The offspring of parents who were addicted to drugs or alcohol are more likely to be depressed in adulthood, according to a new study by University of Toronto researchers...

A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report. Carnitine, a compound that helps transport fat inside the cell powerhouse where it can be used for energy production, is currently used for purposes ranging from weight loss to chest pain...

For young women in high school, the risk of childbearing may depend on the prevalence of obesity in their schools, according to sociologists, who found that as the prevalence of obesity rises in a school, so do the odds of obese high school students bearing children...

Growing areas where air pollution is prominent increase the risk of insulin resistance (the predecessor to diabetes) in children. The finding was published in the journal Diabetologia, of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), and was led by a group of researchers from Germany...

Study indicates snacking is a "missed opportunity" From animal crackers to gummy fruit snacks and calorie-laden juice drinks, kids in child care are not getting the nutrition they need from daily snacks, according to a new study from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center published online in the journal Childhood Obesity...

A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report. Carnitine, a compound that helps transport fat inside the cell powerhouse where it can be used for energy production, is currently used for purposes ranging from weight loss to chest pain...

Subway may promote itself as the "healthy" fast food restaurant, but it might not be a much healthier alternative than McDonald's for adolescents, according to new UCLA research. In a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, the researchers found that adolescents who purchased Subway meals consumed nearly as many calories as they did at McDonald's...

A new study shows that pediatric nurse staffing ratios are significantly associated with hospital readmission for children with common medical and surgical conditions. The study, led by a nurse scientist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, is believed to be the first to examine the extent to which hospital nurse staffing levels are related to pediatric readmissions...

In new findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Epub ahead of print), researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute reveal the discovery of the cause - a genetic mutation that occurs before birth - of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) and port-wine stain birthmarks...

Researchers at the University of Arizona have successfully determined the genetic mutations causing severe epilepsies in seven out of 10 children for whom the cause of the disorder could not be determined clinically or by conventional genetic testing...

Swedish researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, report that a simple habit may give significant protection against allergy development, namely, the parental sucking on the baby's pacifier. Allergies are very common in industrialized countries...

Researchers have identified the genetic mutation that occurs before birth responsible for the development of Sturge-Weber syndrome and port-wine birthmarks. Pinpointing the genetic cause behind this rare disorder and a common birthmark has been described by experts as "a major breakthrough"...

The composition of gut microbiota in a new-born baby's gut has been linked to the rate of early infant growth, reports research published this week in PLOS Computational Biology. The findings support the assertion that the early development of "microbiota" - the body's microbial ecosystem - in an infant can influence growth and thereby the likelihood of obesity...

Wrigley will remove caffeinated gum from the market after an investigation announcement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company said yesterday...

Women who catch the flu during pregnancy may put their child at increased risk of bipolar disorder later in life, according to a new study in JAMA Psychiatry. In the past, studies have demonstrated a link between gestational influenza and schizophrenia in offspring, showing that a mother's flu during pregnancy may increase a child's risk of schizophrenia...

A recent study has found that parents play an important part in screening for sleep problems in children with Down syndrome. These children often suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea, a condition which affects their breathing during sleep...

Inherited ventricular arrhythmias are an important cause of morbidity and sudden cardiac death in children who have structurally normal hearts. Despite conventional medical therapy, some of these children remain symptomatic with recurrent life-threatening arrhythmias, syncope, or frequent discharges from implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs)...

Measuring coverage of maternal, newborn and child health in low- and middle-income countries is critical to ensuring that health interventions are reaching the women and children who need them most, says a new Collection of articles published by PLOS this week...

A study published in the May 2013 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that mental health resources provided by schools are significantly associated with whether adolescents with mental disorders receive needed mental health services...

Allergy shots are commonly used to treat children with severe environmental allergies and asthma, but under-the-tongue drops may offer yet another beneficial - and stick-free - option for pediatric allergy sufferers, according to a Johns Hopkins Children's Center review of existing scientific evidence...