medication without a parent's knowledge).
OTC eardrops may cause hearing lossA new study, led by researchers at The Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the MUHC, has revealed that certain over-the-counter earwax softeners can cause severe inflammation and damage to the eardrum and inner ear. The results of the study, recently published in The Laryngoscope, suggest that use of these medications should be discouraged.
Canadians support ban on smoking in cars with kidsThe majority of Canadians (82 per cent) say they support a ban on smoking in vehicles with children younger than 18 years of age, according to a national poll released by the Canadian Cancer Society. The poll results also show that more than two-thirds of smokers (69 per cent) support a ban.
Consumer Healthcare supports FDA over OTC cough and cold medicines withdrawalOn behalf of the leading makers of over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) offered its support for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision against the use of oral OTC cough and cold medicines in children under the age of two.
Use OTC cough and cold products with careUS health agency FDA is recommending that over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold products should not be used to treat infants and children less than 2 years of age because serious and potentially life-threatening side effects can occur from such use. OTC cough and cold products include decongestants, expectorants, antihistamines, and antitussives (cough suppressants) for the treatment of colds.
Childhood asthma from mothers stressEvidence is emerging that exposure to maternal distress in early life plays a causal role in the development of childhood asthma. Children whose mothers are chronically stressed during their early years have a higher asthma rate than their peers, regardless of their income, gender or other known asthma risk factors.
Infants with birthmarks received less oxygen in wombA hemangioma is a benign tumor of cells that line blood vessels, appearing during the first few weeks of life as a large birthmark or lesion. A study published in Pediatric Dermatology reveals that a disturbance of oxygen depletion was found in placentas of babies who developed infantile hemangioma (IH).
New test to detect and identify 12 respiratory virusesThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new diagnostic test that detects 12 respiratory viruses, including strains of flu that have triggered epidemics.
Gene protects newborns from respiratory distress syndromeYale School of Medicine researchers have isolated a gene that helps protect newborns from the most common respiratory cause of infant death in the United States - respiratory distress syndrome.
Obese pregnant women give birth to heavier babiesThe number of overweight and obese Americans continues to grow rapidly. Today, 50 percent of adults are overweight and up to 20 percent are obese. While the number of overweight/obese children is at an all time high, the steady increase of overweight infants – individuals under 11 months old – is alarming.
Quit Smoking – a Healthy Start to 2008The Australian Medical Association AMA is urging all smokers to put their health first in 2008 by making a New Year's resolution to quit smoking for good.
Study of environmental chemicals in pregnant women and their babiesThe Government of Canada announced a $3.9 million investment in Canada's largest study of environmental chemicals in pregnant women and their babies. To mark National Child Day and the one-year anniversary of the Chemicals Management Plan on December 8, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, Canada announced this important step.